List the 10 categories of the paraprofessional's role and compare 2-3 with the role of the supervising teacher.
Discuss the importance of communication and the different forms that you use with your paras.
Respond to 2 other people
The 10 categories of the paraprofessional's role are: behavior management, clerical duties, data collection, developing materials with supervisor's direction, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation, and working with students in large, small, and individual groups.
ReplyDeleteThe reinforcement of skills is a follow-up to the supervising teacher. Ideally, the teacher will teach the lesson/concept and the para leads activities to practice and reinforce the skills. We are both actively participating in the student's education and learning when this is done.
Behavior management is definitely shared between the teacher and para. I think we all work together to implement a plan, follow up on the plan, and collect data.
I like the simplicity of your summary. It is best when we do the concepts and paras doe the reinforcement.
DeleteCommunication is hugely important, especially between paras and teachers, as well as teachers and teachers. Unfortunately, I always feel like I am lacking in that area, mostly due to time constraints. It just seems hard to find time to meet and communicate with everyone I need to. For that reason, I absolutely love the idea of using a daily log. I don't think it would take too much time and it would be really useful for those kids that get classroom support from a para.
ReplyDeleteI also like their sample schedule. It is more detailed than the one I use, which is good.
I think I could use these communication logs/schedules to enhance my communication skills both with the paras and classroom teachers. I know for sure that I have to make communicating on a weekly basis a high priority. Simply thinking I don't have time isn't going to cut it - it's too important to let slide.
Rae Lynn,
DeleteI understand how you feel about the communication and time restraints. I love the person to person communication but often times I have to send out e-mails asking about students and so forth just to keep tabs on them. I still have 2 teachers no matter how much I send them e-mails they never respond so I do have to make time to go visit with them.
I use the para schedule as another form of communication. My para schedules not only say where, when and who but specifically state what the student it responsible for doing, what the para is responsible for helping with and even when to step in for support. Since I started scheduling like this, the paras have said they appreciate the input. Even though they are experienced paras, they like the structure.
DeleteThe 10 categories of the paraprofessional's role are: behavior management, clerical duties, data collection, developing materials with supervisor's direction, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation, and working with students in large, small, and individual groups.
ReplyDeleteOur room is considered a team. Whatever any of us do reflects on all of us. This year I again have a team that is amazing!! The public view of what I do has increased tremendously. To be a team we have to have our signals together. Since we share our kiddos during the day, everyone being on the same page is imperitive. We have to approach together. Our kids will eat us alive if we are not on the same page. It is confusing and offers some kids too much wiggle room to know what is going on. My paras go into the fourth grade for science and math. So they have to keep me informed as to how Susie and Bob are doing and where they need assistance, so when I do pullout I can keep that continuim going.
I do notes,agendas for meetings, lesson plans,( we try for weekly, seems more like bi-weekly) meetings about schedules and changes and how to work with students, what to do with different children. We have logging and paras can read what someone else has done or not done for a child. We also have potty charts, time out charts, etc all to keep everyone on the same page. It keeps the messages together. I also have notes with codes for different students if we need to be watching, or if student is absent, ill, hurt, off task, etc. One of the paras has the school's first class system,. This helps so she knows what changes I am making and how it affects her and others. We are always printing off things to help. When last resort, put the sticky note on the computer.
I think I need you to come teach me how to do all of those things! I suppose if I could just get a system in place, then it would get easier to manage. I admire all of the work you do to keep things running smoothly.
DeleteI like your team approach. Susan Lawless and I use a team approach when providing services at our school. Her paras help me with students and my paras help her with her students. The way they have the students spread out into so many different classes this year, it's the only way we can get service times covered.
DeleteIt's great when everyone can get along and do what's best for kids!!!
