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.