Description
Do role boundaries ever feel fuzzy between teachers and paraprofessionals? Do you want a simple, legally sound system to collaborate without overstepping or undersupporting students? Schools depend on licensed teachers, certified paraprofessionals, and general paraprofessionals to deliver safe, compliant instruction, and confusion about who does what can reduce learning time and student independence. Grounded in IDEA, Title I requirements, and instructional best practices, this course with Michelle Dragalin clarifies what each role is trained and allowed to do and shows how to communicate expectations, divide responsibilities, and use prompting and fading to promote independence while keeping instruction on track. Participants receive an editable role comparison chart, teacher and paraprofessional communication templates, a task division guide, a prompting hierarchy reference, a step in or step back decision guide, and a collaboration planning sheet.
Objectives
Define the three classroom roles and list two trained responsibilities associated with each.
Describe how IDEA and Title I shape daily role boundaries and collaboration in classrooms.
Use a role comparison chart and decision guide to assign tasks during whole group, small group, and independent work.
Review a sample schedule to spot overstepping or undersupporting and propose adjustments that protect learning time.
Assess a current teacher and paraprofessional partnership with a short rubric to determine impact on compliance and student independence.
Design a classroom team plan that includes role definitions, communication routines, a prompting and fading plan, and a weekly alignment checklist.
