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Paraeducator Supervision Academy (PSA)

Paraeducator Supervision Academy (PSA) . Ritu V. Chopra, PhD Fran Herbert, M.Ed., CCC-SLP . Logistics and Norms. 2. Audience Introduction. Your name Title School Have you worked with paraprofessionals? Number of paraprofessionals you work(ed) with, when & where?

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Paraeducator Supervision Academy (PSA)

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  1. Paraeducator Supervision Academy (PSA) Ritu V. Chopra, PhD Fran Herbert, M.Ed., CCC-SLP .

  2. Logistics and Norms 2

  3. Audience Introduction • Your name • Title • School • Have you worked with paraprofessionals? • Number of paraprofessionals you work(ed) with, when & where? • Have you received any previous pre-service or in-service training on paraprofessional supervision? 2

  4. Paraprofessionals: Most commonly used titles Para… means “along side of” • Paraeducator • Para • Instructional Assistant • Educational Assistant • Teaching Assistant • Instructional Aide • Aide • Educational Support Professionals • Early Intervention Assistants • Developmental Intervention Assistants (in Colorado)

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  6. Definitions Para… means “along side of” A paraprofessional provides instructional services to students and works under the supervision or direction of a certified or licensed professional who is ultimately responsible for the students and the program. National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals

  7. Overview of the Today’s Training The Paraeducator Supervision Academy will help you with: establishing collaboration and working relationships assessing personal supervisory skills building work schedules and instructional plans; identifying career development areas for paraeducators through needs assessment; and using feedback to improve the job performance of paraeducators.

  8. Paraeducators: Who are they? Activity: 1. With a partner • Think about the paraeducators you work with. • How old are they? • How much money do they make? • What are their educational backgrounds? • What other characteristics are true of them? • Where did they come from? How were they hired? 2. Share the above information with table/group 3. In table groups discuss -what implications do these characteristics have for how you direct their work? 4. Share 3 with the entire group

  9. - Kent Gerlach

  10. Who are the Paraprofessionals? • 841,612 instructional and non instructional paraprofessional sin US • 95% female • 48 = Median Age • 80% live in the communities where they work • 80% are married. • Work experience • Average 9.1 years experience - • 62% work directly with students-in their early formative years –preschool, KG, Elementary levels • 71% work with special education students • 83% have job responsibilities promoting school safety. • 81% work full time. • Retention • 70% stay in the field, and 56% plan to stay in our current jobs until we retire National Education Association (NEA), 2007 - http://www.nea.org/esphome/jobs/class-para.html -

  11. Who are Paraprofessionals? • Education/Preparation • Generally, have no formal training for their jobs, • 22% have two-year college degrees • 18 % have a bachelor's degrees • 4% have a master's or higher degree • 39% have some college credits • Salaries / hours • Hourly wages - Average annual salary $18,052 ($8-9 per hr.) • Benefits some places, none in others • Generally lowest paid in district • Work 6.7 hours/day on average • Working Conditions • 19% work without a job description • 37% who have a job description but it doesn’t describe what they do • 61 % have no say in their job description • 30% are often asked to perform duties that are beyond their job descriptions National Education Association (NEA), 2007 - http://www.nea.org/esphome/jobs/class-para.html -

  12. Reasons for Hiring Paraeducators What contributions paraeducators make in your programs (school)? 11

  13. Reasons To Employ Paraprofessionals • Increasing complex student / young children (and families) population • Need for instructional support • Instructional effectiveness • Cost effectiveness • Community connections • Individualized supports (personal care included) for students (and children/families) with disabilities • Related services support for students/children • Improved teacher-student (or child/family) ratio • Shortages of fully-qualified professionals • Legislation allows/requires/acknowledges use of paraprofessionals

  14. 2004 Re-authorization of IDEA: Requirements for Paraprofessionals • The State educational agency establishes and maintains standards to ensure that paraprofessionals and assistants are appropriately and adequately trained and supervised. • SEC 635 The State has a comprehensive system of personnel development, including the training of paraprofessionals … 612(a)(14 • SEC. 653. The State improvement plan shall address the identified needs for in-service and pre-service preparation for all personnel (professional and paraprofessional …… (ii) prepare professionals and paraprofessionals in the area of early intervention with the content knowledge and collaborative skills; (iii) to participate in pre-service and in-service training • Develop career opportunities for paraprofessionals to receive training as special education teachers, related services personnel, and early intervention personnel Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Amendments of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-446, U.S.C. 20 & 1400 et seq. 13

