Successful paraeducators are those who get regular reinforcement regarding
valued
quality characteristics that others recognize in them. Paraeducators are
very much in
need of experiences that help bolster their self-esteem. Like other
staff they work hard
at targeting the needs of the students they support and the
teachers with whom they
partner on a daily basis. Occasionally, there is a need
for these “supporting actors” to
network and reflect on how well they are doing.
This workshop will help them refocus on
those characteristics of their daily
performance that make successful paraeducators
and valued employees.
Thinking about such valued characteristics from various
perspectives broadens the paraeducators view and comprehension of how others
might
recognize effective performance.
Your decision to provide this fast moving, highly
interactive and reflective workshop for your paraeducators will go a long way in
‘pumping up paraprofessionalism.’The many short and positive activities in this fast-paced
workshop are planned to assist you, the facilitator, to help paraeducators grow.
Special
focus is placed on the expectations of paraeducators as members of the
educational team. Activities include discussions of the importance others place
on the effective practice of those expectations.
The workshop is intended for a blending of those new and veteran paraeducator’s
points of view in a pleasing and non-threatening format. Appropriately, our
workshop is targeted to improved services and outcomes for students as an end
result.
Virtual Sample of Pumping Up ParaProfessionalism Guide
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This workshop is oriented to addressing one of the most frequently requested
topics
for training – Communication Skills Development. Most paraeducators are not trained
for the various critical aspects of their roles and communication skills are very
important to their success. Complicating matters is the fact that most teachers have
little or no training on how to develop a relationship with their paraeducator partner,
nor the role that communications will play in a successful partnership. To compound
such gaps in training, time for effective communications during the busy school day
is at a premium, or non-existent, unless an emergency arises. We have spent
considerable time preparing interesting and appropriate activities to assist in the
reinforcement of effective communication skills. As a result, you may read some
narratives to be sure that you deliver the workshop that we planned. Don’t let that
bother you. The value of this workshop is in sharing the valuable information that
paraeducators brought through the door with them. Your job is to help bring those
skills back to their consciousness and assist them in sharing, with each other, the
successful practices they have employed. This experience will reinforce and encourage them to continue those effective practices while offering alternative strategies for those that may not be working for them.
With that in mind, you will read the following goals of this workshop to all participants:
• Participants will experience activities that will discuss and reinforce effective communication skills.
• Participants will experience activities that discuss and demonstrate how attitudes influence communications.
• Participants will discuss basic strategies for clear communication.
• Participants will engage in reflection activities related to interpersonal communication skills.
Virtual Sample of the Paraeducator Communication Skills Workshop Guide
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