Session #48 Promoting independence for Students with 1:1 Paraeducators
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This document discusses strategies for promoting independence for students with 1:1 paraeducators. It begins by noting some detrimental effects that can occur when independence is not fostered, such as students being unable to complete basic tasks without assistance. The document then outlines how shifting mindsets among teachers, paraeducators, students, and parents can support independence. Specific strategies are provided, including using prompts from most to least assistance and fading assistance over time. The importance of teaching students to work independently for short periods is also discussed. Overall, the document advocates for an approach where paraeducators focus on connecting students to the classroom rather than doing everything for them.
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Session #48 Promoting independence for Students with 1:1 Paraeducators
1. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
Promoting Independence for
Students with 1:1 Paraeducators
VANESSA TUCKER PH. D., BCBA-D. LBA
PATRICK MULICK BCBA NBCT
8. I am glad that is taken care
of. Now I can get back to my
other work.
12. Partner Cher: What do some of these
detrimental effects look like in your
neck of the woods?
21. If we are not careful we can have…
A preschooler who can write all of their letters but does not know how to ask for help
A first grader who can read at a third grade level but can’t transition to another part of
the classroom without holding on to an adult’s hand
A second grader who can multiply double digits but can’t turn in papers to the teacher
A fifth grader who knows the periodic table but can’t navigate the lunch line
A high schooler with basic computer programing skills but is unable to handle
unexpected change
22. What Are We Doing To Our Kids?
Opening the door
Holding their hand while navigating school
Telling them to say please and thank you
Opening their food for them
Telling them what is next
Giving only 2 seconds for them to respond to a direction before providing
help
Getting out their supplies for them
23. When focusing on independence, one must
ask themselves “what shouldn’t I be doing
for my student” just as much as one asks
“what should I be doing for my students.”
24. Fact: Independence increases self
esteem, decreases the reliance
on adults, and increases
opportunities beyond public
education.
27. A Shift in Mindsets to Support Independence
For Students with 1:1 Paraeducators in General Education
28. General Education Teacher
Old Mindset
The paraeducator is here to
manage the student. The
student’s success will be
measured by what they are
able to do with their
paraeducator’s help.
New Mindset
The paraeducator is here to
support the student in
accessing my instruction. The
student’s success can be
measured by what they are
able to accomplish with
minimal help.
29. Paraeducator
Old Mindset
My role is to do things for the
teacher and make sure my
student does not disrupt
learning. I am the student’s
primary instructor.
New Mindset
My role is to connect the
student with the rest of the
classroom and with their
primary instructor, the teacher.
30. Student
Old Mindset
The paraeducator is mine. I go
to them for help or to strike up
a conversation. They are my
friend. They must follow me
wherever I go.
New Mindset
The paraeducator is a helper in
the classroom. I go to my
peers for conversation and my
teacher for help, though the
paraeducator might assist the
teacher in helping me.
31. Less Familiar Teacher
Old Mindset
The paraeducator will lead me
in teaching the student. They
will tell me if I need to do
something specific for the
student.
New Mindset
I will lead in teaching the
student, and the paraeducator
will help me with the follow
through.
32. Other Students
Old Mindset
I shouldn’t bug the
paraeducator or their student.
They want to be left alone.
New Mindset
I can ask the paraeducator for
help if they are free and I can
talk to their student if it is
appropriate.
33. Case Manager/Special Education
Teacher
Old Mindset
Since the student has a
paraeducator I do not need to
worry about their program
because someone else is
overseeing it.
New Mindset
I should have ongoing
collaboration with other
building staff, including
therapists when applicable, on
how we can help this student
be more independent. I then
need to share that planning
with the paraeducator.
34. Parent/Guardian
Old Mindset
The paraeducator is in charge
of making sure my student
gets their work done. I am
concerned if I feel they are not
doing enough.
New Mindset
The paraeducator helps my
student have access to the
general education curriculum
and progress in their IEP goals
with minimal help. I am
concerned if I feel they are
doing too much.
35. Administrator
Old Mindset
School staff can focus on
promoting independence for
students with 1:1’s, regardless
of how difficult their
caseload/situation is.
New Mindset
School staff can focus on
promoting independence to
the degree that they have
capacity and have support
from administration.
36. Administrator
Old Mindset
The child is “fine/covered”
because they are now taken
care of by the para, allowing
the teacher to resume their
teaching responsibilities. In
turn, the child is not
welcome unless they have
the para accompanying
them.
New Mindset
The child is a member of the
classroom who should be
practicing skills of
independence as well as
gaining equal access (with
supports) to their teacher-
the same as other children.
38. The Independence Minded Educator
Every time I do something for
my student, I deny them an
opportunity to do it on their
own. Each time I deny them a
chance to do something at
least partially on their own, I
rob them of a more
independent future.
