There’s a Difference. And It Matters.
When I was at Cypress College, my title was Instructional ASSISTANT.
At Long Beach City College, I’m an Instructional ASSOCIATE.
That shift in language may look small on paper. It is not small to me.
Instructional Assistant → Supports instruction.
Instructional Associate → Engages in instruction.
One suggests proximity to the work. The other acknowledges participation in it.
And participation is exactly what instructional staff do.
Beyond “The Help”: Recognizing Subject-Matter Expertise
In higher education, instructional staff are sometimes perceived as background support—the people who prep materials, maintain equipment, and make sure the logistics function smoothly.
Yes, we do those things.
But we are also hired because we are subject-matter experts. The hiring process ensures that we know our disciplines thoroughly. Many of us hold advanced degrees. Many bring decades of industry experience. Many actively practice in the fields we support.
The difference between faculty and instructional staff is not expertise. It is primarily evaluative authority.
That distinction matters—but it does not define the full scope of instructional impact.
Presence Matters: The Power of Being There
Faculty carry the responsibility of curriculum design, formal instruction, and grading. That role is foundational.
Instructional staff, however, are often physically present in labs and studios forty hours a week—sometimes more. We witness the in-between moments: the uncertainty after a lecture, the frustration before a critique, the small technical failures that derail confidence.
Learning happens in those spaces.
Because we are consistently present, we often spend more cumulative time with students than faculty do. We see their growth incrementally. We answer the quiet questions. We steady the process.
Presence shapes education.
Real-Time Guidance and Psychological Safety
Faculty evaluate the final product. Instructional staff frequently guide the process.
We troubleshoot equipment. We demonstrate alternative workflows. We explain the same concept three different ways until it lands. That ongoing, iterative engagement can determine whether a student gives up—or keeps going.
We also create psychological safety.
Students sometimes hesitate to expose confusion to the person who assigns their grade. Instructional staff become a bridge. We are often the ones students approach when they need to admit uncertainty. That openness fosters experimentation. Experimentation fosters growth.
Influencing Curriculum—Even When Our Names Aren’t on It
Curriculum does not evolve in isolation.
Instructional staff influence it—whether or not our names appear on official documents.
We hint.
We advise.
We advocate.
We recommend updates when industry standards shift. We flag recurring misunderstandings. We suggest scaffolding where students need reinforcement. We share observations about pacing, clarity, and tool limitations.
Sometimes this happens in meetings. Often it happens in conversations between classes. Either way, it shapes the educational experience.
Instructional staff are part of the feedback loop that keeps programs relevant and responsive.
A Culture of Respect Makes All the Difference
At Cypress College, although my title was “Assistant,” most of the faculty—save one or two—treated instructional staff as peers. They respected our expertise. They sought our input. They collaborated with us.
That culture of mutual respect strengthened the program. The word “assistant” was on paper, but it was not how we were treated in practice.
Now, at Long Beach City College, the recognition is embedded in the title itself. “Associate” signals partnership. It acknowledges engagement, not mere proximity.
I am deeply grateful for that.
Even though my position is temporary, I am genuinely happy to be there. It feels meaningful to work in an environment where the language reflects the reality of the work—and where leadership understands that education is collaborative.
Education Is an Ensemble
Respecting instructional staff is not about hierarchy or ego. It is about accurately naming the work.
Faculty design and evaluate. Instructional staff operationalize, reinforce, adapt, and sustain. Together, we create the environment students experience.
There is a difference between supporting instruction and engaging in it.
Recognizing that difference strengthens not only the individuals in those roles—but the institution itself.
And when institutions acknowledge that partnership—whether through culture, collaboration, or even something as simple as a title—it sends a powerful message:
Education is not a solo act.
It is an ensemble.
Gratitude for the Instructional Staff Who Shaped Me
I want to take a moment to acknowledge Ron Miller and Yvette Goytia. I wouldn’t be where I am today without your guidance, support, and mentorship. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way—there are many others whose paths you’ve shaped just as profoundly. Thank you both for everything you’ve done to lift up your students and colleagues alike.
This perspective is not only professional. It is personal.
As a student, I learned just as much from instructional staff as I did from faculty. Sometimes more. The person who stood beside me in a lab, who answered my repeated questions without impatience, who showed me the practical workaround that wasn’t in the textbook—that person shaped my education in lasting ways. Ron and Yevette. I see you. I remember you!
As a colleague, I continue to learn from instructional staff every day. Their depth of knowledge, their technical fluency, their quiet consistency—these qualities elevate programs in ways that are not always visible from the outside.
I appreciate every instructional staff member I have worked with—past and present. They have influenced how I teach, how I mentor, and how I understand collaboration.
I hope you feel the same.
Think about your own educational path. There was likely someone in a lab, studio, or support role who invested time in you. Someone who stayed late. Someone who answered the question you were hesitant to ask.
They helped shape you.
If you have the opportunity, give them a shout out. Recognition matters. Gratitude matters.
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