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1. What are the most common challenges related to supervising paraprofessionals?
2. How can educators promote clearer roles, better communication, and mutual respect?
3. What does meaningful collaboration look like between a teacher and a paraprofessional during instruction and assessment?
Educators can promote clearer roles, better communication, and mutual respect by taking proactive steps. 🤝
Define Roles and Responsibilities: Start the school year with a meeting to collaboratively establish clear, written job descriptions and expectations. Discuss tasks that are the teacher's responsibility (e.g., instructional planning, grading) versus those that can be delegated to the paraprofessional (e.g., small group support, data collection). This prevents confusion and overstepping boundaries.
Establish Communication Procedures: Create a predictable routine for communication. This could be a quick five-minute check-in at the beginning or end of each day, a shared communication notebook, or a weekly meeting to discuss student progress and upcoming lessons. This consistent dialogue prevents minor issues from escalating.
Foster Mutual Respect: Treat the paraprofessional as a professional and a valued team member. Acknowledge their experience and expertise, and actively seek their input. Involve them in meetings and planning sessions when appropriate. Show respect for their time and other duties. This helps to break down the "teacher-boss" hierarchy and builds a foundation of trust.
Meaningful collaboration between a teacher and a paraprofessional during instruction and assessment looks like a seamless partnership where both individuals leverage their strengths to benefit students.
During Instruction: Collaboration is evident when the paraprofessional is more than a passive helper. Instead of just walking around the room, they are leading small groups based on a lesson plan co-created with the teacher. For example, a teacher may introduce a new concept to the whole class, while the paraprofessional runs a station to reinforce that concept with a smaller group of students. The paraprofessional can also provide targeted support to individual students, using strategies and materials provided by the teacher, and offer observations about a student's engagement or understanding.
During Assessment: Meaningful collaboration involves shared responsibility for collecting data and evaluating student progress. The paraprofessional can be trained to use a specific data collection tool to track a student's progress on an individualized education program (IEP) goal. They can then share this data with the teacher, and together they can analyze it to make informed decisions about instructional adjustments. This collaborative approach to assessment ensures that the teacher has a more complete picture of a student's performance, leading to more effective interventions.
The most common challenges related to supervising paraprofessionals include unclear roles and responsibilities, inadequate training for both the paraprofessional and the supervising educator, and communication breakdowns. Often, teachers are not formally trained in how to supervise adults, and paraprofessionals may lack a clear understanding of their role in the classroom. This can lead to them being assigned inappropriate tasks or, conversely, feeling like they're not fully utilized. Other challenges include social dynamics, such as cliques, and addressing issues like low motivation or resistance to new strategies.