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Mohawk ES Placement Manual
Mohawk Educational Support Program
Placement Manual – Full Time
Mohawk College
School of Human Services
Educational Support Diploma Program
135 Fennell Avenue West,
Hamilton, ON L9C 1E9
Follow us on Twitter! @ESMohawk
Questions? Feedback? Contact the Field Placement Support Officer:
Amy Ocampo
905-575-1212 ext. 3311
[email protected]
Revised: Aug 12, 2014: This document is available online through eLearn and on the
Educational Support Placement Information website. Bring a copy of this Manual to your
placement supervisor.
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Mohawk ES Placement Manual
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To the Student:
Welcome! You are about to begin your field experience in the Educational Support program. Practicum,
also referred to as placements, will provide first-hand experience in the role and responsibilities of an
Educational Assistant. This is the opportunity to demonstrate learning and competency by transferring
learning and theory from your college courses into practice.
The focus for the Practicums is on supporting students in school and on you as a part of a school team.
The opportunity to participate effectively in the Educational Assistant role while on placement is crucial
to the skill set required of a professional EA. If you have any doubts or questions as to whether you have
chosen the right field, the on-site experience will provide clarification.
This is a serious and exciting undertaking. Good preparation is essential to your success. The following
policies and procedures have been developed to support your learning and to provide guidance as you
embark on your field experience.
We wish you much success!
Your Mohawk College Educational Support Full-Time Team
Amy Ocampo
Field Placement Support Officer
School of Human Services – Fennell Campus
P: 905-575-1212 ext. 3311
E: [email protected]
Kim Ann Laush
Academic and Field Coordinator
School of Human Services – Fennell Campus
P: 905-575-1212 ext. 4523
E: [email protected]
Linda Jones
Faculty
School of Human Services – Fennell Campus
P: 905-575-1212 ext. 2277
E: [email protected]
Karen Falls
Faculty
School of Human Services – Fennell Campus
P: 905-575-1212 ext. 3128
E: [email protected]
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
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Table of Contents
Topic
Page
First Steps
Placement procedures – what, where, when, why,
and how (and how long)
Prerequisites
Practicum Seminars
Requesting a placement
Placement restrictions
Police clearance
OPP Regions
Next steps: Placement confirmation
4
5
5
5
5
5
5-6
Next steps: Initial meeting
Forms information
Absences
Holiday
School closures (inclement weather)
Reading Week
March Break
PA Days
Placement assignments
6
6
6-7
7
7
7
7
7
7
Evaluation – Mid and Final
FPSO onsite Visit
WSIB Insurance coverage
Roles and responsibilities – Principal
Roles and responsibilities - School Supervisor
Roles and responsibilities – ES Student
Roles and Responsibilities Checklists
4
4
8
8
8
8
9
10 - 11
12-13
Critical Thinking Questions : Personal care, reflective
practice, preparing for the physical and academic
support requirements of the EA Role
Quick Reference of do and don’t
14
Resources
16
15
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
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1. What are my first steps?
READ THIS MANUAL! In order to successfully prepare
for your field experience it is important that you
familiarize yourself with placement process,
procedures, and what your responsibilities are. It is
expected that you will refer to this content throughout
each of your placements. In order to protect the
integrity and the relationships we foster with schools
and with school boards, breach of the procedures
outlined in this manual may impact your placement
privileges. The necessary steps and required practices
that you must follow will be revealed throughout this
manual.
2. How many Placements will I complete and in what
type of setting will I complete each placement?
You will complete 3 placements by the time you
graduate:
Placement 1:
Your first
placement
occurs at the
elementary
school level in
either a
Catholic or
Public school
Placement 2:
High School. It
may be the case
that you are also
in a specialized
setting/classroo
m/school for this
placement.
Choose opposite
board type.
Placement 3:
Specialized
setting/classroom, or in
a High School or in any
setting if all
requirements have
been met from
previous placements
You will experience a placement in both the Catholic
and the Public board due to the varied experiences
within these two boards. If you completed your first
placement at a catholic elementary school, then
placement 2 or 3 must be within the public board. If
you completed your first placement at a public
elementary school, then placement 2 or 3 must be
with the catholic board.
3. When will I complete my placements?
Year 1, Semester 1: Practicum Prep – No placement
Year 1, Semester 2: Practicum 2, Placement 1
Year 2, Semester 3: Practicum 3, Placement 2
Year 2, Semester 4: Practicum 4, Placement 3
4. How many hours/days must I be on placement
each term?
We count the number of days you should be on
placement. You are required to attend 20 days at
about 7 hours per day (including a lunch break, which
should be similar in length to that of an employed EA).
This works out to about 140 hours each term. Expect
to arrive on placement a minimum of 15 minutes prior
to the bell, and staying a minimum of 15 minutes after
the bell or until assigned duties are completed.
Examples of assigned duties might be bus duty, end of
day clean up, and preparation tasks.
Below is the typical start and end time for each
practicum:
5. When will each placement start/end and what days
will I attend Placement?
