Teacher Aides Information

Our teacher aides perform an invaluable service in keeping the classroom running smoothly during contract time, and in keeping the students in line during lunch and recess. We are well aware that our program would not be as successful if it were not for this service.

Duties of a teacher aide in the classroom:

a. Help supervise students in the classroom while group lessons are in progress.
b. Help students with contract work without doing the work for them.
c. Keep the students focused on their work through gentle reminders. Use different means of encouragement and motivation.
d. Redirect behavior of student and correct when necessary.
e. Help teachers with class work such as checking papers, filing, bulletin boards, etc.
f. Be in the classroom by 7:45 a.m. to help teachers with morning duties.
g. Break for the aides is from 10:15-10:30.
h. Speak in a soft tone of voice to students and try to always say "please" and "thank you". Help students to use good manners.
i. Guide students to put materials away.
j. Always stay calm and keep your cool under stressful situations.
k. Your first and foremost responsibility is to the classroom in which you have been assigned.
l. Allow your own children the space they need to grow.
m. CONFIDENTIALITY -- What happens at school stays at school. We are responsible for the privacy of each student and teacher. Open discussion with others about a student or teacher is unethical.
n. Safety -- Remember who has gone to the restroom and try to keep up with the time. Walk in line and keep children in control.
o. Dress Code -- Casual wear but no jeans.
p. If you cannot come on your schduled day, please make arrangements with other aides to find a replacement. If possible, call the teacher also to let them know the change.
q. Supervise and facilitate children's break. Children stay in their desk, eat with manners, and quietly visit. Encourage a bathroom visit.
r. Cell phones are to be turned off during the day while on duty.

Playground Supervision:

a. Establish a routine on the playground that students are to follow for every aide.
b. In order to supervise well, you must "walk around" the grounds; don't stay in one place. We have to prove that we were not just physcially present but also mentally present in case of accident.
c. Roughhousing or "play fighting" is not ever permitted by students.
d. Check restrooms periodically.
e. When an emergency arises, make sure someone is left with the students or send another student for help.
f. Expect correct use of equipment or temporary loss of privilege.
g. Students need you to be an adult role model that they can admire; they don't need a friend.
h. Keep an eye open for students who might try to go behind the Jr. High building and unsupervisied.
i. Be careful of extreme heat. August and September tend to have high heat index marks. It is inapproriate for children to run and play in the heat that is extreme after lunch or at the end of the day. Ozone days are observed at our school. The teacher will let you know.
j. Come prepared for those weather days of no play outside. Many of the teachers have some ideas (music, games, walks). Movies tend to be another sitting time--children need activity.
k. Be aware or alert of visitors on campus without an OLV tag.

Cafeteria Supervision:

a. Have students sit in their proper area.
b. Remove any student who fails to follow the cafeteria rules set by the teacher.
c. Stop sign and yellow yield sign are to used to keep control. Stop sign means no talking at this time. Yellow sign means too loud, speak softly. Make sure you hold up the sign while you want no talking.
d. Aide must stay with their table! It is a safety hazard when children are left unattended. You might not hear a child choking if you are talking to someone else a table away.
e. Never allow a student to leave their area dirty or trashy.
f. Students are not allowed to walk around during lunchtime to visit family members.
g. Students are to leave the cafeteria in an orderly manner--only you dismiss the students.
h. Classroom aides are responsible for selling and distributing ice cream and snacks.
i. Encourage healthy eating but never make or deny children food for any reason. Children are not allowed to share food.

Afternoon time:

a. After your lunch break, it is your responsibility to help the teacher and to be available for them.
b. When you gather to check contracts or homework papers you have a serious responsibility not to talk about a student or students!
c. If you find yourself with nothing to do, then ask to help another aide or go to the workroom and help.
d. Don't forget you are responsible to help with patrol after school -- check the schedule.

Discipline:

a. Be respectful and in return the children will respect you.
b. Never use "whole class" punishment (example: the entire class loses recess because of a few)
c. Expect the children to care and love one another. They can help one another to remember the rules but never have the children point fingers for infractions. Our job is to scan and redirect. Bullying each other is not allowed.
d. Use a positive approach to redirecting of children.

Areas that teachers need to address:

a. Inform teachers about students who are not getting along on the playground.
b. Inform teachers about students who seem to be loners.
c. Inform teachers about verbal teasing and bullying -- not allowed at our school.
d. Inform teachers when students have reported something to you--it is not tattling. Children have been educated about the difference.

Assigned work days:

The aide positions at Our Lady of Victory School have always been handled in a barter system (i.e. the aide works for a tuition discount), where both the school and the family are placed in a win-win situation. Both the school and the teacher aide must fulfill their obligation. In the event of illness or other occurrences, it is the teacher aide's responsibility to find a substitute to either trade with or repay monetarily. If the aide is not available on her appointed day and a substitute is not found, the aide will need to reimburse the school for that missed day at the rate of $40 for a whole day aide and $20 for a half day aide.

It is important for everyone that the teacher aide is available on her assigned days. A trade with another aide insures that the day will still run smoothly for the teacher, the other aide, and the students in the classroom. Each aide is provided with a Teacher Aides Schedule which lists names and phone numbers of all the aides.