Teacher/para question

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I am a new teacher of student's with autism and have a question about para's and teachers. Sometimes I think that para's do too much for the kids in the classroom and it does nothing to help the kid build independence and confidence.

My question is: What are the top two things paras and teachers did/do for you that you wish would stop, and what two things were/are the most helpful?

Thanks!

While it may seem like the paras are doing most of the work, they're really re-wording them into a different perspective that are easier to understand. They also put out some suggestions that may encourage logical thinking on the student's part. You don't really need to worry about independence, because everyone finds that on their own.

As for what I don't like teachers doing; exactly this. If a kid needs help, don't take that away.

Hi Flaketeach,

Full disclosure, I do not have an ASD, but I am a mom/advocate of a child who does. I have some questions for you that may clarify your position and may help others in this forum decide how to respond.

In your current role, are you the teacher of the class? How many paraeducators are assigned to your classroom? How many children with IEPs/504s are in your classroom? Are any of your students considered to have "heavy needs"?

Is your desire to help paraeducators do their jobs? Support the student access their free appropriate education?

You should understand that the way you have phrased your question by starting off with your personal opinion may effect the quality of the responses you get. Another way to ask this question might be:

"I am a new teacher of students with autism and have a question about the role of paraeducators and how they support students in the classroom. If you had a 1:1 or shared aide in the classroom, I am curious to know if you feel this helped or hindered you academically, behaviorally and socially, and why? I would like to hear from those who had either positive or negative experiences. I would like to be informed about this issue because I feel it will help me to (fill in the blank).

Good luck with your question. I strongly encourage you to learn more about what it takes to successfully support students of all abilities in an integrated classroom and how to build strong collaborative relationships with your students, their paraeducators and each students' IEP Team.

Best,
Officer Mom.

I couldn't have said it better than you just did Makayla. Nicely done.

Thank you.

As an aspie and now a para working with aspie kids I know I require a lot from my kids. I want them to learn. I want them to be independent. One thing I am huge on is that I do not allow the other children in the class to ask me questions about my student while the student is standing there. If they want to know why sally (not real name) brought a pink lunch box I make them redirect the question to her. She can choose to answer or not. I may prompt her (my kids are 4 or 5) on what to say so that she can learn the words.

if I know a student can do something I do not do it for them. For example, if I know a student is capable of pushing the button on the water fountain then I will not push it for them. I will wait with them but I will not push it.

If they do not know how to do something I will slowly teach it. For example... teaching a child to pull up their pants. First I pull up the underwear and then the pants to their hips. I put their hands on their pants and mine over that and we pull together. Gradually I make them pull more and more (gaining as little as about an inch a month sometimes) until they can do it all themselves. This works. It may be slow, but it has never failed me.

I also make sure the teachers include my students. If every other child gets to go up and say something about their family mine does to. It may be in visuals but I want them to have the experience. If every other child gets to be line leader, mine does to. I or the teacher may have to hold their hand, but they are there... and they LOVE it. They are a member of that class and the other kids know it.

Also, if the teacher calls one of my students up to the board I let the teacher help them with what they are doing on the board... that is their teacher. If the teacher starts disciplining one of my kids I let them finish unless they need me to take over so that they can go to another student or the student has a melt down and needs to go to calm down. I let the teachers educate and discipline my students. They are the teacher's students. I make sure the teachers know what can be expected of my kids so that they are not disciplined for something they do not know or can not control. I never punish kids for bathroom accidents.

I also advocate for my kids. My kids don't like bright lights or people in their space. I am teaching them the words to ask someone nicely to not shine that light in their face or not touch them. If they know those words they have better tools to handle that later in life when I am not in class with them.

I make sure my kids get to participate in everything they are able to.

And last, I have fun with my kids and they know it. Even better, I always try to include one or more regular ed kids in whatever fun my student and I am doing. That way my student does not feel singled out. If my student needs one-on-one time though I can do that as well. I make sure I laugh and smile with every kid, every day.

Anyway, just some thoughts

I do not think I really agree with this. I have seen kids who are content to let someone else do everything for them. In fact I have seen some kids throw HUGE tantrums because they don't want to do something they can. Most NT kids do not naturally acquire independence. It is taught. Just most of us don't notice it being taught because it is taught naturally. It is when a parent lets you put your own shoe on for the first time or when you walk to a neighbor's alone for the first time. It's in tiny steps. As both a para and an Aspie I think independence has to be actively taught to ALL children. They need to know how to manage their own clothes in the bathroom and open their own milk. With respect to their capabilities and developmental levels, the earlier kids (all kids) can start to acquire these skills, the better. In just a few short years kids start to recognize that they don't have the skills others have. They start to want to be independent but can't be. If those skills are taught with small gains at a time, consistently, starting in preschool there will be less of a gap between the regular kids and the special ed kids.



I completely agree with this. Budgets, staffing cuts, policies, and procedures, or anything else should never be able to take away help that a child needs. A child should be given help until they demonstrate consistently over a period of time that they do not need that help anymore. They may still need help in other areas though.