My preparation didn't include working with paraprofessionals. What are the most effective ways to do this to benefit the student?
Working effectively with paraprofessionals to benefit students who have disabilities is managed in a variety of ways depending on local school systems, policies, and structures. Some school systems have formal procedures and processes regulating the supervision and training of paraprofessionals, while other systems have informal processes with fewer guidelines. It is important to be aware of your local policies to guide your work with paraprofessionals.
Factual Information
As a classroom teacher, you should know who is responsible for the training and supervision of a paraprofessional in your classroom working with a student who has a disability. This will help with communication and directing the work of the paraprofessional. Training and managing the work of paraprofessionals are essential to student success and independence. Frequent communication with the paraprofessionals and other team members is essential. Collaborating with the special education teacher is important to ensure the appropriate strategies and accommodations for the student are implemented and monitored.
Many resources are available about how to collaborate with paraprofessionals. There are competency areas that identify effective ways to work with paraprofessionals. These competency areas are supervision, communicating, managing work, modeling, planning and scheduling, providing instructional support, public relations, and training. These are excellent areas to focus your work with paraprofessionals.
Effective teachers maintain a strong interactive relationship with the student even if a paraprofessional is present to assist with student learning, behavior, and function. They stay informed and monitor student progress and discover ways to share teaching and learning activities with the paraprofessional.
Classroom Activities
No classroom activities are available at this time.
Collaboration
No collaborative activities are available at this time.
Resources and Links
- The Institute on Community Education within the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Department of Education has many resources including an article on effective training for paraprofessionals.
- Preparing Teachers to Direct the Work of Paraprofessionals provides information on competency areas, resources, and tools. There are PowerPoint presentations along with activities and discussion questions.
- The National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals contains information about resources available in each state.
- The Council for Exceptional Children has a section: Supervising Paraeducators--What Every Teacher Should Know.
- The Connecticut State Department of Education developed: Guidelines For Training and Support of Paraprofessionals Working with Students, Birth to 21.