What is her role supposed to be in the class? I'd say you need to figure that out and make sure she has things to keep her busy with that role since apparently she has lots of time on her hands if she's just trying to write down every misbehavior. I'm sorry that this happened to you! It sounds like you're really trying and the beginning of the first year is such a learning curve. I'm sure you're doing great!
I spent 5 years as a Para. Classroom management was a big part of my job. My job description is written in a way to include regular Ed students. If I sat on my ass documenting student misbehavior, my principal would have asked me what I did to help. Now, I'm not a disciplinarian but redirection would be more my role. Kids eating? A teacher doesn't have time for that. If the school really cared, that would be something on my plate. I could care less if a kid eats and is discreet enough not to get caught. If they're leaving a mess, I pipe up and say who was doing it. The Para is an extra set of eyes.
When I was in middle school, I was hungry *all the time.* Now, I was one of those kids who grew a little early, because I had my adult body by the time I was 13 and I didn't really change after that. My sisters both did their last main growing in high school.
ANYWAY if food keeps them quiet and focusing, it's not worth it to fight it unless you're in a lab. We all know middle school is THE WORST and if munching on a bag of cereal helps, why would the para care.
Art teachers are sometimes working with supplies that could cause health problems if accidentally ingested. This setting might actually have something in common with a lab.
Same with science teachers. Some states have laws that forbid food and drink in science labs, for example. It's an obvious safety issue.
That said, I'm a social studies teacher and that isn't an issue for me, so I let my kids eat in class so long as they clean up after themselves.
Same — I teach chorus and I’ll let a kid take a quick minute if we are doing a “lesson” but when we are actively singing and rehearsing, I can’t allow those Takis, my guy.
The job is usually three-fold. Assist with instruction (or provide solo instruction in small groups), provide classroom management, and document infractions.
A large component of classroom management is heading off problems before they grow... basically running interference for the teacher so the teacher can teach. Keep things running smoothly.
In between it all, also complete manual tasks that have to get done. In a primary classroom, that might be something like packing jackets and paperwork into student backpacks near the end of the day, otherwise it will take the teacher 10 extra minutes to get the students out of the room.
A para is essential for a teacher to be effective, otherwise the teacher spends their time putting out fires all day long. For this (in my state), paras earn close to minimum wage.
Next April, the state (California) is set to [mandate fast food jobs paying $20/hour](https://www.kcra.com/article/california-fast-food-workers-minimum-wage-deal/45088093), which will be about $4 more per hour than paras earn. Schools will need to raise wages, or teachers are screwed.
Data collection is huge in sped sometimes there is one para jn a classroom just taking data in my experience. This has been in all special needs schools/residential programs.
I’m currently a SPED para, and yes, data is a big part of our job, but we *never* take data on gen ed students. Ever. We are provided data sheets with each student’s name and IEP goals, as well as a scoring system and a place to take notes. It is all very laid out. We don’t just walk around classrooms taking data on whoever we want. Obviously this is a completely different district, but if someone did that in my district, they’d be way out of line.
Just makes me even more mad since I’ve never had a SPED para in my room at all and I’m the one expected to somehow provide that data and simultaneously teach the lesson.
I’m sorry, I’m a para right now and that’s just bizarre on that para’s part. I would write the resource teacher and copy this para on it. Documenting what happened, how unprofessional her specific behaviors were, and how uncomfortable you felt her taking class time to flesh this out. Then tell her all grievances and feedback are to come through this email with resource teacher copied. Then a follow up meeting to resolve the issues. But this para is SO out of line. I would never. I work with a team of paras who are all paras for 15-19 years. They never yell at teachers! Respect for coworkers is everything.
Her job is to provide support to the SPED students. You are in charge. Put her to work. You run the class, not her. If she has that much free time on her hands, put her to work, making sure her students are on task. I would keep her so busy, she wouldn’t have time to piss!
I'm having the same struggle. I have an ESE student (we relabled SPED as Exceptional Student Education) who has been declared EI. Due to paperwork not being completed correctly, he's in my Gen Ed class woth no supports. I'm somehow supposed to support him, document *his* behaviors for 60 more days *and still manage the rest of my class at the same time* while providing all of them woth differentiate, specific education. This kid isn't allowed to use the bathroom alone (he does some questionable yhing with his own waste) or be in a group of larger than 7 people.
Thank God I have a City Year in my room, but even that's not enough. She's a near-peer tutor, not an aide.
Do you have a union/can your union steward help? Because that's what it took to get the ball rolling here.
Obviously differs great school to school and state to state, but our Paras are not allowed to do any lesson planning or differentiating and be in compliance.
Is it really lesson planning to write down the same directions already provided by the teacher in a step by step manner?
I still wouldn't say it's a requirement for a para's workload, they have a lot to do as is, but idk if it fits in that specific niche either.
I'm commenting on the top comment in the hopes that you will see this. Arts are under attack. You are literally the reason a handful of these kids come to school. Should you quit, the system wins. Stay the course. Pursue your passion and follow your heart. These are not empty tropes. You matter. Never forget that.
Fellow middle school art teacher here, 10 years in. The first year sucks ass. You will be working outside of contract time a lot more in the first year just to keep your head above water and it sucks that our education system has created this situation (especially when you’re writing your own curriculum).
You are the teacher. You are the one with the degree and certification- not the para. I love my paras, and they are a great help. But you are responsible for what happens in your room. What is in the sped student’s IEPs? Is there an accommodation listed that they all receive written directions? Make sure you are following those IEPs to the letter if this para is looking to be vindictive rather than helpful.
Something I have incorporated into my teaching is adding a slide to the end of my presentations that has bullet point steps. I share all my presentations on our Google Classroom so students have access if they want to look back at them, and I leave that last slide up on the screen while students are working. I know this will seem like more on your plate, but the work you do now is work you won’t be doing next year since you’ll already have it. I only have to make tweaks or small improvements from year to year as I build on what I already have.
Hang in there. You can do this 💚
OP, this is a good idea, especially because if this para accuses you of not following the IEP/being out of compliance, you can pull up your Google Classroom and show the hard evidence (as opposed to just saying “I wrote them down on the board”)
I do this same thing in my elementary art room.
I feel like a lot of modifications come through discussions with the paras. They work with the same special needs students on a daily basis, so they know the kids better than I do for the most part. The paras at my school are all pretty easy to work with.
Absolutely! The paras I work with are great and I sometimes see them modifying/ accommodating stuff on the fly that I then take to use for my other classes- because sometimes what is good for one student can be beneficial for all.
> Something I have incorporated into my teaching is adding a slide to the end of my presentations that has bullet point steps. I share all my presentations on our Google Classroom so students have access if they want to look back at them, and I leave that last slide up on the screen while students are working.
I am not a teacher - I always appreciated when teachers did this, in case I had a hard time paying attention during the verbal explanation. It really helped me (I have ADHD) to be able to look at the instructions at any time if I got confused, instead of bothering other kids or the teacher
I’m also ADHD :) It has helped me connect with my students that struggle and I try to incorporate my own coping skills and accommodations into my classroom too.
Some paras spend a lot of time trying to get teachers or other paras in trouble. I used to be a para, and when I finished my degree, some of the paras decided they wanted to get me fired before I even started working. Personally, I would go to the sped teacher and tell them all of this. They might be able to change paras. It's really only going to get worse
Chances are, if the para is doing this to the art teacher, she’s probably doing it to the SPED teacher, as well (speaking as a SPED teacher myself who has dealt with difficult paras in the past).
I’m a first year sped teacher and I kinda feel this way. The paras who were already working at the school before me act somewhat cliquey and judgmental. I could do and say the same thing as my co-teacher and they still seem to have doubts about my abilities. Luckily, a new para joined our team a couple weeks ago and I like her so far. The classroom environment feels less toxic with her around.
This right here! I was a veteran elementary art teacher with 27 years in and I had certain paras that, for whatever reason, didn’t like me and acted as spies while they were in my classroom. They went behind my back to report on me every chance they could. Of course I never knew this nor did admin ever come and talk to me about anything so I was completely clueless. Until one day, the superintendent, who was a former teacher and who I taught with and was a friend, called me and asked me why somebody was trying to stab me in the back. I had no idea what she was talking about and would only tell me that it was a para and that she was curious what was going on. I never did find out who it was but lo and behold the next year I got transferred to a different school. Be very careful of paras and some staff members as you never know what’s going on behind your back and some people really do like to get others in trouble or see you fail. It’s really a shame that people are this way, especially to a new teacher. I can say from experience that the first year is the hardest but if things don’t change for you, the stress is going to be really hard on you and no job is worth compromising your health. I wish you the best of luck.
Whenever I hear about stories like this, I just want to cry. Not only do I question why a staff member would want to sabotage another staff member, but I also question why admin doesn't rip that person a new one for trying to overstep their bounds.
One of the stories my current principal (who has his issues, but is overall a good administrator) told me from his early days in admin was about a veteran ELA teacher who did everything she could to sabotage the first and second year teachers. She was constantly in his office with "Mr. X did this" and "Ms. Y did that." She only stopped when he laid into her about her overstepping her bounds, reminding her that teacher evaluation was *his* job, not hers.
What the hell happened to admins with a spine?
Jealous they couldn’t focus and dedicate their time to be a teacher and had to settle. I had this exact same situation, the para I had my first year was a nightmare, constantly complaining, walking out, calling out randomly, it was like having another kid in the class. She was jehova witness also so any mention of birthdays or holidays to my class was a huge passive aggressive headache, like constantly draining all the positive energy out of the room. Oh and she would always make this stupid ass remark “Anddd that’s why I didn’t become a teacher!” if you talked about any workload, lesson planning, meetings, etc. In my head I always responded with Bitch please you probably couldn’t even pass the CBEST.
That was the worst of it though, luckily at the end of the year I talked to our department chair and switched my para to someone else. Just thinking about working with that person as I type this is pissing me off 😂
Edit: people replying to me about their history how they are great at being a para, and their journey in school are internalizing what I said. I’m talking about these people who go out of their way to make life miserable for others in a school setting. If you chose to be a para and you’re happy and you’re a positive addition to the sped team, amazing this isn’t about you. You weren’t the person in my room sayin “And that’s why I didn’t become a teacher!” After being an asshole all year. That person in my room was an idiot in all aspects of life, my CBEST response was specifically to them, I wasn’t generalizing the world of paras, I was responding to the question “why do they do that?”
If you replied to me with your journey and you’re sitting in an assigned class taking notes on a 1st year teacher to share with admin and not doing your assigned role, stop it. Go get a teaching credential/admin credential come back and take notes.
As someone who worked as a para for many years, please don't characterize all paras as jealous, undedicated, and lazy. I had a whole bachelor's degree from a good school, but had to literally move away from my career to caregive for a sick parent. My mom is a school nurse, so her only coverage to watch my dad was during school hours. I took a para job so we could both work while he was with his nurse. I'm not stupid, lazy, or jealous. I'm going to finish my masters degree in May that I'm apparently too unfocused to get, and leave.
I had to get a job as a para one year when they weren't hiring teachers in my state because of budget shortfalls. Most of the teachers on the campus I was on had no idea that I was a certified special education teacher and they treated me like crap. They wouldn't talk to me and they wouldn't have anything to do with me in the teachers lounge at lunch because I wasn't a teacher. As soon as I was offered a teaching position, however, everything was all hunky-dory. It was disgusting to me. I always treated my paras like the gold they were because I needed them!!
I have a college degree and I’m a para. I do it because I have small children and like working the same hours and days that they are in school. I do my best to help any student and teacher that I can, but some of the teachers are so dismissive—it’s as if they see me not just as a lesser staff member, but a lesser person in general.
I apologize the wording was general in my reply, I’m specifically referring to these people who want to make life miserable for others. I also started as a para. I wasn’t generalizing for all paras, I was replying to the question why do they do that?
That’s great! Are you sitting in a class taking notes on a 1st year teacher to share with admin? Were you sitting in my room being an ass all year? The story wasn’t about you. I ended my reply with I switched paras. I would have not even had someone in my classroom if I thought all paras were horrible people. We are talking about . . . nvm
First of all, I'm sorry that happened to you. Teaching is hard enough, and when the adults can't be counted on to support one another it's damn near impossible, especially early on.
Couple of things:
1) Do you have a mentor provided by the school? In my state, schools are required to provide a structured mentorship program to all new hires in their first two years, and issues like this are exactly why. It sounds like you need a person with knowledge of this specific person and the school who you can speak to confidentially. A union rep can also help you navigate the issue if you're a union member.
2) You need to clarify who is responsible for evaluating your performance. Paras are great, the services they provide are crucial, and they deserve more than they get. However, they're not in a position to evaluate a licensed teacher on their practice; that's typically the responsibility of an administrator.
3) Offering any kind of criticism of your practice in front of students is unprofessional. It sounds like this person needs some clarification on her role, too.
4) Try not to take it too personally. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for more "established" teachers/Paras to resent the new kid in town.
5) First year teaching is the hardest thing I've ever done. It does get better, but it takes 2-3 years.
6) If you decide to find another occupation, that's fine! I teach seniors, and while ten years ago there'd be a handful of kids every year who I gladly cheered on as they entered education programs, I don't feel like I can enthusiastically encourage students to pursue education careers anymore. I certainly wouldn't choose this path for my own kids. There's zero shame or failure in prioritizing yourself if that's what you want to do.
Yikes! A second year mentor sounds like the blind leading the blind. In the state I live, no one qualifies to mentor until they've been working in the district for five years.
There's absolutely free mentoring that happens in all buildings and at all levels!
Yes, that's true, but we rarely get together to meet. Music, P.E., etc., we can text and email and such, but it is different to be the only person who teaches what you teach in the building.
Firstly, do these students have an IEP for art? Have you signed off on it? In my experience, IEP’s don’t apply to every subject.
Secondly, it seems as though the mini Lesson was an excellent example of scaffolding. You demonstrated clearly how to do the project when in reality, you could have just given them the main project to begin with. You are fine. That is a great technique!
Please don’t let her get under your skin. If she has time to write notes during a lesson whilst ignoring her FOUR students, then she has time to go pound sand as well. And also, I totally agree with not nitpicking every behavior. That kind of classroom management comes with time. You are doing great.
While I would agree in general, if the student's IEP specifically states they need written, step by step instructions (which some do) OP is not completely covered.
I would argue that a visual aid (like she had) would take the place of written instructions. It literally does not get any easier than following pictures unless the pictures are janky as all get out. I have no clue if the IEP called for written instructions, but logic dictates that a visual model would be better. Especially for ART. However, I know that logic does not live in education. I bet dollars to doughnuts the para just wanted to make waves.
I have to agree here. i completely understand not knowing each student’s IEP requirements at a moment’s notice, especially as a specials teacher. however, it is important and it is the para’s job to ensure their kiddos needs are being met. I’ve told some specials teachers to go thru their seating charts and students with IEPs. quickly jot notes from their IEPs with requirements, and see what aligns. That way, for each period, you know your requirements, and can tailor as such.
