This Mom Saw a Need and Filled It. Now a Paraeducator, She Makes Up the ‘Backbone of the School.’

By fall 2021, Butterworth was employed as a general education assistant teacher at Farmland Elementary School in Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, a large school district outside Washington, DC.

Now in her fourth year in the role, Butterworth spoke with EdSurge about “Role Call,” a new series that shines a spotlight on the sometimes unseen school staff who help shape kids’ days.

Butterworth explains what got him into the job, how unpredictable the days can be, and what misconceptions people have about schools today.

The following interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

EdSurge: How did you get here? What prompted you to take on the role of a paraeducator?

Chawla Butterworth: For better or worse, the pandemic was to blame. Our school district was trying to get students back in school, and my youngest really needed to go back to school. My two older kids, who were in private school, were back in school in the fall. [of 2020]Public schools were not scheduled to reopen until mid-March. [of 2021].

First, I wanted to show my support for teachers, as I knew many of them were feeling wary, anxious and scared, so I wanted to put myself out there.

If I wanted schools to reopen, it was important to me to act. I wanted teachers to feel heard and valued, and to be able to send my kids back to school. I wanted to show that with actions, not just words.

Actually, I started working as a classroom monitor… and then when the 2020-2021 school year ended, the administration at the school where I worked said, “If you want to be a paramonitor, come back and let us know.” So, I did.

If someone outside of school asked about your job, such as at a social event, how would you describe it?

“Teacher assistant” isn’t exactly a vague job title, but many people don’t know what it is. If I say “teacher’s assistant,” it’s easier to understand for people who aren’t in the education field.

Even before I joined MCPS, I had heard that paraeducators are the backbone of schools. I was like, “Yeah, that’s just what everyone says.” But that’s not true. From my experience and from working with other paraeducators on the Farmland team, we jump right in and do whatever it takes. When a teacher suddenly gets sick, we fill in for a class. [Maybe] Sometimes you may be asked to wait in the cafeteria because one of your colleagues, another para, has fallen ill, or you may be asked to take calls for a while because the office is short-staffed.

We are not just for students (although we are mainly for students), but we are multi-talented. At Farmland, all of our paras are women. We are women who can do anything, so to speak.

What does a tough day look like in your role?

We’re in the classrooms, we’re there at lunch and recess, we’re on arrival and departure duty, so students can see us in different places around the school.

Sometimes we have students who are in really difficult situations, and they’ve seen us in some places, they’ve worked with us, and they come to us and say, “My mom’s in the hospital,” or “My dog ​​died,” or “My dad’s overseas… I don’t know when I’m going to see him next.”

I’m in an elementary school, so sometimes my students are pretty young, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have big emotions or big things going on in their lives. Sometimes there’s no easy way to help them get through it other than to just listen. I’m like, “I can’t solve this, but I can be a good listener today.”

Or sometimes we’re short-staffed and we really don’t have enough people. Those days are tough.

When you say understaffing, do you mean teaching assistants or the whole school?

Two years ago, one para-educator was away on sick leave, and then another para-educator’s family member died in another country, leaving two para-educators away for about three to four weeks, which was a long period of time.

At my school, we are on duty for lunch and recess, so when we are short-staffed, we can’t have the same number of aides at lunch and recess. So we take on extra help. It’s part of the job, but it also means we can’t spend time working in the classroom or in small groups with our students. And it’s hard because that’s where the fun happens. That’s where the learning, the change, and the “Eureka” moments happen.

One of the reasons for that is that you may not know until you get into the school. … When you get into the school, it’s not uncommon to get a text message saying, “We need you to cover this teacher’s class,” or, “We’re short-staffed. Check the lunch and break schedule.” So, going back to being the heart of the school, in addition to supporting a lot of the organization and learning within the school, we’re also very flexible. Our assignments can change at a moment’s notice.

What does a truly good day look like?

For me personally, when I’m working with students on math, reading, social studies, or whatever, it’s always fulfilling when the light bulb goes on and a student sees the connection or understands how a formula works. [knowing] It’s a great day when you help a student learn something new and feel like it helps them learn something new.

It’s such a wonderful day when students come up to me and say, ‘Thank you for coming, Mr. Butterworth,’ and give me a quick hug. Although being recognized in the community is not a part of my day to day life at school, it is powerful to know that there are students out there that we are impacting.

For you, the student aspect seems like the most enriching and rewarding part of the job – what is it like when you’re in the classroom?

At Farmland, when the new school term begins, students are given assignments. Last year, I taught a fifth-grade class for nearly an hour during morning reading and writing. When the teacher told everyone to start working on their assignments, I entered the class. I taught a small group of several students, two of whom were English language learners.

I also worked with a fifth grade math class, many of whom were also English language learners, and helped them break things down so they could understand how math works. Then I worked with a fourth grade math class.

Those of us who are in the general education pool are assigned to classes for a particular period or block of study. This is how I use general education paragraphs in my school.

What would you change about your school or the education system in general right now?

I want more people to know what really goes on in schools.

I’ve always said that teachers are social workers, school counselors, parents, and guardians. So teachers play a huge role in kids’ lives and they get out there. And so do the paramedics and administrators. There’s a lot going on in schools, it’s not just learning. You need school counselors. You need maintenance staff for the buildings. All of those things need to be in full swing.

I think sometimes it’s easy to underestimate what goes on in schools. We’re shaping the future. We’re developing young minds and helping them become really engaged people who are engaged in their learning and in their community as they grow up. So to anyone who has the opportunity to volunteer at their child’s school, I would say, “Just do it. You should go and see what’s going on.” School is an amazing place. There’s fun, there’s drama, there’s anxiety, there’s all kinds of emotions, but it’s all good.

We have about 800 students in our school, and between 65 and 70 different languages ​​are spoken among our families. We have Russian, Ukrainian, Afghan, Israeli, Korean families, just off the top of our heads. We’re just all over the place. It’s interesting because the school is a microcosm of the larger community that surrounds it.

Your role gives you unique access and insight into today’s youth – what have you learned about young people through your work as a paraeducator?

I have three kids, so I’ve always known that kids are like sponges, they absorb everything, even things you don’t want them to absorb. But kids want to do well. They want to try to do better. They seem to be happy to ask for help, whether it’s, “I wasn’t being a very good friend today,” or, “I didn’t do as well as I thought I would on that test,” and that’s a good thing.

Sometimes we need a helping hand.