Collaboration and Communication 1

Volunteers and Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals

Employees of the district who are there to provide direct instruction, behavior management, and other related educational services under the direction of a certified teacher.

Examples of appropriate responsibilities given to paraprofessionals by the teacher include:

• Reinforcing positive behavior

• Redirecting off-task behavior

• Assisting with feeding and personal care

• Assisting with mobility needs

• Offering one-on-one instruction with the supervision of the teacher of record

• Assisting teachers with records, data collection, and organization

• Supervising and assisting students at lunch, recess, specials, and in the classroom

Should students receive initial instruction on a concept or skill solely from a paraprofessional?

No, one-on-one or small group instruction from a para should be focused on reinforcement and individualized practice.

Examples of inappropriate tasks for a paraprofessional include:

• Writing lesson plans

• Writing IEP goals

• Substituting for the certified teacher or holding complete responsibility for the class for an indefinite amount of time

• Supervising student teachers

• Assigning progress report or report card grades

• Contacting parents regarding student progress

***The teacher should not expect a volunteer to offer the same kind of support as a paraprofessional.

When preparing a volunteer to work with students with disabilities, focus more on what the volunteer is to do, not the specific student situations that require extra support.

Some examples of tasks that may be completed by a volunteer:

• Offering positive social interaction with students as a mentor

• Assisting with organization and classroom materials

• Engaging in appropriate exercise or games

• Providing one-on-one or small-group tutoring