Missing Pieces: Strengthening Teacher-EA Collaboration After the Strike
The Impact of the CUPE Strike: Why EAs Are Essential
If there’s one thing the recent Edmonton Public Schools strike has highlighted, it’s just how invaluable Educational Assistants (EAs) are in our classrooms. The absence of these incredible educators leaves a huge gap in student learning, classroom support, and overall school culture.
For many students, an EA is the bridge between struggle and success—providing targeted interventions, emotional support, and consistency in a constantly moving environment. Now that EAs are soon to be returning to our classrooms, we have an opportunity to rebuild strong working relationships and make up for lost time. The key? Clear communication, shared expectations, and a proactive approach.
Here’s how to set up a successful partnership from day one:
1. Start with a Conversation: Get to Know Your EA
Before jumping into schedules and expectations, take time to get to know your EA as a person. Understanding their background, strengths, and values will create a stronger, more collaborative relationship.
Here are five essential questions to start with:
How do you see your role in the classroom?
What strengths do you bring to supporting student learning?
What classroom management style do you feel most comfortable with?
What are some strategies you’ve seen work well for students with diverse needs?
What is your preferred way to communicate (notes, check-ins, meetings, etc.)?
By starting with these interview-style questions, you’re setting the stage for open conversation and ongoing feedback—both of which are essential for a smooth working environment.
2. Setting Expectations & Boundaries
Once you’ve established a relationship, clearly defining roles and responsibilities will help prevent confusion later.
Time Management & Work Boundaries
Example: First thing in the morning, I use that time to prep and dive into the day. If you also need that time to get ready, I completely respect that. Let’s be mindful of each other’s work time.
Classroom Management
My preference: I will lead classroom management. Even if you notice something happening in the back that I don’t seem to catch, please leave it to me in the moment. However, I absolutely want your input afterward—pass me a note, or let’s chat at the end of the lesson.
Why? Students often feel more relaxed around EAs, which means they’ll share more casually and engage in behaviors they might not with the teacher. This gives EAs unique insight into student interactions that I might not see from the front of the room.
Defining the EA’s Role Throughout the Day
One-on-One Support: Focused intervention with specific students.
Consider location and times
Consider resources needed for goals (provide resources for below the grade level of the goal as well as above to provide the EA with flexibility and knowledge of where the outcomes will lead)
Shared Class Learning: Close proximity to check in on students during class lessons.
Consider how you want the EA to support each student - ex. break down the activity into steps, provide student with conversation starters with group members, provide group members conversation starters with student.
Differentiated Learning: Helping to modify materials and provide accommodations.
Consider discussing the 80/20 of different units - what is the essential outcome you want the student grasping by the end of the unit
Consider your EA providing different resources or activities in the moment - YouTube videos with doodle notes, podcasts, subject focused Minecraft for Education lessons, etc. - together build a differentiation toolkit that can be easily utilized for any lesson
💡Use ChatGPT or other AI Resources to find ways to integrate learning at all levels💡
Communication and Sharing Student Goals
To stay aligned on student progress, I recommend creating a shared Google Doc where both the teacher and EA can document:
✅ Educational goals (literacy, numeracy, etc.)
✅ Social-emotional goals (self-regulation, peer interactions, etc.)
✅ Weekly progress updates
✅ Observations and strategies that are working
This not only keeps us on the same page but also makes it easy to reference when communicating with parents or updating IEPs.
Click link to get a copy of my shared communication log
Regular Check-Ins & Feedback
Clear and consistent communication is key to maintaining a strong working relationship with your EA. Whether it’s through notes throughout lessons or a quick five-minute weekly meeting at the end of the day, set up a routine that works for both of you.
These are moments to discuss:
What’s working well with the students
What could be optimized further
How the collaboration is going
What needs to change
Don’t leave these conversations to fester! If something needs adjusting, talk about it in the moment. Most importantly, celebrate your EA! ✨Positive feedback is arguably even more important than constructive criticism and often gets overlooked—make sure to highlight what your EA is doing well!
3. Parent Communication: Presenting a United Front
Consistent and clear communication with parents is crucial—especially when an EA plays a significant role in a student’s learning.
Best Practices for Parent Communication:
✅ Whoever witnessed the moment should write the email. If an EA was directly involved in an incident or a key learning moment, they should take the lead in writing the email (using ChatGPT to help draft clear and professional communication). The teacher should be cc'd so that both are in the loop and presenting a united front.
✅ Include EAs in IEP Meetings & Parent Conversations: They often have long-term relationships with students and bring valuable insights. Ask them what strategies they think work best!
5. Rebuilding After the Strike: Optimizing EA Support for Student Learning
Now that EAs are returning, we need to maximize their impact to help students catch up on lost learning.
Ask yourself:
What areas did students miss out on the most without their EA?
How can you restructure their schedule to address these gaps?
💡 Example: In my classroom, after my full time EA was moved to division one and we were left without support, the biggest gap my students who were significantly below grade level faced was in literacy and numeracy. Half way into the year when we were lucky enough to recieve support from an Educational Assistant every morning I developed a plan to optimize this time for my students.
Making Up for Lost Time:
✔️ I created a structured literacy/numeracy resource for my EA to work through with students in the library.
✔️ We used a shared Google Doc to track weekly student progress.
✔️ We utilized one-on-one or small group intervention to bridge the gap they faced due to lost time with an Educational Aid
Click for a copy of my structured literacy and numeracy intervention plan
Final Thoughts: A Strong Teacher-EA Partnership Changes Everything
A well-integrated EA doesn’t just assist in the classroom—they enhance learning, bring fresh perspectives, and provide crucial support. By starting with clear communication, setting expectations early, and leveraging their expertise, we can create a collaborative and effective learning environment for all students.
Ponder This:
We would love for you to share your answers in the comments or simply take a moment to reflect yourself:
What strategies have you used (or seen used) to ensure all students, especially those with additional needs, receive the best possible support?
Think of a time when you worked with an EA—what worked well in that partnership, and what could have been better?
What small but meaningful changes could you make to strengthen your teamwork with your EA and maximize student success?
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