Paraeducator Essay

According to NEA (2015), a paraeducator is a school employee that works alongside under the supervision of a licensed or certificated educator to support and assist by providing instructional and other services to children, youth, and their families (Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/20783.htm). Paraeducators are becoming more popular in schools. As students continue to need additional support, paraeducators will continue to be more acceptable in the classroom by many educators. Paraeducators help assist teachers in many ways. For example, paraeducators can help reteach material already given by a teacher to a student who may need to have the lesson repeated in a manner that he/she can understand. Another reason why paraeducators are important in the classroom is to help assist with a student who has social emotional behaviors or learning disabilities. The paraeducator will build rapport with students who may be of a challenge to a teacher; therefore, having an assistant in the classroom can help the teacher by removing the student from the setting to
Teachers must be firm on their expectations and apply consequences to infractions when not followed, such as a calming area for when students need a time away from something before being allowed to enter an area for reflection on how to better improve with their behavior and actions. Teachers and paraeducators need to be aware of the rules and expectations as well.
Another example of an expectation is that students must have their homework completed by the due date or loss of points may be applied. Students need to learn responsibility for their own actions when they do and do not complete their work assignments on time because this will help build dependability and reliability in student’s