By TAYLOR555 on Tuesday, February 27, 2001 - 11:06 am: Edit

I know I shouldn't post a complaint like this, but I have to get this off my chest. For the past five years I have been blessed with a PE aide. Of course I've gone through four in the past five years. The noise, the number of kids, being on the feet all day and better paying jobs have taken them away. This year I was unblessed. The aide I have this year is terrible. From day one she tried to put her foot down with the kids and me, doing as she pleased without even consulting me to see if that is how things were done in my PE class. She made kids run laps for running into the gym, (which if their classroom teacher doesn't mind niether do I. I had to put a stop to that. She up and decide she could haul kids to the office without telling me about it. I had to put a stop to that. She would interrupt me in the middle of giving directions,(Of course she only repeated what I said). I have tried to put a stop to that, but she is still doing it. She doesn't like the fact the she is not in charge and has to do things my way. I've try to talk to her about the way things need to be done and are to be done in my class, but she gets mad, defensive and upset. Needless to say my year has not been that enjoyable with her in the gym. I know I should talk to the principal, but this is his first year as the head guy, and he has other, more pressing problems to deal with. So, I am just trying to survive the next four months of school and get the situation changed over the summer. Sorry to complain like this, but it sure does help. Any of you who have a great aide be thankful because you are truely blessed. Those of you who don't..you might want to be thankful because you could wind up with an aide from he** like I have. I will not have an aide next year or the school will have a new PE teacher. Again sorry about this posting.

By RCE TIGGER on Tuesday, February 27, 2001 - 11:08 am: Edit

Do you think that a conference with a higher authority would help settle this power struggle? This is something that if left unchecked, can really cause a rift between you and your students.

If you are her direct supervisor, then you can formally initialize a list of expectations you expect from her---Write everything down. Documentation is the key. The classroom is the last place you want a power struggle.

Maybe she just doesn't realize how much of a witch she is being.

Best Wishes.

By Anonymous on Tuesday, March 20, 2001 - 08:07 am: Edit

I also have a problem with Instructional aids that come to PE class with their assigned student. This student is often has a behavior disorder and is mainstreamed into elective classes. The problem I have is that these "aids" just that think that PE time is their break time so they just want to sit and not handle any problems that arrise. This is very frustrating when I have 60 kids in my class. Of course I have spoken to them about this but there have been no significant changes.

By Anonymous on Tuesday, March 20, 2001 - 06:23 pm: Edit

I have wrestled with the inclusion aide situation as well. This is the first year that we are considered "full inclusion". There are four classes in each grade that are assigned a room aide who is to accompany the class to ALL activities. It has been MY understanding that they are to make the accommodations for the students. So far this year, I have NO aides in the third and fourth grade inclusion rooms, so all the behavior mod is GONE when they come in, they pair up with students that are "not allowed" to and they are generally in a deficit as far as learning goes.

The zinger is that the aides approach me and kind of whine and ask if I "need" them today, they have "stuff" that needs to be done. I am SO exhausted with the whole bit. We are always being tossed the same bone, because PE has "always" been inclusion. Sure, I agree, but a few here and there, not a room of 10+...you know the routine!

Here is a great one. I was teaching a cupstacking unit (GREAT ACTIVITY) and the inclusion aide was READING A COOKBOOK!

Keep on keepin' on.

By Anonymous on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 01:53 pm: Edit

And I thought I was the only one with the whining, apathetic aide for inclusion. I have had several during the years, mostly because they really don't want to do anything at all, but want to get paid. They usually go back to being a full-time homemaker. There are some children that just do not need to be involved with inclusion. Even with an aide, they usually act helpless and you end up going over and sacrificing your time with your class to do the job the aide was supposed to be doing in the first place. I had rather the children that are so severe be exempted from P.E. and have the aide go with them during their daily recess where they are free to do what they wish to do or be with whomever and they are not interrupting a class. I have alot of compassion for my severely handicapped children. I love them dearly, but it also hurts me to know that because their mental capacity is the same as the others, that they probably feel frustrated and embarrassed when I have to go to them and have the other kids waiting to move on. It's sort of a catch 22 situation.