For the past two years, Andrew Dupuis has worked in the Malone Central School District as both a bus driver and a teaching assistant (TA). He says working with students in classrooms gives him the opportunity to be the kind of educator he needed when he was in school.
“I’ve seen the whole range of student reactions to classroom instruction. Some get it right away. Some eyes glaze over. And some eyes reveal confusion or frustration,” Dupuis says. “As a teaching assistant, I can go to a struggling student and say, ‘Hey, I remember having the same reaction when I was sitting in that chair. I can help.’ And there’s no other job I’ve had that can do so much for others and for me, too.”
Dupuis was one of the 40 or so TAs from Malone and other nearby school districts who recently came to Franklin Academy to learn more about becoming a fully certified classroom teacher.
Most found that the goal is closer than they thought. Being a TA helps. Each person attending this professional development session has passed the state’s skills assessments and completed the series of workshops necessary to educate school kids and keep them safe.
Kristina Avery, who has been a TA for two years in Malone, says, “I just love interacting with the kids. I know that I’m making a difference in their lives.”
“These are people who can become great teachers,” Denise Simard says. She is Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Human Services at SUNY Plattsburgh. Simard and her colleague Cynthia McCarty organized this professional development session at Franklin Academy.
“These teaching assistants have it all, experience in the classroom and the interest to become teachers,” Simard says.
“And they’ve already been hired by a school district,” McCarty adds. “We’re here to let these folks know that it won’t take too long before they can become fully certified teachers, ready to lead in the classroom.”
A nationwide shortage of teachers has superintendents and principals working harder than in years past to recruit teachers. At SUNY Plattsburgh, Simard and McCarty have been working for more than 20 years to train and certify teachers.
“I’ve never seen a teacher shortage like this,” McCarty says as Simard nods. “The demand is strong in nearly every district across New York State.”
“And this is a key reason why we’re hosting this professional development session,” Brandon Pelkey says. Now the superintendent of the Malone Central School District, Pelkey has also been principal of Franklin Academy High School and, before that, a classroom teacher himself. “We need people from Malone and the surrounding area to teach Malone’s students. People from this area don’t need to be convinced that this is a great place to live. They already know the benefits of living in the North Country and they have roots here.”
Assistant Superintendent Dustin Relation also has experience as a teacher and principal at Malone Middle School. “By hosting this professional development session, we’re trying to hire from within. Every participant in this session is fully capable of becoming one of the teachers we need. They’ve proven themselves. We truly value each one of these teaching assistants and the commitment they’ve shown to our students.”
>span class="C9DxTc ">Simard said, “It’s important that everyone with an interest in becoming a teacher knows that teacher education programs are flexible and that we want to work with you to help you reach your goals.”
McCarty added, “This is another reason we’re here today. We want to know what you need so we can adjust our program to you. And it’s not just us. Really, every teacher certification program out there wants to hear from you and wants to work with you. What are your hurdles? Money? Time? There are teams of people you’ve never met, but they’re eager to do anything they can to help you thrive in a teacher certification program and become a great teacher.”
Superintendent Pelkey said many of the session’s participants seemed moved by the presentation. “There are moments in each of our lives when we can see something we hoped for come into reach. For some of our teaching assistants, this session was one of those moments.”
Assistant Superintendent Relation added that many of the session's attendees were parents. “Many of these people know that teaching in the district where your own kids are students can be a great way to stay connected with them and gain an in-depth knowledge of their academics and opportunities.”
Teaching Assistant Kristina Avery agreed, saying, “It’s also a great way to work full-time with a schedule that actually lines up with your kids’ schedules, too. Holidays? Snow days? You all often have the same days off. No day care needed. That alone can save so much time and money.”
For more information about becoming a teacher or teaching assistant in the Malone School District, please visit the career section of our website at maloneschools.org or call our Human Resources Department at (518) 483-7800.