Winter term: Placement 1, Practicum 2 – start 3rd
week of Jan, end 2nd Week of April. 2 days per week
every Thursday and Friday.
Spring term: Placement 1, Practicum 2 – start 2nd
week of May, end 3rd week of June. 4 days per week
every Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri.
Fall term: Placement 2, Practicum 3 – start 2nd week of
October, end 1st week of December. 3 days per week
every Wed to Fri.
Winter term: Placement 3, Practicum 4 – start 1st
week of February, end first week of April. 3 days a
week, every Wed, Thurs, Fri.
*End dates assume no absences. As a placement
student you may not attend placement on any day
outside of this schedule without permission from the
FPSO.
6. What Prerequisites/Co-requisites must I have
before I can begin my first placement?
Prerequisites and Co-requisites provide important
knowledge and essential skills to prepare you for your
placements. Prior to Practicum 2, where you will have
your first placement, you are required to successfully
complete:
• Practicum Preparation 1 (EDUC 10075)
• Foundations of Education (EDUC EDE14)
• Personal and Interpersonal Dynamics (EDUC
EDE17)
• Safety in an Educational Setting (SAFE 1004)
For more information about the learning outcomes for
each of the courses, please refer to the Program of
Study- Course Outline.
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
7. What are Practicum Seminars?
Except for Practicum Preparation 1, seminar courses
run simultaneously with on-site placement. Each term,
before the on-site placement begins, you will be
required to attend mandatory seminar courses. Failure
to attend the seminars may result in a suspension of
placement.
Throughout the seminars you will discuss with your
seminar instructor a number of topics related to the EA
field experience including: professionalism, the EA
team and collaboration, the EA role, confidentiality,
industry standards by way of guest speakers, essential
employability skills, interview and resume preparation,
references, goal setting, ethical behaviour, positive
educator attitudes, the expectations and evaluations
of a student EA on placement, and implementing
strategies with the guidance of the classroom teacher
or other members of the special education team.
Towards the end of the term and after each field
experience is completed, you will attend a final
seminar dedicated to sharing, in a professional and
helpful way, your experiences of your particular field
assignment.
8. How are placement schools assigned?
You will complete a Field Placement Request Form in
your Practicum courses and submit it to your Field
Placement Support Officer (FPSO) via the instructions
on the form. The FPSO will then contact the school or
school board to secure a placement for you based on
the information indicated on the form.
Please note: You are not to set up your own placement
or contact any schools to try and secure a placement.
In doing so, you will be in direct breach of our
placement procedures and will disqualify that school as
a placement choice.
9. Are there any placement school restrictions?
 For the benefit of all parties you cannot attend
placement at a school that you previously attended as
a student, or that your children currently attend, or at
which a close relative is employed or attends (parent,
spouse, aunt/uncle, sibling, cousin, etc.). Moving from
a teacher - parent relationship to one of teacher student EA may be problematic, particularly when
critical/constructive statements have to be made.
Issues regarding confidentiality may also play a role. It
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is your responsibility to inform the placement officer of
any conflict of interest. A placement can be
terminated should it become evident that there is
breach of this procedure
 If you are requesting a placement that falls outside
of our 4 local school boards or is considered a
‘Distance’ placement you must have permission from
the FPSO.
Please note: Any breach of the Human Services
Placement Agreement procedures/policies or a pattern
of unprofessional behaviour may disqualify you from
participating as an ES placement student. This could
also result in withdrawal from the Practicum course
and potentially a loss of fees and academic penalty
10. Do I need a Police clearance to start placement?
YES! The Police clearance must include a Vulnerable
Sector Screening (aka Vulnerable Sector Check). The
school board policies will vary in how long a police
clearance is valid. To be safe, it should be dated within
6 months from the start of your placement. A letter
requesting a police clearance can be found in your
associated Practicum course. Take the letter to the
police headquarters located in the region where you
reside and ask for a VSS.
If you live in a region that does not have a police
headquarters, you must go through the Ontario
Provincial Police (OPP). You will find the required letter
posted in your Practicum course on eLearn. The cost of
the Police Clearance will vary between regions. Please
do not show your Seminar Instructor and FPSO your
police clearance. You must take it with you when you
meet with your confirmed placement school to show
the school supervisor and/or Principal.
If you do not have your police check in time to start
placement and the delay impacts your ability to
complete placement days by the end of the term, then
the placement may be cancelled without refund.
11. How will I know what school I will be placed at?
The FPSO will inform you via your Practicum course
12. What do I do once I find out my placement?
You will connect with the school contact provided to
you by the FPSO to set up an initial meeting. This is an
opportunity for you to meet your school supervisor
and potentially your school team. You and the
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
placement school supervisor will complete the
Placement Confirmation Form at this time. Bring your
Police Check, print and bring the ES Placement Manual,
and the Mid and Final Evaluations. We encourage you
to review the evaluation expectations during this initial
meeting. It is also important to discuss your goals
related to the EA role and to share your knowledge
and skills related to the field. In some cases, you may
be asked to bring a resume. Even if you are not asked,
in the spirit of demonstrating initiative, bring one
anyway!