  15. Legislation – No Child Left Behind • NCLB, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2002 • New Paraprofessionals (hired after 2002), continued • Completed at least 2 years of study at an institution of higher education; or • Obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree; or • Met a rigorous standard of quality and can demonstrate, through a formal State or local academic assessment - • Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing reading, writing, and mathematics; or • Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate. [Title I, Section 1119/b] • The act required existing paraprofessionals must meet requirements within 4 years after enactment (by January 8, 2006)

  16. NCLB: Regarding Supervision • Paraprofessional must work under ‘direct’ supervision of fully qualified teacher • Job duties are limited to: • One to one tutoring only if it doesn’t prevent the child from receiving instruction by a teacher • Assist in classroom management • Assist in computer instruction • Provide instructional support in a library or media center • Act as a translator • Provide instructional support services

  17. Guidance on Paraprofessional from Professional Organizations (CEC & NEA) An attempt to clarify the meaning of “supervision” a) skills in structuring, directing and supporting the activities of paraprofessionals, b) knowledge of roles and responsibilities of the paraprofessionals related to instruction, intervention and direct services, and c) skills in observing, evaluating, providing feedback to paraprofessionals

  18. Paraprofessional Supervision: Gaps between Law and Reality • Laws provide vague and limited descriptions of what paraprofessional supervision entails • By and large - no clear policies or guidelines at state level around supervision • Despite guidance from professional organization, teacher preparation programs do not address paraprofessional supervision to the extent it needs attention. • As a result, teachers remain reluctant to supervise paraprofessionals, and are unprepared to work effectively with them.

  19. Paraprofessionals: Reality and Issues 18

  20. Research- Lessons Learned from Use of Paraprofessionals in Schools: Special Education Services are not possible without Paraprofessional support (French & Chopra 2006, Passaro, Pickett, Latham, & HongBo, 1991; Rubin, 1994) • Complex student population • Need for Individualized instructional support • Instructional effectiveness • Cost effectiveness • Community connections • Need to provide related services • Improved teacher-student ratio • Shortages of fully-qualified professionals • Paraprofessionals play important roles: (French & Chopra 1999; Wadsworth & Knight, 2000) • Connector • Instructional Support • Team member • Caregiver 19

  21. Research Evidence Also Tells Us Paraprofessional support may become more of a disadvantage than an advantage for the student. 20

  22. Paraprofessionals: Reality and Issues

  23. Research : Potential Challenges With the Use of Paraprofessionals Paraprofessionals may: • Lack clarity about their role • perform best when they are supervised and their role is clearly defined • Lack supervision • Teachers lack preparation to supervise paraprofessionals • Teacher lack of preparation to collaborate with other professionals • Become primary service provider and perform functions that are beyond their legal and ethical scope of work • Lack specific training • Develop “ownership” of the child, lose perspective ( Chopra & French; Giangreco; Katsiyanas, Hodge & Lanford; Pickett; Wallace) 22

  24. Research: Potential Challenges With the use of Paraprofessionals Paraprofessional may: • Communicate directly with families, leaving teacher out • Foster overdependence • Fail to provide specific behavioral and academic data to professional • ‘Relieve’ teachers of responsibility for student • Give student the “answers” • Plan lessons , adapting materials or assignments without direction • Create social barriers between students 23

  25. Shift in the Professional Roles • Employment of paraprofessionals changes your role • Teachers (i.e. certified professionals) • Must run the workplace must perform a number of executive functions • Like Fran said – manager of people, workplace and collaborator 24

  26. Continuum of Responsibilities for Supervisors Plan alone Assess infants/toddlers Supervise paraprofessionals Support families Individual “I Do” C O N T R O L Solve challenges together Plan together Collaborate/partner in the provision of services Collaborative “We Do” Facilitate team/transdisciplinary meetings Provide families with resources Participate in professional development Coach and provide direction for paraprofessionals Consultative “I Help, You Do” Small Large INFLUENCE 25

  27. Building a Collaborative Culture • Common vision and goals • Clear expectations and understanding of roles • Willingness to share decision making, responsibilities, successes & failures • Bring problem-solving skills & collaborative values to a group • Honest, open and constructive communication • Appreciation and recognition • Caring, celebration and humor • Accept and appreciate differences in others • Active participation by all and productive • Willingness to learn from each other • Flexible, not dominant leadership • Time to collaborate • Trust and Confidence 26

  28. Ethical Considerations • Scope of Responsibility • Consider whether the task is legitimately within paraprofessional scope of responsibility (related to the law) • Preparation (how well paraprofessionals have been prepared) • Consider paraprofessional competencies and skills • Consider paraprofessional preferences and confidence • How many and which CO-TOP Academy or other training they have taken • Direction (from the certified licensed Teachers or professionals • Written plans, meetings, task monitoring, coaching of skills • The certified professional maintains responsibility for student outcomes 27

