Paraeducator Case Study

When a student walks into a classroom they may see more than one adult. Many students may wonder who the second grown-up is and what their role might be. There is a pretty good chance the other person is a paraeducator. Today, more and more classrooms consist of more than one adult. Although, seasoned educators may find it difficult to share their classroom with a second person. Most teachers are used to being the only grown-up in the room, however, education is constantly changing and the student need for extra help is increasing.
Mrs. Smith is a teacher who will have 30 students for the school year. She has a total of 6 students who either have a learning disability or suffers from emotional disturbances. In order to help Mrs. Smith, the
Smith and her paraeducator, all the while making sure the expectations are clear for both people. With this said, the assistant must make sure both adults understand what is expected of them in the classroom. By the same token, Mrs. Smith needs to make sure these expectations are attainable for her paraeducator. Along with this, the teacher will need to share planning time with her assistant. This approach allows the paraeducator to be in communication with Mrs. Smith about the different lesson plans and she should also provide this plan in writing to be able to give to her assistant (White,
The role of the teacher will be to develop lesson plans to meet curriculum requirements and educational objectives for all learners. In addition, adapting lessons, instructional methods, and curricula to meet the learning needs of individual students. Developing behavior management and disciplinary plans, creating a safe environment for all students is also included as part of the teacher’s responsibilities. Mrs. Smith must develop functional assessment tools to document and evaluate each learners progress and instructional needs. In addition, Mrs. Smith new role includes being a direct supervisor to her assistant (White,