training and supporting paraprofessionals
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Training and Supporting Paraprofessionals. Getting by with a little help from our friends!. Training and Supporting Paraprofessionals. Getting by with a little help from our friends!. Objectives. Expectations. Demonstrate good audience skills Silence cell phones - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Training and Supporting Paraprofessionals
Getting by with a little help from our friends!
Training and Supporting Paraprofessionals
Getting by with a little help from our friends!
Objectives
Expectations• Demonstrate good audience skills– Silence cell phones– Hold side conversations out of ear shot
of others– Engage in active listening
• Participate in partner discussions• If you need a break, take one
Partnerships• Pick someone near you to be your
partner.• The person with the next birthday is
coffee.
• The other person is cream.
Paraprofessionals =• Instructional assistants• Educational assistants• Paraeducators • Teacher’s aide• Teacher’s assistant• Title 1 assistants• Special education assistants• ELD assistants• Consider 1:1
Types of Training• Awareness• Conceptual Understanding• Skill Development• Skill Application
WhyHowWhat
Simon Sinek
Rolls have changed• No longer just copy, recess, lunch,
bulletin boards and clerical work
Targeted trainings• We only have so many arrows!!
Targeted trainings• The right people with the right
knowledge– Not everyone gets everything– This is a resource issue
NCLB requirements for Title 1
• Title I paraprofessionals must have the appropriate knowledge and ability to assist in instructing students and be competent in required instructional techniques and academic content areas. They must also demonstrate that they are competent in basic literacy skills, including the ability to speak and write standard English.
• All Title I paraprofessionals must have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
• Additionally, paraprofessionals working in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds must have: • Completed two 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 be able to demonstrate, through a local
academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness).
High expectations• Most skilled with the most needy• We cannot expect the any educator
to do great work if we don’t teach them how!
• They are there to close the gap, to expect continued low results.– Fixed vs. Growth mindset
Builds community• Our paraprofessionals are the
backbone of our system.• When we train them, we
acknowledge that they are professionals and we need them.
• In many systems, it is the paraprofessionals who are closest to our community.
• Breaks down the certified and classified barriers.
Establish Clear Rolls• Clarity around lesson planning vs.
lesson delivery• Through training we can provide
clarity to specific duties.• Trainings in one area, builds strength
in other areas.
"in loco parentis"“in place of the parent"
• Establishing boundaries to avoid improper relationships
• Legal issues• Conflict of interests
Talk Time• Cream please answer the following
question:– How have rolls changed for the
paraprofessionals in your school?• Coffee please answer the following
question:–Which of the reasons to train your
paraprofessionals resonate with you?
With extra time switch questions
WhyHowWhat
Simon Sinek
Capacity building• Who is going to provide the
professional development?– Administrative staff– Licensed staff– Paraprofessional staff
Pre-service“Pre” means before.
Think about the before!• Plan –Budget–Calendar (for everyone and to
everyone!!!)–Trainer–Content
Pre-service• Where is the need?– District level vs. building level–What is the “what”?
Pre-service• What capacity does your district
have to create this PD?– Internal vs. external– Paraprofessionals training each other
On the Job• Coaching (not the job, but the action)– Side by side with certified– Side by side with peers
On the JobFidelity checks with feedback
“For valid [LD] disability determination to occur, a diagnostic team needs to be able to determine that a student has received appropriate instruction in the general education classroom. Implementing instruction with fidelity satisfies one of IDEA’s legal requirements for appropriate instruction.” Johnson, E., Mellard, D.F., Fuchs, D., & McKnight, M.A. (2006). Responsiveness to interven tion (RTI): How to do it. Lawrence, KS: National Research Center on Learning Disabilities.
• A Reading program has pieces that are standardized across the district that provide guidance and clarity as to the expectations for instruction.
On the Job
On the JobVideo lesson study
• Curriculum based• Behavior based• Instruction based
On the JobVideo lesson study
• Video study guides – guiding questions to focus watching
On the JobVideo lesson study
• Sources for videos?– Online training – Curriculum– Peers– Certified• What is happening in core to increase
alignment• http://www.mhpdonline.com/• http://www.explicitinstruction.org
On the JobText study
• Book study– Explicit Instruction
• Article study– Educational Leadership, Leadership and
Learning
• Consider time and contract issues
In-serviceIn-service days
• When you have training for certified staff, do you have paraprofessionals there at school on these days?– Do you expect them to know this
content?– How can you leverage resources to have
paraprofessionals at the training?• Trade days• Training of trainers• Video
In-serviceAfter school trainings
In-serviceShut down services
• It is appropriate to shut down services in order to bring quality services.
