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I currently have an instructional aide in one section of science I teach (6th grade). This section has a high population of special education students. The aide I have is not particularly proactive and often she is just sitting in the room. She does read tests and quizzes aloud to some students as an accommodation. For those of you that have an aide... What does your aide do to support your student? How do you support your aide? I want to maximize this support I am getting, but I don't want to feel like I have to plan for her. I'm just not sure the best way to do this. Thanks!

I have been at both ends of this situation, and I am happy to report that I am at the better end this year. This year I have the opportunity to co-teach with the special education teacher. However, in previous years and in previous schools, I have experienced your frustration. Have you asked them to assist with anything? I have gotten better at this over time...the asking. Sometimes aides don't "help" because they see it as interfering, and they don't want to step on your toes. My aides work directly with groups of students on lab days, help students with notes on lecture days, and even check in homework and bell work for me. Again, it comes down to the asking... If an aide tells me that they are not comfortable doing what I ask, I don't push it. Hope this helps...

Tina and Susanne make excellent points. A lot of times the aids don’t have a background in Science and really don’t know what to do or how to help. After talking with those that I have worked with over the years, they all said, “Just tell me how I can help and I will do the best I can.” Most of the aids I have had in the room get really into the labs once they realize my room is a safe place to say, “I don’t know.” Most of the time they feel like they have to have the right answer. When they discover it’s okay to find it out alongside the kids, they are more enthusiastic in their help.

I agree with the other posts; many times aides are insecure in a science class and are not sure how to best help you. Think about how the aide can best support you and the students and then give her/him some specific actions that you would like them to accomplish while in your room. Do you want to have the aide work with three or four struggling students? Can the aide help keep students focused on the task at hand? Maybe it would be helpful to have the aide sit with those students to help them. Is the aide keeping a science notebook of his/her own so that they understand the material and are in a better situation to help?