Please note: If more than 1 student has been placed at
the same placement school, those students must
coordinate who will call on behalf of all students to set
up the initial meeting. All students placed at the school
will attend the initial meeting at the same time.
Form
Field Placement
Agreement Form
Initial Meeting
Form
Placement
Confirmation Form
Absence Reporting
Form
Mid-Term
Evaluation
Final Evaluation
First Impression
Log
Who? When?
ES Student.
After your initial meeting*
ES Student.
After you attended your initial
meeting*
ES Student and Placement School
Supervisor or Principal.
After your initial meeting*
ES Student.
Submitted on the day you are
absent, for each day you are
absent
Placement School Supervisor.
Your instructor will post the due
date. Typically around the 10th
day of placement
Placement School Supervisor.
Your instructor will post the due
date, typically due on the 20th day
of placement
ES Student
At the end of your first week on
placement.
13. Where can I find out more information regarding
the Initial Meeting?
An Initial Meeting Checklist is posted in your Practicum
course. This will also be discussed in your Practicum
Seminar.
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14. What forms do I need to submit? When do I need
to submit them by? Who completes the form?
* At the request of the school, sometimes the initial
meeting occurs on your first day of placement. In this
case your forms are due by midnight of your first day
on placement.
Please note: You are responsible for submitting all
forms. Failure to submit the forms by the deadline
may result in a suspension of your placement. If too
many placement days are missed, the placement will
be terminated.
15. How do I submit placement forms?
All forms will need to be submitted to the assigned
dropbox in your Practicum course in eLearn. You may
scan the form and upload them, or you make take a
picture of the forms, ensuring all content is clearly
visible, and upload the picture. Keep a copy for your
own records. Please note: If the above tasks are not
completed by the end of your first week of placement,
subsequent days may not be counted towards
placement requirements. Forms should be submitted
by midnight on the day of your initial meeting. If you
have a problem or difficulty with submitting the forms
please contact Amy Ocampo immediately.
16. When will my first day of placement be?
This will depend on the Practicum course you are
registered in and the term you are in. Your FPSO will
provide you with the exact start date via your
Practicum seminars and on eLearn
17. What if I am (or will be) absent from placement?
Regardless of the reason of your absence please follow
the absence reporting protocol:
1) Contact your school supervisor immediately.
During your initial meeting find out their
preferred method of communication (email,
phone).
2) Compete and fill out the Absence Reporting
Form located in the Dropbox of your
associated Practicum course
3) You will need to make up the missed
placement days. Determine when you will
make them up and ensure that the time works
for your school supervisor and with your FPSO.
4) All required number of fieldwork days and
assignments must be completed by the end of
the associated term
It is important to treat your placement as though you
were an employee of the school. You will be evaluated
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
on your attendance and time management, and you
must complete all 20 days of your placement in order
to pass the Practicum. Please note: If you do not
complete the required number of placement days by
the end of the associated term it is possible that you
may not be eligible to pass the practicum.
Be proactive! Avoid scheduling appointments or
vacations during placement days. Sometimes an
absence from a placement day is unavoidable, such as
you are ill, or sadly there is a death in your family, or a
family member is ill, or there is a sudden emergency in
your personal life; proper communication and
documentation of your time is part of essential
employable practices
18. Do Holidays, PA Days, March Break and Reading
Week count as placement days?
Holiday: If your placement day falls on a statutory
holiday, this will NOT count as a placement day. Your
end date factors in a full 20 days, not including
holidays.
March Break: In the winter term, placement overlaps
with the March Break. You will not be attending
placement during March Break. Your placement end
date takes into consideration the days you will not be
attending due to March Break. You do not need to
submit the Absence Reporting Form over March Break.
Reading week: We strongly encourage you to attend
reading week on the days that you typically attend. If
you are unable to attend, it can impact the routines
and relationships you are building with your students.
You will also have little room for illness or missed days.
If there have been too many absences, time may
prevent you from completing all required placement
days and as a result you would not meet the
placement requirements to pass the practicum.
Students who are registered in Practicum 2 during the
winter term have very limited time to make up any
missed days. Attending during reading week may be
essential.
Since it is assumed that you will attend over reading
week, submit the Absence Reporting Form if you chose
to not attend. During your initial meeting, it is a good
time to discuss with your school supervisor your
intentions for reading week, and then remind them
closer to the date if you will be absent.
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PA Days: If a placement day falls on a Professional
Activity/Development day (PA or PD day), and you do
not attend the training, then this day will not count
towards the 20 days of placement. If you do attend a
full day of training then this will count as a placement
day attended. Please keep in mind that you must be
invited and have permission from the school Principal,
or SERT to attend the training; not all schools can
accommodate your attendance at these events.
Snow Days: If the placement school closes, or if the
placement Board closes, it counts as a placement day.
