Co-op Corner: Special Education Resource Teacher at Glenbrook Elementary

December 2, 2021 · 0 Comments

Written By Marissa Fernandes

This week Marisa Fernandes from Centre Dufferin District High School shares a little bit about their experience and how Glenbrook Elementary School Teacher Rob Henry is contributing to our community’s future.

Rob is a SERT at Glenbrook Elementary School. SERT stands for Special Education Resource Teacher. Rob has been a SERT for at least 4 years, and he provides resources to staff and students to help students be more successful. He also arranges reading and math groups with students who need extra help.

During my co-op experience as a SERT’s Assistant, I have developed connections with many students by spending time in different classrooms helping students and teachers. This includes many different tasks like helping students with their work, reading to them or reading with small groups, and helping teachers with classroom management. I also spend a lot of time in the Hub. The Hub is a room where students can go if they need a short break from class. Within the Hub there are many different activities for the students like board games, toys, fidgets, colouring pages, and puzzles. While I am in the Hub, I help supervise the students, play games with them, and help the staff with any other jobs like, cleaning, walking students to their class, and using the photocopier.

Before I started at my placement, I completed multiple school board provided online training courses on safety.

While being at Glenbrook I have become aware of some of the other positions that are associated with the SERT’s position, and these include EA’s, parent volunteers, Speech and Language Therapists, and Attendance Counselors. These positions relate to my placement because they mostly involve focusing on students with learning disabilities, special needs, or behavioural issues.

Another person I have had a chance to work with is the Child and Youth Counselor at Glenbrook. She organized a group of students to meet and discuss any issues they see around the school or any way they can make it feel more welcoming and safe. This group is called the TIE group and these meetings take place every Tuesday at first break. I help supervise the students and work with them and the CYC to come up with ideas for the group.

Glenbrook Elementary School and the wonderful staff here provide a safe learning environment for all their students, and offer their students numerous opportunities to get involved within the school and out in the community.