The plight of the LSA
Recently it has really hit home to me about LSAs, and their role in the classroom, during experiences when I've been working in classrooms with teachers as their behaviour guide/coach.
In a recent class, while ostensibly acting as the Number 2, I asked some of the students to listen to what the teacher was saying. In response, they looked at me with a snarl and one exclaimed
“I’m not listening to you, you’re not my teacher!”
On that day and in that lesson, the teacher had really started well, with a strong on-line activity which was highly interactive. He selected one of the challenging students to manage the activity – in charge of the mouse – and the student jumped at the chance to assume that responsibility. We got off to a good start.
So far so good…..
The problems began when the lesson began ‘proper’. I requested that...