Paraeducator Professional Development: On-Line Style!

NRCP Conference 2009
Paraeducator Professional Development – On-Line Style!

Our Journey
No standard professional development for paraeducators in Kentucky
In 1999, the Paraeducators of Kentucky Project was started with the State Improvement Grant funds
Initially developed modules for face-to-face training
A Paraeducator PD Cadre was convened in 2005 to begin development of on-line modules

On-line Modules
Paraeducator PD Cadre included representatives from:
KY Department of Education
Directors of Special Education
Teacher Consultants in the area of special education
Paraeducators from Title I and Special Education
PD Cadre initially developed 4 modules in Year 1 and returned with minor changes in representation to complete 4 additional modules in Year 2.

Our Journey Continues
Module content and activities were developed by the Cadre and reformatted to meet Blackboard requirements
Currently there are 236 participants enrolled with 138 module completions
Working with the Kentucky Community & Technical College System to implement an articulation agreement

Current On-Line Modules
PARA 101: General Knowledge & Values
PARA 102: Maintaining Safe & Supportive Instructional Environment
PARA 103: Assisting with Instructional Practices
PARA 104: Assisting in Assessment & Evaluation Procedures
PARA 105: Managing Behaviors & Enhancing Social Interactions of Students
PARA 106: Communication & Collaboration
PARA 107: Participating in Professional & Ethical Practices
PARA 108: Community-Based Job Coach

Goal
The main goal of the program is to equip paraeducators to better perform their roles and responsibilities in the classroom

25 Years & Still Learning

The Puzzle
To put together a puzzle you have to have all the pieces
You have to have a picture of the finished product
In order to successfully complete the puzzle, you HAVE TO HAVE the first two things
Without them it is like putting the puzzle together blindfolded

The Beginning
After teaching preschool for 10 years in a daycare setting, I started working as an Instructional Assistant for the school system
Originally it was because I would be on the same schedule as my kids
After 15 years it has become a career

In the Beginning
My first year for professional development, I was required to work opening or closing day, and have 6 additional hours
My 6 additional PD hours amounted to:
3 hours for Open House in the Fall
3 hours for Open House in the Spring
I had NO formal training

In the Beginning (continued)
I was hired because of my 10 years of working with children without disabilities
I was placed in a position to work with children with profound disabilities
Some call it on-the-job training, I call it “baptism by fire”
And yet I SURVIVED!

Over the Years
Over the years I have learned:
The teacher is not always right
Every student has SOMETHING to give
Not every situation is the same
Paraeducators are at the bottom of the food chain
If you don’t laugh at it, you will go crazy

Paraeducator Summer Institute
In 2008, I learned “I AM NOT ALONE”
The Paraeducators of Kentucky Project presented a summer institute
I never knew the Paraeducators of Kentucky Project existed
As a part of my required 52 professional development hours, I attended this summer institute devoted entirely to paraeducators
“I was in Heaven!”

REENERGIZED!
For the first time in 15 years, I felt there was a place for me
I was given material on information that would have been so helpful years ago
For one thing, my RESPONSIBILITIES as seen by the Kentucky Department of Education

The Puzzle Picture
By the end of the 2-day Institute, I was seeing the picture of the puzzle that I had been putting together for 15 years
It didn’t have to stop there
I was told about the on-line professional development modules
I was excited to try these modules because I felt I was getting all the puzzle pieces at one time instead of one every so often

A New Beginning
In one of the first modules, we had a lesson on “Understanding Disabilities”
You would think I would know all I need to know about disabilities – but there was more……
Then there were the acronyms
I learned BOC, BIP, MMD, FMD
And all the other “words” that make up special education language

A New Beginning(continued)
There was a lesson on the “Roles and Responsibilities” of paraeducators
This would have been handy at the beginning of my career
It was nice to see that I was doing things right, but it was also disturbing to see there were some things that I should not be doing (lesson plans).

A New Beginning(continued)
For years I had been doing progress monitoring and now finally I learned the proper way to do this
For years I had been working with students with IEPs and now I was learning to understand what an IEP was all about

New Tricks for an Old Para
Each module that I have completed so far has a new idea or new approach that I can take to the classroom
This has in turn been very beneficial for my students as well as myself
One of the biggest things that has been a hit is a suggested website:
www.coolmath.com

A New and Improved Para
The modules have empowered me with the tools to present myself in a more professional manner
They have enabled me to bring fresh ideas and strategies to the table when working with the students
I can now confidently express my thoughts and ideas with faculty and administration on a district level
I can access the modules anytime of the day or night

More To Do
Part of our job is to instill in our students the desire for lifelong learning
As paraeducators, we must keep learning to improve our craft
We should search out and make the most of every opportunity
Our future depends on it!

More Information
For more information on the PEK On-Line Professional Development program, you may go to:
www.ihdi.uky.edu/pek/

Presenters
Marjorie Sheffel
Paraeducator
Campbell County Schools
Marjorie.Sheffel@campbell.kyschools.us
Barbara Locker
Project Coordinator
Paraeducators of Kentucky
Human Development Institute
University of Kentucky
blocker@uky.ed
859-519-7374

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Paraeducator Professional Development: On-Line Style!

by National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals on Aug 31, 2009

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Paraeducator Professional Development: On-Line Style! — Presentation Transcript