I'm a new Para. What do you want me to know?

[Anonymous]

I recently started working part time as a para-professional, and I will work full time next school year. I REALLY enjoy working with these kids and want to do right by them. If you have a child with SN, please tell me anything and everything that you would like all paras to know!

The kids I work with are on the autism spectrum, or have ADHD, Asperger's, or Down Syndrome. They are all integrated into the GE classroom to some extent. Of course, the most common challenge I face is getting them to follow instructions or meet expectations. For example, I work with a 6 y.o girl with DS. She will throw herself on the floor and absolutely refuse to go with her class when they are leaving the room for PE, recess, or whatever. Or a little boy on the autism spectrum who is capable of completing a worksheet, but often does not even pick up his pencil. I know these are challenges that are to be expected, and I am certainly not complaining. Just giving specific examples since SN is a pretty broad category.

I do realize that paras are sometimes controversial, and I understand why some parents aren't comfortable with it. But I would prefer not to get into that.

Since I am currently just a part time sub, I have very little info on the kids I work with. I do not have access to their IEPs, and the teachers are very limited in what they can tell me. As you can imagine, this can make my job quite challenging.

Any advice from parents or Special Ed teachers would be appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Well, my kid has physical disabilities and there is always a para-educator in the room. While I appreciate everything the para educator does for the children who need it, at the same time we are working on my son doing for himself. So there is a fine line between helping enough and helping too much. At age 3 and 4 there were 2 para-educators in the room. At K-2 there is one paraeducator. At age 7 (2nd grade), my son never uses the para-educator anymore, but he got substantial help in K and 1. I know this is about kids with physical disabilities, but that is my advice for para-educator working for kids with physical disabilities.

To this day, I appreciate the para-educator who worked with my child on zipping his jacket at age 3. She must have spent hours on this task.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate para-educators, but have been surprised how little they actually know about the disorders of the children they serve. Educate yourself deeply about autism, ADHD, Down's syndrome, etc. And, when I say "educate yourself," I mean get your information from reliable scientific and educational sources, not popular websites. Know not only about educational issues, but also about the medical and neuropsychological aspects. Even though you are not qualified to recommend medical treatments, you should understand what else might be going on outside the classroom.

Don't minimize the abilities of these children. You often have no idea what they are capable of. Low academic expectations and the way they are non-verbally communicated to my child is one of the most emotionally damaging aspects of being served by special needs para-eductors.

Focus on providing proven, research-based instruction to my child. My ADHD child doesn't need multiple prompts to respond to the same general education structures or instruction. He needs an education tailored to him. Instead of reminding/nagging him about forgotten homework, explicitly work with him to set up a highly structured environment in which you teach him the habits of organization he needs to succeed. Then remind him gently when he forgets step in the routine and work on fading your prompts over time.

One line that troubles me somewhat, "Of course, the most common challenge I face is getting them to follow instructions or meet expectations." I hear this kind of thing often from teachers -- " I tell them what to do, but they don't listen." Your JOB is to figure out how the message needs to be conveyed so they DO hear and understand it. Maybe the fact that the boy with autism is capable of completing a worksheet but "often doesn't even pick up his pencil," indicates a problem that needs a different solution -- would this child do the work if you acted as a scribe to his oral answers? Many children with autism have expressive language problems. Please don't interpret the failure of students to respond as "lack of motivation" or "disobedience."

I know that this is not what you might have intended by your comments, but I mention it because it is the SINGLE BIGGEST misconception that general and special ed teachers and para-educators have.

My child was viewed as "not that bright" and "unmotivated" and "lazy" at his public school. We got frustrated and pulled him and put him at a special needs school, where he excels in every way. Frankly, he does not need a full-time sped environment, but that is the ONLY environment in which we have consistently encountered teachers who are knowledgeable about his disability and trained to provide appropriate instruction. He now consistently scores above grade level, whereas at his public school, they thought that he was only capable of "meeting benchmarks".