If Mohawk College is closed yet your school remains
open (rarely happens) it counts as a placement day. If
the buses are canceled but school is open, it does not
count as a placement day
19. Are there Assignments related to placement?
Yes. The due dates and details for all assignments
associated with practicums are determined by your
practicum instructor and will be presented during your
in class seminars, or for online students in your online
seminars. Due dates are always posted in your
practicum eLearn course. You are also required to
submit a Mid and Final Evaluation, which are
completed by your placement school supervisor. In
addition to the assignments, there will be a mark given
for participation. The participation mark will be
derived from:
 the timely return of signed forms and First
Impression Log to the eLearn Dropbox
 the supervising teacher’s comments and
ratings regarding your attendance, punctuality
and readiness to participate at your school site
 the record of attendance for in class practicum
seminars and at the school site
20. Will anyone from Mohawk College be visiting me
on placement?
There is ongoing email and phone contact for all
students (CE and full time) however full time students
may also be visited at placement by the Field
Placement Support Officer. Students who will have an
on-site visit will receive a letter to provide to the
school supervisor with the date and time of the
meeting. If the school supervisor is not available at
that time the FPSO will still meet with the student onsite and follow up with the school supervisor via phone
or email. Not all students will have an on-site school
visit, and this will be communicated to the student and
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
the placement school. At any time should the school
supervisor require a meeting with the FPSO at the
school site one will be arranged.
The goal of the on-site visit is to discuss with the
student and the school supervisor the ES student’s
progress to date. Strengths and areas of improvement
will be discussed. It is an opportunity for the student to
share feedback and to articulate their skill set based on
application, and to discuss the new skills they are
acquiring. There will be no direct observation of the ES
Student on placement from the FPSO. We rely on the
ratings and feedback regarding on-field performance
that is shared in the student’s evaluations.
21. What kind of evaluations are involved and when
are they due?
Mid Evaluation: review this at the initial meeting and
give the school supervisor a copy. Remind them
around the 8th day of placement that it is due on the
10th day of your placement. You may ask to set aside
some time on the 10th day of placement with your
school supervisor to go over the ratings.
Final Evaluation: Remind the school supervisor on your
18th day of placement that it is due on your 20th day
of placement. They should ideally hand this to you at
the end of your final day of placement. All Evaluations
can be found posted under the ‘Field Placement
Information’ module in your eLearn course AND under
the associated Dropbox
22. Once placement ends, will I automatically get a
reference from the placement school?
No. References are given at the discretion of your
school supervisor. It is our experience that those who
actively participate, demonstrate a positive, flexible,
and collaborative attitude, demonstrate acts of
initiative, and contribute to the placement school earn
references. If you are told by a member of the school
team that they would like to give you a reference,
remember to ask the best way to get in touch with
them once your placement ends.
23. What is the WSIB Insurance coverage?
As an ES student completing an unpaid work
placement you are covered under the Workplace
Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) provided by the
Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. In the
event of injury or disease while on placement you are
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required to complete a ‘Postsecondary Student Unpaid
Work Placement Workplace Insurance Claim Form’.
More information regarding this process can be found
by visiting:
http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/placeme
nt.html.
Within three days of learning of a work related
injury/disease the Placement Employer must complete
WSIB Form 7 Employer’s Report of
injury/disease (which can be access from
www.wsib.on.ca and send it to the Training
Agency. All Training Agencies have been assigned a
unique firm number to be used in all correspondence
with the WSIB.
Completion of Form 7 Employer’s Report of
injury/disease is the joint responsibility of the
Placement Employer and the Training Agency
The Placement Employer is considered to be the
“employer” for unpaid trainees. As such, the
Placement Employer must authorize the Training
Agency to act as the representative with WSIB for the
claim being submitted. A Letter (template) of
Authorization to Represent the Placement Employer is
provided in Appendix C. The Letter of Authorization to
Represent the Placement Employer must accompany
Form 7 Employer’s Report of injury/disease.
Completed signed copies of Form 7 Employer’s Report
of injury/disease, the Letter of Authorization to
Represent the Placement Employer and the
Postsecondary Student Unpaid Work Placement
Workplace Insurance Claim Form must be distributed
to the following parties: WSIB, The Student (trainee),
and, MTCU (See Section 17, Ministry Contacts).
The FPSO should be contacted ASAP by the student
and the school supervisor should an incident causing
injury on placement occur so that they may assist in
this process.
Roles and Responsibilities in supporting successful
Educational Support placements
This next section explores the tasks required of
individuals who contribute to the support of a
successful Educational Support placement. Quick
reference check lists are provided however please read
the descriptions.
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
Role and responsibilities of the Principal or Vice
Principal at the placement school
The principal has the overall authority in confirming
the placement and will communicate with Mohawk’s
FPSO regarding such confirmation. We kindly ask that
the Principal share confirmation details with the
individual responsible for supervising the student. It
would be deeply appreciated if the Principal can spend
a little time with the ES candidate to talk about the
general culture, goals, and standards of the school. The
Principal will ensure that the police clearance is valid,
that the Placement Confirmation Form is signed, and
that relevant Board policies/procedures are being
followed. The Principal is encouraged to orient the ES
student is to the school, to the teacher and pupils
involved, and to the school in a general way. For
example, our student may be welcomed over the
announcements, in an email, or a bulletin might be
posted in the staff room regarding their arrival.