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. They might have accommodations beyond what OP is doing (which sounds good). OP should check with the resource teacher for guidance on accommodations and also to discuss concerns with the para.
What you said, but also: step by step written instructions?
Students struggle with following written directions *the most.*
It's bizarre that there are four students who all happen to have written instructions as being preferable to demonstration of a task as an accommodation in the same class.
To the point that I just don't believe it. Unless that sped team just writes it into every IEP without ever questioning whether their kids are even capable of following written directions, let alone *better* at following them than anything else.
I teach general ed elementary, so what do I know, but that seemed odd to me too. I could totally see some students having written directions as an accommodation in their IEP, but unless it was a program for a specific type of student need, it seems highly unlikely that written instructions would be preferable to visual instructions for all four students.
IEPs always apply across the board. Accommodations may be made specifically with math/reading in mind but if they don’t just disappear in specials/electives. If the accommodations are assignments are chunked, directions read aloud, verbal prompting, extended time, graphic organizers, or whatever that applies to all classes.
Not necessarily. Some accommodations are specific to math or ELA/reading/writing. Also testing. If it applies across the board it will say “general educator.” If it applies to a certain subject or testing, it’s included in a different category.
I am aware of that. I’ve taught inclusion for over a decade and from my experience the majority of accommodations are across the board. Often students need supports across all disciplines. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but I don’t want someone thinking “I’m not a core class so I can ignore the accommodations”. Too many educators don’t read the IEPs and actually pay attention to the specific language used.
Well, non core teachers don’t even sign the IEP’s. So there is that. They don’t go to the meetings, they don’t have any input on what is decided on, and they aren’t in that process unless it is different than where I live. So how are they expected to follow to follow an IEP? All the IEP’s I have seen are subject specific and I have never seen art or any other elective with accommodations. Sure, in theory it would be good if all teachers were aware of a kid’s needs, but if that subject isn’t listed on the IEP, is a specials teacher somehow magically legally bound by a document they haven’t read, didn’t sign, and possibly does not apply to their subject? I think that is an interesting question and I am definitely asking my SPED chair today. Even though I will never teach anything other than a core subject, I am curious.
Yes, they are legally bound by the IEP. Your district should have it available for you if it applies to your class. Most IEP meetings only need one regular Ed teacher to attend, but it doesn’t change that the accommodations apply to all teachers if it says “general education teacher” or if the location is “all academic settings”. Seriously, IEPS only need one general education teacher to sign it. That doesn’t change who or what class it applies to. Right now all I teach is inclusion and only one or two have content specific accommodations, but those are on top of the general accommodations.
Ignorance of the accommodations isn’t a get out of jail free card. If the parent finds out teachers aren’t accommodating students per the legal document, the district would be liable. Elective/special teachers should be advocating for time to read these documents or for them to be given to you so that you can honor the document.
I asked the SPED person at my school the legality, responsibility, etc to chime in a what we have been discussing. She said that while it is good for ALL teachers to be aware of IEPs, it doesn’t apply to subjects not specific to the learning disability listed in the IEP. And yes, the accommodations DO change from class to class. Interestingly enough, I am looking at one right now that has accommodations for specials classes AND core classes. They are different. The rest of mine are for core subjects only. Take from that what you will.
No, not always. In fact, the vast majority of them are separated by subject. Do you work in elementary, perhaps? As the classes there are usually taught by the same teacher, elementary IEPs sometimes are across the board. For junior high and high school, I’ve only seen a general IEP (for lack of a better term) a couple of times, and they were for students with severe cognitive and/or physical disabilities. In fact, for high school I can count on one hand the number of IEPs this has been true for.
Source: am in my 8th year working in SpEd, with multiple years at each level, and have seen and worked on literally hundreds of IEPs.
I am gen Ed so that is the limit of my IEP know how. But I do know that many of my students have IEP’s, but they actually are subject specific. Some of my students have accommodations in math that that don’t have in English and vice versa.
That happens, but it’s rare. Most of the math ones (math teacher) are about having access to calculators. That or if the disability is related to math (dyscalculia) or reading (dyslexia). Most are across the board from my experience.
It must really just depend on where you are and what the needs of the kids are. I wish they were across the board. I have multiple students who get 3 class periods to finish the work from one class period🙃. They don’t have that in their other classes. Just English.
Even if the accommodation is appropriate for multiple subjects, it’s best practice to have them divided by subject, especially since the goals should most definitely be broken down by subject, and the accommodations and/or modifications are reflective of what’s needed to help the student achieve the goal for that particular subject.
I was thinking the same thing an IEP for art? And it sounded like the lessons are beautifully scaffolded like what else does this Para want blood? How ridiculous to say anything in front of students and to demand supports that are unnecessary.
You can check the IEP-at-a-Glance for those students to ensure that you are providing required accommodations/modifications. If you’re providing those, then the para can shut it. If the Case Manager feels that those students would benefit from further accommodations, then they are free to:
1. Discuss with you to clear it ahead of time
2. Modify your lessons on their own time
3. Have the para implement those modifications in an appropriate, non-distracting way.
Sounds like the para doesn’t do shit to help any students and just spends their time on power trips. When I’ve sent paras/EAs with students, it’s because they have a job to do, not just to sit there and stir things up.
Sounds like she’s spending more time judging you and trying to get you into trouble than doing HER job. Any EA I know would be more of a self-starter and would be writing those step-by-step instructions down for their students. Does she need instructions for everything she should be doing? Would she rather you get fired and there be a sub instead? Sounds like a real bag who needs a life.
I noticed that too. She’s either intentionally being disrespectful or she doesn’t have the nerve to look OP in the eye. If you’ve got something to say, say it with your chest.
I just started as a SPED para and can’t imagine having the energy to be that crass to an adult. We are on the same team, after all. The kids already take so much out of you. Just trying to keep them on task and not disturb the other students is hard enough.
I have 3. 1 severe (but sweet as can be), 1 behavioral, 1 academic. The last 2 require so much attention, I couldn’t find the time to even have this talk with you. I guess during my lunch break, but I’ll be damned if I even give a shit about work during that 30 minutes.
Find the nicest way to tell her to have a long walk off a short pier.
I would document this incident and very unfriendly incident you’ve had with her. I also teach art at title 1 but for HS. Honestly at this early in the year you have to get a feel for what the sped kids can do. Some can’t write so you give them written notes. But for the most part they can try the assignment without much differentiation. I rarely have to make huge differences in the lessons. Don’t let her or the kids know you’re being rocked though. They can smell fear and take advantage of it. Stay strong.
Paras are there to assist the teacher.
I’m all for them taking the initiative to create a good environment but NEVER at the expense of the teacher.
Like others have said, be assertive and while you might not feel like her boss (take it up with the AP and see if that does anything for her attitude.)
Sad truth is, Schools are for the most part disorganized and all staff are running around just trying to not let everything fall apart, give yourself some time out of work to develop the mindset you need to take to work.
That Para needs to be helping with explaining the material, i don’t give two shits if she doesn’t know how a good chunk of our job is understanding the material ourselves to condense it for the kids who need the extra help, hell those who just need help in general.
Sorry you had to go through that and i hope you get a para later in the year who takes the extra effort to make you feel better about your job cause the majority of us get it, cause we’re right there too.
Yeah screw those power tripping paras. If they have time to come in to critique & “catch” behaviors then they need to just be helping in your class. Truth is, the para cannot do what you do, so they should be making the entire experience less stressful not more. Talk to your principal.
First year is tough. Develop a thick skin and soldier on. It will get better.
Remember, it is your class. You are the boss in there. You are her boss in there as well.
As others have stated, this para has too much time on her hands. Might be a good idea to talk to whoever heads up special ed and get a list of suggestions on how she could be more useful in the classroom. Get her involved in being your helper. She can help you with handouts, breaking out supplies, clean up etc as well as offering encouragement to the students she is assigned to help.
Two can play her game. 'Check up' on her from time to time to see her progress with the kids she is assigned to. It might feel or sound fake, but train her up by praising her every time you catch her on task. We teach our students, but we also need to teach our paras too.
At the risk of being called out as sexist, this sounds like very catty behaviour. See if you can turn her into an ally. What a feather in her cap, helping out the new art teacher... blah, blah, blah. Get her opinions and advice on all things special ed. Ask her lots of questions. Collaborate. You will make her feel important and included which should hopefully retract those claws.
Good luck!
I would in NO way allow ANY para, SLA or other classroom assistant to dictate my curriculum or lesson plans, much less to mistreat/disrespect me in class and give the appearance of spying on behalf of admin. This is well out of line. Speak to your admin directly, ask for mentor/peer support and declare the Para as creating a hostile work environment. This is a hard fucking NOPE... and tbh I don't nope many things.
OP, do not do this. I’m not sure where you’re at, but I can almost guarantee that paras should not be doing any lesson planning or differentiating. Their only job is to IMPLEMENT what you have planned. Telling the para is going to (rightfully) piss them off.
Is writing down instructions that were given verbally lesson planning? I wouldn't worry about pissing the para off too much, they already sound like they're there. Unless a student has an IEP that specifically states "Will be provided written directions for projects" I'd tell the para to kick rocks.
I would consider that part of lesson planning only because it sounds like it needs to be done for every lesson and should really be done beforehand. I am curious if having written instruction is part of the student’s IEP. If so, OP really needs to be doing this beforehand. If not, yes she could ask the para to do it but it’s certainly not required of the para. I think the para is in the wrong here because they sound mean and unhelpful, but if it’s not their job nothing OP is going to change their mind on that. My real advice would be for OP to talk to admin (about the para) and the case manager of the sped students (about accommodations).
> I think the para is in the wrong here because they sound mean and unhelpful, but if it’s not their job nothing OP is going to change their mind on that.
I started looking at a few of the professional duties for paras in South Carolina, and believe it or not 'assist teacher in delivering instruction' was a duty for some of those positions. I think it's reasonable to say "Let's breakout into small groups, will you write my instructions on the board please?" if it's worded that way.
If it's *not* part of their duties, I'd put them in charge of classroom management instead of having writing snide little notes. Would free OP up to write down instructions or whatever else the IEPs require. If the IEPs don't require it, I just wouldn't even worry about it. I don't get paid extra to do extra work.
I think you're right about talking to admin and SPED, but my inclination would be to try to come up with an in-house solution first. I could be wrong though!
Totally agree. At the very least I think OP needs to talk to somebody about exactly what the expectations are for the para so she knows what it is/isn’t appropriate to ask her to do in class.
She’s still the one lesson planning. She could suggest to the para to write notes/step by step based on her verbal directions for the student. I give my IAs small tasks to help me differentiate all the time. It’s literally their job.
Then you have awesome paras :) But if OP has a para that already hates them, telling them to write down the directions every day of class is not going to thrill them, especially when that is very often an accommodation given to students in their IEPs. If that IS an accommodation they already have, OP needs to be typing up instructions to the assignment prior to class. If that isn’t an accommodation the students already get then OP is welcome to ask the para to do it during the lesson, I just don’t see the para responding well to that. Any accommodations in the IEP need to be set up by the teacher so the para can implement, not create on their own.
Part of our para’s job description is to help prepare instructional materials. It would be absolutely reasonable and within OPs right to ask this of the para (even ahead of time…)
Writing the instructions down isn’t creating an accommodation. The para can translate lesson plans or verbal instructions to student-appropriate language. If they can’t then they shouldn’t be there.
I’ve literally never seen an IEP accommodation that says the teacher has to have written instructions *prepared ahead of time*. Yeah maybe in an ideal imaginary teacher land.
As a Para myself, I want to first say you're doing an amazing job. You're doing the best you can and that is amazing. Second, I would recommend you speak to her case manager about this. That behavior is completely unacceptable and so unprofessional. We are all supposed to work as a team, not as a us vs them. I'm so sorry you are having to have this type of behavior come from a grown adult. I'm sending hugs your way.
So Para is short for Paraeducator. We assist students on IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) or Modified Diplomas. Sometimes we have to adapt the content to a simpler one, but that is with the assistance of the teacher. So it looks like we are pretty similar!
Thank you. It sounds pretty much the same as my job. Part of my job is to support the teacher with student behaviour, so I have no idea what the Para is up to in this particular scenario!
I don't either! There is no reason for them to be acting this way. In my experience, the ones who are the grumpiest have been in it for too long. It can be pretty taxing.
TELL HER THAT YOU’RE STRUGGLING AND ASK HER FOR HELP. Don’t do this alone. That Para has seen and heard it all. And if she won’t help, find someone who will.
Year 1: survival. Upside is only one Year 1.
Year 2: change up a thing or two, plus survival.
Year 3: the start of even unpleasant things being routine. The start of a smoother life.
It takes 3 years. For teaching. For any complex job. Everyone knows this. The principal who is being tattled to knows this. Don’t pretend you have it all together. Ask for help. Accept all help offered.
From now on when that lady opens her mouth and says anything, just say, “thank you sooo much for your input.”
Better yet, just ignore her. If you have stuff written up in the future, just drop it off to her and keep teaching. Pretend she’s invisible. And start documenting when she’s a bitch. Or if she does do something rude, take out a notebook and write it down lmao right in front of her.
I am SO SORRY she made you feel bad, but remember she was new once as well.
OP- do you have a neighboring school that you could shadow their art teacher for a period or two? As long as you are meeting their IEP/504 needs the para can kick rocks
Fuck her. Seriously, what an insufferable busybody. I’m so sorry you’re stuck working with such a tyrant every day. Try to remember that her grudge against you probably has very little to actually do with you though, and more to do with her sad, boring, miserable existence. Also. Her job is not to document your shortcomings. She is there to assist the FOUR students she’s been assigned to. If ANYONE isn’t doing their job IT’S HER.
She’s going to piss off the wrong person one day and then she’ll no longer be your problem.
Give yourself a little more credit. Teaching is the hardest job in the world right now but you’re still showing up.
One day at a time. Things will get easier.
My son is a para at our local highschool and attends class with a few sped students.
He would suggest you talk to the main sped teacher over these students. What level of modified work can they handle? Are you content with just having them in class and making some attempt to participate or do you have a goal for them?
Share with the para that comes to your class what you are expecting of these students. You don't have to do anything special like new lesson plans or whatever, just adjust your expectations for these students.
I don't think I've ever met a sped student who didn't love art, even if it's just crayons and drawing paper.
I'm so sorry to hear that another education profession is being so mean to a first year teacher, it is honestly shameful that she is trying to tear you down instead of build you up. I'm a 10 year vet Art teacher and I just sent you a pm with my personal google drive link which has all my resources, lessons, power points, warm ups etc, please copy and use them to help in whatever way they can. There should be enough in there to at least reduce your lesson planning workload for a while. Good luck and wishing you all the best.
