Having spent time as both primary teacher and auxiliary support, can confirm it will turn into a snake eating its tail situation. Teacher would have a full plate with standardized testing, IEP meetings, curriculum development, group lessons, parent communication, and documentation. Support would come in to take some day-to-day load off such as behavioral management, lesson prep, materials inventory, filing. Administration would see teacher's room came to place of equilibrium and dump MORE on teachers plate requiring MORE auxiliary support. On and on it would go.
I have worked as a para in a public middle school and high school in Massachusetts. I felt as if the school did not value or use the paras (school resources) in the most effective manner. Many of my colleagues who were paras had masters degrees. But they were typically mothers who liked the hours since it aligned with when their child would be out of school. However it was shocking that so many paras had masters degrees or lengthy careers in other fields prior.
As for data tracking it is non existent. I sat in the classes and learning centers “gathering data” but it was as basic as it gets. The nominal scale seemed random and it was used to say that we did it rather than implementing it. But I will say that paras are one of the least valued class of workers in the country. Young paras who are curious to see if teaching is for them realize that shit pay and not gaining any teaching experience is not worth it. So this pipeline that is not being utilized, it is stifling young talent rather than cultivating it.
In recent years I have often wondered if the electorate were to grasp the $$$ spent on special ed (not sure if this is a current appropriate term) would they be supportive. IEPs seem as ubiquitous as tattoos these days.
Having spent time as both primary teacher and auxiliary support, can confirm it will turn into a snake eating its tail situation. Teacher would have a full plate with standardized testing, IEP meetings, curriculum development, group lessons, parent communication, and documentation. Support would come in to take some day-to-day load off such as behavioral management, lesson prep, materials inventory, filing. Administration would see teacher's room came to place of equilibrium and dump MORE on teachers plate requiring MORE auxiliary support. On and on it would go.
This is such an incisive point!
I have worked as a para in a public middle school and high school in Massachusetts. I felt as if the school did not value or use the paras (school resources) in the most effective manner. Many of my colleagues who were paras had masters degrees. But they were typically mothers who liked the hours since it aligned with when their child would be out of school. However it was shocking that so many paras had masters degrees or lengthy careers in other fields prior.
As for data tracking it is non existent. I sat in the classes and learning centers “gathering data” but it was as basic as it gets. The nominal scale seemed random and it was used to say that we did it rather than implementing it. But I will say that paras are one of the least valued class of workers in the country. Young paras who are curious to see if teaching is for them realize that shit pay and not gaining any teaching experience is not worth it. So this pipeline that is not being utilized, it is stifling young talent rather than cultivating it.
In recent years I have often wondered if the electorate were to grasp the $$$ spent on special ed (not sure if this is a current appropriate term) would they be supportive. IEPs seem as ubiquitous as tattoos these days.