People are not Supports: Understanding the difference between people, supports, and strategies

What is Support?

In many educational conversations, the term "support" has evolved into a multifaceted concept that is often misused and misunderstood. This is particularly evident in discussions surrounding the role of Educational Assistants (EAs) or paraprofessionals. While many educators, families, and students advocate for increased support through the hiring of EAs, it is essential to clarify that EAs themselves are not the support; rather, they can be supportive agents within the educational framework (Bennett et al., 2021; Gibson et al., 2015). This distinction is crucial for understanding how to effectively address the needs of students in inclusive education settings.

To unpack this notion, January 2025's Five Moore Minutes episode targets four key terms: needs, supports, strategies, and resources. In this podcast episode, Shelley has a deeper conversation about the 5MM video with Dr. Leyton Schnellert, a member of her Outside Pin team. 

To watch the 5MM episode and access supplemental resources connected to this episode including the episode script, supporting articles and discussion questions, head to the Five Moore Minutes website:

https://fivemooreminutes.com/people-are-not-supports/

To access Dr. Shelley Moore's recommended resources bookshelf, check out her Five Moore Minutes affiliate store:

https://www.amazon.ca/shop/tweetsomemoore