51. Challenges we run into
Our patience for
processing time varies,
making our
expectations
inconsistent.
52. Challenges we run into
We let an SD just go on
its own. Make sure you
mean what you say and
say what you mean.
53. Challenges we run into
The student only learns
to attend to the
prompt and never the
Discriminative Stimulus.
54. Challenges we run into
We create kids who
only can function and
respond with the
prompts, thus creating
“prompt junkies.”
55. Not all Prompts are created equal
Full Physical
Partial Physical
Full Model
Partial Model
Full Verbal Model
Partial Verbal Model
Gesture
Positional
Visual
56. Physical Prompts
Full Physical Partial Physical
The teacher uses hand over
hand guidance to make sure
the student demonstrates
the correct response.
The teacher uses only partial
physical assistance so that
the student demonstrates
the correct response.
Ex. Hand over hand washing
hands
Ex. Tapping elbow to raise
hand.
*May not be appropriate for large motor
activity, like going to lunch.
57. Modeling Prompts
Full Model Partial Model
The teacher fully
demonstrates the correct
response.
The teacher only
demonstrates part of the
correct response.
Ex. Showing where to get the
towels.
Ex. Walking in the direction
of where to find the door.
*May not be appropriate for those who are
unable to sustain attention.
58. Verbal Modeling Prompts
Full Verbal Partial Verbal
The teacher clearly
communicates what the
desired response is step by
step.
The teacher communicates
only part of the desired
response.
Ex. Explaining how to use the
locker
Ex. Touching on key details
of directions to the office
*Be aware of those who can’t look and listen. ”I
can look at you or listen to you, but I can’t do
both.”
59. Gesture and Positional Prompts
Gesture Positional
The teacher makes some
kind of gesture to prompt
the desired response.
The teacher places an
item/object in a specific
position/place that prompts
the correct response.
Ex. Nodding head toward
the pencil sharpener
Ex. Putting the correct
choice of two closer to the
student.
60. Visual Prompts
Visual
An arrangement of the
physical environment that
prompts the correct
response.
Ex. A visual reminder to raise
a hand to ask questions.
61. Full Physical
Partial Physical
Full Model
Partial Model
Full Verbal Model
Partial Verbal Model
Gesture
Positional
Visual
Most to Least Prompting
is used when first
teaching a new skill, and
then the prompt is faded.
62. Full Physical
Partial Physical
Full Model
Partial Model
Full Verbal Model
Partial Verbal Model
Gesture
Positional
Visual
Least to Most Prompting
is used when working on
a skill that has been
previously mastered.
63. Student taking longer or
working harder to get
the right answer with
less help
Student more quickly
getting the right
answer with help
65. Partner Share- One thing that you do
for your students that you probably
shouldn’t?
72. Teaching a Child to Work
by Him or Herself –Nancy Rosenburg
Start with a short task that is reasonably preferred, has a clear end point,
and the student has the capability of doing alone (even though he’s not).
You can make the task even shorter by presenting it already mostly
completed (e.g., give a puzzle with all the pieces in but one, or give a math
worksheet with all the problems completed but the last two).
Identify a reinforcer that child can have when he/she completes his work.
73. Teaching a Child to Work
by Him or Herself-Nancy Rosenburg
Tell child, “It’s time to work by yourself. When you finish <task>, you get
<reinforcer>.” Then pretend to be doing something else. You may need to
start by standing near the child, but don’t give any prompts or respond to
bids for attention. Look busy doing other things
When the child finishes the very short task, give lots of social praise for
“working by yourself!”as well as the reinforcer. If you end up having to
help, do so, but they don’t get the reinforcer. Have him try again by
himself.
74. Strategies for Promoting Independence for
Students Who Have a 1:1 Paraeducator in General
Education
1. Use Visuals!
75. Strategies for Promoting Independence for
Students Who Have a 1:1 Paraeducator in General
Education
2. Task Analyze It!
77. Strategies for Promoting Independence for
Students Who Have a 1:1 Paraeducator in General
Education
3. Watch Your Prompts!
78. Strategies for Promoting Independence for
Students Who Have a 1:1 Paraeducator in General
Education
4. Use Peers!
79. Strategies for Promoting Independence for
Students Who Have a 1:1 Paraeducator in General
Education
5. Promote Self-
Management!
The tough reality about being an educator is that there are no days off. High expectations are put on every educator in the schoolhouse, especially the classroom teacher.
The expectations are high because what we do in each and every day have a cumulative effect on our students. The adults that our students are going to become, they are becoming today. In order to maximize our student’s futures, we must maximize the smallest of moments in a day and repeat that over and over.
One drawback from this reality is that high expectations met with challenges from students in the classroom often leave a teacher feeling like this…..