Role of the placement school supervisor (usually a
SERT, LRT, Resource Teacher, Classroom Teacher,
Department Head)
Review and complete Mohawk forms including the
Educational Support Placement Manual, Placement
Confirmation form, and the mid and final evaluations.
Provide information about the classroom, students,
and routines when relevant to EA candidate’s role. This
does not necessarily mean that the supervisor will
share the specific disability of the students in a class. In
most cases what is shared relates to the particular
needs of a student that requires EA support.
Communicate expectations of the ES student for the
placement period. Share absence reporting
procedures; maintain a record of ES Student
attendance.
Provide regular feedback and comments to promote
professional development through informal
daily/weekly verbal and written feedback. Provide
formal written feedback on the mid and final
evaluations. May also provide input regarding goals
and potential activities the ES student would like to
implement with pupils on placement. It is crucial to the
success of the ES student for the school supervisor to
provide feedback regarding strengths, and also areas
for improvement. The school supervisor will support
the ES student’s efforts to acquire the required skills
and knowledge.
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Communicate with the student should there be
concerns surrounding student performance. This
provides the opportunity for the student to grow and
implement changes while in a learning role. Once you
have shared concerns with the student, you may wish
to follow up with the FPSO. The FPSO may arrange a
meeting with the school supervisor, the FPSO, and the
placement student.
Provide a broad range of experiences and meaningful
learning opportunities appropriate to the EA role.
Assign a schedule for the ES student to follow. Often
this schedule will change based on the needs of the
students on any given day.
When appropriate, include the ES student in the daily
planning process and share strategies and knowledge.
For example, it would be most helpful if the teacher
would share their plans for the next day with the
student. This would then give the ES student the
opportunity to make relevant preparations for the
following day.
If this is a first placement, provide written feedback on
the ‘Log’ assignment which the ES student submits to
their practicum instructor for evaluation. We
encourage the student to request some time with you
to discuss the assignment. The student must have the
school supervisor’s written feedback on the
assignment for evaluation purposes.
Role and responsibilities of the Educational Support
student
This next section will explain in detail the expectations
of the ES student on placement. It is crucial students
familiarize themselves with these expectations in order
to experience a successful placement. If there is
anything unclear about any of the requirements it is
important to seek clarification from the FPSO,
Mohawk professors, or the school supervisor. It is
evident that a strong understanding of what is
expected of you on placement can build confidence in
the student’s ability to do well on placement. In
addition students should reference the Mid and Final
evaluations to guide practice. At the end of this section
we have included a ‘Do and Do Not Do’ chart with
direction regarding specific situations that may occur
on placement.
1. Provide all relevant college forms to the principal and
schools supervisor and explain their significance in a
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
timely manner. Forms must be with you at an initial
meeting. If an initial meeting does not occur before
your first day of placement, bring the forms with you
and present them on your first day. Forms must be
submitted to the eLearn dropbox no later than the end
of your first day of placement. Please note: Failure to
submit forms on time may result in the suspension of
your placement. If you experience barriers in
submitting your forms contact the FPSO right away
for assistance.
2. Implement accommodations and modifications as
directed by the classroom teacher or SERT. Identify a
course of action and implement appropriate strategies
to support the academic, social, personal care and
behaviour needs of learners on placement.
3. Effectively participate on placement under the
supervisor of a classroom teacher, SERT, LRT, resource
teacher, etc. Actively work alongside employed EAs
when possible to provide educational support to
students with exceptionalities. Understand and adhere
to school policies, classroom rules and routines. Please
note: When you first start a new placement school,
and especially on a first placement, we encourage you
to shadow, observe and ask questions to familiarize
yourself with the students, the classroom rules,
routines, and procedures. With that in mind you are
still expected to contribute and get involved and
should not be spending significant time just watching.
Getting to know the routines of a classroom quickly
comes with mindfulness, observation, asking insightful
questions, and active participation.
4. Model empathic, inclusive, positive, and pro-social
behaviour to contribute to the development of
social competencies in the learners you are
supporting. Demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative
and professional behaviour. Hone your
observation and communication skills.
Differentiate your practice to be inclusive of all
learners.
5. While you may not know the specific
exceptionality of the learner you are supporting it
is important to recognize specific needs during
tasks and to respond accordingly with
appropriate strategies. Often this involves
observation, interaction with the student, and
consultation with the classroom teacher, your
school supervisor, and possibly other EAs.
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6. Work both with small groups of students and oneon-one. Manage group and individual behaviours
and apply appropriate behaviour management
strategies. Proactively reduce triggers to manage
behaviour, apply existing behaviour management
techniques independently.