The way Susan and you share para resources sounds awesome. I am glad you posted the comment. As I read others posts about teachers teaching and paras reinforcing I was thinking yes that is what should happen. The reality is that in a small school with one special education teacher and one para trying to cover several needs and times the most ideal academic setting does not always occur every day. I try to provide quality services to the best of my ability. Some situations are out of my control. When I have staffings that last three and a half hours two mornings in a row and then another two days that week I am removed from my teaching environment to attend to a child with behaviors I doubt the quality of education my para and I are providing to the other special needs students. Are there any options that I just have not thought of?
DeleteCommunication between you and your paras is so important! Dot, it sounds like you have this down to a science. I'm with Rae Lynn, it sounds like you need to do an in-service on how to communicate with paras;) It seems as if coop-wide, time to meet with paras is an issue that needs to be addressed. It sounds like many issues could be offset by scheduled communication between teachers and paras. The daily schedule and log in this chapter are very well done. My only concern with this form of communication is that as teachers you need to make sure that paras are not logging when they are supposed to be working with students. I agree that it is a great communication tool, but not at the expense of student contact time.
DeleteGood point about making sure not to log when they are supposed to be providing services. That would be an easy trap to fall in to.
DeleteI think that it is a good point that our paras should not blog at our students service times too. Although I bet we have paras doing it just because they think the students dont need help.
DeleteThe ten categories of paraprofessionals roles are behavior management, clerical duties, data collection, develop materials, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation and working with students. This takes the paras through every area of the school and keeps them busy, but there are some built in times for logging, like recess or transition times (when they don't have to supervise).
DeleteI think my job is to organize and set things up. I do the pre-teach and the make sure the accountibility of responsibility is done. I make the plans in a way that the paras can carry them out. It is my job to facilitate and organize. I also need to make sure everything is going smoothly when out of sight. Keeping everyone on the same page is the jest of what I do.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever have trouble with your paras not really doing the plans the way you have them written? I try really hard and take a lot of time to completely write things in the plans and explain what, and why, we are doing. It seems at times that either they don't read the plans all the way through or sometimes they don't know how to do a skill. Sometimes I teach or reteach the student while the para is with us so that they get a lesson of their own. Other times they'll ask a question and when I go over the written directions with them, they'll pretty much admit not reading them. That can be kind of frustrating for me. I probably need to get over some of my control issues too and realize that not everybody is going to do and say things the same way I do.
ReplyDeleteHaving paras not do as they are instructed drives me crazy. It is one of those ugly things that continue to bother me and it is like drops of water on your head. In time it will make you crazy and yell out. I give lesson plans and expect them to write notes on the pages to show me what they did and did not do and why and how it was done and how well it turned out. Then I have sheets they can fill out for inclusion. We do offer small 5-10 minute logging times in day and it is expected to be utilized. It does help me know what is going on.
DeleteIf nothing is written I assume it was not done. So usually something or a check mark is done.
I have the same problem sometimes. I think I do a pretty good job of explaining how I want a student to complete something, then I will look at what they turned in and it is not even close to what I asked for! I think it's because I have one para in particular who is a little on the lazy side and she thinks it's okay to make shortcuts to make it easier for the student. I have explained to her several times that I do things a certain way to maximize the learning opportunity for the student. Anyway, when this happens, I make the student do it again and explain to both the student and para how I want it done. Usually, it gets done correctly the second time, but it is frustrating!!
ReplyDeleteThe 10 categories of the paraprofessional's role are: behavior management, clerical duties, data collection, developing materials with supervisor's direction, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation, and working with students in large, small, and individual groups.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think I pretty much do all of the above in my job. I feel like it is really my job to develop materials and do the clerical duties, but I do have paras do those things for me from time to time if I get bogged down. I really don't enjoy doing the diapering, feeding, etc. of students, but I do feel that it is important for my paras to see that I am willing to help with those areas whenever possible. When I had students that required diapering and feeding, etc. I put myself into the rotation with the paras so all 3 of us were responsible for them at one time or another during the day. That way, not one person was totally responsible. I was a para once who was totally responsible for one student and I know that it makes for a long day when you are the only one taking care of that student.
