Six Nations Polytechnic Looking for Educational Assistant – STEAM Academy at Brantford, ON Full Time

Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) is a unique Indigenous Institute, recognized by community, government, and institutions of higher learning, as a Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Knowledge. SNP offers postsecondary, secondary, trades education and training. SNP has formal partnerships with nine publicly funded Ontario Universities and Colleges and collaborates with six Ontario-based Indigenous owned and controlled post-secondary Institutes.

At the STEAM Academy, students have an opportunity to earn a high school diploma, an industry-recognized college diploma, and gain relevant work experience in their field of study. The school creates a seamless program for students to acquire the academic, technical, and workplace skills and knowledge that employers need.

For more information, visit www.snpolytechnic.com

Function & Overview

The Educational Assistant (EA) understands the vision behind this new program. They are experienced in work-based learning and participate in continuing professional development opportunities to support STEAM Academy programming. The key function of the EA position is to assist Teachers in effectively accommodating the learning needs of specific students and/or programs within the school. While the Teacher is ultimately responsible for the education of all students in the classroom, the Teacher and EA are a team working towards the common goal of successfully educating all classroom learners. The Educational Assistant is required to perform all duties consistent with the governance values and operating policies of Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) while fostering positive relations with staff, students, stakeholders, and the community; contributing to a culturally supportive teaching, learning and work environment consistent with Hodinǫshǫ:nih/Rotinonhson:ni values of Ga’nigohi:yo:/Kanikoriio (Respect and the Good Mind).

Duties

The duties of the Educational Assistant include, without limitation:

Planning, Developing & Organizing Instruction

• Operating projectors, recording devices, and other audio-visual or electronic equipment to support student learning;
• Delivering reliable and sustained support to students who have been identified as requiring Individual Education Plans (IEP), and those other students who display a requirement of extra support on an as-needed basis;
• Implementing social skills programming and working collaboratively with teachers to develop IEP’s;
• Referencing IEP’s within daily tasks, procedures, and expectations when supporting students;
• Meeting regularly with the classroom Teacher and Learning Resource Teacher to discuss and assess the effectiveness of interventions;

Implementing Assessment

• Monitoring, tracking, and reporting student learning requirements and progress to the classroom Teacher;

Student Success

• Collaborating with other EA’s to ensure all student needs are being met and the most effective supports and strategies are being utilized;
• Working in close collaboration with the classroom teacher and administrative staff to make the classroom a supportive and safe learning environment;
• Under the direction of the Teacher, reviewing educational material with the students that may be challenging and require more time to learn, or may need to be broken down into smaller chunks;
• Implementing strategies and supports to improve student attention and responsiveness to the classroom Teacher;
• Working through recognized challenges with students who have special needs, in a manner that supports student learning and creation of a positive learning environment;
• Facilitating social interactions amongst students with special needs and their peers;
• In alignment with restorative justice practices, implementing behaviour modifications, personal development strategies, and other therapeutic programs under the supervision of professionals such as special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists;
• Providing one on one assistance and/or serving as a scribe to students who require special assistance;
• Respecting and upholding the confidentiality of all personal information related to students and personnel;
• Working with individuals or small groups to integrate approved and/or required technology to aid instruction, assessment, and learning;
• Providing reliable and sustained support to classroom Teachers, with the aim of achieving the highest possible educational success rates for all students;

Classroom Management & Safety

• As assigned by the Principal, supervising and monitoring students during their designated learning breaks, class time, extracurricular activities, and offsite class excursions;
• Occasionally supply teaching while classroom Teachers are away;

Community Connections & Professional Development

• Assisting the Principal in maintaining close affiliation with the community, including taking part in regular meetings with pupils’ parents or guardians, working with the community and cultural coordinator on initiatives, and participating in community events wherever applicable;
• Attending and participating in all required professional development sessions throughout the school year;
• Actively participating in the STEAM Academy staff summer orientation program, annually;

General Administration

• Assisting with classroom inventory; and
• Other related duties, as required.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Educational Assistant (EA) or Teacher Aide (TA) diploma or equivalent and/or Early Childhood Education (ECE), Youth Care Worker (YCW) or Nursing Assistant (NA);
• Experience working with students with diverse learning needs one-on-one, in small groups, and in whole class situations;
• Experience working with children with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities and behavioural or other learning difficulties; and
• Experience using D2L and Microsoft TEAMS.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to interact with students, parents and teachers cheerfully, enthusiastically, courteously, patiently, and with discretion;
• A broad knowledge of child development and learning strategies;
• Knowledge and skills related to a science-focused curriculum is considered an asset;
• A general and current knowledge of Hodinǫshǫ:nih history, culture, values, contemporary issues, community priorities, and stakeholders;
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with an emphasis on written expression (i.e., faultless spelling and grammar, and professional style);
• Sound interpersonal skills including communication, organization, problem-solving, confidentiality, and professional judgement;
• Ability to work under pressure and manage schedules, portfolios, and timelines, to meet demanding deadlines;
• Capacity to work both independently and in a team setting, demonstrating Hodinǫshǫ:nih/Rotinonhson:ni values of Ga’nigohi:yo:/Kanikoriio (Respect and the Good Mind);
• Demonstrated familiarity with standard desktop computing programs, including spreadsheets, word processing, and database applications, on the Windows 2010 (or later) operating system; and
• Contributing to a culturally supportive teaching, learning and work environment consistent with Hodinǫshǫ:nih/Rotinonhson:ni values of Ga’nigohi:yo:/Kanikoriio (Respect and the Good Mind).

Criminal Record Check

The Educational Assistant will be required to provide an original Criminal Background Check – Vulnerable Sector Screening that is satisfactory to Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) prior to the first day of work at STEAM Academy, and an Offence Declaration that is satisfactory to SNP by August 31 every 2nd year in which they are employed by Six Nations Polytechnic.

Application deadline: January 26, 2023

Job Type: Contract

Schedule:

• 7.5-hour shifts
• Monday to Friday