(insert laugh here)
From students who may be acting inappropriately towards others…….
Or a student completely disengaging…..
Sometimes educators are working with a particular student amongst many other that need a little bit more of support. And sometimes with these students, despite the best efforts of the school staff to support the student, things go from bad to worse. And in some of these cases it is identified that a paraeducator is needed to help carry out a more detailed plan for the student for the time being.
One problem that often comes when such a high level of support is provided is that the overseeing teacher tends to think this way (see slide). Through no ill will of their own, they may feel the need to not worry about the student with a targeted paraeducator for the time being because someone else has “got them” and they can get back to working with the rest of the students.
Another problem that arises is that paraeducators are in most places are provided little to no training on how to do their job before they begin. They may work from a big heart and what they believe is the right thing to do, but through no fault of their own they may end up working with their student in such a way that would cause unintended consequences. (See next slide)
This is just one example of what may come up, one of many (see next slide)
While this is title calls out the paraprofessional, I like to think that this really could be anyone in the schoolhouse who is working with the student. Anyone could be excessive in the way that they support. “Limited Access to Competent Instruction” doesn’t jive well when we think about our paras who are out there pouring their hearts out for kids each day. But it does go back what is the system to support paras as they come in from the get go and providing competent training from the beginning. It also speaks to the relationship that needs to be valued between the student and classroom leader, which we will talk about in a moment. For the moment though…………..(next slide)
Give 5 minutes, and then ask for volunteers to share out to the whole group.
When we think about small group or whole group instruction, we can take for granted the sacred relationship that exists between the classroom teacher and student. The teacher is the professional whose prescribed multiyear teacher-prep program has prepared them to teach many kids of varying abilities simultaneously. The are the multi tasking ninja. The student is the learner whose sole responsibility is to engage, benefit, and learn from this highly trained professional.
In this relationship an invisible force field, a sacred channel of focus if you will, exists. It is in this channel that the teacher provides instruction to the student, the student responds and asks questions , and the teacher responds back. And it is in this channel that much can be disrupted when……
You put another adult in it. When not utilized correctly, a paraeducator can inadvertently create a distraction for the targeted student that would turn their attention away from the primary educator, the classroom teacher.
Looking at the whole class, it is not just one student who has this sacred channel….
It is everyone. And it is for that reason that sometimes when paraeducators are at their best, they are respecting that channel and only jumping in to provide help when needed and not pulling up a chair next to the student for ease. Sometimes, when a paraeducator is at their best, they are sitting in the back of the class looking like they are doing nothing at all (all the while respecting that sacred channel of every student).
And this is just one small practice that we must be paying attention to when thinking about the field of education because this is one of those many small things done right over time that will impact a student’s future. It will impact their independence, something we don’t often talk much about.
Annual study by Autism Speaks, looks at what adults with autism across the U.S. are doing after they leave public education. This is just a small snapshot with it being just one disability, but it does speak to work that still needs to be done. Yes, this does not all land on the schoolhouse and we do need to advocate for “disability friendly” opportunities and resources beyond public education, but we must ask what our part is in all of this.
This is hard because we all got into education in the first place because we love kids. And when we talk about kids whose needs are so great they require the support of a 1:1 paraeducator, our hearts grow even bigger because we find ourselves working with someone who often has not been give a fair lot in life. We are rooting for the underdog. But sometimes we do too much for kids because we care so much them, we can end up teaching them how to do fewer things on their own.
45
Yes, there are times in which we do need to provide help to our students…………..
But our students are really talented at getting us to provide more help than what is needed since we are already there. As skilled we think we are at shaping their behavior, some of our students are even more skilled at changing ours. Which really calls into question the type of help that we provide and really warrants deep conversation about how we provide prompts to students.
Explain what a prompt is
We can give the SD, but don’t give them the chance to process the SD, and se we repeat the SD or provide and unneeded prompt.
Think about how patient we are with students when they walk in each day. The adults are well-caffeinated, class hasn’t officially started, we have nice calming music in the background, all is right in the world and we give kids as long as they need. Compare that to the end of the day, the busses are here, it is time to go, and the adults haven’t peed in four hours. Our patience in how long it takes them to respond to an initial SD can vary based on the circumstances of any moment in the day.
Most to least does not mean the number of prompts
Big picture, we should always work to make our support is this….
Volunteer share out again, after a few minutes
Some of our reflections beg the question, what is the uniform way all students who work with a given student will prompt in the same manner and how will be that well communicated.
I really like this as an example: The 3 point prompt. It is not for every student or even most students, but notice how you can sum up a prompting procedure for a student in a simple way that can be shared amongst staff in one single cheat sheet.
Another example of how to promote a student’s independence-simply explained.