Communication is very important and vital when working with paras. I have had the same paras for several years now, so I think we effectively communicate with each other. I do post things on a bulletin board for them (not confidential things, but upcoming happenings, etc.) and try to touch base with each of them on a daily basis. They are both really good about coming to me if there is a problem with a student or students.
ReplyDeleteFor some students, I do have them write anecdotal logs on behaviors. I am not always with those students and it's good to have the information when discussing behaviors with parents. Also, sometimes the classroom teacher is pretty bias about student behaviors, but the log done by the para is usually a little more objective.
I give them a copy of my lesson plans every week, so they are aware of what I will be doing with the students in my classroom and they know what I expect them to be doing with the students when they provide support in my room.
I use a daily schedule very similar to the one in the book so my paras know exactly where they are to be throughout the day and who they are supposed to be working with. I also include what accommodations/adaptations they are to be making for the student on the schedule. This is particularly useful when the para is absent and they have a sub. I also ask the paras to write any notes, etc. on the schedule that may be important for the sub to know.
I also give a lesson plan to the paras when they work with students in the classroom. Not usually my whole lesson plan but I copy and paste their part on a separate plan. I do not pub accommodations/adaptations on schedules but that's a good idea.
DeleteI agree that I never feel like I ever have enough time to communicate with all of the teachers and my paras. Time and confidentiality is a big factor. If paras and teachers assist and teach students all day, when do you find the time to communicate? Paras only work seven hours a day. Plus, when general education teachers have planning periods I am teaching students. I would love to hear some ideas about times and methods to communicate. Email is nice, but not always the answer.
ReplyDeleteI usually talk to one of my paras first thing in the morning as we are waiting for students to get to their lockers, etc. before they come to my room. The other one I usually catch at the end of the day before she goes home. There is about 5 minutes between the time the kids leave and the time her 7 hours are up. It's not much time, but usually enough to chat about concerns or celebrations.
DeleteAnecdotal notes really help with time factors because I can read their notebooks after school and talk to them about it the next morning if I have a concern. I'm thinking the daily logs in the book might be something I would want to try. My paras are usually very good about letting me know if our students are having problems and don't seem to mind spending 5-10 minutes of their own time after school to talk about it. I pay them with chocolate...
I attend 5th grade team meetings every week because their meeting is during my planning time. That helps me to keep in the loop on a lot of things. I occasionally attend 4th grade team meetings if the student I normally work with during that time has ESL pull-out. This doesn't happen every week, so I admit I tend to neglect them. However, email has proven to be a very useful communication tool with teachers. Even though I put a disclaimer at the bottom that it is confidential information, I usually use the student's initials or refer to them as "your student", "your student on an IEP", etc. in case the email should happen to get forwarded, etc.
DeleteI would prefer face to face communication, but again, time is often a factor.
When I team-taught with a teacher, she and I met at least once a week to plan either during our mutual planning time or after school.
And, I don't do 3 and half-hour long meetings!!! I would absolutely have a cow if I had to attend a meeting that long. My time is way too valuable...
The 10 categories of the paraprofessional's role are: behavior management, clerical duties, data collection, developing materials with supervisor's direction, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation, and working with students in large, small, and individual groups.
ReplyDeleteOur school is being placed on a plan of improvement due to AYP factors. During the second debriefing plans on how to improve were “rolled out”. One suggestion to improve teaching abilities is to go observe other people who teach what you teach. I think observing other special education teachers would really help provide ideas to a new teacher. I also believe the blog is a wonderful way to share ideas. The forms presented in the chapter are similar to forms I create for my paras and myself for communication and organization purposes. I believe more opportunities for my para and I to formally meet would be helpful. I need to be creative and find some times or set a routine goal of meeting twice a month or once a week. I wish an obvious time existed…like all the classrooms being involved in an activity not requiring one or both of us. We have often provided support during assemblies, field trips, etc. We have also found that if we do not attend presentations on bullying, for instance, our students do not always understand all of the information. If we are familiar with the examples provided and specific wording used we can better clarify the message later in the resource room.
