Welcome to the virtual professional development regarding possible roles and responsibilities
for teachers and paraprofessionals.
Today we will be focused on collaboration in distance learning classrooms.
This is a new learning curve for all of us and we would like to share some ideas on how
you might collaborate in a virtual classroom.
Welcome and please reach out with questions you might have.
Let’s just start with this! “I’m a paraprofessional...what’s your superpower?”
This goes without saying!
You do super work every day in Fairfax County schools!
Our new challenge is distance learning work!
Let’s make your distance learning work and collaboration with your teachers super too!
This is our learning target outcome for today’s professional development.
I will... learn more about paraprofessional actions in order to fulfill my professional
responsibilities in distance learning.
So that I can... support students and teachers in distance learning.
I will know I have it when...
I demonstrate paraprofessional behaviors and actions in distance learning classrooms.
We know that this is a stressful time for students and adults alike.
We need to keep the whole child perspective on the forefront of our thinking each and
every day for the rest of the school year!
School is not just about instruction or academics, but also about supporting behavior and student
wellness components.
Student wellness is a key component during this unprecedented time.
We want all of our students to be successful.
This is how you can support the whole child approach to teaching and learning!
So, it is important to focus on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs before we think about academics and levels of understanding, thinking and application in Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Each day we should focus on our students feeling safe and having a sense of belonging in our
virtual classroom environment.
What must we all do to intentionally support them at this time?
A teacher’s responsibility is to ensure that there is a classroom community and they will support and
lead the team building/class building activities with, of course, your support, too.
As a paraprofessional could support the teacher in building a classroom community and supporting
team building/class building activities.
Here are some possible paraprofessional actions to support building strong student relationships
and creating a positive classroom community.
You might lead the team building activity during the online class.
You might provide check-ins and check-outs for at-risk students (daily/weekly) as established by the teacher.
Or you could have a friendly conversation with the student, letting the student lead
the conversation might help to reduce anxiety and stress.
When establishing distance learning classroom expectations, it will be important to teach
the new routines and procedures for your class expectations for distance learning.
The teacher will want to make a list of all their routines and procedures to establish
in distance learning classroom.
The teacher might wish to plan virtually with a paraprofessional to make sure both adults
understand the expectations.
They can teach students these routines through video modeling of the expectations.
A paraprofessional may support the teacher with the establishing and practicing or new routines
and procedures in distance learning.
What does this look like for a paraprofessional?
A paraprofessional might help a teacher with the development of anchor charts (a visual)
for explicit routines and procedures.
You might support by creating a funny video to visually model a new routine.
Or you might be able to support and remind students of new procedures through positive
praise. Here's an example, I like how “Jack” used the raise your hand button to ask a question.
You could use the chat option or audio option to provide that positive language to your students in a distance learning classroom .
Supporting the organization of a virtual classroom for online teaching will be very important
for your collaborative teacher.
If you can connect and plan with your teacher on a frequent basis this will help promote
success and ensure that you are both on the same page.
A teacher’s responsibility is to follow a weekly schedule, plan lessons, arrange student
breakout groups, develop online learning centers, and other activities for class and individual
students.
A paraprofessional’s responsibility could be to support the implementation plan, as
specified by the teacher or virtually co-plan lessons with the classroom teacher.
Teacher and paraprofessional might want to work together to establish plans for a weekly
schedule.
For example, a teacher and a paraprofessional could meet online before class to discuss
the planning for a lesson.
If you do not have a computer, please do not worry.
The moderator, who is the teacher you work with, may provide you with a telephone number to access the class.
You can call into this number and participate in this manner, too.
This is a new learning environment for students and many adults.
Teachers and paraprofessionals may provide more than one way for students to engage in
distance learning.
Throughout the online sessions, paraprofessionals may assist the teacher in checking student
understanding of instruction.
Teachers could develop multiple ways for students to engage with instruction.
As a paraprofessional, you could assist teachers with promoting student engagement.
This could happen by monitoring the chat window for student questions and responses or by
asking students to periodically give a thumbs up/thumbs down or other emoji to check for
understanding and promote student engagement.
We should all strive to become more goal-directed and resilient individuals.
It is one of our portrait of a graduate attributes.
Some students have not developed this attribute, YET!
We must support students with developing this attribute, some more explicitly than others. It is crucial in these unprecedented times.
The teacher has the responsibility to determine objectives and goals for the group and individual
students.
As a paraprofessional, you might be asked to carry out activities to meet the objectives
specified by the teacher.
What might this look like with distance learning?
Some ways in which you could support distance learning could include meeting with students online,
as assigned by the teacher, to provide feedback to an individual or small group of students
for goal reflection.
You might be asked to re-teach a concept to an individual student or a small group in
a breakout room.
You could repeat directions to individual students who appear unfocused or off-task
in an individual breakout room, or you could model positive language for all of your students.
This is new learning for all, teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, and students. Be patient with each other as we navigate these unchartered waters!
Both the teacher and paraprofessional may be moderators in the virtual classroom, which
will allow access to the online tools to support student learning.
The teacher will be responsible to plan and teach lessons for the entire class, small
groups, and individual students.
The paraprofessional could reinforce, supervise, and support the practice of skills with individuals
and small groups.
What might this look like in distance learning?
The teacher might create breakout rooms where paraprofessionals can work with a small group
of students by reviewing instruction, reading aloud material, or playing a game with the
students.
The paraprofessional could start each class with a fun question/icebreaker or assist in
monitoring student work online (in Google Documents, Google Classroom, etc.).
