ISTA ESP shares how she impacts her community
11/16/2016
It’s American Education Week, and ISTA is celebrating ESP Day. Education support professionals (ESPs) are working in our schools and communities making a difference in the lives of students and bettering the community. ISTA member Sarah Chism is making a difference in her community through her work as a paraeducator at Charlestown High School. She also serves as a co-president of the Greater Clark Paraeducator Association.
As a paraeducator, Chism works with moderate to severe special education students at the high school. Her role includes facilitating learning in the classroom, attending lunch with the students, improving social skills and memorization of personal information and assisting the best buddies program, which partners a special education student with a general education student to email each other.
Chism also coordinates participation in the Choice Program, which, for special education students, provides vocational training at local, community businesses. Chism’s work prepares students to be independent members of the community.
“Our role is really unique in that we are trying to help our students be as independent as possible, so a lot of what we do is job training and we work on a lot of stuff to get them ready for after high school.”
Numerous businesses in the community welcome student trainees onto their staff to learn job skills. Chism works with two students who spend two days a week learning what’s expected in a job setting and two days at Taco Bell with on-the-job training. The students practice skills for clearing and cleaning the dining area. It offers both life and vocational skills that the students can use to be more independent after high school.
Chism’s day is packed – going from classroom to classroom, and offsite on the vocational training days.
“It’s a lot, but it makes for a good day,” said Chism.
She has a special connection with the students whose faces light up when she enters the classroom or walks down the hallway. These students won’t forget her or the life skills learned while working with Chism.