Roles and Responsibilities for Paraprofessionals

District Learning DayLocation goes here

2:00 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.August 5th and 6th

• Turn to your neighbor behind you and in front of you. Introduce yourself and tell where you work and one interesting fact about yourself. A few of you will be called upon to introduce the person with which you talked so you may want to take notes

Think Pair Share

Norms

• Be present and engaged.• Be respectful of differences in perspective

while challenging each other productively and respectively.

• Monitor “air time.”• Make the most of the time we have.• Stay focused on students.

Paraprofessionals will :• Know what is expected during the work day• Understand why their responsibilities are

critically important to students• Do what is necessary within their role to

assist students towards a goal of expanding their academic progress

Objectives

What is needed today?• According to an article entitled “Helping or Hovering? The Role of

the Paraprofessional--Top Eight Tips for the Inclusive Classroom” Dr. Mary Schuh from The National Center on Inclusive Education (NCIE) at the Institute on Disability States that teachers and paraprofessionals should work as a team to design classroom support roles.

• The role of the paraprofessional may include but is not limited to: * Leading small group instruction designed by the teacher * Gathering materials necessary for lessons throughout the

day * Facilitating interactions and social relationships among

students

What is needed today?• Dr. Schuh further states that teachers and paraprofessionals

should engage in ongoing reflective practice in order to critically examine how students are growing and learning in their classrooms. Paraprofessionals are encouraged to continuously ask: * Can the student participate independently? * Is there another student who can provide support? * If my support is required, how can I “aide, then fade?” * Am I supporting this student out of need, or out of habit? In other words, does she/he truly need support at this moment, or am I just in the habit of offering support in this kind of situation?

What do you know about the policies at the school to which you are assigned. Discuss with your elbow partner and be prepared to share.

Absences Tardies Cell Phone Usage Lunch and breaks Rules regarding leaving the campus during

the work day

Reflection:

• What resonated with you?• What is similar to the current practice at

the site to which you are assigned?• What is different from the current practice

at the site to which you are assigned?• What conclusions can you make as a result

of this discussion?

Additional responsibilitiesImplementing IEP developed behavior implementation/instruction including observing, recording, and charting behavioral dataCollect and maintain academic dataSupervise and assist with transitioning students on and off buses.Assist in supervising students during drills, field trips, assemblies, and in the cafeteria (if needed)Supervise classroom for short periods of time when teacher is out of the room (e.g. during an IEP meeting)

Quest for Professionalism

• Stay on task• Avoid Power Struggles• It is not your role or responsibility to make

contact and/or communicates with parents• Maintain confidentiality at all times and in all

places

Role Play• Scenario - Parent asks, “How was John’s behavior

today?”• Scenario - You are in the hall and another teacher states,

“Oh I see you work ‘in that classroom’. They can’t read. All they do is bring our scores down.”

You have students with you.• Scenario - You are working in an inclusionary setting and

you ask a student to complete an assignment. He responds, “Who’s going to make me? You?”

• What do you think? What would have done differently.

Reflection:Think Pair Share

• What would be the easiest for you?• What would be the most difficult?• Thinking about what we have

discussed today what else do you need to learn and/or do that applies to your classroom activities, duties, or responsibilities?

Revisit ObjectivesParaprofessionals will :• Know what is expected during the work day• Understand why their responsibilities are

critically important to students• Do what is necessary within their role to

assist students towards a goal of expanding their academic progress

Follow UpAdvisors will be in the school to which you are assigned on a regular basis. Please ask them if you have any questions.

If asked to do one of the activities (cafeteria duty, office time, etc.) you are not allowed to do, please contact either the advisor assigned to your school or call the Bond Building and ask to speak to me. Phone number is 416-5600.

Destination 2025You play a vital role in the success of this goal.In many classrooms, you may be the one person

who can reach a student, build a relationship and teach concepts that no one else would be able to do.

That is the challenge we leave with you. Through collaboration with the cooperating teacher, teach students the skills they need to read. It is an investment in the future.

Reflection: Complete and leave on table outside

• Jot down your “Take-Aways” • Consider what you need to know and be able to

do to successfully implement what you have learned in this session.–What is still unclear?–What professional development or additional

resources do you need?

District Contacts - Other Sources of Support

• Bond Building 416- 5600 – ask for the advisor assigned to your site.

• National Clearinghouse for Paraeducator Resources Web Site (http://www.usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR/Clearinghouse.html). This resource operated by the Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research at the University of Southern California offers an extensive collection of full-text articles online addressing various aspects of the paraeducator role in education, abstracts from the ERIC Database on paraeducators, a description of numerous paraeducator-to-teacher career ladder programs, additional paraeducator resources, and an opportunity to subscribe to a listserv electronic discussion forum on paraeducators.

• National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education Web site (http://www.special-ed-careers.org). The Web site contains information on the nature of paraeducator work, education required, personal qualities, job outlook and advancement, preparation, and additional resources