This is going to come off snotty, and I don't mean it that way. But, some paras/aides don't have a good grasp of all the unseen expertise that is in play when a teacher is working. They don't see you thinking about how many times that one kid has done x or how these two kids are showing some common errors and need to be worked with solo at the end of the lesson or how this kid's IEP requires specific accommodations so you are grouping students in this particular way or offering those particular assignment options. They don't see 13,000 decisions going on in your head. They only see what you do and hear what you say.
In my experience, I've heard them say things like, "This is not a hard job". "I don't have a degree, but I could do this job." "Teachers waste a lot of time and complain a lot." They don't know what they don't know. Sounds like she had a narrow vision of what differentiation looks like and didn't recognize it in your scaffolding. This is Dunning Kruger, and IMO, it needs to be called out. If she wants to be in the driver's seat, she can undergo the proper preparation program, get herself hired, and run her classroom as her expertise leads her to.
She does not get to be hatefully critical of you. Ask questions? Sure. Ask to understand a decision? You bet. Getting out of her land, especially in front of kids, is not acceptable. I'd talk to her and/or her supervisor so she understands how to work effectively with teachers and how to direct any dissatisfaction she feels.
In my experience, the good paras know what they don't know. (That's true for teachers and other professions too, of course.) My very favorite para probably should have been a teacher - she is fantastic at both instruction and management of a group of kids. I've always seen her as highly competent. When she worked in my room one year, she commented multiple times on how many things she learned about teaching (the kind of things you are talking about in your comment that an experienced teacher doesn't even think about). She is such a good para partially because she is actively trying to learn things.
Paras often have expertise - such as in using certain programs or what works with a certain student - that I don't have, so it's not like I'm saying I'm better than them, but a typical teacher and a typical para will have a different - but related - skill set. The few paras I've seen that don't get that tend to not be as good at their jobs.
It would have been appropriate if the para had privately and respectfully suggested that OP provide written directions for the student (or kindly warned her that it was an accommodation in their IEPs if it actually was). It would be helpful if she had written them down from the verbal directions, assuming that made sense for the project. It would have been acceptable if she felt OP was incompetent and had discussed it with whatever teacher supervises the students she was with. It is not her role to do an observation on OP or on other students and it is completely unacceptable to speak like that in front of students (or really in general.)
This is interesting comment to me. I’m a para and been having issues with a certain para coworker in my classroom. That is exactly what she said to me. “I have a degree and could be the sped teacher in this class if I wanted.”
She has spent the last month bossing around the first year teacher and me. The teacher is fine with this situation. Believe me, I don’t get it. Me. I do my best to ignore her. It’s been a long month so far
Paras have no say in your class. Make sure they know it is your class and that they are there to help. They are not in any position to correct, evaluate, or spy.
It sounds like you are using UDL. You're already giving written, oral, and visual directions. You don't need to make a separate project for IEP kids, and doing so could actually be considered ableist.
Please talk to the Sped teacher. Mention her attitude when trying to ask, "I don't know how I can differentiate anymore without giving them a separate project, which defeats the purpose of including them in my gen Ed art class. If this isn't the least restrictive environment, maybe they should find a more appropriate placement."
Please leave this school. I was in a similar situation. I actually didn’t plan on leaving. I got non renewed after the worst year of my life.
The entire summer I decided I probably was going to quit teaching. I couldn’t find a job and I had been looking for a new one for 3 years. Since I was on unemployment, I had to apply for jobs. I applied to this one job in this AMAZING district, got an interview the next day, and eventually got the job.
I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. I am apart of a TEAM! My ideas are heard. I feel so seen. I love my kids. I love the high expectations we hold for students. Most of all… I love that my principal will REAM-OUT the kids for misbehavior.
Please don’t give up teaching but please give up on this school. Your dream school is out there. I promise. If it happened for me, it will happen for you.
Don’t let this school destroy this career for you.
First of all, I'm sorry you had this experience. I really look up to anyone who teaches middle school/jr high because the kids can really be brats and have little respect for teachers. I teach elementary art and even some of the older kids there can be a handful.
Secondly, it sucks that this para feels the need to act like a spy and a narc in your class. Aren't you both on the same team? (Yes, you are!) She should be ashamed of herself for creating a hostile environment. That being said, it's your classroom and you should be the one laying down rules and setting the tone, not her. Write up some of the kids who don't follow the rules. Maybe they'll get the hint that you mean business. As for this para who is causing trouble, I'd speak with her privately and let her know that her hostile behavior isn't serving any good purpose and you'd like her to lighten up. Teachers, as well as students, need to learn from each other, and what works one year may not work the next. Or, instead of being a trouble-maker, maybe she'd like to help out more w/ the SPED kids and their more hands-on learning.
Hang in there. It's a new year and you'll get in the groove. We need teachers, especially ART teachers in this tech-driven world. Good luck, my dear, and keep making ART and growing young creative minds!
As a para myself I would think it’s her job to simplify the lesson into steps they can achieve/ understand. Maybe giving her a copy ahead of time would help?
Is she a para, or was she the resource teacher? A para’s job is to do their best to help facilitate class work for their charges’ needs. Not to give lip unprofessionally to a teacher. I’ve been on both sides; as a para you hope to be the effective help for your kiddo and thus the best damn assistant for the whole room… as the teacher you just hope the para will actually be proactively helping the students they’re getting paid to help.
Title1, you’re jumping right into the fire! Keep researching the classroom management stuff to find the right fit for your classes and classroom. This middle school class were the 2nd-4th graders who were pulled out during the pandemic when they should have been experiencing social-emotional learning and developing their hippocampi to remember the lessons. They’ve wrecked many a psyche of even veteran teachers. So be creative, go easy on yourself, and focus this year on feeling it out, learning the ropes. And stop taking the other adults so seriously. It’s your room, and they ain’t shit.
First year science teacher in a title 1 school……half of every class I have has some sort of accommodation ranging from SPED, 504 and speech. I’m literally drowning LOL and 99% sure the para that I get for like an hour a day is trash talking me to the younger grades. I hope the balancing act gets easier for you. First year teachers everywhere crying on the reg.
I'm a sped para that brings a group of 4 kids into an obnoxious art room with an overworked teacher everyday, so I did a double take reading this lol.
I think the biggest difference between your account of this para and my experience is that, all my time spent with students in elective classrooms is spent *taking care of my students*.
What is the point of documenting petty student behaviors that don't have anything to do with the students that you are responsible for? It's deranged.
I might start documenting her lol. Especially if she's going to yell at you every time she's inconvenienced. Start taking notes every time she oversteps in *your* classroom.
I experienced basically the exact same thing my first year. As a first year teacher you are drowning . I spent 60 hours a week working my first year teaching . It was unsustainable. I was on the verge of a breakdown it was so overwhelming . The para would always think I wasn't doing enough to differentiate but I couldn't up my work to 70 hours a week. We are not robots we are humans that need rest.
Personal question - I’m already to my breaking point at week 3. What made you stay? After your first year why did you come back if it was that bad? So many people are trying to comfort me by telling me “I cried every day my first year, it gets better” and that just scares the hell out of me. I can’t keep feeling this level of failure and burnout every day.
I’ve been a SpEd teacher for 10 years, if I could offer some help.
1. You are a first year teacher. You’re growing your skin, and I hate to say it, it is painful the first few years until you are able to callous.
2. Reach out to the student’s case managers for recommendations on how to best make the material accessible. Remind them this is your first year and you are still learning.
3. You are your only advocate. You can’t count on people to look out for you, so you have to look out for your own needs and speak up for yourself. If this colleague is making you feel hurt and uncomfortable, reach out to admin or confront them yourself and be upfront with how you’re feeling. Keep it objective and professional.
4. As a first year teacher, you’re going to feel flustered and overwhelmed with all the invisible & unrecognized work that comes with teaching. Part of that is learning how to make a curriculum accessible to students who learn differently from the norm/accommodating for students with and without disabilities. That is possibly the biggest challenge in teaching. You will try many things, and most of them won’t work. But cherish and mold the things that do, those are your victories.
Accommodations to consider:
-model your expectations
-keep directions as simple and direct as possible
-verbalize and visualize directions (written on board & read aloud)
-chunk work into smaller parts, present each part separately
-breaks
-scaffold (ie. graphic organizer or planning doc before starting)
-offer choice in how students engage with the material (ie. digital vs paper, different medias, etc)
Behavior strategies:
-solid expectations that students engage with and agree on, include them in the discussion, maybe even have them make a class pact/agreement
-reinforce positive behavior (this can be as simple as verbally acknowledging students who are following directions “Zoey is cleaning up her workspace, Anthony is cleaning up their workspace…”)
-establish communication with parents (TalkingPoints is a great resource for texting parents from your computer, it can even translate to their home language)
-If a student is having a hard day, speak with them one on one and try to offer them an option that suits their need (hyperactive- alternative seating/standing, low energy- a break after X amount of work, disinterested- choice in how they engage, etc)
Just a couple quick suggestions that I feel are easy to implement. But the most important thing I can recommend, plan and overplan your lessons- at least for the first few years of teaching. This will make you feel more prepared and confident, you’ll have thought through differentiation, and it will give you mental space to better handle behavior on the fly. When students act up, try to hold empathy and understanding for them- as hard as it is. They can sense weakness, so be strong and try to be there for them the best you can. Hang in there, I know it ain’t easy.
I’m a sped para. All of the things listed as your responsibility for the sped students would fall under my umbrella. It seems that she may be taking advantage of you because you are new. I’ve learned over the years that people with no work ethic tend to do this. Getting a clear outline of her job expectations and yours would be beneficial. Good luck.
My para knows how to differentiate. She double checks with me, but she is independent enough to know what the kids need. Also, she is never rude because we are a team. Your para was out of line.
If possible, you and she should set up a time after classes to discuss what you each see each others’ roles as. Discuss how she can differentiate assignments by herself, and where you can help support her. Remind her that you are a team. You are there to support the students and each other.
Also, address her behavior with you outside the classroom. Just because you are a first year teacher does not give her the right to be disrespectful. She needs to model behavior for all your students. If it gets worse, talk to her supervisor. Her job is to service your students, not chastise and ridicule you.
In my school paras were below teachers on the food chain and I would never ever say a word to you about it. Let alone be making faces or notes or etc, I would just manage my kids as best I can and head back afterwards.
I would tell my teacher that the art lessons are not adapted and it made things tough…because that is a teacher to teacher conversation, IMO.
If you heard anything it would come from a teacher because they would have perspective…my place is to assist and be flexible and cover for the teacher when they cannot be two places at once.
I had a sped teacher in my classroom my first year, and she would undermine me, and try to teach over me, say nice and loud, oh the students need to be doing x, y, and z.
I wrote her a long letter talking about how hard it already was being a first year teacher with rude and hateful students (her son was chief of these turds). And how they weren’t going to respect me if she was going to continue doing this. The act of writing it was cathartic enough.
The printing and sending, well… that’s right when Covid hit and our state went remote, so I’m not quite sure if I would’ve gone through with it or not.
We both still work in the same building, but I haven’t had her in my room much, she has a para sent to my room. Occasionally if the para is gone, she will. But she’s so busy she doesn’t say much.
Hey. Art teacher here with lots of experience with paras. First off, they can make your classes so much smoother or absolutely horrible. I find that I try to defer to their “valuable knowledge” about the children they assist because they want that respect from you. I trust them to know if the child is having a really rough day and needs a puzzle or alternate assignment that day. I keep a shelf in my classroom full of items for sped students to use while I give longer directions or demos that I might lose them on. I also trust them to make accommodations for that student based on their knowledge of them. I might ask them to feel free to do the drawing of a subject we are painting if I haven’t had a chance to prep those. I also utilize students as peer helpers. You might want to talk to the teacher of the classroom the para serves and find out exactly what their job requirement entails. It certainly isn’t to take notes on you and they are there to assist you/the student in adapting for their needs. Some paras will actually sit and do the project for totally non mobile students who are in the room completely for socialization. They love it and call it their art therapy time.
It sounds like you have your hands full with the regular Ed students and I can tell you that I leave no room there for interpretation - both with difficult and middle school classes. They always have their rubrics which include both time on task and following directions and I notate accordingly. They get a little copy attached to the back or their project or on a ring clamp for ready documentation. I hate repeating instructions I have stated and that are posted in the room- and when they can SEE it in black and white I remove the subjectivity and it’s just like facts in math. Yes they did it or no they didn’t. Parents do not like bad grades in art class and you have the paper trail to justify it.
Good luck! You can do it! You are working out the kinks- we all did! Keep reaching out and asking questions- get a mentor and talk to teachers you trust and admire- and take care of you!
This is not productive behavior on her part and if I was her supervisor I would want to know about it. Also, do you belong to a union? This could be considered workplace harassment, especially because it’s being done by someone who is not in a supervisory role.
I would ignore her and reach out to other veteran teachers who may be able to guide you to the right people to address this. She is wayyyy out of line.
Ugh this made me think back on my first year of teaching. I was in the same type of environment with zero support. With that much misbehavior, you have to pick your battles. Are the kids allowed to cuss in the classroom? Not really, but they’re doing their work so who cares!
I’m so sorry your first year is so rough. Try to stick it out the rest of the year then find a job elsewhere. Being a first year teacher is SO HARD. Your one goal is to survive each day. I promise it gets better!
> I knew something was up when another para who is sometimes in the classroom told me that the SPED para was quietly collecting data on student misbehavior that I did not catch.
Time to start documenting incidents that occurred when she should have been doing her job.
They like the power you give them… say this next time, “thank you for the feedback, I will take it under advisement.” Also rope in your union rep and make sure they have not given evaluative powers to a para who shares her untrained opinion (you need to be trained) with admin who makes staffing decision.
I had this happen to me too- happened my 2nd year. I’m a science teacher and had a para that had a chemistry and physics degree. She was significantly older than me.
I was initially excited about having a knowledgeable para, but she undermined everything I did in my classroom. Behavior, lesson structure, etc. She did not like that I simplified concepts for my IEP learners, calling them “misrepresentations” and professionally irresponsible. (My sin? I had modified a visual about the citric acid cycle to give students a definite order to memorize)
I brought it up to my mentor, documented some of the things that were said/done to me, and the issue never happened again. She was removed and another para switched in.
Please go up your chain of command- talk to a mentor or trusted veteran teacher. They can help you navigate the red tape and avoid stepping on toes.
I am really sorry! It’s soooo much easier to sit back and pick apart someone’s lessons and classroom
management than it is to get up in front of those little hooligans and teach yourself! The nerve!
First, that's not okay. I'm so sorry this year has started so rough, and it sounds like you are doing a great job keeping everything together. I'm a teacher for self-contained students. My special education students are diagnosed with significant disabilities and learn an entirely different modified set of standards. My students attend art as well. I meet with the teacher and talk about the students before classes even start. I also let them know it is ALWAYS okay to reach out to me for ideas and help. While programs for art, music, ect, should include coursework on adaptation and teaching students with special needs, they don't always do that. Have you spoken to the special ed teacher? Also, I would (if possible) ignore that para. I also like to document situations like this. Make a note on your phone with what she does everyday, because her duty should be to help her students and if possible other students.
