r/paraprofessional

You would think we all working together towards a common goal, but some teacher and staff have that peaked in high school need the drama energy.

Hate to say it but I see why the only other male educator on Campus is a virtual recluse, because leaving the confines of the classroom can be treacherous.

Next year I am adopting the same mindset and mantra I am many people in NY lived by also known as “not my problem”.

Pointing out obvious inefficiencies spotting problem areas in upcoming quarters and coming up with common sense solutions while commendable in white collar 9-5 jobs is seen as threatening the status quo in the education sector. I quit my insurance job and went back to school to become a teacher during COVID and got undergrad degree in teaching grades 1-5. Been working up the nerve to continue education and earn higher degrees and certifications. Now that I am used to the physical and mental demands of this job will be pursuing more vigorously

i started this job when i was 19, the kiddo i work with and i have established such a strong bond. however, she does not like any of the other teachers, and will drop to the floor and cry if they come to help her.

i’m 21 now, i’ve had 2 years with this wonderful girl and since hearing the news i won’t be with her due to this attachment next year, i have taken it really hard. i cried when i got to work today, but held it together in front of my peers, i cried when i saw her, i cried when i got home and i’m crying as i write this. i am so so proud of this girl and the progress she’s made, but i am having such a difficult time letting go. i genuinely think i might be too much of a softie for this job because this is a type of heartbreak i have never experienced. i’m wondering if most people feel this way or if i need to find another job to avoid feeling this way again.

her mom requested i follow her next year as well, and has expressed to me how much she appreciates me and how much i’ve done to help, and i’m sad for that reason as well. i wish i could do more

I don’t know if it is because I am a male para in a very female dominated industry but just casual conversation with coworkers is quick to be weaponized or labeled gossip.

It’s the end of the school year I was discussing with coworker how things are going to work out next school like I would discuss possible issues in next quarter projections in my old 9-5 office work and this somehow spun out into meetings with admin about gossiping. I am dumbstruck because I am talking about logical issues that we know are going to be present next school year talking it out with another para who will likely be moved into my classroom next year and just trying to mentally prepare for the next school year and next thing I know I am sitting in the hot seat with the Principal admin and other personnel like an inquisition or being called to testify in front of a congressional committee. All within one morning. What I thought was simple logic and strategic brainstorming turned into what felt like I was in a McCarthy hearing trying to justify a love poem written to the USSR.

Violated my own rule of thumb of not getting involved with coworkers beyond direct care for children with a colleague I friendly with and I paid the price.

What i consider normal office politics of my old 9-5 jobs seems to be treated as extreme hostility in education setting and the juxtaposition really threw me. Today was students last day and tomorrow is last day for employees and there is a luncheon planned at a restaurant and now I feel hesitant to even go.

I posted on here about how one student had a complete outburst and gave ME sensory overload as well!

Tomorrow is finally the day! I’m taking my para test online and I’m praying I’ll pass. I’ve been studying by using an online course on a website called study.com (they are partnered with ETS) for the past few months. I’m pretty confident about the reading, writing, and instruction components but I’m a little worried about the math, as it has always been something I’ve struggled with. I’m also hoping everything goes well with the online proctoring, as this is my first time taking a major test like this online.

If you’ve taken the test before, especially those of you who’ve taken it online, what is it like? Did you find it easy to sign in and get set up? How was the proctoring? Did you feel that you had enough time on the questions, or did you feel rushed? I’d just love to hear people’s experiences with this test before taking it!

The students were playing just dance when one student started to sing along. This bothered another student who got mad and threw stuff on the floor.

To top it off ANOTHER student had a complete OUTBURST and started screaming really loud at the top of his lungs. The other staff members had to get him out of the room and call his dad to pick him up.

Only two more days of school left I can barely hang on

A couple weeks ago I was asked to leave the class and not turn because I talk too much to the students by a substitute teacher.

In this situation I had walked into the class late and the students are excited to see me but I read the room and I made sure to work with the students who needed help.

I will admit one student and i talked briefly and i was doing so to see how she’s doing cause this student had a hard time with strict rules and authority.

