Roles and Responsibilities of a Paraeducator Martha Van Leeuwen University of Kansas Resources for Paraeducators Website

"Help! I am a paraeducator and have no idea what I am supposed to do!" Ever felt this way? Possibly this is how you are feeling or have felt in the past. The job of a paraeducator has many different roles to it and all roles are very important to being a successful paraeducator. There are four many aspects of your job as a paraeducator. Expectations Your Main Duties Supporting Teachers Data Collection

Expectations of a Paraeducator Paraeducators can look at their jobs as having two major responsibilities while in the general education classroom: 1. Support students with special needs so they can access the general education curriculum. 2. Support and work with the teachers who have students with special needs in their classrooms.

The goal of an inclusive classroom is to use resources to support all students.

So what does this mean? It means you may be assigned to support one student, but you may also try to help all students in the classroom. You are not required to only sit by the student, waiting for them to need help. Instead walk around the room and check on other students. Being an extension of the teacher, you have heard the lesson and can then answer questions. Feel free to direct the student to the teacher if you are unsure of the answer or unable to answer the question. You are a support to the entire class, not just the one specific student.

Why does a student or students need the help of a paraeducator? A paraeducator is available for a variety of reasons. First they help with more individualized instruction and attention for students with special needs. They are also able to give the teacher or special education teacher additional time for planning, instruction, and small group evaluations. And lastly, paraeducators are able to provide increased learning opportunities as well as additional positive role models for students.

But if I am not sitting by the student and I am helping someone else, won't that student suffer and not get the help they need when they need it?

Answer No! If the student needs help and you are busy, the student has a few options (and will need to be taught these options in order to use them in the classroom). They can wait until you are available, they can ask the teacher or a peer, they can use problem solving skills to help determine the answer, or they can move on to another question and come back when they see someone is available to help them. If the student needs help that is urgent, you are always available to go help, but if it is just support for a specific task, skill, or subject, the student will need to be taught that you are another resource to help in the classroom. We are here to help teach the student academics as well as independence, not to be someone that is at their call whenever something is hard or difficult. We do not want students to solely rely on the adult support that is in the classroom, but instead be able to function on their own with help available if they need it.

Duties of a Paraeducator Working in the Classroom Help with computers or other devices. Repeat classroom instruction for individuals or small groups. Provide homework reminders by writing down the assignment Listen to students read aloud. Review spelling and vocabulary words Provide more practice on skills introduced by the teacher Performs routine supervisory duties such as lunchroom, playground, halls and classroom. Helps students with make-up work Check to make sure students are participating in large group and small group activities Assists with Field Trips

Duties of a Paraeducator Working with Students Clean out and organize notebooks with students Assists students in interpreting and following directions of the teachers Monitor behavior according to a contract or management plan Assists in individual or group activities, games, flash cards, etc Clean hearing aids and check the batteries. Read loud to students (tests or daily work - per their IEP plan) Walk a student around the school halls for a break when it is necessary Take notes for a student Check to see whether the student understands assignments or class discussions Feed a student who cannot feed himself or herself. Help a student with any physical needs they might have (walking to and from class)

Duties of a Paraeducator Clerical Duties Take attendance Filing Types and/or duplicates instructional materials Researches and assembles materials to be used in a particular unit (per instructions from the respective teacher) Prepares bulletin boards, graphs and charts. Checks papers, workbooks, homework and tests (if objective answers have been supplied by the teachers) Helps in the care of the classroom Make flashcards Makes educational games or aids Make word or answer banks for assignments

Working with Teachers Help the students complete the assigned tasks Be sincere, pleasant, and professional. Presenting yourself in any other way, without straightforward communication, could throw a barrier between you and other adults. Other people like to be around pleasant people; it makes them more pleasant, also. Function as a valuable resource. Many times you are the one who knows the student best. Use your own resources of knowing what works and what has not worked in the past. Also allow yourself to be a valuable resouce for other students in the classroom. It is not necessary to be constantly sitting next to your assigned student if he or she does not need the help. Walk around the room, help out other students with questions, and be prepared to help the teacher if the students are successful in their tasks.

Working with Teachers Use good communication skills with everyone. Miscommunication or the complete absence of communication between the adults involved can cause major problems in the inclusive classroom. At times difficult situations might arrise and there could be times of miscommunication. By remembering these practices, it can help to create a positive working atmosphere. Tips for Good Communication Check for und ask questions if needed. It is better to ask a question if you are confused, rather than go ahead with what you think and have to become frustrated with a miscommunication. Don't anticipate what the student is going to say or answer the quesiton before it has been asked. This can cause frustration or it can cause the student to not want to participate in the future. Pick the best time to have a discussion with someone. During reading, when the teacher is trying to teach a lesson is not a good time to have a discussion. If you want to discuss something and need to find a time, write an email or leave a note to schedule a time that is best for both of you. Sometimes just using the right words to discuss a problem can really help. A good way to begin statements is to use "I" instead of "you." "You statements" sound more like orders or complaints. "I statements" encourage dialogue, promote listening, and allow the listener to offer solutions. (ex. Instead of saying "You need to answer Sue's question." you can say, "I see that Sue has a question.") Try not to put the other person on the defensive.

Working with Teachers Remember confidentiality still applies with other professionals. Don't forget the ideas of confidentiality regarding student and program information, as well as the professional trust of the teacher or teachers with whom you work. How much you say, what you say, and whom you say it to can make or break a teaching relationship with another adult. Don't Forget about Accommodations and Modifications when in the classroom. If you are in the general education classroom, it is more than likely that the targeted student or students will need some type of accommodation or modification. Make sure you are aware of accommodations and modifications that are on the IEP for this student. Ask questions if you are unsure. An IEP is a legally binding document and needs to be followed even when in the general education classroom.

Data Collection By law, every IEP goal must be monitored through the use of data to show progress and growth on goals. Every progress monitoring date (ending of the quarter), each student must be monitored on how much progress they are making on their IEP goals. This is all documented on their IEP. By collecting data regularly, it allows the teacher to plan for instruction and monitor the student's progress. Without data collection, we might waste an entire semester doing something that really isn’t benefiting our students!

Data Collection Procedures It’s all very simple – I bet you do it everyday! Now you just need to write it down. First you need to know what the goal on the student's IEP states and how you need to collect the data. The special education teacher will provide you will various forms that will help you know exactly what you need to do in order to collect proper and efficient data. For academic goals, you will need to find out what the student is able to do on their own. This might mean letting the student really struggle through something, but in the end it helps us better understand where they need the most help. If you do give any type of help, (other than reading a question word for word) you need to record that as a prompt. A prompt is any type of help you give the student. It is even as simple as “maybe you should check your book” or “do you want to check your answers?” All of those are prompts and need to be documented. There are two ways to collect data.

How do I know what type of data collection to use with the student I am working with? When IEP team writes a goal they will also figure out how the data will be collected as well as when and where. This is all recorded on the IEP goals page. The special education teacher will inform you when to collect data as well as how often to collect data on a student for a specific goal. There are goals that need to be collected hourly, daily, or weekly. By collecting it on a regular basis, you have a better idea of how they are actually doing. That way we can see if they are consistent in their work and if we need to be working on something different.

References Project Para: Paraeducator Self Study Program – Roles and Responsibilities in the Classroom Special Connections Website