10 roles of the para's are;
ReplyDeletebehavior management, clerical duties, data collection, develop materials, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation, and work with students.
The teacher will assign the class a passage to read and the para can read to a small group of students. The teacher will assign an essay and the para can write what the student dictates. The teacher will assign math homework and the para can help with the problems.
I see my para's every morning and often throughout the day so most of our communication is verbal. The para's always go through me first and then I decide if we need to take the matter to the principal. Occasionally the para's might write something down, an incident that needs to be recorded for documentation. Most of my communication with other teachers is via email. I will ask the para's their opinion or advice if it is a student I am not familiar with or a teacher's class I am not in. My para's have worked for me for many years and know what I expect and how I handle things, so there is alot of trust between us.
10 roles for the para are:
ReplyDeletebehavior managament, clerical duties, data collection, develop materials, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation and finally working with students.
When working with students the para works with students in the classroom or in small pullout groups. Either way the para is providing services the supervising teacher is responsible to make sure that it is being done. I think that it is the paras job as well as the teachers job to provide reinforcement. the paras have to reinforce what the special education teacher and the general education teacher is teaching an then sometime sthe special edcuation teacher also has to reinforce what the classroom teacher is teaching.
Communication is an important part of the communication cycle with anyone. I dont think that we use one specific type of communication. I feel that we use all types of communication weather it be verbal, nonvebal, or written. we are constantly communication with paras, teachers, students and so on. I do have my paras provide me written communication about my students on a daily basis that way I can catch things before they get to far.
The 10 categories of the paraprofessional's role are: behavior management, clerical duties, data collection, developing materials with supervisor's direction, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation, and working with students in large, small, and individual groups.
ReplyDeleteThe TOR's role is to develop the lessons and deliver them, as well as assign work and administer tests, and create a homework plan. The para's role is to reinforce the lessons taught and to provide student support, possibly reading aloud and acting as a scribe for students, and monitoring daily homework plan. Some paras may need to assist students with personal care or mobility.
Communication is important between a TOR and a para. The TOR cannot be with every student in every class, but the para works with many students throughout the day. The communication between the two will benefit the student by keeping everyone aware of what is going on and knowing the student's expectations and progress in different classes. The TOR should communicate with the para as well as the classroom teacher about modifications and accommodations that should be integrated into the student's education.
My para communicates with me after every class she is in. She fills me in on student behaviors, assignments given, student progress, and any situations that may have taken place. I also meet with her at the end of school to discuss the day and the upcoming days.
The 10 role areas are behavior management, clearical duties, data collection, develop materials, health related services, organization skills, reinforcement of skills, supervision, team participation and work with students.
ReplyDeleteWhen the para supervises students, It should only be small groups or individually and always with back up. They should never be in charge of a class as opposed to teachers who can be in charge of one or several classes (like gym duty). I think the big difference there is that paras should always have back up. They don't have the benefit of lawsuit insurance teacher get with a national group (KNEA or NASET), nor do they have the training that teachers do. They don't get paid the salaries for that kind of duty as well.
Paras and teachers both work with smal groups or individuals, but they should never be giving initial instruction. They should also have lessons to follow so that student objectives are met. As I said before, they should also not be on their own with a small group. Students seem to test paras more than teachers and they need us to reinforce them at times. Even with lesson plans though, paras should not provide initial instruction, only reinforcement or review.
As far as data collection, I think I am more of a control freak. I don't like for my paras to update IEP goals or rubrics even though some teachers do. I don't feel they get paid enough for that responsibility. They can collect the data (like time on task), but I feel my records are my responsibility and if I am held accountable, I should be doing it.
As far as forms of communicaiton, I use my scheudle to communicate a lot of information. My para schedule gives time, days, room and what the para is responsible for as well as what the student should be responsible for. We also have informal meetings to discuss issues and solutions (My paras are great problem solvers). They often bring issues to me at this time. In addition, I post weekly events and lesson plans so they know what we are doing for the week/month.
ReplyDelete