Supervising Paraprofessionals

Abstract

This study examined the practices of special education teachers with responsibility for the supervision of paraprofessionals. Teachers reported little preservice or inservice preparation for supervising; "real-life experience" was the primary source of their supervision knowledge. Few teachers participated in selecting or hiring the paraprofessional they supervised, although more than half of the respondents indicated that they held primary responsibility for evaluating the performance of paraprofessionals. Teachers provided oral instructions to paraprofessionals rather than written plans. The oral instructions consisted of directions about guiding students' skills practice and suggestions for behavior management. Few teachers held regularly scheduled, sit-down meetings with paraprofessionals. Substantial overlap of tasks and duties was reported. However, paraprofessionals assumed primary responsibility for the personal care of students and for playground supervision. Teachers maintained primary responsibility for determining goals and objectives of the Individualized Education Program (IEP), informing parents, attending IEP meetings, and planning lessons. The remaining tasks, including many involving instruction, were equally shared. Findings demonstrated that teachers' supervision methods vary somewhat from recommended supervisory practices and support the call for supervisory training in preservice and inservice special education programs.