Working with paras

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Home : 2003 : February : 28

Working with paras
By D

The funny thing is that people look at staff to student ratios and think that with those additional adults & all that help it must be cake. But, in reality it's a whole lot of responsibility. Not to mention no one even
talked about managing adults in college. I teach autistic support K-2 and I currently have 3 paras. I have all the patients in the world for the students but sometimes I can't believe what it takes to get cooperation from adults. I have worked with 2 of my paras for 3 years now. The first year was a little rocky, but now I couldn't do it without them. Sometimes it takes a while to get

to know each other and establish routines. My newest team member is driving me batty!! I feel like I got another student. He has been here for 2 months and still won't even follow his schedule without me telling him what to do for each transition. He comes to work really late. Has no clue how to appropriately work with the child, etc.. But, actually I didn't write back to gripe (God Knows I could go on forever.) But, I wanted to let you know what things have worked for me to get my staff to work with me. Everyone has a master schedule of our week including the activities going on in the room & in the inclusive setting. The schedule tells where & what the kids are doing and who is responsible for each child. We do rotations for small group instruction. Each of my paras are responsible for certain areas of the curriculum, (ex. handwriting, completing follow up workbook pages, spelling, art, games for social skills practice, etc.) I took their strengths and interest into account when assigning tasks. Everyone has there own work area to see students and the students rotate in groups. So, when I have one group for reading, one group is with para #1 for handwriting and the other is with para #2 completing there follow up work pages. This way there is no time for talking because they're busy with the kids. I prepare the activities and assignments and we review it together. I go over the IEPs with them and I discuss with them the goals their piece is needed to meet. I get feedback from them on the childrens' progress often (weekly). (even if I know where the child is, I ask. This way they are still aware of their importance & responsibility.) I have given them additional things to choose to work on with the kids, in the event that they finish or if I forget to give them something they need. My paras are responsible for certain room set up and routines and are assigned certain times to do it. (ex. when I have the whole group for opening they are setting up & cleaning up workstations.) I have a basket of work that needs to be done when they have down time. (file folder activities that need to be made, copies that need to be made, ect.) I made a checklist and a binder of responsibilities for my newest para who just wasn't doing the things I ask. I listed each thing I needed from him on a daily basis. I try to prepare them in advance for any major changes. (Discuss it, put it in writing, go over the new schedule before they post it.) Explain the reason for any change. I try to wait for a "time" for big changes in routine. (After Christmas break, at the change of the report period, the begining of a month, beginning of a week.) PERSISTENCE keep insisting in a positive way what needs to be done & reinforce the important role they play. I try to make things part of the routine so I don't have to ask them repeatedly to do things. Good luck!! I have had many headaches over working with the adults in my room, but, I really couldn't do it without them!!