Fleming College

Explore the roles of teacher and educational assistant. Learn how to manage behaviour, modify educational programming, support children with a range of special needs, and assist with curriculum planning. Much of this training is experiential, in various educational settings in the classroom in an area school. The final part of the program is an intensive, semester-long, practical learning experience in an educational setting or agency.

Our Educational Support graduates are in demand by many area school boards, because our program has a 20-year plus reputation for producing well-rounded, highly adaptable graduates with a broad-skill set.

You will refine your skills as a competent, caring educational assistant during your field practices. In your second semester, you will take part in a 25-day field practice. During your final semester, you will complete a seven-week block field practice*. You may choose to do your final practice in any community in Ontario that you wish. You will be required to submit a current police records check, which is available from your local police department upon payment of a fee.

To succeed in this program and career, you need:

• a love of children
• concern for their healthy physical, intellectual, social and emotional development
• the ability to work as part of a team
• strong interpersonal and problem solving skills
• empathy
• creativity
• experience working with children or youth is an asset

While many graduates find satisfying and rewarding employment within the school system, there are also opportunities in other institutional settings offering education as part of the programming. Placement in the final semester can lead to employment for graduates--some may even be offered a job before graduating.

Plan to spend approximately $700 for books and supplies.

Being an educational assistant is a physically demanding job. You will be required to demonstrate the ability to meet physical demands of the job before a school board will make you an offer of employment.

Your program has mandatory requirements which may include a criminal reference check, first aid, CPR-C, etc. For more information, please see the Non Academic Requirements page.

• Provide educational support in compliance with pertinent education -related legislation, standards, regulations and policies, health and safety legislation and regulations, as well as organizational policies, practices and procedures.
• Develop and implement strategies to promote and support positive school climates that contribute to a safe, caring and secure educational setting.
• Collaborate with members of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) team by assisting in the development and revision of the IEP's of learners with exceptionalities.
• Implement components of educational support programs of instruction under the direction and support of the IEP team and/or relevant members of the school community.
• Lead by example to promote empathetic, positive and pro-social behaviour in all learners to facilitate the development of social competence in learners with exceptionalities in accordance with their IEPs.
• Promote the development of independence in, and provide assistance to, learners with exceptionalities in their performance of routine activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in accordance with their IEPs.
• Develop and implement strategies to support learners with exceptionalities in the appropriate use of assistive technologies and daily living aids in accordance with their IEPs.
• Monitor, document and report on the behaviour, performance and progress of learners with exceptionalities in accordance with their IEPs.
• Prepare and present a plan for engaging in ongoing personal and professional development to promote competence in the educational support field.

Students applying to Educational Support (Advanced Standing) must meet the following requirements:

• Ontario College Diploma or University Degree or equivalent

PC / Windows

• Operating System:
  Windows 10
• Processor:
  Core i5 - 1.6Ghz minimum
• Memory:
  8GB minimum
• Hard Disk:
  160GB minimum

Apple / MacOS

• Operating System:
  MacOS 10.12 or newer
• Processor:
  Core i5 6th Gen or better
• Memory:
  8GB minimum
• Hard Disk:
  160GB minimum

Internet Connection: 2.5 Mbps Download and 3.0 Mbps Upload (minimum)