7. Use professional language and terminology. Strive
to use “People first” references: e.g. student with
Autism, student with an MID.
8. Maintain confidentiality in your practice as
discussed in your Practicum Seminars. Familiarize
yourself with the school’s lockdown and fire drill
protocol.
9. Gain familiarity with the use of assistive technology
and software, adaptive tech and software,
educational software, and communication boards
and devices.
10. Observe personal care or daily living tasks when
appropriate and while upholding the dignity and
respect of the learner. This may include transfers,
feeding, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene
routines. Due to the policy of each school board
and in protection of the learners and of yourself,
as an ES student you must not transfer, dress, lift,
carry, restrain, or toilet a student, even with
assistance from another EA. You must not be fully
responsible for any medically related procedures.
You may dress students in outdoor clothing, feed
orally with supervision and permission, observe
transfers and ask questions, observe toileting
routine with supervision and permission from you
school supervisor, observe medical procedures
and participate in tracking tasks. You should be
asking questions about all of these tasks.
11. Seek opportunities for hands-on experience to
develop and broaden your skills, knowledge and
competencies. Set professional goals every
placement. Remember to share your goals, skill
set, and strengths.
12. Support students in numeracy and literacy
academic tasks. Familiarize yourself with
appropriate classroom curriculum units and the
learning goals of the students you are
supporting. Support the classroom curriculum
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
with all students, but under no circumstances
take responsibility for teaching new concepts,
curriculum development, or evaluation.
13. Demonstrate information management
employability skills such as: gathering and
managing information, selecting and using
appropriate tools and technology for a task,
computer literacy, Internet skills.
14. Demonstrate personal essential employability skills
such as: personal responsibility, self-awareness,
engaging in reflective practice, flexibility,
managing your time and resources
15. Demonstrate interpersonal employability skills
such as: teamwork, conflict resolution, relationship
management, leadership, networking.
Demonstrate understanding of the EA role in
relation to other members of the special
education team. Communicate effectively with
students and with members of your team. Strive to
integrate yourself with students and staff. Use
good critical thinking and good problem solving.
16. If asked to collect data, do so in an objective,
respectful, correct manner and share data with
classroom teacher or school supervisor. Engage in
regular planning sessions similar to that of
employed EAs at the school.
17. Participate in recess, lunch, and bus supervisor
duties. Arrive on placement on time, attend
regularly, report absences following the
absence reporting protocol, take required
breaks, do not rush out the door when the last
bell rings. EAs have duties to complete after
the school day ends for learners. Assist with
the activities of the class and school. Assist
with classroom preparation and clean up.
18. Complete associated placement assignments as
required by the College. If asked, openly share the
contents with the teacher/principal.
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19. Attend associate practicum seminars regularly.
Please note: if you miss 2 or more seminar courses
you may not be eligible for a placement.
20. Give mid and final evaluation to school supervisor,
explain their significance. You may need to remind
the supervisor when they are due to provide
sufficient time for them to complete the
evaluation. Submit the mid and final evaluations
on time to the eLearn dropbox.
21. Seek and welcome oral and written feedback
regularly from the classroom teacher, other EAs,
and your school supervisor. Use the suggestions
positively for self-improvement and to foster
growth in awareness, skills development
andknowledge. You should be able to identify how
you have incorporated feedback shared with you
while on placement.
22. Monitor your eLearn practicum course for
announcements and check your eLearn and
MOCOmotion email daily. Respond to emails
promptly. It is your responsibility to stay updated
with important communication regarding your
placement.
Monitor your
eLearn and
MOCOmotion
email daily.
Respond to
emails promptly.
Checklist: Roles and Responsibilities of the Principal, School Staff, School Supervisor
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
School Principal Checklist
 Confirmed placement with FPSO
 Read confirmation letter from FPSO
and shared with the individual
responsible for supervising the
student
 Informed staff of ES student’s arrival
 Met Mohawk ES student
 Verified ES student’s police
clearance
 Filed a copy of the completed
Placement Confirmation form
 Informed student who to connect
with on their first day
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School Supervisor (usually a SERT, LRT,
Resource Teacher, Classroom Teacher,
Department Head) Checklist
 Connected with student at an initial
meeting
 Reviewed the Placement Manual,
Completed and signed the Placement
Confirmation form. Filed a copy for the
school’s records.
 Informed appropriate staff, such as
other EAs, secretaries, teachers, etc of
ES student’s arrival
 Informed ES student of absence
reporting protocol and your preferred
method of communication (email, voice
mail, message with the secretary)
 Informed student who to connect with
and where they will be for their first day
 Share a tentative schedule with the
student
 Inform the ES student of important
school policies and procedures.
 Set aside time to check in with the
student to discuss progress
 Share concerns regarding the student’s
performance with the ES Student
promptly
 Offer feedback to the ES student
regularly
 Communicate with the FPSO regarding
student progress if required
 Complete the mid evaluation by the
student’s 10th day of placement and
provided it to the student
 Completed final evaluation and
provided it to the student by their 20th
day of placement
 Keep record of ES student absences
Employed EAs Checklist
 Introduce them self to the
ES Student; welcome them
to the school team.
