EA Interview Assignment

I interviewed Karly Dely, a Current EA at Queen Victoria Elementary School in

Hamilton. Karly has had a long road of education leading up to her position as an EA.

She began in Journalism at Ryerson University, then she moved onto communications

at McMaster University and since then has found her passion working as an EA. Karly

has completed the Autism and Behavioural Science course at Mohawk College and is

currently attending Medaille College in Buffalo for teacher’s college. When asked about

her responsibilities as an EA currently, Karly told me she is currently focused in a grade

one classroom supporting two students with ASD and one with ADHD. Throughout her

4 years as an EA she has worked with students from kindergarten through grade 8 with

a wide range of needs but majority of her time has been spent with ASD students in

primary grades. Karly has also worked throughout several classrooms not being tied

down to one and enjoyed this as she felt you can be a caring adult and ally for students

in other classrooms who you might not otherwise encounter, which can be very

emotionally fulfilling. As you can see Karly has a variety of Educational experiences so I

asked her what inspired her to be an EA. She told me she was inspired by her mom

who worked as a lunch supervisor helping students with exceptionalities. Karly has had

many jobs and volunteer positions that have led her to becoming an EA. Karly worked

at a summer camp for several years that offered an inclusive and enriching program for

students with exceptionalities within the camp that motivated her to pursue in this field.

For several months after Karly volunteered at Ryerson Public School in Burlington,

twice a week in what they called their communication classes. She worked one-on-one
with children in the program assisting with lunch needs, and other non-instructional

duties as well as encouraging the development of communication skills through play,

and helping the teachers and other educational assistants where needed. This

experience being back in the classroom affirmed her motivation to become an EA.

Queen Victoria Elementary School opened in March of 2009 and is in Hamilton

ON in the Corktown/Stinson neighbourhood. The students make active use of the

learning areas and can access Corktown Park across the street. Students enjoy close

proximity to the downtown Hamilton core to visit the library, entertainment venues and

can access the HSR for bus trips throughout the city. The school has over 600 students

and 70 staff members. Technology is a large part of the students learning at Queen

Victoria as they participate in the HWDSB iPad 1:1 program that allows students from

grades 4 to 8 access to an iPad. Queen Victoria has many students from Mohawk

College, Brock university and McMaster university complete their practicums at the

school. These students take programs such as Child and Youth Worker, Educational

Assistant and Bachelor of Education/Primary Education. Queen Victoria Elementary has

many school programs that benefit families who may not be financially stable. There is a

before and after school program for students who need extra child care due to parents

work schedules. Parents who may not be able to afford the extra care are able to apply

for financial support for children ages 0-12. Queen Victoria also has a snack program

that Karly currently volunteers with at the school. They use school funds and donations

to provide a bin if healthy snacks to each class every morning. Each bin usually

includes a fruit/vegetable, a dairy item and a grain. Snacks are available for every child
so that no one is getting singled out throughout the day. Previous to covid parent

volunteers would prepare the snacks but now Mohawk College students that are in

placements and other staff members prepare the snacks.

When I asked Karly the important qualities necessary for this profession, she

began with the two most obvious qualities, patience and empathy. She said not only do

the children with exceptionalities require these of the EAs but all children in general do.

Karly added that being a team player is essential as EAs do not work solo. They are an

essential part of the education team. For this reason, being a good communicator is

also very important as effective communication is essential for any team to run

adequately. She added you must know when to ask for help and know that you can lean

on these team members you work so closely with. Lastly, she also mentioned humility

and self-awareness are two important qualities an EA can have. When asked about

professionalism, relationships and teamwork Karly used many great points to answer

this question. To Karly, professionalism means adhering to the agreed upon standards

of a given workplace or profession. Professionalism in the classroom looks different

than professionalism in an office building. Overall, it means conducting oneself in a way

that is mindful of the population that you work with and how your actions might affect

them, even outside of the workplace. Karly stated that as an educator, professionalism

also includes being honest, being mindful of and diligent with your responsibilities and

also carrying yourself with integrity. Karly believes that the relationships you create with

students, their families and your fellow staff dictate how successful you will be in your

role as an EA. Creating and maintaining rapport with students and their families, as well
as keeping open lines of communication with fellow educators is essential to ensure the

students you work with are reading their goals.

Lastly Karly and I talked a bit about the positive and negative aspects of working

in this profession. She started off by telling me it can be a both physically and

emotionally exhausting job, she laughed and said it is a running joke at her school that

she never sits down during the day. A little insight, Karly and I have been friends for

almost six years now and I can attest to that theory. She is one of the hardest working

people I know and take advantage of every hour of the day. She began to let me in on a

few of the negative aspects of the job. She said many students you encounter cannot

communicate in what most consider a traditional way so it is often a daunting task to

find out what they need from you. Most, if not all, students who require EA support

thrive on consistency. Some EAs can be pulled in many different directions which

makes it hard to commit the time needed to build rapport with specific students and gain

their trust. She stated again, that this can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. Karly

began to give me some insight on how she feels there is often not enough time in the

day. She says unfortunately EAs are not typically provided with “prep” time like

teachers, so you might spend many unpaid hours creating activities and programming

to help meet the desired goals set for your students. She made sure to add that

sometimes you get lucky and work with amazing teams of teachers and administrative

staff who do their best to help support you in this. Now for the positives, it can be an

exceptionally satisfying job she said. Each and every day, you go home knowing that

you’re making a difference, whether it be in a single child’s life or by making the world a
slightly more inclusive and empathetic place. Every little step counts she said. For

example, she told me about a time she was teaching a student in JK the appropriate

bathroom routine (use toilet, wash hands, dry hands, go play). He had limited

communication but one day after he finished rinsing his hands, he grabbed a paper

towel, dried his hands and then faintly said “go play”- a phrase she had been repeating

after he had finished drying his hands countless times before. It signalled to her that he

was listening and picking up on the routine. It seems really small and insignificant but

she was ecstatic with the outcome. After having a great conversation with Karly about

her experience as an EA she told me this quote she often thinks about and can apply to

being an EA. She thinks Michael Jordan had once said- “Talent wins games but

teamwork win championships” She likes to live by that quote and knows that if she

wants to achieve big goals in education, she has to work as a team with her co-workers

and students.