I worked as an aide alongside a Second Grade teacher with six years experience. My role was to help students when needed, run small or individual groups for student/s who needed additional support, do tasks for the teacher, etc. I learned how to run lessons and how to calm down students during high emotion situations, as well as how to handle students with behavioral issues/differences. 

During my time as the school I made connections with students and staff. The teacher I was learning under taught me how best to get respect from a class of students and how to make sure my presence in the classroom was a good one. I was able to make positive connections with students who the teacher had said were shy or slow to trust new people in a short amount of time. 

Looking at my experience from and educational lens, I was able to see first hand a group of students can all be at different levels in their education journey and how important it is for them to have a teacher that cares. I saw how far understanding and patience can go in helping a student have the confidence to keep trying and the drive to really want to learn. It's so easy for a young child to get overwhelmed with any kind of learning and be dissuaded from wanting to keep going. When there's an adult in the room that works to encourage students to try their best, especially if they fail the first time, can help give them the confidence they need to keep trying until they succeed.