Want to know the secrets to a running a highly successful special education department? Highly successful paraprofessionals.
If you are anything like me, you didn't realize when you went to college to be a special education teacher that you would wind up being a BOSS straight out of the gate. It's not something I received any training on. Sure I knew I would have paraprofessionals in my classroom, but I didn't sign up to be in charge of adults...I just wanted to teach children.
It took years for me to learn this but Paraprofessionals are the glue that holds everything together in a successful special education department. It's true. I’m not lying. They are my saving grace Every. Single. Day. We work as a team to make sure everything runs smoothly. We laugh together. We cry together. And...well...sometimes we drink together.
But friends, this TEAM I speak of... It doesn't just happen by chance. You have to be deliberate in making it happen. A strong team is not developed overnight. It is built over time with respect and value of all the paraprofessionals in your classroom. It is built with open and honest communication. It is built by clearly communicating your expectations in a professional yet loving manner.
But HOW??
Ok...you get it. Building a team is important. But, if you’re anything like me, you are still asking yourself...How? How do I even start to build a team?
I’m so glad you asked. I have been doing this Boss thing for a long time and I have made countless mistakes. I’ve let issues go that needed addressed just because I didn’t want to deal with it. I once let a para completely re-organize my cabinets because she didn’t like the way I organized and I didn’t have the guts to stand up to her. I have let negativity seep into my department by not clearly communicating. So one summer, I made a commitment to myself that I would not go through another school year without taking intentional action. I developed a plan of how I wanted my year to go and guess what? It was Amazing! One of the very best years I’ve had with paras. So let’s break it down into 10 easy to follow steps.