Para Professional

Effectively Supporting Students

By: Cynthia Kennedy Ed.D.

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

How do the paras in your school know what to do and how to do it? US schools depend on paraprofessional staff to provide instructional support for students, collect data, work with small groups, manage problem behaviors, tend to lunch, recess, dismissal and other supervisory duties, and any number of other responsibilities particular to individual schools and school districts. The Para Professional: Effectively Supporting Students provides a primer on multi-tiered systems of support, the special education process, and how to plan, deliver, and monitor interventions and supports within the context of the competence and expertise of a paraprofessional; the paraprofessional’s role within the school environment; and how paraprofessionals impact student learning. Using research-based literature and resources, such as the Paraeducators' Standards of Practice published by the Council for Exceptional Children and other scholarly studies, this book uses plain language and real-world examples to give education support staff the background knowledge and applied learning opportunities necessary to support students effectively in both academics and social-emotional learning. Use this book to orient your paraeducator staff when newly hired, or as a foundation for professional development with existing staff. The book also includes links to the author's website for more resources and services related to professional development webinars and presentations.