The Training Video Series for the Paraprofessional

BY WENDY DOVER

TAPE 3 (41 minutes)

Working With Adults In The Inclusive Classroom

Part 1

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT:

As a paraprofessional, you will not only be working with children with special needs, but you will also be collaborating with various other adults to provide the best support possible for target students. In Tape 3 of this series, you will learn specific strategies for communicating with teachers and for promoting communication between the program coordinator and the regular classroom teacher. You will learn the best and worst times to talk with teachers and will receive suggestions on how to effectively use assertive communication strategies such as "I" statements.

Part 2

VIDEOTAPE HIGHLIGHTS:

SOME GENERAL TIPS FOR THE PARAPROFESSIONAL

When addressing questions to a teacher, be clear, direct, and specific.

The timing of your questions to teachers is crucial. If you choose the wrong time to ask—even if they are good questions—you still won't get the answers you need.

The best times to ask questions are:

  • When the students are preparing to leave.
  • When students are working independently.
  • Before school, after school, and during planning periods.

The worst times to ask questions are:

  • When students are asking a lot of questions that require the teacher’s full attention.
  • When the teacher is in the middle of a lecture or class discussion.
  • When the teacher is really busy.

Develop several assertiveness strategies to use for communicating with teachers. You might try the following:

  • Write out and practice what you want to say.
  • Use "I" statements when talking about your needs, feelings, or observations.
  • Use assertive body language.

Observe several general rules for good communication:

  • Make eye contact, lean toward the person, nod your head, and respond attentively.
  • Don't anticipate what the speaker is going to say or interrupt before he or she finishes.
  • Resist reacting defensively to any question or concern someone brings to you.
  • Check for understanding by repeating what has been said.
  • Be sensitive to the other person's feelings.

Keep the following strategies in mind if you feel a teacher doesn't want you in the classroom:

  • Involve the teacher as much as possible with the instruction of special-needs students.
  • Give the teacher space. Allow him or her to get used to having another adult in the classroom.
  • Get some conversation going. Ask the teacher about his or her areas of interest or expertise.

Assess what skills or interests you can bring to the classroom. Ask yourself:

  • What do I most enjoy doing, or what do I do best?
  • What skills, hobbies, or interests do I have?

Part 3

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What assertive communication skills do you use most often? Why do they work well for you?

2. Have you ever felt unwelcome in a classroom? If so, how did you handle it? If not, how would you handle it?

3. What hobbies, skill s, or interests do you have that come in handy in the classroom?

Activity 3.1

Let's Talk Specifics

To save time and confusion when communicating with other adults, make sure your questions are clear and direct-and make sure the questions you ask will get you the specific information you need to do your job. Listen to the scenario described in the video, and write what questions you might ask if you were the paraprofessional in the scenario.

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Activity 3.2

To Ask or Not to Ask...

Knowing the best times to ask questions is very important. You not only get needed answers, but you strengthen adult relationships by showing good judgment and respect. Develop a list of good and bad times to ask the regular classroom teacher questions. When your list is complete, you may want to decide which ones will work best for each of the teachers you work with.

Good Tunes to Ask Bad Times to Ask

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Activity 3.3

Using ''I'' Statements

Reword each of the following statements using an "I" statement to encourage dialogue, promote listening, and allow the listener to offer solutions.

You need to go over and check John's work. He doesn't have it right yet.

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You need to make sure you always shut the door. When you leave it open, the kids wander out.

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You really need to help me grade some of these papers.

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Activity 3.4

Checklist of Assertive Behaviors

Thinking back to the information presented in the video about being assertive, develop your own checklist of assertive behaviors. A first checklist item has been included to get you going.

☐Use "I" statements.

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If you are working with another person or a group of people, you may want to role-play the scenarios listed on the back of this sheet in order to do some self-checking. See if you can use each of the assertiveness strategies you've listed above.

Activity 3.4 (Part 2)

Practicing Assertive Behaviors

“Act out” each of the following scenarios with another person. Both “actors” will have to ad lib the dialog while trying to put assertive behaviors into practice. After each scenario, the players, as well as any spectators, should check to see which assertive strategies were used.

Scenario #1 The paraprofessional realizes that the assignment the teacher has given is inappropriate and too hard for one of the students with special needs. The paraprofessional needs to give the student a modified activity and must inform the classroom teacher.

Scenario #2 The paraprofessional has just received a note that he or she is to leave the regular classroom in the middle of a lesson and return to the resource room. The paraprofessional needs to tell the classroom teacher.

Scenario #3 A student that the paraprofessional has been assigned to support is not following the teacher's instructions to get out the textbook and work on an assignment. The paraprofessional needs to approach the student and try to get him or her on task.