SPED para but not my choice
A few months ago, I was hired as a teacher assistant for a GE (general education) classroom. During the interview, I specifically made sure it was GE and not SPED because I don’t feel prepared or experienced enough for special education. I was also very clear that I did not want to change diapers. The person who interviewed me assured me that none of that would be part of the job because this was a GE classroom, and told me not to worry.
I accepted the position, but on my very first day at the school, they told me they suddenly needed help in a SPED classroom for 5-year-olds. They asked if I could support them “for a few days” until the assistant they had hired for that class arrived. It’s important to mention that my contract specifically states the classroom I was hired for.
When I got to the classroom, I realized there were 6 children with level 3 autism, most of whom wore diapers and were nonverbal. I had absolutely no experience working with children with special needs, and I received zero training. They just placed me there.
The first few weeks were incredibly hard and emotionally and physically draining. During the second week, one of the children bit me hard enough to draw blood. That was the moment I decided I was not going to continue in that classroom and that they needed to respect my contract, otherwise I was going to quit.
The teacher spoke with me and asked if I could please stay until the end of the school year. I agreed because honestly we work well together, there’s not much time left before school ends, and I do want to stay at this school.
In a few weeks, I plan to talk to the principal and ask not to be placed in a SPED classroom again in August. I think it’s extremely irresponsible to place someone with no experience into a classroom with children who have very high needs. And honestly, it’s not fair to those children either to have an assistant like me, who was never properly trained for this role.
I’m mostly venting, but also pointing out how broken the education system is in this country. The parents of these children probably have no idea that their kids are being supported by an assistant who had absolutely no prior experience with even the most basic special needs support.