EP101 Unit 3:EP101 Unit 3: Effective Effective Work HabitsWork Habits

Please have your books handy.Please have your books handy.

Feel free to chat with each other.Feel free to chat with each other.

We will start class at We will start class at 10:00 pm ET !10:00 pm ET !

Question 1Question 1

1. What are some key ingredients for 1. What are some key ingredients for establishing a successful learning establishing a successful learning environment?environment?

Key Aspects of a Successful Key Aspects of a Successful Learning EnvironmentLearning Environment

Organized materialsOrganized materials

Set proceduresSet procedures

Student jobs/helpersStudent jobs/helpers

Communication with parentsCommunication with parents

Physical room arrangementPhysical room arrangement

Seating arrangementsSeating arrangements

Room decorationsRoom decorations(Burden, p. 7-9)(Burden, p. 7-9)

Question 2 Question 2

How would you explain the importance of How would you explain the importance of time management to a student?time management to a student?

Time ManagementTime Management

TeachersTeachers Plan for benchmarks to be met throughout the yearPlan for benchmarks to be met throughout the year Plan length of unitsPlan length of units Plan appropriate length of lessonsPlan appropriate length of lessons

ParaprofessionalsParaprofessionals Time needed to prepare materialsTime needed to prepare materials Time spent with individual studentsTime spent with individual students

StudentsStudents Use time in class appropriatelyUse time in class appropriately

Working 1-on-1 with studentsWorking 1-on-1 with students

Question 3: What do paraprofessionals Question 3: What do paraprofessionals need to do before working 1-on-1 with a need to do before working 1-on-1 with a student?student? Know the student Know the student Know the lesson/materialKnow the lesson/material Know strategies for enhancing the lesson for Know strategies for enhancing the lesson for

that individual lessonthat individual lesson

Preparing students for lessonsPreparing students for lessons

Make sure they have books or other Make sure they have books or other materials they will needmaterials they will need

Find out what they already know about the Find out what they already know about the topic/lessontopic/lesson

Give them background knowledgeGive them background knowledge

Get them interested!Get them interested!

Classroom ClimateClassroom Climate

Behavioral expectations are clear and Behavioral expectations are clear and consistentconsistent

Mutual respect shown between teacher Mutual respect shown between teacher and studentsand students

Encourage risk-takingEncourage risk-taking

Avoid negativityAvoid negativity

Use a lot of praise and encouragementUse a lot of praise and encouragement("Cultivating a Healthy Classroom" by Susan Mandel Glazer)("Cultivating a Healthy Classroom" by Susan Mandel Glazer)

Paraprofessional’s RoleParaprofessional’s Role

Physical classroom environmentPhysical classroom environment

Working 1-on-1 or with small groupsWorking 1-on-1 or with small groups

Classroom behavior managementClassroom behavior management

Be sure to communicate with supervising Be sure to communicate with supervising teacher about how you can best support and teacher about how you can best support and

work with each otherwork with each other

(Ashbaker & Morgan, p. 37-39)(Ashbaker & Morgan, p. 37-39)

Case Study—Case Study—Working with SonaliWorking with Sonali

Mrs. LoSapio, the 4Mrs. LoSapio, the 4thth grade teacher, has asked you to work one-on-one grade teacher, has asked you to work one-on-one

with Sonali, a 10-year old who tends to be easily distracted, on her social with Sonali, a 10-year old who tends to be easily distracted, on her social

studies project, which is to construct a diorama. Sonali has trouble studies project, which is to construct a diorama. Sonali has trouble

staying focused (hence the need for your support in this project) and is staying focused (hence the need for your support in this project) and is

resentful that she has to be pulled away from the class to work with you. resentful that she has to be pulled away from the class to work with you.

You suspect you will probably be doing more one-on-one work with Sonali You suspect you will probably be doing more one-on-one work with Sonali

in the future, since her ability to finish assignments on her own appears to in the future, since her ability to finish assignments on her own appears to

be a trend. Sonali has decided to create her diorama on dinosaurs, since be a trend. Sonali has decided to create her diorama on dinosaurs, since

she is really fascinated by them, but seems to have lost her enthusiasm she is really fascinated by them, but seems to have lost her enthusiasm

and is constantly turning around to see what the rest of the kids in the and is constantly turning around to see what the rest of the kids in the

class are doing. What ideas do you have in working individually with her?class are doing. What ideas do you have in working individually with her?

Individualizing InstructionIndividualizing Instruction

Why a need for individualized instruction?Why a need for individualized instruction?

Who provides individualized instruction?Who provides individualized instruction?

Learn about your student-strengths, Learn about your student-strengths, interests, challenges, backgroundinterests, challenges, background

Set goals togetherSet goals together

Weekly RemindersWeekly Reminders

Complete ReadingsComplete Readings

View Web ResourcesView Web Resources

Post quality responses to BOTH discussion Post quality responses to BOTH discussion questions and respond to your classmates’ questions and respond to your classmates’ posts by reflecting on his/her post and asking posts by reflecting on his/her post and asking them questions to continue our discussion them questions to continue our discussion furtherfurther

Attend seminar OR complete option 2 for Attend seminar OR complete option 2 for seminarseminar

There is no project for Unit 3.There is no project for Unit 3.

Final Thoughts~Final Thoughts~May I be excused?May I be excused?

-actual excuse notes written by parents, from -actual excuse notes written by parents, from http://www.teachersfirst.com/humor.cfm

My son is under a doctor's care and should not take P.E. today. Please My son is under a doctor's care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him. execute him.

Please excuse Lisa for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot. Please excuse Lisa for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot.

Dear School: Please ekscuse John being absent on Jan. 29, 29, 30, Dear School: Please ekscuse John being absent on Jan. 29, 29, 30, and also 33. and also 33.

Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his side. Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his side.

Please excuse Ray Friday from school. He has very loose vowels. Please excuse Ray Friday from school. He has very loose vowels.

Please excuse Tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrhea Please excuse Tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrhea and his boots leak.and his boots leak.

More Excuses….More Excuses….Please excuse Jimmy for being. It was his father's fault. Please excuse Jimmy for being. It was his father's fault.

Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it Monday, we the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it Monday, we thought it was Sunday. thought it was Sunday.

My daughter was absent yesterday because she was tired. She spent a My daughter was absent yesterday because she was tired. She spent a weekend with the Marines. weekend with the Marines.

Please excuse Mary for being absent yesterday. She was in bed with Please excuse Mary for being absent yesterday. She was in bed with gramps. gramps.

Maryann was absent December 11-16, because she had a fever, sore Maryann was absent December 11-16, because she had a fever, sore throat, headache and upset stomach. Her sister was also sick, fever throat, headache and upset stomach. Her sister was also sick, fever and sore throat, her brother had a low grade fever and ached all over. and sore throat, her brother had a low grade fever and ached all over. I wasn't the best either, sore throat and fever. There must be I wasn't the best either, sore throat and fever. There must be something going around, her father even got hot last night.something going around, her father even got hot last night.

ReferencesReferences

Ashbaker, Betty and Morgan, Jill (2006). Ashbaker, Betty and Morgan, Jill (2006). Paraprofessionals in the classroomParaprofessionals in the classroom. . Boston: Pearson. Boston: Pearson.

Burden, Paul. (2004). Burden, Paul. (2004). An Educator’s Guide An Educator’s Guide to Classroom Managementto Classroom Management. Boston: . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.Houghton Mifflin.