Martha Van Leeuwen

Resources for Paraeducators Website

Roles and Responsibilities of a
Paraeducator
"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 isnt benefiting our students!


Data Collection Procedures
Its 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