10 Tips for Para-Educators
As a para-educator, you play an important role in a school. While the official definition of your job may be to assist teachers, your job responsibilities often extend further. You must wear many hats and take on numerous responsibilities on a daily basis. Learning to manage those tasks and how to take direction well may help make your job significantly easier.
Know Your Limits
Even though you may be given a lot of responsibility as a para-educator, you do not have the authority to make major decisions. Knowing the boundaries of your position and learning to follow the chain of command will help make your job a lot less stressful. Stepping in where you do not have authority can lead to animosity between you and the teacher you primarily work with and may cause problems in the classroom or with other teachers and staff in the school.
Believe in the Children
You may find yourself working with special education students and those with learning disabilities. They often do not have a lot of people who believe in them. Even if it seems like it will take a miracle for a student to be able to accomplish a task, it's your job to believe in the child and do all you can to help the child experience success. When children realize you believe in them, they are more willing to work for you.
If you have a concern or an issue, do not bottle it up inside you or try to handle it yourself. Talk to the teacher you assist about your concerns or any issues you may have. Students can sense negative feelings. If you do not address them, it can affect your ability to help the students and may also damage the way the students see their teacher.
Do not discriminate against students for any reason. You will encounter students of different races, backgrounds and abilities, and you must treat all of them with dignity and respect. Students can tell if you do not like them, especially if you treat them differently from other students, and this may cause them to act out or refuse to let you help them.
Act With Integrity
In everything you do, focus on integrity. Do not get caught up in gossip among teachers and other school staff. Do not help students cheat or get away with negative behavior. While you must follow instructions and do your job, if the teacher you work with or another staff member asks you to engage in discriminatory or unethical behavior, do not agree to it. Even if it was not your idea, you will also be held responsible for the actions.
Even if you do not like the teachers you work with or other school staff, you must respect them and focus on the work you need to do. If you do not respect the other adults in a school, students may not respect them either. That can lead to problems with classroom management, discipline and the overall school environment.
Always act in a professional manner. Avoid raising your voice or using inappropriate language when dealing with difficult students, parents or teachers. Follow all of the school's rules and procedures and encourage students to do the same. Dress appropriately for the school environment, following the teacher dress code, if one exists.
Give Students Some Independence
A large portion of your job involves helping students, but this does not mean you have to do everything for them. Give students the opportunity to work independently to help them build confidence in their skills. When students solve a problem incorrectly or ask a question, do not simply provide the correct answer. Ask questions or offer suggestions to help the students arrive at the answer themselves.
Keep Confidential Information Private
During your work with students, you will often discuss confidential information in meetings or have access to confidential documents. Remember that the information needs to remain confidential. Only discuss information such as grades, health problems and personal information about a student with that student's parents. Direct anyone else who asks, including grandparents or other family members, to the parents for information.
As a para-educator, you often have to work with students one-on-one. Document all of the work you do with a student and keep notes about the student's progress. If conflict arises with a student, make sure to document the conflict and report it to a teacher or administrator. Keeping detailed records will provide you with support if other issues arise.
Stacy Zeiger began writing in 2000 for "Suburban News Publication" in Ohio and has expanded to teaching writing as an eighth grade English teacher. Zeiger completed creative writing course work at Miami University and holds a B.A. in English and a M.Ed. in secondary education from Ohio State.