A Day in the Life of a Paraprofessional/IA Teacher Back to Top

An educational paraprofessional is trained to work alongside a certified head teacher to help facilitate the daily activities of a class. Generally, paraprofessionals are present in the special education classroom, and are present to help provide students assistance so they can benefit from their curriculum as much as possible. Paraprofessionals are generally supervised by a special education classroom teacher or related services provider, but can also be supervised by a district administrator or a non-special education teacher.

Paraprofessionals used to strictly be used as individual,or one-to-one aides, brought in to work specifically with one student.But over the years, the paraprofessional position has evolved and their role in the classroom has become increasingly important in assisting special education students. The location and district of the school play an important role in how many classes and students the paraprofessional works with on a daily and weekly basis. Depending on the school, paraprofessional jobs could include the following duties; providing instructional support in small groups, providing one-on-one instruction, modifying materials, implementing behavior management plans, collecting data on students, meeting and collaborating with teachers, monitoring study halls or hallways and providing personal care assistance.

Paraprofessional training depends on previous education and experience working in the classroom. A certified paraprofessional must have a minimum of a high school diploma, and of the approximately 250,000 paraprofessionals working in United States schools today, most have a high school diploma, some college or an Associate’s degree. As far as a paraprofessional certification, around a quarter of paraprofessionals have credentials or a certification. To obtain a paraprofessional certificate,one must take the paraprofessional test. The National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals offers useful training manuals and links to certification programs for paraprofessionals. Some 2-year and 4-year colleges will also offer teacher aide certifications. The necessary paraprofessional certification requirements will vary depending upon the state granting the certification. After a job is obtained, paraprofessionals must go through a certain amount of professional development hours based on the district of employment.

The average paraprofessional salary depends on the district and state of employment. Nationwide, the average is around $28,000 per year. This number can change depending on experience and education obtained while on the job. Overall, the paraprofessional position is an excellent job for those who want to work in a special education classroom and make a profound difference in the lives of students.

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Paraprofessional/IA Teacher Jobs Back to Top

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