One might consider we are posting this so late. After all, this would be a wonderful letter for the Beginning of the Year series. But we met a series of recently hired folks and we thought we’d share this now to help those mid-year hires get their legs in a school.
This is by no means complete, and there may be other things folks need specifically state.
Dear General Education Teacher,
I am your paraeducator this class. I am supporting some students whose disabilities you may or may not immediately see.
There are a few ways we can have this professional relationship.
- I can be an enricher of materials. I feel comfortable in the academic material and I want to help you deliver extended content if necessary to help enrich the student’s understanding of the material.
- I can support the student I am working with while supporting other students who may have missed class or need more support.
Reasons I may not do any of those include:
- The student with disabilities that I support during the time I am in your class has a health alert and I need to stay aware of events around the student to make sure they stay safe.
- The student with disabilities that I support during the time I am in your class has a very specific series of behaviors that need interventions in a very specific manner to avoid other behaviors.
Some things you should know:
- Due to the nature of the student’s disability, you might find that the work of the student may not match your idea of what the student can do. All of us are working on this, but your ideas matter.
- While I work with you, do not work for you. Like you, I work for the district. At any time I can be reassigned. I do not want to be, but I go where I am told.
- Sometimes we are just going to learn about the student and their disability together. It’s not perfect, but we will figure it out, hopefully together.
- Please answer the parent, but loop in the case manager when the parent contacts you.
I really look forward to this year’s relationship. I cannot wait to contribute to your class.
Sincerely,
Paraeducator
While we have you here…
The ParaEducate Blog will be off from December 28, 2017 until January 11, 2017.
ParaEducate will be on Winter Holiday from December 28, 2017 to January 11, 2017. Do you have any comments about this week’s blog? Do you have a question for us? Would you like to be a guest blogger? Would you like to have an opportunity to pilot some materials at your campus? Find ParaEducate online here, here, here, here, and on our website. Paraeducate is a company interested in providing materials, information, and strategies for people working in special education inclusion settings for grades K-12. ParaEducate, the blog, is published weekly during the academic school year on Thursdays, unless a holiday. ParaEducate shares their findings at conferences, through their books, and their academic adaptations.
