Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)March 10, 2009

Credential of Competency Standard # 9: Professional and Ethical Practice

Pennsylvania’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment

(LRE)

Recognizing that the placement decision is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decision, our goal for each child is to ensure IEP teams begin with the general education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and Services before considering a more restrictive environment.

NEWS FLASH!!

• Effective April 1, 2009, PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education will only accept Competency Assessment Checklists with original signatures from the supervisor or designee.

• This means blue ink • Previous signatures can be initialed in blue ink

by supervisor or designee

District, IU, Preschool, Agency Policy

Your local district’s policies regarding paraeducator job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities provide the final word!

Agenda• Professional and Ethical Practices

for Paraeducators

• Personal and Cultural Biases and the Educational Setting

• Strategies for Building Positive Relationships with Staff and Students

Learner Outcomes

Participants will:• List ethical practices required to

support both students and colleagues in the work environment

• Describe types of biases that affect one’s ability to work with others and support students

• Explore the variety of strategies that promote positive work relationships

Professional and Ethical Practices

WWYD (What Would You Do?)

Your partner teacher asks that you develop and teach a social studies lesson to a student.

You ask the teacher for some information and guidance, but she says, “Oh, it doesn’t make a difference how you do it, but I know you’ll do a great job.”

What would you do?

Professional and Ethical Practices

• Professionalism is the conduct, aims or qualities that characterize a professional person

• Ethical behavior means that one conforms to the accepted or professional standards of conduct

Webster’s Dictionary

Professional Practices

• Present yourself in a professional manner– Appearance, attitude, work habits

• Understand the hierarchy of authority in your work setting– Interact appropriately with staff and

students– Follow chain of command

• Ask questions

Adapted from Sprick, R., Garrison, M., Howard, L. Para Pro: Supporting the Instructional Process Sopris West (2000)

Professional Practices

• Contribute to positive community-school relationships

• Maintain confidentiality

• Be respectful to staff, students and parents

Adapted from Sprick, R., Garrison, M., Howard, L. Para Pro: Supporting the Instructional Process Sopris West (2000)

WWYD (What Would You Do?)

A parent of a student in your program asks for your opinion about the teaching skills of your partner teacher. She isn’t happy with her child’s progress and thinks the teacher is incompetent.

What would you do?

Ethical Practices

Code of Ethics for Paraeducators

Adapted from Supervising Paraeducators in Educational Settings, Anna Lou Pickett & Kent Gerlach, Pro-Ed, 1997.

Code of Ethics for Paraeducators

• Practice the standards approved by your district or agency

• Maintain Positive Relationships with:– Teachers– The School

• Accept Responsibilities

Code of Ethics for Paraeducators

Relationship with the Teacher• Recognize the teacher as the

classroom supervisor and team leader

• Establish a positive relationship with all teachers

• Discuss concerns about classroom issues directly with teachers

Code of Ethics for Paraeducators

Relationship with the School

• Know school policies and procedures

• Represent the school district in a

positive manner

Code of Ethics for Paraeducators

Accept Responsibilities• Engage only in activities for which

you are qualified or trained• Accept responsibility for improving

skills• Support fellow paraeducators

• Maintain Confidentiality• Follow chain of command • Use “people first” language• Refrain from engaging in discriminatory

practices

Code of Ethics for Paraeducators

WWYD (What Would You Do?)

You have been assigned to work at a new school as a 1:1 paraeducator for a student who is included in several general education classes in the building.

• List some things you should do on your first day of work.

Personal and Cultural Biases and the

Educational Setting

Cross-Cultural Competence

Cross-Cultural Competence:

The ability to feel and act in a respectful, comfortable way with others who come from different backgrounds; be it different social, linguistic or cultural backgrounds

Cross-Cultural Competence:

• Is on-going because culture is dynamic. We meet different people everyday

• The process of cross-cultural competence is a life-long voyage

CULTURE

• A way of perceiving, believing, evaluating, and behaving

• A framework that guides life’s practices

• Is learned, shared, and is always changing

CULTURE

• Way of life of a group of people• A shared world view-Values and beliefs-Roles and responsibilities-Standard of behavior-Preferences

CULTURE

• Unique characteristics

• Specialized needs

• Implications for– academic– social– emotional

Interaction of Multiple Cultures

• Culture of the Family

• Culture of the Program or School System

• Culture of the Disability

• Respect Family Cultures

• Learn from diversity

• Parents/siblings educate classmates

Interaction of Multiple Cultures

Teaching to all:

• Learning styles

• Motivational styles

• Strengths and challenges of each student

Individual Learning Differences

Educators must:

• Develop relationships with families.

• Have knowledge of individual students.

• Possess understanding of various disabilities.