Why do you not have access to their IEPs? Are your para-educator hours being counted as hours on their IEP? If so, you should have access to it. I personally ask my son's teacher (in writing) to read the IEP and neuropsychological report every year. It would save a lot of wasted effort, but the teacher is too lazy to even skim the executive summary. Every year we have classroom problems that could have been solved if the educators had read the neuropsych and full IEP (PLOPS, coding explanation, all goals, etc.)

[Anonymous]

I would say to find out what the students' strengths are and use that to get them interested and motivated. Also, I hate getting work back home that I know the teacher or para completed for my child. I would rather see what my child is capable of doing than to see something that is perfect or even conplete.

Best of luck. I know it must be a tough job. I'm surprised OT hear that the teacher doesn't share the child's IEP with you. I would imagine that would be helpful.

[Anonymous]

OP here. thank you so much for all of the replies so far. i will keep all of this in mind and refer back to this often. Are there any specific sources that you would recommend? I can research it on my own, of course, but would like to know what parents recommend.

I assume that I don't get to see the IEPs because I'm just a sub right now. I will see them next year. There must be some very strict laws in our state or rules in our district regarding the students' privacy. The SPED teachers I work with are very qualified, professional, and thorough, but they are apparently not allowed to give me much info at all. It seems obvious that it is not by choice. But it certainly makes things difficult. I might be sent to work with a child on his math worksheet for 30 minutes without knowing what the expectation is for that child. Is he doing good to write his name or should I expect him to finish it in 30 minutes? I once spent an hour with a boy and still have no idea if he is able to talk!

Do you guys feel that your GE teachers have a clear understanding of the para's role? I'm sure that most do, but the teachers in our school are quite inexperienced. Sometimes I feel like they think I'm there to give them a break from that child. But I'm there to keep my distance and allow the child to work with peers and his teacher as much as possible. I will only step in if the child gets to the point that they need more attention than other kids. But I feel like some of the teachers give me a "where were you on that one?" look if they have to correct the child or answer their question while I'm in the room. Not trying to ruffle feathers here. Just wondering if this is a common issue or if it's likely because of their lack of experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently started working part time as a para-professional, and I will work full time next school year. I REALLY enjoy working with these kids and want to do right by them. If you have a child with SN, please tell me anything and everything that you would like all paras to know!

The kids I work with are on the autism spectrum, or have ADHD, Asperger's, or Down Syndrome. They are all integrated into the GE classroom to some extent. Of course, the most common challenge I face is getting them to follow instructions or meet expectations. For example, I work with a 6 y.o girl with DS. She will throw herself on the floor and absolutely refuse to go with her class when they are leaving the room for PE, recess, or whatever. Or a little boy on the autism spectrum who is capable of completing a worksheet, but often does not even pick up his pencil. I know these are challenges that are to be expected, and I am certainly not complaining. Just giving specific examples since SN is a pretty broad category.

I do realize that paras are sometimes controversial, and I understand why some parents aren't comfortable with it. But I would prefer not to get into that.

Since I am currently just a part time sub, I have very little info on the kids I work with. I do not have access to their IEPs, and the teachers are very limited in what they can tell me. As you can imagine, this can make my job quite challenging.

Any advice from parents or Special Ed teachers would be appreciated!

Kids with ASDs often need more transition time. She needs a 10 minute or 5 minute warning before she is expected to stop doing what she is doing and transition to another activity or locaiton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate para-educators, but have been surprised how little they actually know about the disorders of the children they serve. Educate yourself deeply about autism, ADHD, Down's syndrome, etc. And, when I say "educate yourself," I mean get your information from reliable scientific and educational sources, not popular websites. Know not only about educational issues, but also about the medical and neuropsychological aspects. Even though you are not qualified to recommend medical treatments, you should understand what else might be going on outside the classroom.

Don't minimize the abilities of these children. You often have no idea what they are capable of. Low academic expectations and the way they are non-verbally communicated to my child is one of the most emotionally damaging aspects of being served by special needs para-eductors.

Focus on providing proven, research-based instruction to my child. My ADHD child doesn't need multiple prompts to respond to the same general education structures or instruction. He needs an education tailored to him. Instead of reminding/nagging him about forgotten homework, explicitly work with him to set up a highly structured environment in which you teach him the habits of organization he needs to succeed. Then remind him gently when he forgets step in the routine and work on fading your prompts over time.

