We’ve Come a Long Way in Addressing Student Stress and Trauma. I Could Use Help, Too.
August 30, 2018
By: Shakita Smith
Source: Chalkbeat
There’s an old adage, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” But as a paraprofessional in Chicago, my cup is almost drained.
Each day, I provide academic, emotional, and behavioral support for over 200 students. The amount of mental and emotional energy it takes to calm a single student down, redirect or remove them from the class, and provide appropriate consequences is overwhelming — even with experience — when there are 11 other six-year-olds in a classroom that need my help.