Collaborating with Para Educators in the General Education Classroom Presented by: Karen Aron, M.A. TVI, Chandler USD.

Collaborating with Para Educators in the General Education Classroom

Presented by: Karen Aron, M.A.

TVI, Chandler USD

Session Focus

• Para educators assigned to K-12 students with VI

• Strategies for TVI to promote collaboration

• Strategies for Para’s in classroom• Considerations and Resources

Para Educator Definition

• Support staff who works under supervision of a teacher or other professionals for the purpose of instructional support.

• IA, TA, EA, etc.• Instructional support in core and

expanded core curriculum (ECC).• Placement: itinerant, across grade

levels, 1:1, resource room.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Varying factors: • Student’s existing support• Student’s level of need• Classroom placement

• TVI trains and supervises para• TVI should provide clear definition of

support needs. • WRITE IT OUT and review each quarter

Promoting collaboration

Strategies for the TVI

• Teacher prep programs prepare professionals to supervise and work with students, not necessarily other teachers, professionals, para’s, etc.

• Proper training and supervision of para’s can help facilitate an optimal educational team.

• Ideal situations (my dream)• Realistic (changes mid-year, no applicants,

budget cuts, etc.)

Niche

• Find out para’s special talent or interests• artistic (tactile graphics)• physical (P.E. or dance class)• musical (music recording)• technical (AT devices)• bilingual• specific curriculum interests

• Does para want to continue education?• braille training

Placement

• Para should be assigned to classes that student needs minimum to moderate assistance • Ex: student has significant struggle in

math, the TVI should provide assistance in that class.

• Para may only want to work with specific grade levels

Placement Conflicts

• Female para placed with 8th grade male student who was taking P.E.

• Para had cultural conflicts with specific curriculum or teacher (i.e. dissecting)

• Human development in all girls class and male para

• Student’s schedule (i.e. taking extra classes)

Consult

• TVI needs to schedule in consult time with para.

• Develop a weekly communication system • E-mail, texting, notebook, phone calls,

etc.• If district will allow, write it into IEP

• Support Services 30 mins/wk IA/ Teacher consult

Para set-up

• Advocate to have para start work before 1st day of school to meet teachers, help set-up books, work on schedules, etc.

• Based on student’s needs/ vision, help set-up place for para in each assigned classroom. • Front for easier access to board• Back to minimize class disruption

• Discuss professional attire, behaviors in class, computer use, district/ agencies policies.

• What should para do to report absence or if student is absent?

MODELING

• Observe student in each of their classes and model at least 1x/ quarter.

• Mix it up: Give alternative assignment• Involve para in IEP development,

meeting, reviewing goals, and progress reports. They see more than TVIs on a daily basis.

• Involve para’s in fieldtrips, O&M sessions, vision classes, etc.

Public Relations (PR)

Stand up for para’s when they cannot• Discussions with parents

• Several districts highly discourage para’s having direct communication with parents.

• Grade-level meetings • How can para support student in classroom

during specific activities?• Consults with classroom teachers

• “The para is just sitting back!”• End of the year dept meetings

SUPERVISE

• Set-up scheduled classroom visits• Provide feedback• Select an improvement goal

(evaluation)• Even seasoned paras need supervision

Collaboration for the Para Educator

More than just helping the student

Set-up

• Understand the student’s visual impairment • Ask to participate in a visual simulation.• Ask for updates on any vision changes.• Report any visual changes that you may

observe to the TVI. • Learn about student positioning, lighting,

equipment, safety concerns, work position, writing, reading, ECC, etc.

• Get copy of IEP goals and accommodations/ modifications.

• It’s a learning process for all of us.

Learned Helplessness

From www.dictionary.com

a mental condition in which one becomes unable to help oneself due to previous failed attempts at controlling one's life; also, a condition in which a person establishes and maintains contact with another by adopting a helpless, powerless stance

Hierarchy of Cueing and Prompting• Google Hierarchy of Cueing and

Prompting or review website: • http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-e

d/taksalt/rubric/ClarificationCueingPrompting.pdf

• From most invasive (physical assistance) to least invasive (verbal directions)

• Para’s should work with TVI to determine current level of cueing or prompting and how to work towards less invasive techniques.