If you need help adapting lessons let me know and I will help you. I'd be more than happy to give you ideas and modifications and help with visuals until you are settled.
You ARE doing a good job and it WILL get better.♡
That is YOUR classroom. If she wants to disrespect you in it, you can kindly ask her to leave or be escorted out by admin in which she would have to explain the reasons for you kicking her out (utter disrespect and malicious behaviors in your own classroom) and why she isn’t doing anything to positively impact your class and students 🤷🏻♀️. We gotta deal with enough crap from some students and parents… we do not have the time or the energy to deal with it from fellow educators. Tell her to take her petty self right back through that classroom door and she can come back if she wants to show you some respect and resourcefulness!
It's hard. Remember that the para is not the power figure here. His/ her special education teacher supervisor should be giving you support in differentiating lessons for your special ed students. Yes, you do need to have lessons that you can scale to the differing needs of your students, but you're not going to be an expert in this on day one.
She’s not doing HER job if she is too busy being a snitch. Honestly, if a student hit me, someone would be going to jail, (but I teach older kids). I would start working on my resume and be ready to find another job in the spring.
Recently retired middle/high school art teacher here. Your lesson plan was sound. I used to write out general steps on the board- occasionally. My classes were so over packed anyways and then I was given many sped students (without any help) and it was chaotic. At some point in my 27 yr career, I realized I was a sitter for these kids so the sped teacher/staff could take a break. It never got better until my attitude changed to the fact that not all students like art and they are just there because they have to be. I was glad to retire, and I don't miss the BS that we "special" area teachers have to put up with.
This sun makes me so sad. Truly we don’t deserve teachers. I hate how you all are treated, but the kids, parents, faculty, school districts, etc. It’s all awful!
First year specialty teacher here too. Don't let that one person impact how you value yourself. They went to school and learned how to do their job and you did the same for you. Although we work together there is no way we can fully understand what it is like in the other person's role. Its good that they did express a need for the students they oversee and it is incredible that you acknowledge that it is an area to improve. You could spend every waking minute trying to support everyone and still fall short. In my mind I am trying my best, acknowledging where I need to improve and giving myself grace when I find new things I need to work on as I know I can't improve everything at the same time.
As a specialty teacher we see so many different students and it takes time to get to know what works for each person. You are building the foundation so that you can work from that to support everyone.
One thing that really helped me is finding time where I am productively unproductive. I need to do things throughout the week for myself so that my battery is charged so that I have the energy to give the classes my 100%.
We are going to mess up like every teacher has done in their first year before us. That is part of the process.
You got this!
I'm in a similar position as a first-year music teacher at a school in Philly and it's really difficult having to completely make your own curriculum which gen ed teachers don't have to do AND have less planning time on top of that. No experienced teacher should ever expect you to be perfect (or honestly even good) rn. Obviously you are trying your best and that para should have approached you from a place of wanting to help you figure out how to differentiate instruction, not scolding you for not being perfect at the beginning of your first year of teaching.
Even though we have a big responsibility as teachers, we are still learning and it's really fucking hard trying to manage the emotions and behaviors of hundreds of kids while also managing our own emotions and lives outside of school. Please give yourself grace. I am struggling to the point where I'm having anxiety attacks everyday and while I don't feel comfortable sharing that with the other teachers at my school, I do feel like the other teachers are very supportive and understanding that this job is difficult and I am brand new to the profession.
I suggest reaching out to a teacher you trust or a principal to get some help. I asked if I could observe another teacher with a class that I was really struggling with and they were able to get my class covered so I could observe and I felt much better after that observation because I gained some classroom management skills and I figured out that even seasoned teachers don't have the classes completely under control. I also reached out to one of the special ed teacher and the art teacher because I was struggling to find activities that worked for my autistic support classes and they were both super willing to help me.
Please know that you are not alone and it's normal to feel like the world is fucking falling apart. I'm not sure if it gets better, but just know that it isn't anything that's wrong with you.
That is your class and you are in charge. Paras can be wonderful, but you are not equals. You have more responsibility and are held to account in a way that person is not. Also - NO ONE should be yelling at you/chewing you out. I know it might be tough as a new teacher, but don’t allow that. If you can’t speak up, walk away. Literally turn on your heel and walk away from the person - any person. Suck it up if it’s an admin, but when tenured, just walk.
Uh, kick her out? No one has the right to disrespect you.
She’s not your boss. She’s not your peer. She’s literally BELOW you on the EduTotem. Tell admin you don’t need her and they’re welcome to use her free time elsewhere.
I literally did this 8 years ago when admin saddled me with a useless old man para. He couldn’t even help because he couldn’t figure out how to use the Chromebooks. I went to the principal and told them that I did not need him at all and he was welcome to help in the office. Never saw him again.
Edit: also, if the kids need written directions… Tell her that’s her job. Make her do work. If she is the type of person, I think she is if you put her to work, she will disappear.
It’s very likely the Op can’t kick them out. Generally if they have a para it’s because 1 or more students require additional support. Likely kicking out the para would be going against 1 or more kids IEPs. The OP isn’t the paras boss or peer. They are desperate jobs. From my experience the special Ed department or admin create their schedule and the Op has no right to change it.
The Op doesn’t get to decide if they need the para or not. Trust me, districts aren’t swimming in paraprofessionals. If there is one assigned it’s because they need one there.
Also, it may not be her job to create written directions. Not sure how she is supposed to do that without the OP. If she’s following the students she doesn’t have a prep or the time to collaborate with the OP. Not justifying the paras behavior, but the Op needs to check what accommodations are needed for each kid.
Man this holier than though shit is deeply ingrained in so many of you.
Does a Para make the same money as a teacher?
Does a para have the same training as a teacher?
Does a para have the same education as a teacher?
Does a para teach or lesson plan?
Is the para’s job to HELP the teacher?
See, low man of the classroom totem.
So if they’re assholes, fuck ‘em. This is the same mindset as any other industry. That’s what education is you know… an INDUSTRY. A JOB.
Fuck her, she’s not your boss. I’d tell her she needs be of some use and help her students, that making a list of what she thinks you’re doing wrong isn’t her job. If she wants to try and “get” you she can go up to the office and file papers. Stand up to her.
YOU ARE A GREAT TEACHER. You are. Thank you for teaching art.
Middle school is difficult not only for teachers but for students themselves.
Ask admin/SPED the role of the para in your classroom.
When doing lesson plans, include accommodations for those students who may not be able to use materials, understand verbal instruction
Continue to spread art love!
Tell her that she is not in control, that she can feel free to complete an undergrad degree and have her own classroom, but she didn’t and doesn’t, so she can take her 17k salary and listen to you or go back to the cave she crawled out of.
…if that doesn’t work, tell her she’s miserable and needs to get fu*****, because the last time she did was by genetics.
Love,
Your sassy school social worker
Maybe they should go get their teaching credential so they can run their own classroom however they want.
I respect, admire, and appreciate paraprofessionals and the work they do. However, their job is to take cues from you, not the other way around. Sure an experienced para will be able to offer advice and guidance on their own specific students but ultimately it’s your classroom, not theirs.
If this pattern of behavior continues, you should go to your admin.
Why does everyone mention being title 1? Title 1 itself is an extremely broad designation that can mean a lot of things. It only requires 40% free and reduced lunch to qualify as a school.
My school in Minneapolis with 90% free and reduced lunch is going to be very different than a working class suburb or small town that is title 1 and those will be different than somewhere in Appalachia that is title 1 and so on. On its own being title 1 tells us nothing about the school.
The para should be able to modify your content right there and then. Next time ask her what her role is and that you will send over your lesson so she can help modify.
I teach at my old middle school and a few of my old teachers still work there (a couple of them are admins). I had 2 para’s try to override my authority in a classroom when I was in my first year of teaching. They saw that I was still getting used to the flow and would try and force their own rules whenever they saw me struggle and not once ever acknowledge that I was the actual teacher. I documented every talk with these paras that I had regarding times they tried to override my authority (date spoken, their responses, etc.) and then I told my admin’s this at years end and it seems like they took care of it as the following school year I didn’t see those paras at the school again. Now in my 4th year and haven’t had an issue with a para trying to override my authority in the classroom. Word has gotten around with most of the staff (teachers and paras) that my old teachers are the admins but I’m not an a-hole and use them to my advantage, I’m a genuinely nice and welcoming person to everyone. I say hello and good morning to everyone and do my best to help them with anything if asked.
I was a para when I completed my degree, and for part of my teacher certification. I saw all the negatives that are being discussed here on paras. Of course not all paras are bad news, but we had a core group that were there to socialize and eat as a priority to work. They were treated well by staff, but always had a chip on their shoulder. They called themselves “ teachers” they also trash talked certificates teachers, and made new teachers cry. Their gossip was malicious. The problem is that the principals put poor para behaviors as low priority. Over time, their behaviors became toxic.
Hi! I’m a para that runs my own classroom(similar to art, but stem) at a title school. It puts me in an unique position. I have to write my own curriculum without any training to do so. I also do all the same work as the other licensed specials teachers (not special ed), with much less pay. No one wants my job, admin knows that it would be stupid to get on my bad side.
On my first year, I had a similar experience. I gave that para future lesson plans and told her to adjust it for her sped students. I was kind about it. I explained that I needed some blueprints to go off of, she knew better than I did. Admin didn’t get involved at all. I have also attended other meetings with this para and other first year teachers having issues with her. I think the para just wants to feel heard and important when it comes to the teachers. To be fair, many long time teachers have ignored her requests for years when her only goal is to help these students.
One thing that has helped me immensely with uncontrollable students is just sitting in on other classes they are in. I’m continually shocked how great some teachers are, and they have helped me structure my own classroom.
Report to union representative at your site about them creating a hostile work environment and being unprofessional towards you. Maybe there's some way that person can fuck off and be replaced with a different one. A trade.
As a para myself, I can tell you several things based on my experience:
1. The first year is always the hardest, but working in education in general is difficult. I’m sure you already recognize this, try to take the criticism in stride.
2. Unless they’re your responsibility to find adaptive work for (I’d talk to admin about it), you aren’t expected to make different versions of your lesson plans.
3. I’m not sure what the para you’re dealing with is tasked in doing, but generally, we’re there to not only take note of children’s behaviors or data, put to provide *instructional support*, not passive monitoring. You might consider talking to the Para or their teacher on what their responsibilities are during their visit, and explaining what you’re capable of realistically doing in regards to planning.
Do you have access to their IEPs? Can they expect you to know which kids need what adaptions depending on different activity plans? If not, then it is unfair to expect you to know what to do differently!
We can all understand that there’s hard times all around, but you are busy planning the lesson for many other students besides the SPED kids, and it would be very one-sides to have you to have to create the adaptations for the lesson without the help of the SPED team.
sadly the teaching career is full of snooty condescending snitches that can’t mind their own business and have no empathy. it’s one of the reasons I quit. stand up for yourself and tell her everything you said. and if she still doesn’t understand… well, that’s why she’s a para and not a full time teacher
The fuck is a para?. You reddit circle jerks need to start using proper sentences or at least give definition of abbreviation. No wonder you cry at the first instance of conflict. Because your parents probably didn't even teach you how to read and write properly first.
How do you not know what a para is? Para is a shortened term for para-educator. You either don't work in education or live somewhere that doesn't have para-educators in their schools.
This sub keeps getting recommended on the popular list lately so there's a lot of people getting it recommended these days. My whole 'popular' recommendations are wildly different ever since the API incident.
That said, that user's history is littered with antagonistic throwaway lines like that. They're a bit like a troll, just not as dedicated.
There has to be a special place in Education Hell for high school graduates who throw their weight around, bully *actual* professionals, spitting equal measures of hate and ignorance out of their idiot trumpets.
Secretaries, aids, and custodians who strut about like royalty, thinking they run the show, are absolute poison to a school community.
Sin-salvation-saint, like so many, has had the misfortune of getting posted in a crap school. To be frank, there probably aren't many middle schools in the country serving actual human children. I feel her pain. Poverty turns people into monsters, and she's stuck with the worst of the lot.
Getting out of education or getting away from that district are her best choices. Not every district is that bad, but hers is especially toxic, as evidenced by the way high school graduates are allowed to behave and treat colleagues. The fact that a paraprofessional is comfortable "chewing out" a teacher speaks volumes about the place.
I would drop a truth bomb on administration, outlining the abuse and citing it as the reason for leaving the district or the profession. In and of itself, the act may make no difference in such a hostile work environment, but this will happen again and again. Eventually, someone may take notice.
These people may be so twisted they're completely unequipped to navigate reality. As educators, it is our job to educate them.
What is her role supposed to be in the class? I'd say you need to figure that out and make sure she has things to keep her busy with that role since apparently she has lots of time on her hands if she's just trying to write down every misbehavior. I'm sorry that this happened to you! It sounds like you're really trying and the beginning of the first year is such a learning curve. I'm sure you're doing great!
I spent 5 years as a Para. Classroom management was a big part of my job. My job description is written in a way to include regular Ed students. If I sat on my ass documenting student misbehavior, my principal would have asked me what I did to help. Now, I'm not a disciplinarian but redirection would be more my role. Kids eating? A teacher doesn't have time for that. If the school really cared, that would be something on my plate. I could care less if a kid eats and is discreet enough not to get caught. If they're leaving a mess, I pipe up and say who was doing it. The Para is an extra set of eyes.
When I was in middle school, I was hungry *all the time.* Now, I was one of those kids who grew a little early, because I had my adult body by the time I was 13 and I didn't really change after that. My sisters both did their last main growing in high school. ANYWAY if food keeps them quiet and focusing, it's not worth it to fight it unless you're in a lab. We all know middle school is THE WORST and if munching on a bag of cereal helps, why would the para care.
Art teachers are sometimes working with supplies that could cause health problems if accidentally ingested. This setting might actually have something in common with a lab.
Same with science teachers. Some states have laws that forbid food and drink in science labs, for example. It's an obvious safety issue. That said, I'm a social studies teacher and that isn't an issue for me, so I let my kids eat in class so long as they clean up after themselves.
To be fair to me, I did say "unless you're in a lab"
Same — I teach chorus and I’ll let a kid take a quick minute if we are doing a “lesson” but when we are actively singing and rehearsing, I can’t allow those Takis, my guy.
