So for reference both me and the girl in question are seniors in high school. Ive been sat next to her in multiple classes because im pretty helpful on average with other students.
I realized that during math class (one i actually kind of struggle in) she has just been copying all of my work, word for word, without doing any work. Im uncomfortable with most confrontation, and was a bit split, because she does struggle a lot with work. Ive always answered her questions, even though she barely asks. Ive also made it clear im always willing to help.
So after class i brought it up with the para educator assigned to her (basically a helper), and said what was happening was bothering me. She said that whenever i see it i should ask her if she understands whats going on, and if not, to explain if to her. Keep in mind this is essentially her job.
I kind of feel like I’m being given the extra task of basically teaching her, something I’m not good at anyway. I feel like its unfair for me to be given this task because its not my responsibility to help others, I’m not bring compensated, and she doesn’t even ask.
Reasons i might not be TA:
\- its not my responsibility
\- the para didn’t talk to the person, just told me to help her
\- i barely have the energy to learn, much less help another person who is higher needs
Reasons i might be TA:
\- she needs more help and im lucky to not need that
\- i was sat with her because im nice and this might not be nice
Also keep in mind im not exactly good at school. I struggle with ADHD and ASD. Not an excuse though.
Paras that actually understand HS math well enough to teach it are few and far between. But, it is still not your job.
NTA. The para should not be asking you to do her job. She should be encouraging you to get this student to ask for help from the para (the person assigned) or the teacher.
I’d mention this incident to the teacher. Maybe the para misspoke, but regardless, the teacher needs to be aware.
NTA ask to be moved. It is not fair to sit students who struggle near you so that you help them. This isn’t your job.
It’s great that you’re generally helpful and you should continue with that as it’s a positive trait – but you feel icky about it because you’re being taken advantage of for your good nature
NTA. Sounds like the para is trying to get you to do her job for her.
NTA. While it is kind that you’ve helped her in the past, you are not her teacher and it’s not your responsibility. You’re still a student yourself and responsible for your own learning. I would definitely recommend making your teacher aware of the issue.
I would tell the teacher about and see what the say.
NTA, talk to the teacher, get your seat moved.
NTA. The para can find someone else to help her. Your job is to learn, not to teach other students. If she needs more help than reading notes, that’s the para’s job, and the school’s, not yours.
If the para keeps pushing you to help, talk to the principal about your concerns. This person should not be making you feel responsible for another student’s education, and the principal will most likely want to know that their employee is treating a student like a coworker.
NTA your job in school is your education, not your classmates. There’s literally a person there to facilate the other person’s learning disabilities.
NTA: go to the main teacher and if the main teacher gives you any trouble about your request to sit elsewhere, go right to the principal. the pra pro is not doing her job, you are not her assistant!
Talk to the teacher. The other student might enjoy sitting next to you because you are helpful and nice, but the responsibility for teacher her shouldn’t be completely on you either, and unfortunately if she’s just copying, she’s not learning.
So the Para basically dumped this student on you and told you to do her job for free?
NTA. Plain and simple.
NTA. You should not be allowed to let another student copy your work; you certainly shouldn’t be forced to allow it! Accommodating your classmate’s special needs is the para educator’s job, for which she is being paid. It is not your responsibility, nor are you trained to do it. If the para has been trained, she should know better than to allow this situation to have developed. “I kind of feel like I’m being given the extra task of basically teaching her”: you’re right. All this is draining your energy and distracting you from attending to your own work. Please find a sympathetic responsible adult—a teacher, a parent, a principal or counselor?—and have them put an end to this situation at once.
NTA—It is 100% the para educator’s job to (a) notice that the girl is simply copying from you, and (b) explain the math to her and answer her questions. She is not doing her job! I think this absolutely warrants a discussion with the teacher and/or the principal. Tell them what happened, as you have told us here, and tell them that the para educator asked you to do the explaining and answering of questions. Tell them that you would be willing if you found the math easy, but you don’t—you find the math challenging, and so you can’t afford to be distracted from the instruction or the work by trying to explain it and answering the other girl’s questions.