We took a moment to sit down with our Teacher’s Aid to ask him a few questions about his duties. We felt this would be a useful exercise for your viewing pleasure.

Q: “What is the first thing that you do when you get to MLA at the start of your shift?”

A: “Well, the first thing that I do BEFORE I get to work is get my Diet Dr. Pepper. My day cannot start until I have done that! Once I get to work, I like to plan my day and then I check missing assignments to see who is struggling in school, to see who I need to work with.”

Q: “What would you consider your most important job duty?”

A: “I would say the most important aspect of my job is making sure each student keeps up in school, and that I am there when they need me.”

Q: “What is your number one goal when working one on one with a student?”

A: “It is different with each student. I work with some students more than others, but it usually has something to do with making sure that each student understands the material we work on, rather than just making sure they finish an assignment.”

Q: “What does working one on one with a student look like?”

A: “Usually the student is maybe one or two assignments behind in school. I will work with students who aren’t behind, but my main focus is making sure all students are caught up in school. I will sit down with the student and go over missing assignments. Then we will look at those assignments and see how much the student has finished. We’ll pick an assignment to work on and I will assist the student as they have need until the assignment is complete. We then turn the assignment in to the teacher and start working on the next assignment, until we are finished.”

Q: What is your favorite thing to do off campus?

A: “Spending time with my wife and my 14 year old son. Also, I love sports and I play simulation sports online.”

Q: “What do you do when you are not working with students one on one?”

A: “Really anything that the department needs. I am in charge of checking student computers in and out. I keep inventory and do the shopping when needed. I sub for teachers when they need a substitute teacher. I test students when they arrive, when they leave, and each year in between as well, among many other things.”

Q: “What are your long term goals?”

A: “I aspire to be a teacher. I am working on getting my teaching license. These students are helping me get the experience needed to become the best teacher I can be.”

Q: “Any other thoughts or other insights?”

A: “My motto is ‘no child left behind’. We have a great stewardship here at MLA. My ultimate goal is to make sure that your child is the best they can be academically. I love working here with these kids. They deserve my best and I attempt to give them my best every day.”