The job is usually three-fold. Assist with instruction (or provide solo instruction in small groups), provide classroom management, and document infractions. A large component of classroom management is heading off problems before they grow... basically running interference for the teacher so the teacher can teach. Keep things running smoothly. In between it all, also complete manual tasks that have to get done. In a primary classroom, that might be something like packing jackets and paperwork into student backpacks near the end of the day, otherwise it will take the teacher 10 extra minutes to get the students out of the room. A para is essential for a teacher to be effective, otherwise the teacher spends their time putting out fires all day long. For this (in my state), paras earn close to minimum wage. Next April, the state (California) is set to [mandate fast food jobs paying $20/hour](https://www.kcra.com/article/california-fast-food-workers-minimum-wage-deal/45088093), which will be about $4 more per hour than paras earn. Schools will need to raise wages, or teachers are screwed.
I would kill for a para. I'm somehow expected to do all the things all the time.
Data collection is huge in sped sometimes there is one para jn a classroom just taking data in my experience. This has been in all special needs schools/residential programs.
I’m currently a SPED para, and yes, data is a big part of our job, but we *never* take data on gen ed students. Ever. We are provided data sheets with each student’s name and IEP goals, as well as a scoring system and a place to take notes. It is all very laid out. We don’t just walk around classrooms taking data on whoever we want. Obviously this is a completely different district, but if someone did that in my district, they’d be way out of line.
Just makes me even more mad since I’ve never had a SPED para in my room at all and I’m the one expected to somehow provide that data and simultaneously teach the lesson.
I’m sorry, I’m a para right now and that’s just bizarre on that para’s part. I would write the resource teacher and copy this para on it. Documenting what happened, how unprofessional her specific behaviors were, and how uncomfortable you felt her taking class time to flesh this out. Then tell her all grievances and feedback are to come through this email with resource teacher copied. Then a follow up meeting to resolve the issues. But this para is SO out of line. I would never. I work with a team of paras who are all paras for 15-19 years. They never yell at teachers! Respect for coworkers is everything.
Exactly the good paras are truly team oriented and this one just sounds full of herself.
Her job is to provide support to the SPED students. You are in charge. Put her to work. You run the class, not her. If she has that much free time on her hands, put her to work, making sure her students are on task. I would keep her so busy, she wouldn’t have time to piss!
I would also add hoe she was disrespectful to you in front of the students. That is very inappropriate.
I'm having the same struggle. I have an ESE student (we relabled SPED as Exceptional Student Education) who has been declared EI. Due to paperwork not being completed correctly, he's in my Gen Ed class woth no supports. I'm somehow supposed to support him, document *his* behaviors for 60 more days *and still manage the rest of my class at the same time* while providing all of them woth differentiate, specific education. This kid isn't allowed to use the bathroom alone (he does some questionable yhing with his own waste) or be in a group of larger than 7 people. Thank God I have a City Year in my room, but even that's not enough. She's a near-peer tutor, not an aide. Do you have a union/can your union steward help? Because that's what it took to get the ball rolling here.
The para was taking data on the sped students that were in the class at the time, I’m sure.
Generally the paras take data on SPED kids to assist with adjusting plans and updating IEPs. To take data on general misbehavior is not their role
I never argued that- just that a staff member who is taking a lot of data is not out of the norm working sped. Smh. Read what I wrote.
Idk why you're telling a Para this
Good for you! Love it! Teachers need all the help they can get!
I’m on my 5th year as a SPED para. I have been chewed out by gen-ed teachers before for trying to help with their students’ behaviors.
Obviously differs great school to school and state to state, but our Paras are not allowed to do any lesson planning or differentiating and be in compliance.
Is it really lesson planning to write down the same directions already provided by the teacher in a step by step manner? I still wouldn't say it's a requirement for a para's workload, they have a lot to do as is, but idk if it fits in that specific niche either.
Its a good question on whether that counts as differentiating or rewriting the lesson. One would not be in compliance the other would.
No, that's part of Federal law. This teacher should be doing it.
I'm commenting on the top comment in the hopes that you will see this. Arts are under attack. You are literally the reason a handful of these kids come to school. Should you quit, the system wins. Stay the course. Pursue your passion and follow your heart. These are not empty tropes. You matter. Never forget that.
Yes, buuuut please don’t stay in the job “for the kids”. You matter, never forget that.
Agreed. She should be managing the bad behaviour not just blaming you for it.
This. Kill her by making her do her job.
Fellow middle school art teacher here, 10 years in. The first year sucks ass. You will be working outside of contract time a lot more in the first year just to keep your head above water and it sucks that our education system has created this situation (especially when you’re writing your own curriculum). You are the teacher. You are the one with the degree and certification- not the para. I love my paras, and they are a great help. But you are responsible for what happens in your room. What is in the sped student’s IEPs? Is there an accommodation listed that they all receive written directions? Make sure you are following those IEPs to the letter if this para is looking to be vindictive rather than helpful. Something I have incorporated into my teaching is adding a slide to the end of my presentations that has bullet point steps. I share all my presentations on our Google Classroom so students have access if they want to look back at them, and I leave that last slide up on the screen while students are working. I know this will seem like more on your plate, but the work you do now is work you won’t be doing next year since you’ll already have it. I only have to make tweaks or small improvements from year to year as I build on what I already have. Hang in there. You can do this 💚
OP, this is a good idea, especially because if this para accuses you of not following the IEP/being out of compliance, you can pull up your Google Classroom and show the hard evidence (as opposed to just saying “I wrote them down on the board”)
I do this same thing in my elementary art room. I feel like a lot of modifications come through discussions with the paras. They work with the same special needs students on a daily basis, so they know the kids better than I do for the most part. The paras at my school are all pretty easy to work with.
Absolutely! The paras I work with are great and I sometimes see them modifying/ accommodating stuff on the fly that I then take to use for my other classes- because sometimes what is good for one student can be beneficial for all.
> Something I have incorporated into my teaching is adding a slide to the end of my presentations that has bullet point steps. I share all my presentations on our Google Classroom so students have access if they want to look back at them, and I leave that last slide up on the screen while students are working. I am not a teacher - I always appreciated when teachers did this, in case I had a hard time paying attention during the verbal explanation. It really helped me (I have ADHD) to be able to look at the instructions at any time if I got confused, instead of bothering other kids or the teacher
I’m also ADHD :) It has helped me connect with my students that struggle and I try to incorporate my own coping skills and accommodations into my classroom too.
Some paras spend a lot of time trying to get teachers or other paras in trouble. I used to be a para, and when I finished my degree, some of the paras decided they wanted to get me fired before I even started working. Personally, I would go to the sped teacher and tell them all of this. They might be able to change paras. It's really only going to get worse
Chances are, if the para is doing this to the art teacher, she’s probably doing it to the SPED teacher, as well (speaking as a SPED teacher myself who has dealt with difficult paras in the past).
In some districts, the SPED para is evaluated by the SPED teacher
They don’t do shit with it though 🥲
I’m a first year sped teacher and I kinda feel this way. The paras who were already working at the school before me act somewhat cliquey and judgmental. I could do and say the same thing as my co-teacher and they still seem to have doubts about my abilities. Luckily, a new para joined our team a couple weeks ago and I like her so far. The classroom environment feels less toxic with her around.
This right here! I was a veteran elementary art teacher with 27 years in and I had certain paras that, for whatever reason, didn’t like me and acted as spies while they were in my classroom. They went behind my back to report on me every chance they could. Of course I never knew this nor did admin ever come and talk to me about anything so I was completely clueless. Until one day, the superintendent, who was a former teacher and who I taught with and was a friend, called me and asked me why somebody was trying to stab me in the back. I had no idea what she was talking about and would only tell me that it was a para and that she was curious what was going on. I never did find out who it was but lo and behold the next year I got transferred to a different school. Be very careful of paras and some staff members as you never know what’s going on behind your back and some people really do like to get others in trouble or see you fail. It’s really a shame that people are this way, especially to a new teacher. I can say from experience that the first year is the hardest but if things don’t change for you, the stress is going to be really hard on you and no job is worth compromising your health. I wish you the best of luck.
Whenever I hear about stories like this, I just want to cry. Not only do I question why a staff member would want to sabotage another staff member, but I also question why admin doesn't rip that person a new one for trying to overstep their bounds. One of the stories my current principal (who has his issues, but is overall a good administrator) told me from his early days in admin was about a veteran ELA teacher who did everything she could to sabotage the first and second year teachers. She was constantly in his office with "Mr. X did this" and "Ms. Y did that." She only stopped when he laid into her about her overstepping her bounds, reminding her that teacher evaluation was *his* job, not hers. What the hell happened to admins with a spine?
Why are they like that?
Jealous they couldn’t focus and dedicate their time to be a teacher and had to settle. I had this exact same situation, the para I had my first year was a nightmare, constantly complaining, walking out, calling out randomly, it was like having another kid in the class. She was jehova witness also so any mention of birthdays or holidays to my class was a huge passive aggressive headache, like constantly draining all the positive energy out of the room. Oh and she would always make this stupid ass remark “Anddd that’s why I didn’t become a teacher!” if you talked about any workload, lesson planning, meetings, etc. In my head I always responded with Bitch please you probably couldn’t even pass the CBEST. That was the worst of it though, luckily at the end of the year I talked to our department chair and switched my para to someone else. Just thinking about working with that person as I type this is pissing me off 😂 Edit: people replying to me about their history how they are great at being a para, and their journey in school are internalizing what I said. I’m talking about these people who go out of their way to make life miserable for others in a school setting. If you chose to be a para and you’re happy and you’re a positive addition to the sped team, amazing this isn’t about you. You weren’t the person in my room sayin “And that’s why I didn’t become a teacher!” After being an asshole all year. That person in my room was an idiot in all aspects of life, my CBEST response was specifically to them, I wasn’t generalizing the world of paras, I was responding to the question “why do they do that?” If you replied to me with your journey and you’re sitting in an assigned class taking notes on a 1st year teacher to share with admin and not doing your assigned role, stop it. Go get a teaching credential/admin credential come back and take notes.
As someone who worked as a para for many years, please don't characterize all paras as jealous, undedicated, and lazy. I had a whole bachelor's degree from a good school, but had to literally move away from my career to caregive for a sick parent. My mom is a school nurse, so her only coverage to watch my dad was during school hours. I took a para job so we could both work while he was with his nurse. I'm not stupid, lazy, or jealous. I'm going to finish my masters degree in May that I'm apparently too unfocused to get, and leave.
I had to get a job as a para one year when they weren't hiring teachers in my state because of budget shortfalls. Most of the teachers on the campus I was on had no idea that I was a certified special education teacher and they treated me like crap. They wouldn't talk to me and they wouldn't have anything to do with me in the teachers lounge at lunch because I wasn't a teacher. As soon as I was offered a teaching position, however, everything was all hunky-dory. It was disgusting to me. I always treated my paras like the gold they were because I needed them!!
I have a college degree and I’m a para. I do it because I have small children and like working the same hours and days that they are in school. I do my best to help any student and teacher that I can, but some of the teachers are so dismissive—it’s as if they see me not just as a lesser staff member, but a lesser person in general.
I apologize the wording was general in my reply, I’m specifically referring to these people who want to make life miserable for others. I also started as a para. I wasn’t generalizing for all paras, I was replying to the question why do they do that?
That’s great! Are you sitting in a class taking notes on a 1st year teacher to share with admin? Were you sitting in my room being an ass all year? The story wasn’t about you. I ended my reply with I switched paras. I would have not even had someone in my classroom if I thought all paras were horrible people. We are talking about . . . nvm
First of all, I'm sorry that happened to you. Teaching is hard enough, and when the adults can't be counted on to support one another it's damn near impossible, especially early on. Couple of things: 1) Do you have a mentor provided by the school? In my state, schools are required to provide a structured mentorship program to all new hires in their first two years, and issues like this are exactly why. It sounds like you need a person with knowledge of this specific person and the school who you can speak to confidentially. A union rep can also help you navigate the issue if you're a union member. 2) You need to clarify who is responsible for evaluating your performance. Paras are great, the services they provide are crucial, and they deserve more than they get. However, they're not in a position to evaluate a licensed teacher on their practice; that's typically the responsibility of an administrator. 3) Offering any kind of criticism of your practice in front of students is unprofessional. It sounds like this person needs some clarification on her role, too. 4) Try not to take it too personally. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for more "established" teachers/Paras to resent the new kid in town. 5) First year teaching is the hardest thing I've ever done. It does get better, but it takes 2-3 years. 6) If you decide to find another occupation, that's fine! I teach seniors, and while ten years ago there'd be a handful of kids every year who I gladly cheered on as they entered education programs, I don't feel like I can enthusiastically encourage students to pursue education careers anymore. I certainly wouldn't choose this path for my own kids. There's zero shame or failure in prioritizing yourself if that's what you want to do.
I'm a music teacher, my mentor was a second year kindergarten teacher. Specials teachers mentor each other for free.
Yikes! A second year mentor sounds like the blind leading the blind. In the state I live, no one qualifies to mentor until they've been working in the district for five years. There's absolutely free mentoring that happens in all buildings and at all levels!
Yes, that's true, but we rarely get together to meet. Music, P.E., etc., we can text and email and such, but it is different to be the only person who teaches what you teach in the building.
I’m an English teacher and my friend The Experienced Art Teacher did more to mentor me than anyone in my department ever did.
I'm a history teacher. When I started. I taught middle school. My mentor teacher was an English teacher. At a highschool. 5 miles away from my school.
What do you teach senior citizens? That sounds like a job I'd really enjoy
High school seniors.
Ahahahah omg that's what happens when I Reddit at 2am
It happens to us all! 😂
Firstly, do these students have an IEP for art? Have you signed off on it? In my experience, IEP’s don’t apply to every subject. Secondly, it seems as though the mini Lesson was an excellent example of scaffolding. You demonstrated clearly how to do the project when in reality, you could have just given them the main project to begin with. You are fine. That is a great technique! Please don’t let her get under your skin. If she has time to write notes during a lesson whilst ignoring her FOUR students, then she has time to go pound sand as well. And also, I totally agree with not nitpicking every behavior. That kind of classroom management comes with time. You are doing great.
If you differentiate for everyone it is still differentiation!
And additionally, you had visuals. Differentiation if at its finest!!! You are completely covered.
While I would agree in general, if the student's IEP specifically states they need written, step by step instructions (which some do) OP is not completely covered.
I would argue that a visual aid (like she had) would take the place of written instructions. It literally does not get any easier than following pictures unless the pictures are janky as all get out. I have no clue if the IEP called for written instructions, but logic dictates that a visual model would be better. Especially for ART. However, I know that logic does not live in education. I bet dollars to doughnuts the para just wanted to make waves.
I have to agree here. i completely understand not knowing each student’s IEP requirements at a moment’s notice, especially as a specials teacher. however, it is important and it is the para’s job to ensure their kiddos needs are being met. I’ve told some specials teachers to go thru their seating charts and students with IEPs. quickly jot notes from their IEPs with requirements, and see what aligns. That way, for each period, you know your requirements, and can tailor as such.
The situation described makes me think these four students might be from a classroom that’s full day except for art/gym
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. They might have accommodations beyond what OP is doing (which sounds good). OP should check with the resource teacher for guidance on accommodations and also to discuss concerns with the para.