I moved my way around the room and pulled a student to the back who was seriously upset and frustrated over their work.

This student and I worked in the back until recess and the student started talking to me again as the lined up and that’s when I was told to not return.

I talked with my principal and we agreed on what I should do.

I told my office manager to get the name of the substitute in that class because I was shocked and it really hurt me to be spoken to the way I was. There was more to this story but it’s not about that just know the woman had been ride to me since I walked in even made a weird face when I told her my name —— my office manager and she was asking if everything was okay so i explained to her the situation.

It was not until i talked with my office manager that I felt like maybe she’s heard complaints about me from other teachers I work with. I say this cause she just was not as sympathetic as she normally can be.

Do I talk to the students? Yes it’s important to me I build a relationship with them. I’ve learned from last year how to better improve so I have made changes to how I do things. However I’m young and I look even younger than I am so I feel students really want to be around me. I listen to them and I get to know them better. Not that we don’t get work done but I have a feeling one teacher or multiple teachers don’t like it at times. I get it but also students want to jsut be around me.

I always try to be respectful to the teachers I work with and get as much done as possible. However today i wasn’t asked to go on a field trip with a class and in this class the teacher often gets annoyed with her students and tell at them indirectly by saying all they do is play and talk when they are with me and it feels always like a jab at me. It’s not all the time but it’s whenever they are being loud or want to join me at my designated table.

I don’t know i never put much thought into this until again I was asked to not come back so am I the problem? Is it wrong the students like me and I have a good report with them?

I just hate to get complaints cause in my own personal experiences when I do I feel like an enemy of the state (in this case the classroom) and I really don’t want to have a bad reputation. I just want to be liked and respected and it’s not something i received at my last job.

It’s the end of the year, and one of the admin members thought it would be fun to have everyone leave positive messages for other students and teachers/parapros in the classroom we have 3 including myself and the main teacher. Long story short…not 1 kid left a note for me!?? Not one!!!! I mean I’m there the entire year, every day helping with everything and anything, making everyone smile etc…and then I get this? My co workers left me a couple nice messages, but I’m not there for them or the money. I’m just really sad and hurt the kids that I care about didn’t even bother with me for this little project. I’m not being dramatic either I can feel how I want and I’m hurt. Just airing it out for anyone who cares and like my classroom and most you reading this you don’t. 😢

I was under the impression that a student’s AAC device/ipad is considered ‘their voice’ and should not be taken away from them or used as an incentive for break time/ choice activity.

At my school, there is one student who “stims” on the iPad a lot, repeating the alphabet, smashing buttons to repeat words, etc. Her assigned paras take her iPad away when she does this. They also take away her iPad for misbehaving.

To me, this seems like taping a verbal student’s mouth shut? we would never tape a student’s mouth, tell them to not make any noise, or disallow them from verbally speaking for misbehaviour.

Am I right? It seems so wild to me that they do this. We are short staffed most days so occasionally I have worked with this student and I don’t feel comfortable taking away their device.

The school year is almost over, I know, but just needed to get this off my chest. (I have been diagnosed CPTSD and one of my triggers that sets me off into a burning fireball off ptsd rage is feeling like I’m being shut up or not being listened to. And I just get the same kind of triggered feeling with taking away a students communication tool)

I have a student (male, 6th grade) who is functionally a toddler. He requires bathroom supervision, can't read or write, and can't be left alone at any time during the day. He is nonverbal, only speaking to repeat whatever the last word he heard was, other than that he just vocalizes loudly.

He has an AAC, but won't use it. We've spent the year repeatedly prompting, modeling, trying different pictures. But he'll still just stare blankly if prompted or use it for babbling. We have yet to get an "actual" response or request. He has a chart where we log whether he did something independently (I), prompted (P), or no response (NR). Almost everything is either P or NR. He doesn't have the motor skills for signs and can't write without hand-holding or rigid tracing.

I have seen no improvement academically, he still can't read basic sentences. If given a book he will just flip through pictures and gets aggressive if you try and read out loud or gesture to words. We do fill in the blank sheets where we glue words in sentences, but he again just stares blankly or picks randomly. In the past month or so we've shifted all goals towards communication and independence (though he will not be taking any high school classes and does not receive grades or formal tests).