One line that troubles me somewhat, "Of course, the most common challenge I face is getting them to follow instructions or meet expectations." I hear this kind of thing often from teachers -- " I tell them what to do, but they don't listen." Your JOB is to figure out how the message needs to be conveyed so they DO hear and understand it. Maybe the fact that the boy with autism is capable of completing a worksheet but "often doesn't even pick up his pencil," indicates a problem that needs a different solution -- would this child do the work if you acted as a scribe to his oral answers? Many children with autism have expressive language problems. Please don't interpret the failure of students to respond as "lack of motivation" or "disobedience."

I know that this is not what you might have intended by your comments, but I mention it because it is the SINGLE BIGGEST misconception that general and special ed teachers and para-educators have.

My child was viewed as "not that bright" and "unmotivated" and "lazy" at his public school. We got frustrated and pulled him and put him at a special needs school, where he excels in every way. Frankly, he does not need a full-time sped environment, but that is the ONLY environment in which we have consistently encountered teachers who are knowledgeable about his disability and trained to provide appropriate instruction. He now consistently scores above grade level, whereas at his public school, they thought that he was only capable of "meeting benchmarks".

Why do you not have access to their IEPs? Are your para-educator hours being counted as hours on their IEP? If so, you should have access to it. I personally ask my son's teacher (in writing) to read the IEP and neuropsychological report every year. It would save a lot of wasted effort, but the teacher is too lazy to even skim the executive summary. Every year we have classroom problems that could have been solved if the educators had read the neuropsych and full IEP (PLOPS, coding explanation, all goals, etc.)

OP here. I couldn't agree with you more. I did not do a good job of explaining that situation. This child does not refuse in a defiant way at all. It seems clear to me that he needs different work, but that's not something I have any control over. He will sit in front of the worksheet for 30-45 minutes without getting anything done. He will just start imagining and sort of acting out a superhero scene or something. But, if something is interesting to him, like a toy or video that he gets during his break, he will easily focus and retain all of the info. I know that it seems like I am saying he's disobeying, but he's not. It seems like the work is a trigger that makes him shut down. The worksheets for that grade level are incredibly boring and redundant, IMO, so maybe that has something to do with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently started working part time as a para-professional, and I will work full time next school year. I REALLY enjoy working with these kids and want to do right by them. If you have a child with SN, please tell me anything and everything that you would like all paras to know!

The kids I work with are on the autism spectrum, or have ADHD, Asperger's, or Down Syndrome. They are all integrated into the GE classroom to some extent. Of course, the most common challenge I face is getting them to follow instructions or meet expectations. For example, I work with a 6 y.o girl with DS. She will throw herself on the floor and absolutely refuse to go with her class when they are leaving the room for PE, recess, or whatever. Or a little boy on the autism spectrum who is capable of completing a worksheet, but often does not even pick up his pencil. I know these are challenges that are to be expected, and I am certainly not complaining. Just giving specific examples since SN is a pretty broad category.

I do realize that paras are sometimes controversial, and I understand why some parents aren't comfortable with it. But I would prefer not to get into that.

Since I am currently just a part time sub, I have very little info on the kids I work with. I do not have access to their IEPs, and the teachers are very limited in what they can tell me. As you can imagine, this can make my job quite challenging.

Any advice from parents or Special Ed teachers would be appreciated!

Kids with ASDs often need more transition time. She needs a 10 minute or 5 minute warning before she is expected to stop doing what she is doing and transition to another activity or locaiton.

Her class's schedule is very consistent. She is only in the room for about 15 minutes before they leave, and they spend those 15 minutes doing the exact same thing every day. She knows her schedule very well, and is very aware of when she will leave the room. Could it be that she just doesn't get enough time in the room before she has to transition? If this is the case, that's not something I can change, but would love to know how to make it easier for her.

[Anonymous]

The most important message, the key message you should keep in mind every day is that you can and do make a difference - often huge difference - in the lives of every child that you help!