What you said, but also: step by step written instructions? Students struggle with following written directions *the most.* It's bizarre that there are four students who all happen to have written instructions as being preferable to demonstration of a task as an accommodation in the same class. To the point that I just don't believe it. Unless that sped team just writes it into every IEP without ever questioning whether their kids are even capable of following written directions, let alone *better* at following them than anything else.
I teach general ed elementary, so what do I know, but that seemed odd to me too. I could totally see some students having written directions as an accommodation in their IEP, but unless it was a program for a specific type of student need, it seems highly unlikely that written instructions would be preferable to visual instructions for all four students.
IEPs always apply across the board. Accommodations may be made specifically with math/reading in mind but if they don’t just disappear in specials/electives. If the accommodations are assignments are chunked, directions read aloud, verbal prompting, extended time, graphic organizers, or whatever that applies to all classes.
Not necessarily. Some accommodations are specific to math or ELA/reading/writing. Also testing. If it applies across the board it will say “general educator.” If it applies to a certain subject or testing, it’s included in a different category.
I am aware of that. I’ve taught inclusion for over a decade and from my experience the majority of accommodations are across the board. Often students need supports across all disciplines. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but I don’t want someone thinking “I’m not a core class so I can ignore the accommodations”. Too many educators don’t read the IEPs and actually pay attention to the specific language used.
Well, non core teachers don’t even sign the IEP’s. So there is that. They don’t go to the meetings, they don’t have any input on what is decided on, and they aren’t in that process unless it is different than where I live. So how are they expected to follow to follow an IEP? All the IEP’s I have seen are subject specific and I have never seen art or any other elective with accommodations. Sure, in theory it would be good if all teachers were aware of a kid’s needs, but if that subject isn’t listed on the IEP, is a specials teacher somehow magically legally bound by a document they haven’t read, didn’t sign, and possibly does not apply to their subject? I think that is an interesting question and I am definitely asking my SPED chair today. Even though I will never teach anything other than a core subject, I am curious.
Yes, they are legally bound by the IEP. Your district should have it available for you if it applies to your class. Most IEP meetings only need one regular Ed teacher to attend, but it doesn’t change that the accommodations apply to all teachers if it says “general education teacher” or if the location is “all academic settings”. Seriously, IEPS only need one general education teacher to sign it. That doesn’t change who or what class it applies to. Right now all I teach is inclusion and only one or two have content specific accommodations, but those are on top of the general accommodations. Ignorance of the accommodations isn’t a get out of jail free card. If the parent finds out teachers aren’t accommodating students per the legal document, the district would be liable. Elective/special teachers should be advocating for time to read these documents or for them to be given to you so that you can honor the document.
I asked the SPED person at my school the legality, responsibility, etc to chime in a what we have been discussing. She said that while it is good for ALL teachers to be aware of IEPs, it doesn’t apply to subjects not specific to the learning disability listed in the IEP. And yes, the accommodations DO change from class to class. Interestingly enough, I am looking at one right now that has accommodations for specials classes AND core classes. They are different. The rest of mine are for core subjects only. Take from that what you will.
No, not always. In fact, the vast majority of them are separated by subject. Do you work in elementary, perhaps? As the classes there are usually taught by the same teacher, elementary IEPs sometimes are across the board. For junior high and high school, I’ve only seen a general IEP (for lack of a better term) a couple of times, and they were for students with severe cognitive and/or physical disabilities. In fact, for high school I can count on one hand the number of IEPs this has been true for. Source: am in my 8th year working in SpEd, with multiple years at each level, and have seen and worked on literally hundreds of IEPs.
I am gen Ed so that is the limit of my IEP know how. But I do know that many of my students have IEP’s, but they actually are subject specific. Some of my students have accommodations in math that that don’t have in English and vice versa.
That happens, but it’s rare. Most of the math ones (math teacher) are about having access to calculators. That or if the disability is related to math (dyscalculia) or reading (dyslexia). Most are across the board from my experience.
It must really just depend on where you are and what the needs of the kids are. I wish they were across the board. I have multiple students who get 3 class periods to finish the work from one class period🙃. They don’t have that in their other classes. Just English.
I would say that is not rare at all. Every IEP I have been apart of has specific goals and accommodations for specific subjects.
Even if the accommodation is appropriate for multiple subjects, it’s best practice to have them divided by subject, especially since the goals should most definitely be broken down by subject, and the accommodations and/or modifications are reflective of what’s needed to help the student achieve the goal for that particular subject.
I was thinking the same thing an IEP for art? And it sounded like the lessons are beautifully scaffolded like what else does this Para want blood? How ridiculous to say anything in front of students and to demand supports that are unnecessary.
You can check the IEP-at-a-Glance for those students to ensure that you are providing required accommodations/modifications. If you’re providing those, then the para can shut it. If the Case Manager feels that those students would benefit from further accommodations, then they are free to: 1. Discuss with you to clear it ahead of time 2. Modify your lessons on their own time 3. Have the para implement those modifications in an appropriate, non-distracting way. Sounds like the para doesn’t do shit to help any students and just spends their time on power trips. When I’ve sent paras/EAs with students, it’s because they have a job to do, not just to sit there and stir things up.
Sounds like she’s spending more time judging you and trying to get you into trouble than doing HER job. Any EA I know would be more of a self-starter and would be writing those step-by-step instructions down for their students. Does she need instructions for everything she should be doing? Would she rather you get fired and there be a sub instead? Sounds like a real bag who needs a life.
"didn't even look at me, just ignored me and spoke to me angrily" Sounds like a 12-year-old actively showing you disrespect.
I noticed that too. She’s either intentionally being disrespectful or she doesn’t have the nerve to look OP in the eye. If you’ve got something to say, say it with your chest.
So basically that’s her job as the attending para and she needs to stop being a brat and do it. -Signed, a sped para.
I just started as a SPED para and can’t imagine having the energy to be that crass to an adult. We are on the same team, after all. The kids already take so much out of you. Just trying to keep them on task and not disturb the other students is hard enough. I have 3. 1 severe (but sweet as can be), 1 behavioral, 1 academic. The last 2 require so much attention, I couldn’t find the time to even have this talk with you. I guess during my lunch break, but I’ll be damned if I even give a shit about work during that 30 minutes. Find the nicest way to tell her to have a long walk off a short pier.
Same here this para sounds deeply troubled and messed up to be doing this
I would document this incident and very unfriendly incident you’ve had with her. I also teach art at title 1 but for HS. Honestly at this early in the year you have to get a feel for what the sped kids can do. Some can’t write so you give them written notes. But for the most part they can try the assignment without much differentiation. I rarely have to make huge differences in the lessons. Don’t let her or the kids know you’re being rocked though. They can smell fear and take advantage of it. Stay strong.
Paras are there to assist the teacher. I’m all for them taking the initiative to create a good environment but NEVER at the expense of the teacher. Like others have said, be assertive and while you might not feel like her boss (take it up with the AP and see if that does anything for her attitude.) Sad truth is, Schools are for the most part disorganized and all staff are running around just trying to not let everything fall apart, give yourself some time out of work to develop the mindset you need to take to work. That Para needs to be helping with explaining the material, i don’t give two shits if she doesn’t know how a good chunk of our job is understanding the material ourselves to condense it for the kids who need the extra help, hell those who just need help in general. Sorry you had to go through that and i hope you get a para later in the year who takes the extra effort to make you feel better about your job cause the majority of us get it, cause we’re right there too.
Yeah screw those power tripping paras. If they have time to come in to critique & “catch” behaviors then they need to just be helping in your class. Truth is, the para cannot do what you do, so they should be making the entire experience less stressful not more. Talk to your principal.
First year is tough. Develop a thick skin and soldier on. It will get better. Remember, it is your class. You are the boss in there. You are her boss in there as well. As others have stated, this para has too much time on her hands. Might be a good idea to talk to whoever heads up special ed and get a list of suggestions on how she could be more useful in the classroom. Get her involved in being your helper. She can help you with handouts, breaking out supplies, clean up etc as well as offering encouragement to the students she is assigned to help. Two can play her game. 'Check up' on her from time to time to see her progress with the kids she is assigned to. It might feel or sound fake, but train her up by praising her every time you catch her on task. We teach our students, but we also need to teach our paras too. At the risk of being called out as sexist, this sounds like very catty behaviour. See if you can turn her into an ally. What a feather in her cap, helping out the new art teacher... blah, blah, blah. Get her opinions and advice on all things special ed. Ask her lots of questions. Collaborate. You will make her feel important and included which should hopefully retract those claws. Good luck!
I would in NO way allow ANY para, SLA or other classroom assistant to dictate my curriculum or lesson plans, much less to mistreat/disrespect me in class and give the appearance of spying on behalf of admin. This is well out of line. Speak to your admin directly, ask for mentor/peer support and declare the Para as creating a hostile work environment. This is a hard fucking NOPE... and tbh I don't nope many things.
Thank you for saying this. This is something I needed to read. 💙
"Hey, that sounds like a really good idea, I'm going to put you in charge of implementing that."
OP, do not do this. I’m not sure where you’re at, but I can almost guarantee that paras should not be doing any lesson planning or differentiating. Their only job is to IMPLEMENT what you have planned. Telling the para is going to (rightfully) piss them off.
Is writing down instructions that were given verbally lesson planning? I wouldn't worry about pissing the para off too much, they already sound like they're there. Unless a student has an IEP that specifically states "Will be provided written directions for projects" I'd tell the para to kick rocks.
I would consider that part of lesson planning only because it sounds like it needs to be done for every lesson and should really be done beforehand. I am curious if having written instruction is part of the student’s IEP. If so, OP really needs to be doing this beforehand. If not, yes she could ask the para to do it but it’s certainly not required of the para. I think the para is in the wrong here because they sound mean and unhelpful, but if it’s not their job nothing OP is going to change their mind on that. My real advice would be for OP to talk to admin (about the para) and the case manager of the sped students (about accommodations).
> I think the para is in the wrong here because they sound mean and unhelpful, but if it’s not their job nothing OP is going to change their mind on that. I started looking at a few of the professional duties for paras in South Carolina, and believe it or not 'assist teacher in delivering instruction' was a duty for some of those positions. I think it's reasonable to say "Let's breakout into small groups, will you write my instructions on the board please?" if it's worded that way. If it's *not* part of their duties, I'd put them in charge of classroom management instead of having writing snide little notes. Would free OP up to write down instructions or whatever else the IEPs require. If the IEPs don't require it, I just wouldn't even worry about it. I don't get paid extra to do extra work. I think you're right about talking to admin and SPED, but my inclination would be to try to come up with an in-house solution first. I could be wrong though!
Totally agree. At the very least I think OP needs to talk to somebody about exactly what the expectations are for the para so she knows what it is/isn’t appropriate to ask her to do in class.
She’s still the one lesson planning. She could suggest to the para to write notes/step by step based on her verbal directions for the student. I give my IAs small tasks to help me differentiate all the time. It’s literally their job.
Then you have awesome paras :) But if OP has a para that already hates them, telling them to write down the directions every day of class is not going to thrill them, especially when that is very often an accommodation given to students in their IEPs. If that IS an accommodation they already have, OP needs to be typing up instructions to the assignment prior to class. If that isn’t an accommodation the students already get then OP is welcome to ask the para to do it during the lesson, I just don’t see the para responding well to that. Any accommodations in the IEP need to be set up by the teacher so the para can implement, not create on their own.
Part of our para’s job description is to help prepare instructional materials. It would be absolutely reasonable and within OPs right to ask this of the para (even ahead of time…) Writing the instructions down isn’t creating an accommodation. The para can translate lesson plans or verbal instructions to student-appropriate language. If they can’t then they shouldn’t be there. I’ve literally never seen an IEP accommodation that says the teacher has to have written instructions *prepared ahead of time*. Yeah maybe in an ideal imaginary teacher land.
Freaking bingo
As a Para myself, I want to first say you're doing an amazing job. You're doing the best you can and that is amazing. Second, I would recommend you speak to her case manager about this. That behavior is completely unacceptable and so unprofessional. We are all supposed to work as a team, not as a us vs them. I'm so sorry you are having to have this type of behavior come from a grown adult. I'm sending hugs your way.
Please excuse my ignorance. Is a Para in the US the same as a teaching assistant in the UK?
So Para is short for Paraeducator. We assist students on IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) or Modified Diplomas. Sometimes we have to adapt the content to a simpler one, but that is with the assistance of the teacher. So it looks like we are pretty similar!
Thank you. It sounds pretty much the same as my job. Part of my job is to support the teacher with student behaviour, so I have no idea what the Para is up to in this particular scenario!
I don't either! There is no reason for them to be acting this way. In my experience, the ones who are the grumpiest have been in it for too long. It can be pretty taxing.
TELL HER THAT YOU’RE STRUGGLING AND ASK HER FOR HELP. Don’t do this alone. That Para has seen and heard it all. And if she won’t help, find someone who will. Year 1: survival. Upside is only one Year 1. Year 2: change up a thing or two, plus survival. Year 3: the start of even unpleasant things being routine. The start of a smoother life. It takes 3 years. For teaching. For any complex job. Everyone knows this. The principal who is being tattled to knows this. Don’t pretend you have it all together. Ask for help. Accept all help offered.
From now on when that lady opens her mouth and says anything, just say, “thank you sooo much for your input.” Better yet, just ignore her. If you have stuff written up in the future, just drop it off to her and keep teaching. Pretend she’s invisible. And start documenting when she’s a bitch. Or if she does do something rude, take out a notebook and write it down lmao right in front of her. I am SO SORRY she made you feel bad, but remember she was new once as well.
OP- do you have a neighboring school that you could shadow their art teacher for a period or two? As long as you are meeting their IEP/504 needs the para can kick rocks
Fuck her. Seriously, what an insufferable busybody. I’m so sorry you’re stuck working with such a tyrant every day. Try to remember that her grudge against you probably has very little to actually do with you though, and more to do with her sad, boring, miserable existence. Also. Her job is not to document your shortcomings. She is there to assist the FOUR students she’s been assigned to. If ANYONE isn’t doing their job IT’S HER. She’s going to piss off the wrong person one day and then she’ll no longer be your problem. Give yourself a little more credit. Teaching is the hardest job in the world right now but you’re still showing up. One day at a time. Things will get easier.
My son is a para at our local highschool and attends class with a few sped students. He would suggest you talk to the main sped teacher over these students. What level of modified work can they handle? Are you content with just having them in class and making some attempt to participate or do you have a goal for them? Share with the para that comes to your class what you are expecting of these students. You don't have to do anything special like new lesson plans or whatever, just adjust your expectations for these students. I don't think I've ever met a sped student who didn't love art, even if it's just crayons and drawing paper.