Schedule• Scheduled in-service days• Schedule of assemblies• Schedule of field trips
These are “Free” time to train
Prep time consideration• Training time vs. prep time
• Targeting prep time with trained strategies
Talk Time• Coffee please answer the following
question:–Which area of types of training, pre-
service, on the job and/or in-service do you currently use?
• Cream please answer the following question:–What challenges does your school face
in how to train paraprofessionals?
With extra time switch questions
WhyHowWhat
Simon Sinek
Let Data Guide your decisions
Talk Time• Read over Paraprofessional Skills
Inventory. Share your thoughts and how you could use this in your school with your partner.
• Cream share first, then Coffee.
What?1. Instruction2. Curriculum and content3. Behavior management4. Assessment and data5. Communication6. Law and ethics
InstructionSmall group instruction strategies
1. Clear expectations about what is to be learned
2. Clarity of presentation3. Multiple opportunities for student
responses4. Active monitoring of responses 5. Frequent evaluation and feedback
Christenson, 1989
InstructionInstructional strategies
InstructionEngagement strategies
Instruction• Lesson architecture
Introduction/background knowledgeI doWe doY’all doYou doClosure
InstructionPart firming
• Corrective feedback1. Teacher notices error 2. Teacher gives the correction3. Teacher asks the student to try again
• Provides opportunities for us to prevent continued errors
• Always stay positive
Instruction• Teaching for generalization (behavior
and academics)– It is always about the student being able
to “do this without us”
Instruction• Corrective feedback
1. Teacher notices error 2. Teacher gives the correction3. Teacher asks the student to try again
• Provides opportunities for us to prevent continued errors
• Always stay positive
Curriculum and Content• Training on how to implement the
program• Must do this before we check fidelity• Don’t forget that there is often online
trainings
Curriculum and Content• It is important that instructors have
strong content knowledge in order to explain thinking and extend conversations.
• Content– Big 5– Common Core– NCTM focal points
Behavior managementUnderstanding why students act out
A Antecedents are the events that happen BEFORE the student behavior occurs.
B Behavior is the specific way the student acts.
C Consequences are the events that happen to the student IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING the behavior.
• How to enter the learning space?
• How to exit the learning space?
• Use the bathroom?• Get a drink?• Having no pencil?• Sharpen a pencil?• Use a binder or
folder• What to bring?
• Cues for attention• Cues for stop!• How to get help?• How to use
computers?• What to do in fire
drill?• When you have not
yet arrived at the learning space?
• When you are absent?
Behavior management
GotchaAgreements on
PBIS grid
Behavior Management
5to1
Talk Time• Cream please answer the following
question:–What are your perceived areas of need
for your paraprofessionals in the area of instruction, curriculum and content?
• Coffee please answer the following question:–What are your perceived areas of need
for your paraprofessionals in behavior?
With extra time switch questions
Assessment• Trainings on giving screening and
progress monitoring assessments– Review three times a year
Assessment• Trainings on giving in program
assessments–What are the rules around “helping?”
CommunicationTeaming
• Paraprofessionals may have a place on your Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams.
• Ways of communicating with certified teacher– How? When?
CommunicationTeaming
• Building relationships within paraprofessional team
• Regular meeting time with supervisor
Communication• Reporting on student success• Record keeping– Attendance– Behavior– Test scores– Errors
Record keeping
Record keeping
CommunicationLesson Plans
• Create and train an infrastructure for receiving lesson plans
Law and Ethics• Cultural awareness• Confidentiality• Ethics• Special Education law as it pertains
to IEP
Law and Ethics
Law and EthicsConfidentiality
• Examples of confidential information• Special education IEP • Report cards • Test scores • Medical records • Disability category, if in special education • Information about medications, behavior
problems, or family issues • Any personal information
Law and Ethics• Don’t meet with students outside of
school• Don’t use your phone at work• Policies around public money and
property• Ethics– Promoting personal business– Gifts– Tutoring without permission
Talk Time• Coffee please answer the following
question:– Are these areas of professional
development currently being addressed for your paraprofessionals?
• Cream please answer the following question:–What will it take to improve the
communication between teachers and paraprofessionals?
With extra time switch questions
Next steps• What are your paraprofessionals
need?• Set a paraprofessional professional
development calendar.