Being lucky enough to have support from a good paraeducator can make the difference between a good year or a bad year.

General education, especially in FCPS or MCPS where class sizes are often huge, can be very overwhelming for children with disabilities. Many of the children who have behaviors like the ones you are describing have probably been written off as a "problem" at some point in their schooling. Previous teachers might have punished and humiliated them for those behaviors and they be very traumatized by these experiences. This is especially true of bright children with ADHD or on the spectrum who otherwise appear "normal." Even good teachers are guilty of this as they are busy with other students and often don't get the support they need from the administration.

Keep the child's best interests at the forefront of your work. Keep in mind that often times the goals of special needs administrators and principals to keep budgets down by denying supports or moving the child along to another school do not often align with what's best for the child.

Be kind. Be patient. Compassionate.

Set high expectations and continue to encourage them even when they don't meet these expectations. The school systems tend to think it's okay for special needs kids to just pass or "meet expectations." Many are capable of so much more.

Remember that all kids are good kids even when they are defiant or upset. It's our job as adults to teach them how to act. Kids grow in different ways and sometimes it just takes them more time to learn these things.

Don't be discouraged by a bad day. Begin each day with a clean slate.

The fact that you took the time to post your message on this board makes it clear to me you are a good person who cares about children.

Our family has been through a very difficult year and knowing that there are educators like you with such dedication really made my day.

[Anonymous]

OP, look at what's written in these kids IEP. I have an ASD kid in 1st grade who reads above his grade level, knows multiplication! but for the life of me, hates writing. Lots of positive re-enforcement, clear expectations, single step directions and a timer. Also, have the kid use a slant board and a pencil grip when he's writing.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you have 1st grade maybe? I have to agree the worksheets are just awful. They are not just boring but the directions are often impossible to understand. But I digress. Can you make the work a little more interesting? Like if it's a math worksheet can you say if 10 superheroes were having a meeting and 3 of them had to go off and fight the villains how many are left? Can you try to work with the teacher or SPED to set up a reward system? ARe you allowed to promise him a video or time with a toy if he does his work?

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. I couldn't agree with you more. I did not do a good job of explaining that situation. This child does not refuse in a defiant way at all. It seems clear to me that he needs different work, but that's not something I have any control over. He will sit in front of the worksheet for 30-45 minutes without getting anything done. He will just start imagining and sort of acting out a superhero scene or something. But, if something is interesting to him, like a toy or video that he gets during his break, he will easily focus and retain all of the info. I know that it seems like I am saying he's disobeying, but he's not. It seems like the work is a trigger that makes him shut down. The worksheets for that grade level are incredibly boring and redundant, IMO, so maybe that has something to do with it.

[Anonymous]

Special ed teacher here. By reaching out to parents on DCUM, you are showing that you are an exceptional educator who will make a tremendous difference in some lucky children's lives. Don't let some negative comments on this website dampen your enthusiasm for what you do. Read all you can this summer about disabilities; encourage (if at all possible) the SPED teacher that you work with to create a CAPS (Comprehensive Autism Planning System) for your students (you can help to create it, perhaps), and watch how teachers interact successfully with the students. Try to find a mentor teacher who can help you. Some districts have autism specialists or other Central Office employees who are happy to help come up with strategies. Don't let the fact that you're a sub prevent you from asking for help. Good Luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Don't hesitate to ask for help. Ask the parents what works for them at home. Try not to hover over the child. Give them space while keeping an eye on them. If they feel like they are being watch do to bad behavior their behavior will worsen. Praise positive behavior as much as possible, even the little stuff.

[Anonymous]

First, thank you for even asking the question! You are off to a great start. There are many who wouldn't! I might suggest that you set up 30 minute meetings at the beginning of the school year to get to know parents and their child's specific needs and to explain your role. Things go best when there are realistic expectations. Parents will appreciate this.

[Anonymous]

RE resources: if I had to pick one book to give to someone to read about kids with SN, I'd recommend "The Mislabeled Child." It gives a good overview of a variety of SNs and makes some suggestions for dealing with them. Very useful book.