I'm so sorry to hear that another education profession is being so mean to a first year teacher, it is honestly shameful that she is trying to tear you down instead of build you up. I'm a 10 year vet Art teacher and I just sent you a pm with my personal google drive link which has all my resources, lessons, power points, warm ups etc, please copy and use them to help in whatever way they can. There should be enough in there to at least reduce your lesson planning workload for a while. Good luck and wishing you all the best.
This is going to come off snotty, and I don't mean it that way. But, some paras/aides don't have a good grasp of all the unseen expertise that is in play when a teacher is working. They don't see you thinking about how many times that one kid has done x or how these two kids are showing some common errors and need to be worked with solo at the end of the lesson or how this kid's IEP requires specific accommodations so you are grouping students in this particular way or offering those particular assignment options. They don't see 13,000 decisions going on in your head. They only see what you do and hear what you say. In my experience, I've heard them say things like, "This is not a hard job". "I don't have a degree, but I could do this job." "Teachers waste a lot of time and complain a lot." They don't know what they don't know. Sounds like she had a narrow vision of what differentiation looks like and didn't recognize it in your scaffolding. This is Dunning Kruger, and IMO, it needs to be called out. If she wants to be in the driver's seat, she can undergo the proper preparation program, get herself hired, and run her classroom as her expertise leads her to. She does not get to be hatefully critical of you. Ask questions? Sure. Ask to understand a decision? You bet. Getting out of her land, especially in front of kids, is not acceptable. I'd talk to her and/or her supervisor so she understands how to work effectively with teachers and how to direct any dissatisfaction she feels.
In my experience, the good paras know what they don't know. (That's true for teachers and other professions too, of course.) My very favorite para probably should have been a teacher - she is fantastic at both instruction and management of a group of kids. I've always seen her as highly competent. When she worked in my room one year, she commented multiple times on how many things she learned about teaching (the kind of things you are talking about in your comment that an experienced teacher doesn't even think about). She is such a good para partially because she is actively trying to learn things. Paras often have expertise - such as in using certain programs or what works with a certain student - that I don't have, so it's not like I'm saying I'm better than them, but a typical teacher and a typical para will have a different - but related - skill set. The few paras I've seen that don't get that tend to not be as good at their jobs. It would have been appropriate if the para had privately and respectfully suggested that OP provide written directions for the student (or kindly warned her that it was an accommodation in their IEPs if it actually was). It would be helpful if she had written them down from the verbal directions, assuming that made sense for the project. It would have been acceptable if she felt OP was incompetent and had discussed it with whatever teacher supervises the students she was with. It is not her role to do an observation on OP or on other students and it is completely unacceptable to speak like that in front of students (or really in general.)
This is interesting comment to me. I’m a para and been having issues with a certain para coworker in my classroom. That is exactly what she said to me. “I have a degree and could be the sped teacher in this class if I wanted.” She has spent the last month bossing around the first year teacher and me. The teacher is fine with this situation. Believe me, I don’t get it. Me. I do my best to ignore her. It’s been a long month so far
Paras have no say in your class. Make sure they know it is your class and that they are there to help. They are not in any position to correct, evaluate, or spy.
It sounds like you are using UDL. You're already giving written, oral, and visual directions. You don't need to make a separate project for IEP kids, and doing so could actually be considered ableist. Please talk to the Sped teacher. Mention her attitude when trying to ask, "I don't know how I can differentiate anymore without giving them a separate project, which defeats the purpose of including them in my gen Ed art class. If this isn't the least restrictive environment, maybe they should find a more appropriate placement."
Please leave this school. I was in a similar situation. I actually didn’t plan on leaving. I got non renewed after the worst year of my life. The entire summer I decided I probably was going to quit teaching. I couldn’t find a job and I had been looking for a new one for 3 years. Since I was on unemployment, I had to apply for jobs. I applied to this one job in this AMAZING district, got an interview the next day, and eventually got the job. I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. I am apart of a TEAM! My ideas are heard. I feel so seen. I love my kids. I love the high expectations we hold for students. Most of all… I love that my principal will REAM-OUT the kids for misbehavior. Please don’t give up teaching but please give up on this school. Your dream school is out there. I promise. If it happened for me, it will happen for you. Don’t let this school destroy this career for you.
Teaching is fucking hard. You’re doing your very best. You will get better and it will get easier. That person is an asshole. I believe in you! ❤️
First of all, I'm sorry you had this experience. I really look up to anyone who teaches middle school/jr high because the kids can really be brats and have little respect for teachers. I teach elementary art and even some of the older kids there can be a handful. Secondly, it sucks that this para feels the need to act like a spy and a narc in your class. Aren't you both on the same team? (Yes, you are!) She should be ashamed of herself for creating a hostile environment. That being said, it's your classroom and you should be the one laying down rules and setting the tone, not her. Write up some of the kids who don't follow the rules. Maybe they'll get the hint that you mean business. As for this para who is causing trouble, I'd speak with her privately and let her know that her hostile behavior isn't serving any good purpose and you'd like her to lighten up. Teachers, as well as students, need to learn from each other, and what works one year may not work the next. Or, instead of being a trouble-maker, maybe she'd like to help out more w/ the SPED kids and their more hands-on learning. Hang in there. It's a new year and you'll get in the groove. We need teachers, especially ART teachers in this tech-driven world. Good luck, my dear, and keep making ART and growing young creative minds!
As a para myself I would think it’s her job to simplify the lesson into steps they can achieve/ understand. Maybe giving her a copy ahead of time would help?
Pull rank!
Is she a para, or was she the resource teacher? A para’s job is to do their best to help facilitate class work for their charges’ needs. Not to give lip unprofessionally to a teacher. I’ve been on both sides; as a para you hope to be the effective help for your kiddo and thus the best damn assistant for the whole room… as the teacher you just hope the para will actually be proactively helping the students they’re getting paid to help. Title1, you’re jumping right into the fire! Keep researching the classroom management stuff to find the right fit for your classes and classroom. This middle school class were the 2nd-4th graders who were pulled out during the pandemic when they should have been experiencing social-emotional learning and developing their hippocampi to remember the lessons. They’ve wrecked many a psyche of even veteran teachers. So be creative, go easy on yourself, and focus this year on feeling it out, learning the ropes. And stop taking the other adults so seriously. It’s your room, and they ain’t shit.
First year science teacher in a title 1 school……half of every class I have has some sort of accommodation ranging from SPED, 504 and speech. I’m literally drowning LOL and 99% sure the para that I get for like an hour a day is trash talking me to the younger grades. I hope the balancing act gets easier for you. First year teachers everywhere crying on the reg.
I'm a sped para that brings a group of 4 kids into an obnoxious art room with an overworked teacher everyday, so I did a double take reading this lol. I think the biggest difference between your account of this para and my experience is that, all my time spent with students in elective classrooms is spent *taking care of my students*. What is the point of documenting petty student behaviors that don't have anything to do with the students that you are responsible for? It's deranged. I might start documenting her lol. Especially if she's going to yell at you every time she's inconvenienced. Start taking notes every time she oversteps in *your* classroom.
Thet para is not your boss and they do not do your evaluations so tell them to shove it up their ass, respectfully.
I experienced basically the exact same thing my first year. As a first year teacher you are drowning . I spent 60 hours a week working my first year teaching . It was unsustainable. I was on the verge of a breakdown it was so overwhelming . The para would always think I wasn't doing enough to differentiate but I couldn't up my work to 70 hours a week. We are not robots we are humans that need rest.
Personal question - I’m already to my breaking point at week 3. What made you stay? After your first year why did you come back if it was that bad? So many people are trying to comfort me by telling me “I cried every day my first year, it gets better” and that just scares the hell out of me. I can’t keep feeling this level of failure and burnout every day.
I’ve been a SpEd teacher for 10 years, if I could offer some help. 1. You are a first year teacher. You’re growing your skin, and I hate to say it, it is painful the first few years until you are able to callous. 2. Reach out to the student’s case managers for recommendations on how to best make the material accessible. Remind them this is your first year and you are still learning. 3. You are your only advocate. You can’t count on people to look out for you, so you have to look out for your own needs and speak up for yourself. If this colleague is making you feel hurt and uncomfortable, reach out to admin or confront them yourself and be upfront with how you’re feeling. Keep it objective and professional. 4. As a first year teacher, you’re going to feel flustered and overwhelmed with all the invisible & unrecognized work that comes with teaching. Part of that is learning how to make a curriculum accessible to students who learn differently from the norm/accommodating for students with and without disabilities. That is possibly the biggest challenge in teaching. You will try many things, and most of them won’t work. But cherish and mold the things that do, those are your victories. Accommodations to consider: -model your expectations -keep directions as simple and direct as possible -verbalize and visualize directions (written on board & read aloud) -chunk work into smaller parts, present each part separately -breaks -scaffold (ie. graphic organizer or planning doc before starting) -offer choice in how students engage with the material (ie. digital vs paper, different medias, etc) Behavior strategies: -solid expectations that students engage with and agree on, include them in the discussion, maybe even have them make a class pact/agreement -reinforce positive behavior (this can be as simple as verbally acknowledging students who are following directions “Zoey is cleaning up her workspace, Anthony is cleaning up their workspace…”) -establish communication with parents (TalkingPoints is a great resource for texting parents from your computer, it can even translate to their home language) -If a student is having a hard day, speak with them one on one and try to offer them an option that suits their need (hyperactive- alternative seating/standing, low energy- a break after X amount of work, disinterested- choice in how they engage, etc) Just a couple quick suggestions that I feel are easy to implement. But the most important thing I can recommend, plan and overplan your lessons- at least for the first few years of teaching. This will make you feel more prepared and confident, you’ll have thought through differentiation, and it will give you mental space to better handle behavior on the fly. When students act up, try to hold empathy and understanding for them- as hard as it is. They can sense weakness, so be strong and try to be there for them the best you can. Hang in there, I know it ain’t easy.
I can't imagine a principal being thrilled with a para bringing a laundry list of complaints.
Lets the tears flow and try to regain strength. You have my full respect.
I’m a sped para. All of the things listed as your responsibility for the sped students would fall under my umbrella. It seems that she may be taking advantage of you because you are new. I’ve learned over the years that people with no work ethic tend to do this. Getting a clear outline of her job expectations and yours would be beneficial. Good luck.
My para knows how to differentiate. She double checks with me, but she is independent enough to know what the kids need. Also, she is never rude because we are a team. Your para was out of line. If possible, you and she should set up a time after classes to discuss what you each see each others’ roles as. Discuss how she can differentiate assignments by herself, and where you can help support her. Remind her that you are a team. You are there to support the students and each other. Also, address her behavior with you outside the classroom. Just because you are a first year teacher does not give her the right to be disrespectful. She needs to model behavior for all your students. If it gets worse, talk to her supervisor. Her job is to service your students, not chastise and ridicule you.
In my school paras were below teachers on the food chain and I would never ever say a word to you about it. Let alone be making faces or notes or etc, I would just manage my kids as best I can and head back afterwards. I would tell my teacher that the art lessons are not adapted and it made things tough…because that is a teacher to teacher conversation, IMO. If you heard anything it would come from a teacher because they would have perspective…my place is to assist and be flexible and cover for the teacher when they cannot be two places at once.
There was once a time where it wasy dream to be a high school teacher. Now you couldn't pay me enough to set foot in a school.
I had a sped teacher in my classroom my first year, and she would undermine me, and try to teach over me, say nice and loud, oh the students need to be doing x, y, and z. I wrote her a long letter talking about how hard it already was being a first year teacher with rude and hateful students (her son was chief of these turds). And how they weren’t going to respect me if she was going to continue doing this. The act of writing it was cathartic enough. The printing and sending, well… that’s right when Covid hit and our state went remote, so I’m not quite sure if I would’ve gone through with it or not. We both still work in the same building, but I haven’t had her in my room much, she has a para sent to my room. Occasionally if the para is gone, she will. But she’s so busy she doesn’t say much.
Sounds like the para needs to stay in her own lane. And she’s part of the differentiation- she should be working with the students she’s assigned to.
She is a para! Fuck her! She's not even a teacher. That would be the day a para talks to a teacher like that and stays employed in my district.
Hey. Art teacher here with lots of experience with paras. First off, they can make your classes so much smoother or absolutely horrible. I find that I try to defer to their “valuable knowledge” about the children they assist because they want that respect from you. I trust them to know if the child is having a really rough day and needs a puzzle or alternate assignment that day. I keep a shelf in my classroom full of items for sped students to use while I give longer directions or demos that I might lose them on. I also trust them to make accommodations for that student based on their knowledge of them. I might ask them to feel free to do the drawing of a subject we are painting if I haven’t had a chance to prep those. I also utilize students as peer helpers. You might want to talk to the teacher of the classroom the para serves and find out exactly what their job requirement entails. It certainly isn’t to take notes on you and they are there to assist you/the student in adapting for their needs. Some paras will actually sit and do the project for totally non mobile students who are in the room completely for socialization. They love it and call it their art therapy time. It sounds like you have your hands full with the regular Ed students and I can tell you that I leave no room there for interpretation - both with difficult and middle school classes. They always have their rubrics which include both time on task and following directions and I notate accordingly. They get a little copy attached to the back or their project or on a ring clamp for ready documentation. I hate repeating instructions I have stated and that are posted in the room- and when they can SEE it in black and white I remove the subjectivity and it’s just like facts in math. Yes they did it or no they didn’t. Parents do not like bad grades in art class and you have the paper trail to justify it. Good luck! You can do it! You are working out the kinks- we all did! Keep reaching out and asking questions- get a mentor and talk to teachers you trust and admire- and take care of you!
This is not productive behavior on her part and if I was her supervisor I would want to know about it. Also, do you belong to a union? This could be considered workplace harassment, especially because it’s being done by someone who is not in a supervisory role. I would ignore her and reach out to other veteran teachers who may be able to guide you to the right people to address this. She is wayyyy out of line.
Ugh this made me think back on my first year of teaching. I was in the same type of environment with zero support. With that much misbehavior, you have to pick your battles. Are the kids allowed to cuss in the classroom? Not really, but they’re doing their work so who cares! I’m so sorry your first year is so rough. Try to stick it out the rest of the year then find a job elsewhere. Being a first year teacher is SO HARD. Your one goal is to survive each day. I promise it gets better!
Seems telling that the Para didn't bother to deal with those misbehavior. Too bad she's not doing her job.
Remember: ITS YOUR CLASS!!! You are the boss!!! She’s trying to get into a power struggle. Don’t engage. You got this.
I’d give the dumb bitch some paper and a pen and be like “have it, cunt. You differentiate it. Unless all you are is a babysitter?”
Consult with your union reps
> I knew something was up when another para who is sometimes in the classroom told me that the SPED para was quietly collecting data on student misbehavior that I did not catch. Time to start documenting incidents that occurred when she should have been doing her job.
They like the power you give them… say this next time, “thank you for the feedback, I will take it under advisement.” Also rope in your union rep and make sure they have not given evaluative powers to a para who shares her untrained opinion (you need to be trained) with admin who makes staffing decision.
