College Certificate - Educational Assistant

Program Description If you like working one-on-one with kids with different needs, and you want to see them included in the classroom, becoming an educational assistant might be the career for you. Educational assistants provide the all-important one-on-one support that makes today’s inclusive classrooms possible. The Educational Assistant program is respected by school boards province-wide. We’ll teach you the skills and give you the hands-on experience you need to make a lasting difference in a child’s life. Putting you in the classroom through a practicum lets you apply what you’ve learned to helping children with different needs. You’ll see first hand the kind of technology being used and the curriculum being taught. You’ll have a package of guidance strategies to help deal with situations as they arise. Most importantly, you’ll gain a solid understanding of what to expect in a real classroom with real kids. Your job is to assist classroom teachers by working with children or youth with diverse learning needs. Saskatchewan Polytechnic provides the knowledge and skills you’ll need, including: Basic care skills (lifting to feeding) Classroom management and crisis prevention techniques and strategies Communication skills and professionalism Cultural awareness and family dynamics Exceptionalities (causes, characteristics and accommodations) Social, emotional, cognitive development (children and teens) Supporting teachers in specific subject areas Your role in the classroom Educational Assistant graduates work in elementary, junior high and high schools in communities around the province. School divisions offer full time, part time and casual positions. You might be based in the classroom or resource room. You might assist with a lunch program or a before/after school program. You can also explore career opportunities outside the traditional school setting—in youth centres, community centres, care facilities and alternative education programs.