Paraprofessional Skills for Success

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Paraprofessional Skills for Success

• Presented by Kerri Gearhart
• Director of Special Education
• for the NwOESC
• August 13, 2008

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What is a Paraprofessional?

• An integral player in the school environment who
  works under the supervision of teachers or other
  licensed personnel who are responsible for
  planning and implementing education and related
  services.
• Synonyms Paraprofessional, Educational Aide,
  Instructional Aide, Attendant, Para educator,
  Classroom Aide
• PARA is Latin for along with working along
  with professionals (as part of the team)

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Special Education Terms

• -IEP Individualized Education Program
• -MFE Multifactored Evaluation
• -Disabilities
• MD Multiple Disabilities
• HI Hearing Impairment
• VI Visual Impairment
• OHI Other Health Impairment
• OH Orthopedic Impairment
• ED Emotional Disturbance
• CD Cognitive Disability
• SLD Specific Learning Disability
• S/LI Speech/Language Impairment
• AU Autism
• TBI Traumatic Brain Injury
• EC Early Childhood (Preschooler with a
  disability)
• DB Deaf Blind

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Your goal as a paraprofessional

• To offer each and every day the best physical,
  emotional, social, and academic care to children
  with whom you are interacting.

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Expectations

• 1. The children come first.
• 2. Be flexible- routines change
• 3. Limit classroom chatter. Children are easily
  distracted and interrupting the teacher during
  instruction, walking in and asking questions, or
  talking across the room should be avoided.
• 4. Assist with transitions gather materials,
  look ahead to what activity is going to happen
  and take initiative to assist.

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Expectations

• Dont sit back and wait for the teacher to tell
  you what to do as this only makes more work for
  the teacher. Be observant and learn what needs
  done and do it!
• 6. Assist with the physical needs of the
  students.
• 7. Be professional
• Do not speak about children with others who do
  not deal with them directly. Confidentiality is
  essential and required!
• Watch what you say when talking to others in the
  community (school and town). Your talk
  represents you, the classroom, the school and the
  NwOESC. Share concerns appropriately and with
  the personnel involved.

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Expectations

• 8. Share ideas with the teacher before trying
  them with the children. You are a valued member
  of the classroom team and it is important that
  you give input, however the teacher is
  responsible for final decisions and be respectful
  is his/she cannot use your idea.
• 9. If you have certain needs to do your job and
  these needs are not being addressed, please make
  sure to inform your direct supervisor.
• 10. You must complete all required trainings
  that are requested of you to fulfill your job.
• CPR
• CPI
• First Aide
• Van Driver Training
• Communicable Diseases

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TEAMING

• Communicate with the teacher early on about
  goals/responsibilities.
• Learn each others' areas of expertise
• Schedule mutual planning time
• Possible Areas to Discuss
• Evaluation of students
• Instructional methods to be used in the classroom
  
• How to give instructions
• School and class rules
• Discipline
• Routines
• Teams should actively work to create a
  climate of cooperation

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General tips to get you started

• Review School Handbook
• Learn Daily Schedule
• DetailsParking, mail, lunch, special events,
  etc.
• Lounge dos and donts
• Copy Machines and other equipment
• Orientation Checklist handout

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Behavior Management

• -Model appropriate behavior, language, and
  manners at all times.
• -Remain calm even when upset or frustrated!
• -Show respect for students, parents, teachers,
  and administrators.
• -Be organized This can prevent problems from
  occurring!
• -Demonstrate self-respect by modeling good health
  habits, grooming, dress, and posture.
• -Never use corporal punishment.
• -Allow the teacher to make classroom rules, set
  schedules, develop behavior plans, select
  reinforcers, and evaluate the effectiveness of
  intervention.
• -Praise good behavior.

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Communicating with Students

• Establish a positive relationship with the
  students (respect, courtesy)
• Your job is to encourage students rather than to
  control.
• When giving directions, use the students name
  and gain the student's attention appropriately -
  Proximity/Level
• Speak in a calm manner.
• Use questions to involve the student and monitor
  understanding.
• Include examples from the student's experience.

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Chain of Responsibility

• The first rule of thumb is to always contact the
  person that you have the concern with. Try to
  work out the problem. If the person is unwilling
  to resolve the problem, then work through the
  chain of command until the problem is solved.
• Person(s) involved
• Supervising teacher
• Program Supervisor
• Director of Special Education

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Professionalism

• Dress
• Attendance
• Communication
• Words and Actions

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Confidentiality

• Respect the confidentiality of the information
  you receive about students with whom you work.
  Before giving out information ask yourself
• 1. Is the person directly involved in the
  childs education?
• 2. If yes, then will the student benefit if this
  person has the information?

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Guidelines for Confidentiality

• When outside of school, dont point or label
  children as your students.
• If someone asks about a specific student or group
  of students, suggest he/she direct any questions
  to the classroom teacher, special education
  teacher, or program supervisor.
• Be careful not to distort, exaggerate, or confuse
  information and never use student information as
  gossip or a joke.

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Resources you can borrow!

• Videos
• Paraprofessional Tape 1 Where Do I Start?
• Paraprofessional Tape 2 Working with Students in
  the Inclusive Classroom
• Paraprofessional Tape 3 Working with Other
  Adults in the Classroom
• The Paraprofessionals Guide to Managing Student
  Behavior
• Books
• A Handbook for Learning Support Assistants by
  Glenys Fox
• A Teachers Guide to Working with Paradeducators
  and Other Classroom Aides by Jill Morgan Betty
  Y. Ashbaker
• Paraprofessionals in Education by Kathryn Jane
  Skelton
• The Paraprofessionals Guide to the Inclusive
  Classroom by Mary Beth Doyle
• The Personal Planner Training Guide for the
  Paraprofessional by Wendy Dover
• Contact
• Kerri Gearhart at nwoesc_kge_at_nwoca.org
• Colleen Hiltman at nwoesc_ch_at_nwoca.org
• Call any site office

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Conclusion

• Evaluation Information
• Questions?

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Notes