Foundations of Inclusive Education

1. Foundations of Inclusive Education Best practices of Education Assistants

2. Discuss: Things to Try for Next Time • Learning in Inclusive Environments Observation Checklist And 2. Thought Question: High school students with significant disabilities were asked to characterize their relationships with paraprofessionals. What do you think they said?

3. General approach to supporting students “M.I.S.G.O.”

4. M.I.S.G.O. • Do not have a chair for yourself to sit in next to the student • Do not talk with the student while the teacher is talking to the student either individually or as part of a small group or whole class presentation

5. M.I.S.G.O. • Roam the classroom and support all students as appropriate • Use recess and lunch periods as excellent instructional opportunities (particularly for functional and social skill development)

6. M.I.S.G.O. revealed: MOVE IN SQUAT GET OUT!

7. Research: 16 self advocates discuss education assistants • Paraprofessional as their only “friend” • Paraprofessional as teacher • Paraprofessional as mother • Paraprofessional as protector

8. Reflective Discussion Questions • How will you demonstrate and clarify the differences between being friendly and being a friend? • How do students with disabilities feel about their experiences of not having the teacher work with them?

9. Reflective Discussion Questions • How would you feel having your mother follow you around in school, all day, every day? How does “mothering” interfere with a student’s ability to make friendships? • How does your team work with students who are victims of bullying to support and broaden their circles of support and friendship?

10. How to be a ParaPro • Space Cadet • No sense of what students need, nor how to provide support. Inappropriately follow recommendations • The Parrot Para • Simply repeat all teacher directions; don’t individualize or shift from auditory to visual supports

11. How to be a ParaPro • The Know-it-all • Not willing to consider input from others, let alone learn from the student • The Helicopter • Hovers & smothers; hinders rather than facilitates learning; creates learned helplessness and prompt dependency (uses intrusive verbal prompts)

12. How to be a ParaPro • The Invisible • Attends to matters outside the needs of students; fails to see cues that signal impending problems • The Fire Fighter • Employs reinforcements that often maintain a behaviour or situation

13. How to be a ParaPro • The Automatic Pilot • Task-oriented not student oriented; uses highly intrusive supports • The Traffic Cop • Directs rather than facilitates; often forgets to involve students

14. How to be a ParaPro • Knows students • Analyzes situations & makes sound judgments • Has a repetoire of strategies • Promotes self determination and independence • Facilitates participation • Willingness to learn

15. Research: Helping or Hovering? • Interference with ownership and responsibility by general educators • Separation from classmates • Dependence on adults • Impact on peer interactions

16. Research: Helping or Hovering? 5. Limitations on receiving competent instruction 6. Loss of personal control 7. Loss of gender identity 8. Interference with instruction of other students

17. A Competent Education Assistant •  Heart = beliefs, attitudes, personal attributes •  Hand= skills •  Head=knowledge

18. Evaluation • SSEAC values your feedback. Please complete the evaluation form. It will be forwarded to the project evaluator. Thank you.

19. ~Summative Assessment~