The Paraprofessional and Supervision
WORKING WITH PARAPROFESSIONALS IN YOUR SCHOOL
The Paraprofessional and Supervision
INTRODUCTION
The increased use of paraprofessionals in a variety of educational settings has resulted in the need for teachers and other educational professionals (nurses, speech-language pathologists, occupational/physical therapists) to assume the tasks of supervising these individuals. Being a qualified educational professional, however, does not automatically translate into being equally prepared to supervise another adult. In too many cases, this new role is undertaken with little or no training or previous knowledge of supervisory skills. Current state and federal legislation emphasizes the importance of adequate supervision for paraprofessionals, and those charged with supervision must learn strategies for directing the work of the paraprofessional to improve student achievement. This issue of NASET’sWorking with Paraprofessionals in Your School provides information on the principles of supervision and establishing an effective supervisory relationship whose ultimate goal is success of the child in the school setting.