 Model professional and
valued characteristics of an
Educational Assistant
 Share knowledge,
experiences and insights
related to their role as an
Educational Assistant
 When possible, include the
ES student during
supervision duties
 Under supervision provide
the student with
opportunities to practice
their acquired skills
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
13
Checklist: Roles and Responsibilities of the Mohawk Supervisor and the Mohawk Student
Mohawk Supervisor: Field Placement Support
Officer (FPSO)
 Serves as a liaison between the College and
the school. Confirm and monitor the
placement; first point of contact for school
and student inquires surrounding placement
 Supports the placement experience for
students and the school supervisors; ensuring
that information shared with the student and
schools is consistent, accurate, and reflective
of current practices.
 Supports students through posted
information on eLearn, response to specific
inquiries, attendance at seminar lectures,
individual meetings, and small group
debriefing sessions. Generates and provides
required resources for ES students and school
supervisors.
 Promptly responds to inquiries and concerns
regarding the ES student on placement via
email, drop-ins, phone calls, on-site visits.
 Monitors form submission, progress and
attendance in the field. Provide information
regarding Mohawk policies and procedures,
and shares pertinent school board policies
with ES students.
Mohawk ES Student
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Mohawk College Faculty/Coordinator
 Responsible for evaluating the ES student’s
overall progress during the placement, taking
into consideration feedback from the FPSO,
the school supervisor’s evaluation, associated
assignments, demonstrated commitment at
the school site and in practicum seminars
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Read and understood this Placement Manual
Reviewed the associated practicum Powerpoint
Attended required Practicum seminars
Obtained a police check
Checked my email and course content for information
regarding a confirmed placement
Contacted confirmed school supervisor to set up initial
meeting
Brought all paperwork, including police check and this
manual to the visit. Reviewed the “Initial meeting checklist”
document. Uploaded initial Meeting form.
Uploaded the Placement Confirmation and Information Form
and the Field Placement Agreements form to the eLearn
dropbox
Reviewed evaluations and manual with the school supervisor
Uploaded the First Impression Log
Checked in with school supervisor and relevant school team
members regarding your progress. Be proactive about
seeking feedback. Ask questions, share your skills, and
implement the feedback!
Kept track of placement days
On the 8th day of placement remind the school supervisor to
complete you mid evaluation. Upload the completed
evaluation to the eLearn dropbox
If you will have an on-site visit from the FPSO be sure to
inform the school supervisor or any other relevant staff of
the date and approximate time of my visit.
Reported absences appropriately
Remind school supervisor to complete the final evaluation so
that you can take it home on your 20th day of placement.
Upload the final eval to the eLearn dropbox
Attend debriefing seminar
Submit next placement request form at the request of FPSO
Monitored daily, and when appropriate, responded to email
to ensure all communication important to the success of my
placement was acknowledge.
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
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What else can I do to prepare for my placement and for my career as an Educational Assistant?
It is important to gain experience in diverse settings so that you truly recognize the scope of the EA Role. After placement
ends we encourage you to continue to volunteer when permitted. Each placement we encourage you to seek opportunities
to get as much hands on training as possible. Sometimes, due to the nature of the learner’s needs, you may not have the
opportunity to directly support a particular student or assist in a particular classroom. However as an ES candidate you will
be expected to ask questions, relate what you have learned from your professors and from your courses throughout the ES
program, seek out additional information independently, and use the resources available to you to expand your skill set and
abilities. The EA role is very important to the success of the learner’s ability to access their education.
As a result of feedback shared from school employers in your community regarding some of the challenges that employed
EAs face, please consider the following questions carefully to demonstrate your commitment towards becoming a
contributing and valuable EA:
1.) Once you are employed as an EA you will likely be required to complete lifts and transfers several times a day, be
exposed to bodily fluids, engage in physical restraints, keep up with active students, crouch, kneel, crawl, and use
protective equipment. How are you physically preparing for these tasks?
2.) Educational Assistants will support students in academic tasks such as literacy, numeracy, science, social studies,
physical education, and technology. What will you do to prepare as you support learners in grades K-12 with their
academic tasks?
3.) Critical to the success of Educational Assistants are the ministry mandated Essential Employability Skills (see page 16).
Be sure to review these defining skills closely. The ‘Personal’ EES includes:
 Managing self
 Managing change and being flexible and adaptable
 Engaging in reflective practice
 Demonstrating personal responsibility
The levels of achievement in this category are measured by the EA student reliably demonstrating the ability to manage the
use of time and other resources to complete projects and tasks, take responsibility for one’s own actions, decisions and their
consequences. How will you demonstrate your progress towards this defining skill while on placement? How will you
engage in productive reflective practice?
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
15
Quick Reference Guide: Do’s and Don’ts as an Educational Support STUDENT
As an Educational Support student you will likely be able to fully participate and contribute on placement in most areas.
