Sunanda Das is a teacher’s assistant (TA) in the special education department who has been working in Metea for the past eight years.
What role do you play in Metea?
I’ve been here in Metea as a TA for the past seven and a half years. I love Metea and especially love working with kids.
Can you walk me through your day as a TA in Metea?
It’s typical, but I would say it’s not the same every day. We have all eight periods, one for lunch and the rest are classes, including trans-lunch, which is not like a typical class; we monitor our kids during their lunch period. Sometimes our schedules could get changed if some TAs are absent, and we would have to sub in for them. We usually start our day at 7:10 a.m. I pick some of the kids who I have for the first period from the main office entrance, then walk with them to class. Then, I have to walk some freshmen for their second hour class, [and] then third. Finally, fourth is when I have lunch, and then I have trans lunch fifth, where we basically sit in the cafeteria with our department kids during their lunch and monitor them. Now it’s period six and seven, which is Vok periods, which is where we go outside of school for three days, and the students learn to work in shops or restaurants. Lastly, I end my day with a fun class, sculpture, and then at the end of the day, before the bells, I drop the students [off at] their buses.
What are your goals and/or plans for the future?
I previously didn’t have any experience with special education, but after working with them, I realized they also need a push, so they can be independent. So, I always try to push them in their daily life during school, and I hope to continue that.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Metea?
There are so many, but the most fun memory was during COVID. I know it was sad that we were online, but we connected with kids. They were so eager to start class and would ask me to turn on my camera. They would say, ‘Can you please show us your face?’ Everyone was just thinking about COVID, but these kids were living their best lives in these online classes.
What’s something about you that people might not know about but is important to you?
There are a lot of things [people may say since] I’m working with special education students, [which] is why I am talking only about them. The reality is that they are special in their own way, but all humans are the same, and so they should be treated in the same way as everyone else.
What keeps you motivated to come to school every day?
My colleagues, who are very supportive, and the students, you all are motivating us to do our work. Our supervisors, too, are amazing and always listen to us. That’s what makes us keep doing what we do.