Impulse control is a big barrier. If it's in his reach and he wants it, he will go for it. He's taken a drink right out of my hand and chugged it and eaten another kid's snack right out of his hands. Food and drink is now banned in our room and he'll also take from the trash. He once held a 6th grade girl down at recess to feel her braces, and he did not react to any attempts to remove him (he's also extremely large which makes physical removal difficult). When redirected or told no he doesn't show any reaction or understanding, and sometimes gets physical if you block him.

I just feel like I'm spinning my wheels and not going anywhere. He's very sweet, but he just doesn't seem to understand what's going on around him. He very much lives in his own little world and I want to try and reach him to give him an easier chance as he ages.

(Side note: our violent 5th grader that I asked for help with previously is currently gone after appendicitis. So the last weeks of school will be spent with little to no fear of getting attacked.)

I’m fortunate enough to be working in a co-op so there’s plenty of staff to cover staffing needs for our multi 1:1 students. I had been 1:1 for this amazing student- I enjoyed working with the student a lot, however the student can be a lot, such as physical aggression, eloping, so on for two years. I’m just so burnout and I just need switch; and the student needs to work with someone new because became SO dependent on me so I made a request to work in different classroom for next year and the class list came our last week. My boss placed me with the same student again! I was upset so I sent her the email, being reasonable and explaining why I need to switch. Got reply back because of short staffing next year. My request was denied which that’s complete bullshit. They could’ve easily swapped other classroom’s para with me. I’m second in seniority at my work. The student was hard but I learned, why can’t other TA learn? Why it’s all on me??? It’s totally unhealthy and unfair. It shouldn’t be okay to be working with same kid more than 2 years.

Hey everyone, I’ve worked as a para sub and substitute teacher for almost two years now. Moved to a new state, and considering different careers. For background, I have an English degree, but was originally doing secondary education (ELA). I did student teaching but amongst medical issues, realized the traditional teaching path and demand wasn’t for me. I’ve really enjoyed supporting students and working with small groups and individuals. I have taken classes such as classroom management, teaching portfolio, students with disabilities, education law, and many others. I also did a practicum. I also passed my content area NES exam for my state, but the score isn’t valid anymore to my current knowledge.

I’m currently considering either specializing, which would require a long and expensive masters program, or maybe pivoting out of education into something else. But I do find it fulfilling on the rare occasions when it feels like I make a difference and have a positive impact on students. I’ve enjoyed working in SPED as a para sub, and as a substitute teacher, but I also don’t know if it’s worth getting a parapro certification if I have the experience (and education). What do you think?

i took a personal day because i couldn’t work 2 shifts (7am-8:30pm) and i took off my school job since its a half day before memorial day weekend. my summer job doesn’t post the schedule until wednesdays, my summer job starts at 2 and my school ends at 12. I shouldnt get in trouble right?

Hi everyone, I will be moving soon and was thinking about switching over to become a teacher aide/paraprofessional since the hours are more consistent. I also wouldn’t want to work as an RBT in the schools as I figure that if those services are needed, then it’s going to be very extreme behavior.

While I know I would be taking a cut in pay $22 -> $18, I’m not sure if it’s that significant for me as if your client cancels the whole week, you don’t get any hours unless your company helps you find a fill-in session. Hence, it’s not really sustainable, which is why I’ve been looking into leaving the ABA field all-together.

I have an interview for a full time position in my high school vocational center. The role might involve time in the car, welding and other workshops and maybe hairdressing and so on. Just wondering what people think of this and/or of you have done something similar? I have an interview Wed and appreciate the insight!

I am starting as a para in the fall. I'm 55 was a public library librarian, retired, then a sub at HS for a year. I learned a lot about how schools and students. I liked the hs. I will be a sped para in gen ed classroom.

My kid always disobeys orders and complains they got in trouble for "no reason" or misrepresents why. What should I do about a defiant student who doesn't accountability. Even when given consequences they double down on the behavior. Frustrated.