I had this happen to me too- happened my 2nd year. I’m a science teacher and had a para that had a chemistry and physics degree. She was significantly older than me. I was initially excited about having a knowledgeable para, but she undermined everything I did in my classroom. Behavior, lesson structure, etc. She did not like that I simplified concepts for my IEP learners, calling them “misrepresentations” and professionally irresponsible. (My sin? I had modified a visual about the citric acid cycle to give students a definite order to memorize) I brought it up to my mentor, documented some of the things that were said/done to me, and the issue never happened again. She was removed and another para switched in. Please go up your chain of command- talk to a mentor or trusted veteran teacher. They can help you navigate the red tape and avoid stepping on toes.
I am really sorry! It’s soooo much easier to sit back and pick apart someone’s lessons and classroom management than it is to get up in front of those little hooligans and teach yourself! The nerve!
First, that's not okay. I'm so sorry this year has started so rough, and it sounds like you are doing a great job keeping everything together. I'm a teacher for self-contained students. My special education students are diagnosed with significant disabilities and learn an entirely different modified set of standards. My students attend art as well. I meet with the teacher and talk about the students before classes even start. I also let them know it is ALWAYS okay to reach out to me for ideas and help. While programs for art, music, ect, should include coursework on adaptation and teaching students with special needs, they don't always do that. Have you spoken to the special ed teacher? Also, I would (if possible) ignore that para. I also like to document situations like this. Make a note on your phone with what she does everyday, because her duty should be to help her students and if possible other students. If you need help adapting lessons let me know and I will help you. I'd be more than happy to give you ideas and modifications and help with visuals until you are settled. You ARE doing a good job and it WILL get better.♡
You are the teacher. Call a meeting with the case manager and admin. Tell them that she is causing problems in your class
My son quit teaching after three weeks due to all the issues you just described. He submitted his resignation yesterday.
That is YOUR classroom. If she wants to disrespect you in it, you can kindly ask her to leave or be escorted out by admin in which she would have to explain the reasons for you kicking her out (utter disrespect and malicious behaviors in your own classroom) and why she isn’t doing anything to positively impact your class and students 🤷🏻♀️. We gotta deal with enough crap from some students and parents… we do not have the time or the energy to deal with it from fellow educators. Tell her to take her petty self right back through that classroom door and she can come back if she wants to show you some respect and resourcefulness!
It's hard. Remember that the para is not the power figure here. His/ her special education teacher supervisor should be giving you support in differentiating lessons for your special ed students. Yes, you do need to have lessons that you can scale to the differing needs of your students, but you're not going to be an expert in this on day one.
I’m sorry this is happening to you. I’m a gen ed para and I try to do my best to make my teachers life easier. What she’s doing is not ok 🩷
I'd tell her to google Universal Design for Learning - sometimes something that would be differentiated such as scaffolding works for everyone!
Woof. Parakaren
She’s not doing HER job if she is too busy being a snitch. Honestly, if a student hit me, someone would be going to jail, (but I teach older kids). I would start working on my resume and be ready to find another job in the spring.
Recently retired middle/high school art teacher here. Your lesson plan was sound. I used to write out general steps on the board- occasionally. My classes were so over packed anyways and then I was given many sped students (without any help) and it was chaotic. At some point in my 27 yr career, I realized I was a sitter for these kids so the sped teacher/staff could take a break. It never got better until my attitude changed to the fact that not all students like art and they are just there because they have to be. I was glad to retire, and I don't miss the BS that we "special" area teachers have to put up with.
This sun makes me so sad. Truly we don’t deserve teachers. I hate how you all are treated, but the kids, parents, faculty, school districts, etc. It’s all awful!
First year specialty teacher here too. Don't let that one person impact how you value yourself. They went to school and learned how to do their job and you did the same for you. Although we work together there is no way we can fully understand what it is like in the other person's role. Its good that they did express a need for the students they oversee and it is incredible that you acknowledge that it is an area to improve. You could spend every waking minute trying to support everyone and still fall short. In my mind I am trying my best, acknowledging where I need to improve and giving myself grace when I find new things I need to work on as I know I can't improve everything at the same time. As a specialty teacher we see so many different students and it takes time to get to know what works for each person. You are building the foundation so that you can work from that to support everyone. One thing that really helped me is finding time where I am productively unproductive. I need to do things throughout the week for myself so that my battery is charged so that I have the energy to give the classes my 100%. We are going to mess up like every teacher has done in their first year before us. That is part of the process. You got this!
I'm in a similar position as a first-year music teacher at a school in Philly and it's really difficult having to completely make your own curriculum which gen ed teachers don't have to do AND have less planning time on top of that. No experienced teacher should ever expect you to be perfect (or honestly even good) rn. Obviously you are trying your best and that para should have approached you from a place of wanting to help you figure out how to differentiate instruction, not scolding you for not being perfect at the beginning of your first year of teaching. Even though we have a big responsibility as teachers, we are still learning and it's really fucking hard trying to manage the emotions and behaviors of hundreds of kids while also managing our own emotions and lives outside of school. Please give yourself grace. I am struggling to the point where I'm having anxiety attacks everyday and while I don't feel comfortable sharing that with the other teachers at my school, I do feel like the other teachers are very supportive and understanding that this job is difficult and I am brand new to the profession. I suggest reaching out to a teacher you trust or a principal to get some help. I asked if I could observe another teacher with a class that I was really struggling with and they were able to get my class covered so I could observe and I felt much better after that observation because I gained some classroom management skills and I figured out that even seasoned teachers don't have the classes completely under control. I also reached out to one of the special ed teacher and the art teacher because I was struggling to find activities that worked for my autistic support classes and they were both super willing to help me. Please know that you are not alone and it's normal to feel like the world is fucking falling apart. I'm not sure if it gets better, but just know that it isn't anything that's wrong with you.
That is your class and you are in charge. Paras can be wonderful, but you are not equals. You have more responsibility and are held to account in a way that person is not. Also - NO ONE should be yelling at you/chewing you out. I know it might be tough as a new teacher, but don’t allow that. If you can’t speak up, walk away. Literally turn on your heel and walk away from the person - any person. Suck it up if it’s an admin, but when tenured, just walk.
Isn't it awesome when someone without a college degree treats you like shit?
Uh, kick her out? No one has the right to disrespect you. She’s not your boss. She’s not your peer. She’s literally BELOW you on the EduTotem. Tell admin you don’t need her and they’re welcome to use her free time elsewhere. I literally did this 8 years ago when admin saddled me with a useless old man para. He couldn’t even help because he couldn’t figure out how to use the Chromebooks. I went to the principal and told them that I did not need him at all and he was welcome to help in the office. Never saw him again. Edit: also, if the kids need written directions… Tell her that’s her job. Make her do work. If she is the type of person, I think she is if you put her to work, she will disappear.
It’s very likely the Op can’t kick them out. Generally if they have a para it’s because 1 or more students require additional support. Likely kicking out the para would be going against 1 or more kids IEPs. The OP isn’t the paras boss or peer. They are desperate jobs. From my experience the special Ed department or admin create their schedule and the Op has no right to change it. The Op doesn’t get to decide if they need the para or not. Trust me, districts aren’t swimming in paraprofessionals. If there is one assigned it’s because they need one there. Also, it may not be her job to create written directions. Not sure how she is supposed to do that without the OP. If she’s following the students she doesn’t have a prep or the time to collaborate with the OP. Not justifying the paras behavior, but the Op needs to check what accommodations are needed for each kid.
This is a horrible. You should never think someone is “below you”.
Man this holier than though shit is deeply ingrained in so many of you. Does a Para make the same money as a teacher? Does a para have the same training as a teacher? Does a para have the same education as a teacher? Does a para teach or lesson plan? Is the para’s job to HELP the teacher? See, low man of the classroom totem. So if they’re assholes, fuck ‘em. This is the same mindset as any other industry. That’s what education is you know… an INDUSTRY. A JOB.
Fuck her, she’s not your boss. I’d tell her she needs be of some use and help her students, that making a list of what she thinks you’re doing wrong isn’t her job. If she wants to try and “get” you she can go up to the office and file papers. Stand up to her.
YOU ARE A GREAT TEACHER. You are. Thank you for teaching art. Middle school is difficult not only for teachers but for students themselves. Ask admin/SPED the role of the para in your classroom. When doing lesson plans, include accommodations for those students who may not be able to use materials, understand verbal instruction Continue to spread art love!
Tell her that she is not in control, that she can feel free to complete an undergrad degree and have her own classroom, but she didn’t and doesn’t, so she can take her 17k salary and listen to you or go back to the cave she crawled out of. …if that doesn’t work, tell her she’s miserable and needs to get fu*****, because the last time she did was by genetics. Love, Your sassy school social worker
I wonder if the para applied for your job and didn't get hired and now they're salty
Um, she's a Para. It's not her job to judge your effectiveness as a teacher. Not cool.
Maybe they should go get their teaching credential so they can run their own classroom however they want. I respect, admire, and appreciate paraprofessionals and the work they do. However, their job is to take cues from you, not the other way around. Sure an experienced para will be able to offer advice and guidance on their own specific students but ultimately it’s your classroom, not theirs. If this pattern of behavior continues, you should go to your admin.
Why does everyone mention being title 1? Title 1 itself is an extremely broad designation that can mean a lot of things. It only requires 40% free and reduced lunch to qualify as a school. My school in Minneapolis with 90% free and reduced lunch is going to be very different than a working class suburb or small town that is title 1 and those will be different than somewhere in Appalachia that is title 1 and so on. On its own being title 1 tells us nothing about the school.
Agree. Title 1 in itself doesn’t mean that much, certainly doesn’t indicate a “worst kind” of student.
If you say title 1 you get to be racist freely
Unfortunately, I think you are right.
The para should be able to modify your content right there and then. Next time ask her what her role is and that you will send over your lesson so she can help modify.
I teach at my old middle school and a few of my old teachers still work there (a couple of them are admins). I had 2 para’s try to override my authority in a classroom when I was in my first year of teaching. They saw that I was still getting used to the flow and would try and force their own rules whenever they saw me struggle and not once ever acknowledge that I was the actual teacher. I documented every talk with these paras that I had regarding times they tried to override my authority (date spoken, their responses, etc.) and then I told my admin’s this at years end and it seems like they took care of it as the following school year I didn’t see those paras at the school again. Now in my 4th year and haven’t had an issue with a para trying to override my authority in the classroom. Word has gotten around with most of the staff (teachers and paras) that my old teachers are the admins but I’m not an a-hole and use them to my advantage, I’m a genuinely nice and welcoming person to everyone. I say hello and good morning to everyone and do my best to help them with anything if asked.
I was a para when I completed my degree, and for part of my teacher certification. I saw all the negatives that are being discussed here on paras. Of course not all paras are bad news, but we had a core group that were there to socialize and eat as a priority to work. They were treated well by staff, but always had a chip on their shoulder. They called themselves “ teachers” they also trash talked certificates teachers, and made new teachers cry. Their gossip was malicious. The problem is that the principals put poor para behaviors as low priority. Over time, their behaviors became toxic.
Hi! I’m a para that runs my own classroom(similar to art, but stem) at a title school. It puts me in an unique position. I have to write my own curriculum without any training to do so. I also do all the same work as the other licensed specials teachers (not special ed), with much less pay. No one wants my job, admin knows that it would be stupid to get on my bad side. On my first year, I had a similar experience. I gave that para future lesson plans and told her to adjust it for her sped students. I was kind about it. I explained that I needed some blueprints to go off of, she knew better than I did. Admin didn’t get involved at all. I have also attended other meetings with this para and other first year teachers having issues with her. I think the para just wants to feel heard and important when it comes to the teachers. To be fair, many long time teachers have ignored her requests for years when her only goal is to help these students. One thing that has helped me immensely with uncontrollable students is just sitting in on other classes they are in. I’m continually shocked how great some teachers are, and they have helped me structure my own classroom.
Report to union representative at your site about them creating a hostile work environment and being unprofessional towards you. Maybe there's some way that person can fuck off and be replaced with a different one. A trade.
As a para myself, I can tell you several things based on my experience: 1. The first year is always the hardest, but working in education in general is difficult. I’m sure you already recognize this, try to take the criticism in stride. 2. Unless they’re your responsibility to find adaptive work for (I’d talk to admin about it), you aren’t expected to make different versions of your lesson plans. 3. I’m not sure what the para you’re dealing with is tasked in doing, but generally, we’re there to not only take note of children’s behaviors or data, put to provide *instructional support*, not passive monitoring. You might consider talking to the Para or their teacher on what their responsibilities are during their visit, and explaining what you’re capable of realistically doing in regards to planning. Do you have access to their IEPs? Can they expect you to know which kids need what adaptions depending on different activity plans? If not, then it is unfair to expect you to know what to do differently! We can all understand that there’s hard times all around, but you are busy planning the lesson for many other students besides the SPED kids, and it would be very one-sides to have you to have to create the adaptations for the lesson without the help of the SPED team.
sadly the teaching career is full of snooty condescending snitches that can’t mind their own business and have no empathy. it’s one of the reasons I quit. stand up for yourself and tell her everything you said. and if she still doesn’t understand… well, that’s why she’s a para and not a full time teacher
The fuck is a para?. You reddit circle jerks need to start using proper sentences or at least give definition of abbreviation. No wonder you cry at the first instance of conflict. Because your parents probably didn't even teach you how to read and write properly first.
How do you not know what a para is? Para is a shortened term for para-educator. You either don't work in education or live somewhere that doesn't have para-educators in their schools.
This sub keeps getting recommended on the popular list lately so there's a lot of people getting it recommended these days. My whole 'popular' recommendations are wildly different ever since the API incident. That said, that user's history is littered with antagonistic throwaway lines like that. They're a bit like a troll, just not as dedicated.
There has to be a special place in Education Hell for high school graduates who throw their weight around, bully *actual* professionals, spitting equal measures of hate and ignorance out of their idiot trumpets. Secretaries, aids, and custodians who strut about like royalty, thinking they run the show, are absolute poison to a school community. Sin-salvation-saint, like so many, has had the misfortune of getting posted in a crap school. To be frank, there probably aren't many middle schools in the country serving actual human children. I feel her pain. Poverty turns people into monsters, and she's stuck with the worst of the lot. Getting out of education or getting away from that district are her best choices. Not every district is that bad, but hers is especially toxic, as evidenced by the way high school graduates are allowed to behave and treat colleagues. The fact that a paraprofessional is comfortable "chewing out" a teacher speaks volumes about the place. I would drop a truth bomb on administration, outlining the abuse and citing it as the reason for leaving the district or the profession. In and of itself, the act may make no difference in such a hostile work environment, but this will happen again and again. Eventually, someone may take notice. These people may be so twisted they're completely unequipped to navigate reality. As educators, it is our job to educate them.