Other options could include assisting the teacher in creating online instructional materials
as needed, attend virtual CT meetings with your grade level team or content area which
you support (with permission of administrator), record read aloud with teacher support for
students to access later, or research and provide teacher and kids with fun facts as
a warm-up or class builder/team builder.
How do you manage the online behavior of students?
Two people could share the responsibilities to monitor student engagement and behavior.
If this were to happen, the teacher responsibilities would be to observe behaviors, plan, and implement
behavior management strategies for the whole class and for the individual students.
The paraprofessional could support and implement the established behavior management system
which was put in place by the teacher.
Through distance learning, the paraprofessional could support the established behavior management
system by monitoring the chat window.
As you monitor the students’ behavior, continue to provide positive praise to students and
recognize students’ positive behavior throughout the group lesson.
To help build a supportive classroom environment, it is important to establish a good working
relationship between the teacher and paraprofessional.
By supporting and learning from each other we can navigate learning in a virtual classroom.
A teacher’s responsibility might be to set up daily or weekly check-ins with their paraprofessionals.
Teachers can share ideas and concerns while intentionally building a rapport.
Paraprofessionals may share ideas and concerns during conferences and carry out duties as
directed by the teacher.
Paraprofessionals could ask clarifying questions when needed in order to implement a plan or
lesson.
During this time of distance learning it is important for the teacher and paraprofessional
to find time to connect outside of the classroom sessions.
This can be done through either a phone call or an online format, etc.
Tips for building rapport include finding a common ground and realizing that instruction
won’t be perfect.
Expect and accept messy!
Other things you could do is create shared experiences, be empathic and kind, build and
provide trust, actively listen, and have meaningful conversations.
In building an online classroom partnership it will be important to provide each other
with support as you navigate distance learning together.
We are doing the best we can, and supportive relationships can help both people be successful.
The teacher can schedule conferences to share goals and philosophy with paraprofessionals.
They can organize job duties on a weekly basis.
Paraprofessionals can share ideas and concerns during conferences and carry out duties as
directed by the teacher.
Be sure to ask clarifying questions when you need to in order to implement a plan or lesson.
Find time to connect outside of the classroom sessions by either a phone call, an online
format, etc.
It’s okay at times to keep the conversations light and fun, but also use the time together
to reflect on the lessons.
We recognize you are often unsung heroes. Your co-teacher, students, and all of us here are grateful for the work you do.
Here’s the Top 10 Qualities of a Virtual Paraprofessional: Number 10- Be flexible,
Number 9- Be a connector, Number 8- Be an organizer, Number 7- Be a Team Player, Number
6- Be a creator, Number 5- Be knowledgeable, Number 4 -Be a questioner, Number 3- Be an innovator,
Number 2- Be mindful and the Number 1 Quality of a Virtual Paraprofessional is that you
are the superheroes who will make this work possible!!!
There are resources on FCPS 24-7 Learning/Blackboard for teachers and parents to access.
You may want to explore these resources to better support your teacher in distance learning.
Be sure to use Chrome when signing into Blackboard and your FCPS username and password.
Prior to beginning our distant learning journey, you might feel like you are in this alone.
It’s important to know you are a part of a team.
You will be working closely with your school administrator and/or teacher to help better
define roles and responsibilities during distance learning.
Check in with them to make sure you have a clear understanding of your defined role.
Together you all will do so much for students.
We want to thank you for joining us today for virtual professional development.
Please reach out with further questions and for more support.
Each kindergarten classroom is assigned a paraprofessional to help the teacher.
From the omaha.com
Positions ranging from secretary and custodian to paraprofessional are at risk.
From the delawareonline.com
Mackey is the best paraprofessional in the world, and I couldn't do it without her.
From the orlandosentinel.com
Cutting the full-time paraprofessional position at SES has done great harm.
From the timesunion.com
He will lose his medical license but he can go assist somewhere as a paraprofessional.
From the latimes.com
Shaun Fitch, 26, self employed, and Karen Clark, 34, paraprofessional, both of Toledo.
From the toledoblade.com
A trained paraprofessional can cost $35,000 to $45,000 a year, with benefits, he said.
From the boston.com
The applicants must meet State guidelines for paraprofessional status.
From the jobview.monster.com
It is essential that you reinstate the SES full-time library paraprofessional position.
From the timesunion.com
More examples
A trained worker who is not a member of a profession but who assists a professional
According to the law, a person who works under the direct supervision of a professional (e.g., teaching assistant); also includes persons who provide noneducational services for children with disabilities (e.g., school bus monitor, lunchroom aide, restroom assistant). ...
A person who assists with either an individual or a group. See also Teaching Assistant.
A lay person who serves as an aide, assisting the teacher in the classroom.
One whose position is either instructional in nature or who delivers other direct services to individuals and/or their parents. ...
A trained classroom assistant who works with a classroom teacher in the education process.
In clinical psychology, an individual lacking a doctoral degree but trained to perform certain functions usually reserved for clinicians, for example, a college student trained and supervised by a behavioural therapist to shape the behaviour of autistic children through contingent reinforcers.
Typically performs some of the duties of a professional or a technician in a support role, which usually requires less formal training and/or experience normally required for a professional or technical status. Usually requires an Associate degree, or business/vocational training.
A paraprofessional is a non-certificated staff member working in the classroom. Paraprofessionals often take on the role of assistant teacher and share a great deal of the responsibility in the classroom. ...