Paraprofessional Case
In this assignment, you will be given a classroom scenario that will allow you to practice your ability to foster collaboration between the classroom teacher and an assisting paraeducator.
Scenario:
Mrs. Smith is a teacher in an inclusion classroom that will have a total of 30 students including four students with LD and two students with ED. She was just informed that a paraeducator would assist her in the classroom for the new school year. She has spoken to the paraeducator and it appears that the two will work very well together in terms of compatible personalities and philosophies regarding students with exceptionalities. However, Mrs. Smith has never worked with a paraeducator before. Further, the paraeducator has never had this job role before, but has worked as a Sunday school teacher and loves children.
Based on the scenario, address the following prompts in a 1,000-1,250-action plan summary:
1. Goal statement for collaboration purposes.
2. Basic rules/expectations for all students in the classroom (minimum of four).
3. Roles and responsibilities of the teacher and the paraeducator.
4. Outline of training that the teacher will provide for the paraeducator.
5. Recommended steps to take, for all involved stakeholders, to evaluate student progress.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
Most paraeducators bring many useful skills to the job. Some have teaching experience. A few may even have teacher certification but may have been unable to find a teaching job available in the area where they must live. When selecting a paraeducator, administrators should look for a person with:
■ A high school diploma, at least, so as to meet national entry standards for paraprofes-sionals such as those set forth by NCLB
■ Evidence of good attendance at work
■ Adherence to ethics and confidentiality in their work
■ Ability to follow teachers’ directions and written plans
■ Ability to communicate effectively with students and adults
■ Good relationships with young people
■ Willingness to learn new skills
■ Flexibility
■ A sense of humor (It always helps!)
Many of the common difficulties between paraeducators and their supervising teachers can be minimized or avoided completely if the relationship begins with a well thought-out orientation session. An example checklist of items to include during a para’s orientation is included in Figure 11.5.
As you will notice, orientation and training are not one-shot events. There are things a paraprofessional needs to know immediately and other things that are important but can wait until after a week or two on the job. Other information and training needs will be ongoing and almost indefinite as the paraeducator grows professionally.
CHAPTER 11 SUPERVISING AND COLLABORATING WITH PARAEDUCATORS 333FIGURE 11.5 Para Orientation Plan Checklist
Get to Know the People and the School− Provide a tour of the school− Introduce key people para needs to know− Provide a school and student handbook and a school calendar
• Highlight emergency procedures and other important information− If the para is working with you in a special education classroom, go over classroom routines including:
• general student behavior expectations • a schedule of when students arrive and leave
• where materials and supplies are located
• how to contact the office
• any clerical or record keeping duties the para might need to do− If the para will be working in an inclusive classrooms supporting students, arrange a formal meeting with the teacher, yourself and the para. Be sure to cover the basics including:
• the role of the para in the class,
• how the para will be introduced to the class and parents
• having teacher share expectations for the para (such as where the para will be located in the classroom, classroom management policies, work style and interaction preferences)
• clarifying whether the para is to assist only a particular student, a group of students, or any student in the classroom even if they do not have an IEP, 504, or behavior plan.
• what records or log the para will keep to report on student progress (reporting to both the general and special education teachers)
• discussing proper communication channels if there is an issue or concern (Will the teacher have a role in the para’s evaluation?)
• discussing how feedback will be given to the para and the special education supervisor
-Discuss confidentiality
–VERY IMPORTANT After a Week on the Job− Introduce para to other teachers and staff
− Discover para’s interests, skills and relevant background related to students or education (and consider using both an inventory or a checklist as well as an interview/discussion format)
− Discuss additional details about job related tasks (answer para questions)− Provide additional background on specific student characteristics and need− Provide ongoing mini “need to know” training sessions (how to provide positive corrective feedback, how to administer a word identification probe, and so forth
After a Month on the Job (and continuing on an ongoing basis)
− Develop a plan for acquisition of new skills needed in carrying out the para’s role (para, teacher, and supervisor all having input)
− Ask for input from para about program improvement and convey that you work as a team for the benefit of students you serve
The National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP; www.nrcpara.org) has established three levels of responsibilities for paraeducators:
■ Level I responsibilities include supervising and monitoring students; preparing learn-ing materials; providing personal assistance to students; reinforcing learning experi-ences that are planned and introduced by teachers; and conducting themselves in a professional and ethical manner.
■ Level II responsibilities include all Level I responsibilities as well as having more autonomy in delivering lessons developed by the teacher; assisting students in com-pleting projects assigned by the teacher; collecting ongoing assessment data as directed by the teacher; implementing teacher-developed behavior management plans; and participating in regularly scheduled teacher and paraeducator meetings that may include other team members to plan for students in the general education setting.
■ Level III, the highest level, responsibilities include additional tasks of collaboration and information sharing with teachers for planning purposes; modifying curriculum and instructional activities for individual students under the direction of teachers; and assisting teachers in maintaining student records.
When training paraeducators, Pickett and Gerlach (2003) recommend that a teacher provide a rationale for a given skill or strategy, explain why it is important, and give a clear, step-by-step description. Next, the teacher should demonstrate or model the skill in the setting where the para is to implement it. Then, the teacher should observe the para implementing the procedure, and provide feedback. Finally, the teacher should provide ongoing coaching unobtrusively while the para is working with students.
References
Collaboration, Consultation, and Teamwork for Students with Special Needs, Seventh Edition, by Peggy Dettmer, Ann Knackendoffel, and Linda P. Thurston. Published by Pearson. Copyright © 2013 by Pearson Education, Inc.
References
Hauge, J. M., & Babkie, A. M. (2006). Develop collaborative special educator--paraprofessional teams: one para's view. Intervention in School & Clinic, (1). 51.