There may be times where your position as a student may prevent you from participating in specific tasks required of an EA.
These are limited and should be paired with a contribution on your end of some kind. This might mean asking insightful
questions, engaging in independent research, or outside training or practice. The safety of the learners on placement
and of you and the school staff should also be a first priority in regards to any action you engage in.
Scenario
Do
Do Not
You are supporting
learners who: who
require assistance
with personal care
tasks, require lifts
or transfers, or who
must be fed
intravenously or
take injections or
medications
You are supporting
learners who:
engage in
challenging
behaviours, or
physically
aggressive
behaviours or run
With permission from the school supervisor you may observe personal care
or daily living tasks when appropriate and while upholding the dignity and
respect of the learner. You may dress students in outdoor clothing, feed
orally with supervision and permission. You may observe medical procedures
and participate in tracking tasks. You will be asking questions about all of
these tasks
Do not transfer, diaper, lift, carry,
restrain, or toilet a student even
with supervision from another EA.
Do not assist with dressing a student
in a closed room unsupervised.
You must not be responsible for any
medically related procedures.
Observe how the other EAs or school staffs respond. Apply appropriate
behaviour management strategies. Refer to the 17 Behaviour management
techniques, and your 25 strategies compiled from your Exceptionalities
course. Consult with other EAs, classroom teachers and SERTs about their
Behaviour management strategies. Use praise, respect hands off policy in
your school. Clarify if high fives are ok vs hugs. If a student starts to run,
immediately call for assistance from another staff member, offer to stay with
their class or with other students while a staff member responds to the
situation. Clarify with the school supervisor what your role might be in this
situation. Debrief with school supervisor and/or principal immediately
following the incident. Take BMS or NVCI training in between placements.
Do not use restraints or force to
manage behaviours.
Do not grab, hold, pull, push, or
touch the student in an escalating
situation.
Do not use harsh or aggressive
punishments.
You are working
towards building a
rapport with
learners you are
supporting
Maintain professional boundaries, model appropriate language, use people
first language, ask questions about interests, observe what engages the
student. You may reveal your personal interests if appropriate in order to
establish shared interests with learners. e.g. You play basketball, you like
LEGO
How do you respect
confidentiality on
placement?
Use fake names for both learners and staff in school assignments or during
classroom discussions. Ask for a summary of the exceptional learners’ needs
without focusing on their specific disability
You have been
asked to support
the classroom
teacher with
curriculum or
classroom prep
tasks
Clarify roles and responsibilities surrounding any written communication to
the parent. You may assist with writing in the agenda only with supervision
and approval from the classroom teacher. You may facilitate classroom
activities, small group activities, and supervise the classroom. You may build
on existing strategies. You may implement new strategies to support learning
tasks with permission from the classroom teacher. You may mark pupil’s
work, with teacher supervision. Assist with prep tasks such as photocopying,
bulletin board presentation, organization of classroom materials, clean-up.
Do not add learners to any social
media site. Do not share personal
contact information. Do not reveal
personal conflicts, or discuss
personal matters on placement with
students
Do not talk about learners or staff in
public places, even using fake names
does not guarantee that discerning
identifiable traits won’t be
recognized by members in the
community
Do not review official documents
unsupervised (IEP)
Do not teach any new material or
create lesson plans. Do not develop
assignments for learners or
implement any modification without
teacher direction. Avoid using
excessive class time for clerical tasks
Mohawk ES Placement Manual
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Resources
1. Ministry of Training, Colleges, and University Ontario – Educational Support Program Standards - as of February 2012.
Link: http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/audiences/colleges/progstan/humserv/51228e.pdf
Key feature: Vocational Learning Outcomes pages 4-16, Essential Employability Skills pages 20-25, Blossary pages 23-25
2. ES course overview and descriptions “Program map”
Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/community-urban-studies-programs/educational-support-diploma/courseoverview-descriptions.html
3. Educational Pathways for Educational Support Graduates
Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/community-urban-studies-programs/educational-support-diploma/educationalpathways.html
4. Behaviour Management and Non Violent Crisis Intervention course offerings through Continuing Education at Mohawk
College
Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/continuing-education/human-services-courses.html
5. Learning Support Centre at Mohawk College
Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/studentservices/learning-support-centre.html
Key Feature: Tutoring, Writing assistance,
6. Library Services at Mohawk College
Link: http://library.mohawkcollege.ca/services.html
Key Feature: Scanning, printing, and tech assistance. Open computers for student use.
7. Academic and Student Success: Records, Admissions, Withdrawals, Students Rights and Responsibilities
Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about/policies/CorpSect7.html
8. Field Placement Resources for School Supervisors: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/community-urban-studiesprograms/educational-support-diploma/ES-Field-Placement.html
Add your own resources (P.D. opportunities, relevant organizations, school board websites and calendars):
Questions? Feedback? Contact the Field Placement Support Officer:
Amy Ocampo
905-575-1212 ext. 3311
[email protected]