  29. Avoiding Risk: A Summary • Build a strong professional/paraprofessional team • Clarify roles to be clear about roles and responsibilities • Plan for all aspects of the program • Find the materials and tools you need • Learn and then teach how to use the materials and tools to paraprofessional • Create systems that help you keep your plan working • Emphasize the importance of confidentiality 28

  30. Differentiating Roles Discussion Activity: With the group of people from your organization, taking the paraprofessional role and ethical considerations into account, reflect on • What are the responsibilities the paraprofessional should be expected to do? • What are the responsibilities paraprofessional SHOULD NOT be expected to do? 29

  31. Role Clarity Paraprofessional Role: Supervisor’s Role: 30

  32. Teacher/Professional Roles Paraeducator Roles • Implement instruction in various environments, based on lesson plans provided by the teacher • Reinforce learning with individuals or small groups • Assist individual students- personal care, mobility • Assist with observations/data recording/charting • Assist with ongoing behavior management • Participate in building level duties as assigned by building administrator • Score tests /papers & assist in data collection • Perform clerical tasks • Prepare, produce & maintain instructional materials • Maintain and operate instructional equipment • Help develop schedules • Team participation • Overall program Planning (overseeing, IEP goals and objectives, addressing standards, lesson planning, prescribing, managing the instructional environment) • Instruction (based on unit plans, lesson plans, IEPs, remedial literacy plans, 504 plans, other individualized plans) • Assessment (Collecting, coordinating, and interpreting information about the student including current levels of functioning, determination of disability, reporting student progress) • Collaborating (consulting with other professional personnel, meeting coordinating, communication) • Paraeducator Supervision (seven components – which are the focus of this course)

  33. Executive Functions of Paraeducator Supervision Providing Orientation Planning for Paraeducator Scheduling Delegating Promoting Paraeducator Growth and Development Monitoring Performance Managing the Workplace

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  36. Procrastination ...What you’re putting off 35

  37. Four Major Reasons • Confusion • Lack of mental organization • Lack of clear goals • Resentment of Authority • Lack of control / Demands seem unjust • Lack of Self-Confidence • Unsure you can do it / Lack of skills • Self-Sabotage • Mixed emotions... about supervising, about inclusion, collaboration • Fear of failing / fear of looking bad or foolish 36

  38. What Gets in the Way?? • Tell what gets in the way of getting things done • Name the things that you are responsible for that are the hardest to get done. • Tell why 37

  39. There’s no time for.... 38

  40. 30 Second Reflection Question: 1. What could I give to someone else to do that keeps me from getting the important stuff done? 39

  41. 30 Second Reflection Question : 2. Do I sometimes apply a ‘quick fix’ because I don’t have time to do it right...and then have it come back and ‘bite’ me in the (you know what)? 40

  42. 30 Second Reflection Question : 3. Am I working harder, but feeling less productive? 41

  43. 30 Second Reflection Question : 4. Is someone else (or a lot of ‘someone else's) taking charge of my schedule, instead of me? If yes, who? 42

  44. 30 Second Reflection Question: 5. What did I come to this field to accomplish?; What are my professional goals now?; and Have I lost sight of them? 43

  45. 30 Second Reflection Question : 6. What tasks do I most often procrastinate?; Which reasons explain why I procrastinate?; and What will I do about it? 44

  46. 30 Second Reflection Question 7. Do I balance my work life with appropriate rest, nutrition, play, fun, recreation, spiritual refreshment, reflection, and social relationships? 45

  47. Instructions given by flight attendants to airline passengers: “For those of you traveling with small children, in the event of an oxygen failure, first place the oxygen mask on your own face and then – and only then – place the mask on your child’s face”. The fact is, the adult must be alive in order to help the child. In the natural environment we spend a lot of time placing oxygen masks on other people’s faces while we ourselves are suffocating. 46

  48. 30 Second Reflection Question : 8. If I always plan ahead, organize appropriately, do the right things, and do them right, can I keep from running behind? 47

  49. Managing Your Time Some questions to consider… • How will you take charge of your day and your time? • Can you schedule tasks at times that suit you, rather than handling them as interruptions? • How will you help yourself think about the questions of urgency and importance at the moment of an interruption or request? • How will you make time for things that are truly important? • What will you say to others when they tell you, or ask you to do something that you consider less important than what is already scheduled? 48

  50. Executive Functions of Paraeducator Supervision Providing Orientation Planning for Paraeducator Scheduling Delegating Promoting Paraeducator Growth and Development Monitoring Performance Managing the Workplace

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