Documenting

Para’s should document

daily on student’s vision, classroom behavior, needs, etc. TVI can help develop a checklist or efficient

documentation system.

IA’s Class work Documentation

Date Class Assignment In-class/ HW

Brailled? Turned-in (on-time &

Date)

Comment

Develop Rubrics

Grading Rubric Q2

_1__ On time homework _1__ On-task _1__ Completed in-class work _1__ Displayed independent/ appropriate behavior _1__ Responsible used AT Total 5 points _*__ Travel between classes independently Week of: 2nd

Math 3rd

WH/ Geo 4th

I nv. Sci. 5th

Eng 9 6th

Strategies M T W/ Th Fr Total: Week of: 2nd

Math 3rd

WH/ Geo 4th

I nv. Sci. 5th

Eng 9 6th

Strategies M T W/Th Fr Total: Week of: 2nd

Math 3rd

WH/ Geo 4th

I nv. Sci. 5th

Eng 9 6th

Strategies M T W/ Th Fr Total: Week of: 2nd

Math 3rd

WH/ Geo 4th

I nv. Sci. 5th

Eng 9 6th

Strategies M T W/ Th Fr Total: Week of: 2nd

Math 3rd

WH/ Geo 4th

I nv. Sci. 5th

Eng 9 6th

Strategies M T W/ Th Fr Total:

ABC’s of behaviorAntecedent-what was happening before behavior

occurred? (be as detailed as possible)Behavior- describe behavior.Consequence- who responded to behavior and what was consequence.

Behavior Rubric

0- Negative Attitude, cried, no work, f rustrated to the MAX

1- Negative Attitude but you tried to get some work done.

2- Complained A LOT, not using time effi ciently 3- Complained just a little, gets some work done but not

very articulate. 4- Pretty good attitude, gets a lot of work done but

could do better, little f rustrated but able to work it out.

5- Positive attitude, uses time effi ciently, articulate. Rubric should be graded at least 1 time per day. More of ten if needed.

P.R.

• Educating staff/ students when TVI is not available.

• Advocating for department and students.

• Share with teachers how you are stepping back or implementing new techniques.

• Ask for input from teachers & TVI

• Stay consistent with practice or attitude when TVI or supervisor leaves & across classrooms and activities.

• Constructive Criticism

• Perception of paras in the classroom can vary depending on teacher and set-up. (i.e. co-teacher, guest, etc).

• We are all working ourselves out of a job

• Consult with TVI if there’s an activity making you feel uncomfortable.

19 Ways of Stepping Back

Adapted from Classroom Collaborations by Laurel J. Hudson, Ph.D.

(Perkins School for the Blind)

AFB poster• Keep this list posted in

your classroom

• Give all para’s a copy

• Review periodically

• TVI and Para’s should work through these steps.

Considerations

• Difference between rural vs. urban areas

• District employees vs. outside agency• Feeling part of the group (eating lunch

with co-workers)• Working with assistive technology

devices. • Create an assistance reduction plan • Conflict resolution

HELPING TRIO

CONSULTATION LOG

Student:

Setting:

Date:

Team Members:

Consultation Focus: Desired Outcome:

Analysis: Action Plan:

Prior Interventions:

Student’s Strengths: Monitoring/ Follow-up date:

Resources

• When You Have a Visually Impaired Student in Your Classroom: A Guide for Paraeducators By Joanne Russotti and Rona Shaw sold by AFB

• Project PARA (Nebraska)• The Paraeducator Self Study

Program provides schools with Web-based training resources for paraeducators.

• The Supervisors of Paraeducators Self Study is designed to be used by schools or teacher-training institutions to provide training for teachers who supervise paraeducators.

• http://para.unl.edu/ec

“It takes two practitioners to do Active Learning—

one to hold the other back!”From Active Learning Newsletter

© LilliWorks, 2001

Contact Information

Karen [email protected]

Cell: 480-221-7666