This semester, The Columbus School launched a pilot program allowing senior students to work as teacher assistants in elementary school classrooms. Three seniors have been selected to support fourth and fifth-grade teachers, giving them experience in education while helping younger students in the school community.
The program aims to provide additional classroom support while offering high school students insights of responsibilities of teaching. The program is designed to benefit both elementary school teachers, who receive extra help in class work, the kids’ learning, and the seniors, who gain leadership experience.
“So far, it’s been a great experience, working with students that are not in elementary school and seeing how responsible and dependable they are,” Jillian LaRaut, a fifth-grade homeroom teacher and team leader, said.
While the program is still in its early stages, teachers have high expectations for their teacher assistants. They hope seniors will serve as role models for younger students while learning the responsibilities of education.
”My biggest expectation is for the seniors students to be a good role model for the fifth-grade students, I also just want the teacher asistantss to learn how much work it takes to be an elementary teacher,” LaRaut said.
The experience has been eye-opening for the participating seniors, giving them a new perspective on the effort and patience required to manage a classroom.
”I have felt great because I actually love children, and the teacher is really nice with me (…) she’s not as strict, so there’s not a lot of pressure, and I can focus on helping the kids,” Juanita López, a TCS senior, said.
The role comes with challenges, but seniors and teachers find it rewarding. Both seniors and 5th-grade students think it is a heartwarming and nourishing experience.
“The most challenging thing is making children sit still and actually listen to the teacher, but the most rewarding part is hearing their gossip and learning more about how children interact with others,” López said.
With persistence, teachers believe the program could have long-term benefits, especially in elementary school classrooms and students, where assistance is often needed.
”I think it could be a big help for teachers, especially in elementary school, where we have so many subjects to teach. If we create a good schedule and select quality students, I’d love to continue this program,” LaRaut said.
As the semester progresses, the school community will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and determine whether it should become a permanent opportunity for future seniors. For now, both students and teachers are enjoying the collaboration, making this initiative a promising addition to the TCS high school curriculum.
“I think it could be beneficial not only for me but also for the students that maybe want to become educators in the future or just want some experience to put on like their resumes of some experience outside the classroom,” LaRaut said.