Individual Learning Differences

Educators adapt and build:

• Intellectual

• Physical

• Sensory

• Communication/emotional abilities

Individual Learning Differences

People First Language

• Language is power.

• Choose to use people first language.

• Why use people first language?

CULTURE

Non-examples of People First Language

• Invalid• Mongoloid• Wheel-chair bound• Deaf and Dumb• Defective• Afflicted

• Mute• Victim• Crippled• Special Person• Suffers from• Stricken with

Positive Examples of People First Language

• Person with a disability

• People who have disabilities

• He/she uses a wheelchair

• He/she has a congenital disability

• Accessible• He/she has a

cognitive disability

General Guidelines for Talking about Disabilities

• Do not refer to disability unless relevant

• Use disability rather than handicapped

• People First Language

• Avoid the terms: disabled, the blind, the epileptics, the retarded

General Guidelines for Talking about Disabilities

• Avoid: suffers from, a victim of, or afflicted with.

• Avoid: normal or able-bodied when describing people without disabilities.

Strategies for Building Positive Relationships with

Staff and Students

What’s Your Learning Style?

Visual

Auditory

Kinesthetic

Let’s find out!

What’s Your Learning Style?

• Complete the self assessment labeled Handout #7

What’s Your Learning Style?

Visual Learners—mostly letter A• Take detailed notes• Tend to sit in the front• Often close their eyes to visualize and

remember• Like to see what they are learning• Benefit from illustrations

How can I work with students who are visual learners?

What’s Your Learning Style?Auditory Learners—mostly letter B• Sit where they can hear but needn’t pay

attention to what is happening in front• Hum or talk to themselves or others when

bored• Acquire knowledge by reading aloud• Remember by verbalizing lessons to

themselves

How can I work with students who are auditory learners?

What’s Your Learning Style?

Kinesthetic—mostly letter C• Need to be active and take frequent breaks• Speak with their hands and gestures• Difficulty recalling what was seen or heard• Find reasons to tinker or move when bored• Enjoy manipulating materials• Sit where they can move around

How can I work with students who are kinesthetic learners?

What is the Learning Style of your Students?• Write the name of a student in your

classroom.• Guess their learning style and write

it.• Tell your neighbor how you know

this.• Share one way you can teach to their

learning style.

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?• Read each item of the survey titled

“What is my style and what is your style?”

• Place a check next to your best choice for each item.

• Tally the number for each column at the bottom.

• We will discuss the results.

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?

• Achiever• Persuader• Supporter• Analyst

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?

Achiever• High risk-taker, less

people-oriented • Like to be in control of

situations and sometimes people

• Generally forceful and direct when working with colleagues

Working with Achievers

• Be business like and direct

• Ask factual questions• Propose logical and

efficient plans, but let achievers have/share control over final solutions

• Anticipate objections and prepare to address them

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?

Persuader• High risk-taking, more

people oriented• High spirited and

social• Love to inspire and be

inspired• Articulate and intense

when working with colleagues

Working with Persuaders

• Acknowledge their strengths, competence, humor and friendliness

• Present ideas in an enthusiastic, optimistic, persuasive manner

• Encourage ideas that are innovative

• Get plans in writing, it helps them stay focused

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?

Supporter• Lower risk-taking, more

people oriented• High ideals and

standards• Love calm

environments and hate conflict

• Need security and appreciation for your efforts

Working with Supporters

• Be calm, casual, friendly

• Actively listen, reflect their feelings and concerns

• Appreciate their efforts• Present ideas that are

consistent with their values and high standards

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?

Analyst

• Lower risk taking, less people oriented

• Highly disciplined and persistent

• Love to reason and need time to think things through before moving into projects

• Accuracy and order are your trademarks

Working with Analysts• Present information in

a logical step by step manner

• Pay close attention to details

• Appeal to logic, reason, order, and systematic approach to problem solving

• Do your homework; expect to be challenged on your assumptions, ideas, procedures

What’s Your Interpersonal Style?• Choose a staff member you work

with• Write their name• Given what you just heard, choose a

strategy you can use when you work with them.

Teamwork

Consider:• The learning styles of both

colleagues and students• The working style of both colleagues

and students

ADD VIDEO TO SUM UP PRESENTATION

Learner Outcomes

Participants will:• List ethical practices required to

support both students and colleagues in the work environment

• Describe types of biases that affect one’s ability to work with others and support students

• Explore and variety of strategies that promote positive work relationships

Edward G. Rendell Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed. Governor Secretary

Diane Castelbuono, Deputy SecretaryOffice of Elementary and Secondary Education

John J. Tommasini, DirectorBureau of Special Education

Bureau of Special EducationPennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network

Contact Information: Name of Consultant, Email addresswww.pattan.net