- The author learned the importance of researching students' disabilities and keeping up to date on best practices to meet their needs and goals outlined in their IEPs. She learned to be creative in her teaching style and approach for each student. - The author reflects on evaluating herself as a learner, noting her strengths in persevering to complete her education despite challenges, as well as areas for growth in not being as hard on herself and learning to step back and listen more. - She enjoyed gaining a certificate for her learning over 10 years supporting her children in school and being able to help other students and parents advocate for support.

1. Last projectEducational Assistant:Personal Reflections
Joanne Goodrick
The skillsthatI have learnedaboutanE.A. are that you alwayshave todo your researchonthe childyou
are workingwith.Knowingthe latestdisabilities,knowingwhatwouldworkforthe studentandwhat
waysto improve the teachingstylesforthe type of disabilityyouare workingwith. Keepingupwiththe
latestforwhat diagnosesfindingwhatworksbestforthe studentandhavingthe trainingforthatchild.
That is sucha bonustohave.
Havingto see where the student isforthe grade level and disability.Whatare the goalsare forthe
child and whatis in their IEP.Alwayshaving thestudentaccomplishing each goaland alwaysto
challengethemselvesto be a betterstudent.Always being creativeon whatthelearning style of the
child. Having fourchild in the schoolsystemand three having IEP’s and having differenttypesof
challenges,wherenotto start there.I havelearned that all studentslearn fromtheir own challengesand
to see thatwhen they accomplish the goalis nothing thatispriceless. To alwayshavethestudentto
starta new day asit is there first one.Even though thestudentmay startoff ashaving a good day,it
alwaysmay notcarry over the day.
To havean open communication with all thekeep everyoneincluding the parentsof how,what,and
when abouttheirchild. To listen to the child, as they may also haveideas. To findswayseveryonewould
like to see orwhatshould be doneto guide this studentto having a success for a day, the week,the
monthand the whole school year. Tobe able nomatteron how you feel onthe optionsof othersitall
comesdownto whatis bestforthe child.
2. How wouldIevaluate myself asastudent foras a learner? Well youknow how I wouldevaluate,I
have beenhard on myself about mylearningthese days asthisiswhatI have wantedto doall my life.I
have alsobeentoldmyparentingstylesare notwhattheyshouldbe towardsmychildren.Ihave what
theysay trustissuestowardsauthorityfigures.Thatmychildrenshouldbe where theyare at.Ihave to
justknowthat whatI have learnednotjustin thisE.A.part, butthe whole course.A childwitha
disabilityorbehaviorsaren’teasy.Youneedtojustbe patientwiththemtheylearndifferent,theysee
and thinkdifferent. You needtobe intheirworldnotours.
Well let’ssee whatmystrengthsare.I am strongerthenI wasa yearago. I have overcome of
completingthingsthatIthoughtI wouldhave neverhave.Havingtopushmyself throughemotionsthat
I wouldhave justgivenupon. Beensickand everything else inmylifeIstuckwithitand finished,whatI
started.Havingthingsthathave beena challenge all mylife,suchasschool. WhatI thoughtwhenthings
happen,Ijustkeptgoing.Tryingto please everyone,hearingwhyyoucan’tbe justlike so-so.Ipushall
those thingsoutand knewthatthe onlypersonI have to be is me.To have me challenge me asa person,
as a student,asa mom.A beinga betterperson nottoplease everyone,noteveryone sees me Isee and
that isO.K.
My weaknessare thatI needtoonlycare what otherssee,its’swhatIsee inside myself. Thatwho
cares.I still feel judge attimesandIneedtowork on that.Alsothat I speakingwhatis onmy mindand
letit bottle whatisnothelpful,butknowingwhatmylimitsare notto blow isgettingbetter.

2. Area’sI needtowork alsoisthat I needtostepback and letsomeone else take the rainsforachance. I
needtocontinue tolistentowhatthe personistellingsoIdon’tjumpthe gun onthings.It isa working
progress butI am sure thatin time itwill happen.
3. What did I like aboutthe course?ThatI had the bestteacher,well one of the bestones.ThatI got to
put intowhatI have learnedoverthe 10 yearsof my children’slife inthe school systemintosomethingI
calleda certificate.AlsothatwhatI struggledinoreventuneditup more.To understandmore whatmy
childrenhave togo throughjustto getthe helpinschool.Tobe able tohelpnotjust mychildin
advocate whattheyshouldbe gettingand,to helpachildor a parentthat mayknow what or where to
go.
4 To keepthe dramafor the playgroundnotinthe class. To have more lectures,howeverkeepingin
mindthat there maybe studentslike me,that mayneedthe toolstohelpthemwith.Thatmore extra
helpforstudentsthathave a hard time to understand. Tolearnmore aboutE.A’sas timesare changing,
the technologyare goingtobe the nextgenerationof E.A’sandmostof the {includingme} are nothing
but oldschool.
Carmen
Thanksagain for1 inbelievinginme,asI don’thave too manypeepsthese days.Especially whenIgot
mad at myself attimes,especiallywhenitcame toE.A. about mymarks. I neededtobe hardon myself,
because Ihave learnedone thing.ThatI neededtoprove tomyself thatI can do this.One thingin41
yearsI neverhadchallengedmyself, butwhen itcame to takingthiscourse I knew Ihad to. It isn’tjust
my life,itismyfamilythatI alsohave to thinkof…To be able towork and guide themintowhatever
theymay inchoose inlife.Toteachtheirchildrenandtheirchildren.
I wentto pickup the reportcards at the twinsschool todayand hadto go to theirclasses.Iwentto
Alex’sfirstandsure enough,he wasworkingthe teacher.Whenhe saw me,he ran to me and the cutest
thingI had redirectedhimbacktothe teacherand saidthat he neededtogo back {inhisclass}.To see
the teachersface was priceless,she hadthatdumbassface onher like WTF?Meaningshe wasshockedI
actuallydidthat.Same withKatie,{Katie wasnothappywhenIdid that}.Katie was allowed tobringher
reportcard to me at the office, rightinfrontof the principal she hadan attitude.Itoldthatshe was not
like thisandwhenshe wasreadyto talkto me I wouldlisten. She didstopandI didtalk to herand Alex
showsupand I had askedif he was allowedandif the teacherknew where he was.Ifoundoutfromthe
principal thatAlex gotintrouble,thatiswhyhe wasworkingwiththe teacher.
Joanne