Paraprofessionals: Tools for Your Toolbox

Welcome!

Watch this video first:

This online course for “Paraprofessionals: Tools for Your Toolkit” break down each of the seven tools into two or three parts, and include a video for each part, a pre-assessment, a post-assessment, reflection questions, and useful resources that are relevant to each tool’s content. The topics covered throughout these seven tools include: Understanding Disabilities, Roles & Responsibilities, Collaborating with Teachers, Academic Instruction, Accommodations & Modifications, Empowering Students to Be Independent, and Managing Behaviors. This course is designed to allow self-paced learning and to provide time for reflection throughout. We anticipate that each of these 7 tools would take 1 ½ - 3 hours to complete individually, depending on the tool’s content and time spent on the activities and assessments.

If you have questions throughout this training, please contact bhsscsped@gmail.com

Navigating this course:

  • If you would prefer, we have created this checklist to help you keep track of what parts of this course you have completed as you go: LINK

  • Each "Tool" has a Pre-Assessment - please complete this as you begin each "Tool."

  • After you have completed the Pre-Assessment, you can then move on to Part 1, which includes a video to watch, a PowerPoint to follow along with, and a reflection question to answer following the video.

  • After you have completed Part 1, you can then move on to Part 2, which will include similar pieces as Part 1.

  • When applicable, you can then move on to Part 3 after you have completed Part 2.

  • After completing the final video & reflection question for the "Tool," you can then move on to the Post-Assessment.

  • The Post-Assessments mark the end of each "Tool." The Resources pages are for your use as you wish, there are no activities to complete in these sections.

  • When you have finished all seven of the tools, please take a moment to complete the Evaluation Survey to provide us with feedback on what went well for you and what we could do to improve this course for future users.

Thank you!


Outcomes for this course:

  • Understand how students qualify for special education

  • Understand the various possible disability categories in special education

  • Develop a deeper understanding of the most common disability categories and take away some instructional strategies

  • Provide guidance when working with students and staff

  • Empower paraprofessionals to make a difference in their work environment

  • Provide tools to foster success while working with students

  • Gain understanding of what makes successful collaboration

  • Understand the difference between accommodations and modifications

  • When is the best time to use an accommodation and modification

  • Your role for implementation

  • Understand how to best empower students to become independent

  • Understand the difference between accommodations & modifications

  • Understand para roles in implementing accommodations & modifications

  • Understand why behaviors occur

  • How mindset about behaviors matter

  • Learn Environmental Strategies

  • Learn Proactive Behavior Strategies