Explain two methods you will use to maintain communication with paraprofessionals
There are two methods that can be used effectively to maintain communication with paraprofessionals in order to complete the teaching goals.
Method 1
To maintain effective communication with paraprofessionals, it is useful to choose the strategy of asking more questions in order to receive the expert’s advice in relation to different controversial areas that are associated with teaching students with disabilities. While being asked to provide some advice or competent comments on the problem, paraprofessionals are responsible for presenting all the necessary information on the issue in order to guarantee the accomplishment of the learning goals by students, and it can be discussed as the result of the teacher’s effective cooperation.
Method 2
To maintain the communication with professionals, it is necessary to focus on the ethical issues in order not to violate the principles of confidentiality and privacy while discussing the students’ activities, the effects of their disabilities on the learning processes and performance, and the effects of disabilities on the teacher’s instructions. To communicate with paraprofessionals, it is important to state clearly why such private information should be discussed openly in order to avoid the ethical issues and concerns and in order to respond to the paraprofessionals’ expectations regarding the teacher’s competence.
Discuss what information you will need to communicate about with paraprofessionals
The information which should be discussed with paraprofessionals is connected with such important aspects as the effectiveness of the differentiated instructions; the appropriateness of using the group work during the lessons; and the methods of fostering effective cooperative relations between teachers, parents, and administrators in order to contribute to the students’ progress.
Discuss two factors that may make it difficult for you to maintain communication with paraprofessionals
There are two factors that can make it difficult to maintain communication with paraprofessionals.
Factor 1
Paraprofessionals can perceive the young teacher starting the career in the field only as an assistant who lacks competence in the area of special education.
Factor 2
The young teacher can experience problems with perceiving oneself as part of the team of paraprofessionals to collaborate in order to help students with disabilities succeed because of differences in age, status, experience, and background.
Explain what you can do to overcome or work around those factors
To overcome the factors and improve the communication with paraprofessionals, it is necessary to focus on the idea that the young teacher is the part of a team of paraprofessionals who has the right to ask for advice and support because of lacking experience in the filed without focusing on any age or status biases. To overcome the first factor, it is necessary for the teacher to express confidence and politeness while stating the goal for communicating and asking some questions and state clearly all the background for the conversation. The paraprofessional would notice the teacher’s focus on effective job performance and on asking the ways to perform better in order to achieve significant results in working with students with disabilities.
While overcoming the second factor, the teacher should concentrate on the personal perception of the situation and convince oneself that all the members of the team of professionals are equal to cooperate in order to demonstrate greater results while working with students. It is useful to pay much attention to the self-education along with communicating more with paraprofessionals in order to increase the level of the teacher’s self-confidence. To improve communication with paraprofessionals, it is necessary to practice it more actively instead of avoiding communication in order to observe the significant results in increasing the teacher’s own professional competence.