Nesler 1 Jake Nesler SPED 405 11/15/12 Para Interview Reflection MR, the Paraeducator I chose to interview has

been in the profession for ten years. Her time as a para begin after her own children began attending school. While holding a substitute position a full time job working with children with emotional disabilities became available. She currently serves not only as a Paraeducator but the coordinator of all Paraeducators at a grade school levels K-5. MRs primary focus as a Paraeducator is with a third grade-level student on the autism spectrum. MR describes her role as an assistant first within the classroom, never taking charge of the entire operation, something I have seen before at a different education level and school. Her biggest responsibility with her student is making sure he stays focused on coursework as well as motivated academically, as well as socially when necessary. MR is required to follow his set IEP specifically and is allowed to make recommendations to augment it if change is necessary but ultimately the IEP is the set plan of the teacher and the students parents. She spends time with other students with learning disabilities when her student is pulled from the classroom to work with a special education teacher. While her typical student is at recess or lunch she also moves to work with another student in the first grade. MRs advice in maintaining a positive relationship with Paras is to remain open and professional. Teachers should provide support when questions and problems arise, ranging anywhere from the student that Para is specifically assigned to to the role the Para should play within the classroom as a whole; acting and communicating as a team while keeping in mind foremost benefiting the student.

Nesler 2 In addition to my interview with MR, I was also given answers to questions she specifically wrote for her cooperating Special Education teacher. Managing all the Paras is key since it is likely a teacher will have a revolving amount of them throughout the day. Proper training is also essential as well as having the teacher work with the student while the Para observes to better understand how to complement the teacher-student relationship. Lastly, the Special Education teacher explained the most important part of ensuring a students success is parent participation, especially at home. This can even be broken down to making sure that parents child is properly fed and clothed in the morning. For the most part I thought what MR had to say was straight forward with few surprises. It seems she really enjoys her position because it does not involve all the politics, usually, that becoming a full-time teacher or Special Ed teacher has to deal with. I was surprised to hear about the part having to do with students coming to school not properly fed or clothed since the area this teacher works in is generally better off than other school districts. It goes to show that you cannot expect all children to have the same benefits, especially children with learning disorders. What I did take away was the idea that I will be working with several Paras throughout the day and that it is important to maintain a coordinated relationship with each one. Making sure you are on the same page meeting IEP requirements and following the as they are stated is also extremely important. Allow for your Para to provide feedback and suggestions because they will ultimately know the student better than you most times. Clearly define your expected role for them too because they will often be moving around to other students. BN, a general educator in the social studies curriculum has been teaching at the high school level for eight years and is also the social studies department chair. He defines his expected role for his Paraeducators to be a second set of hands, eyes, and ears in the classroom.

Nesler 3 They act with much more authority than MR, having a greater hand in procedural items such as re-distribution of materials, collecting observational data such as who appears to be on task/engaged. However, he is specific to note they are never to grade or instruct the class alone. They may work individually or in small groups with students and may continue this practice outside the classroom if necessary for disruptive circumstances. Typically this small group work is for enrichment or corrections, never new instruction. On speaking about the required experience of his Paras, BN explains they have a teaching certificate and most importantly a wide range of life experience with similar cultural/social experiences as the students. I asked if he has ever had problems with a Para in his classroom and he could not think of any occasions. The biggest challenge to meet however is maintaining ownership of his own class and ensuring a Para is not undermining the teachers authority. BN most clearly states it is important to allow proper time to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Para. Establishing communication from the very beginning of your relationship with the Para and giving them partial ownership of classroom as well as setting boundaries and expectations is the best way to ensure a successful relationship. As I suspected, BN incorporates his Para more directly within his classrooms. I suspect this has to do with having more students on a lower track within the class due to the grade levels he teaches. It seems he gives his Para more freedom as far as working within unison with him in the classroom; he even goes as far as almost a co-teaching role. He does describe the power struggle/relationship and the importance of maintaining your role as the overall leader of the room in a situation like this. Having a Para present can be extremely helpful but overusing this resource can lead to questions of each others roles. I am more interested in speaking to the Paras BN works with, it seems they have a different role than that of MR and I wonder if this

Nesler 4 reflects their position within the school as whole, how much say they really have on the IEPs of individual students and how they coordinate with all these students if they work on groups more commonly than at the one-on-one level.