TEACHERS: Advice on In-Class Support

[*NikkiBell*]

Hi all,

I am having a tough time with the new in-class support teacher in my district. She is befriending the students and turning them against other teachers in the district. She also hovers over the ONE students she is in my class for and refuses to help anyone else. I was told by numerous people including an administrator that she is to work with everyone and it should not be noticeable who she is in there for.

Any ideas on how to solve this issue? I have already discussed it with her twice.

 

[Bayshore Bandit]

I am assuming you are the lead teacher, which means it is your classroom
to run. If you have already discussed it with her professionally, and the
problem is still persisting......I'd go to the principal/administrator of your
building and let them handle it.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I agree, if you have spoken with her, sounds like you should follow whatever avenues to bring it to the attention to whom-ever is in charge of this situation. Principal, Special Ed, and whomever else.


I do have a question.
If this person is in the classroom as an aid (in-class support) for a particular student with an IEP, How are they supposed to be fulfilling their obligation to assist this student, if they are supposed to help 'all' students. Something about this does not sound right to me????

My son is on an IEP. He does not require an 'aide', but you can bet your bottom dollar I would be pushing for my rights if my son were the student who required an aide, and the aide was not assistiing him, because they were also being asked to spend time assisting all of the other students. ( which, basicly sounds like a teachers-aide)

If this person is there to provide the required assistance to a child with a disability, then this is exactly what she should be doing.

This whole thing sounds a little 'off' to me.
Doesn't sound like it meets IDEA requirements???

 

[swilphil]

The concept of paraprofessionals helping all students is very common. This is primarily done to so it won't be obvious to the other students in the class which student has been labeled special ed. When I taught in a similar situation, the aide did help all students though I would say the special ed students were the main priority. She would always make sure that those students were on task, but she would be there to help other students who needed it. If you have an aide who just pulls the special ed students aside to work with them, you defeat the purpose of inclusion.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Yes, it is true she is in there for one child. But this child has an A in my class and truly does not require the assistance at this time so I rather her work with those who need it. Obviously her top priority is the student she is in there for but she should be doing more good than what is going on.

 

[Cindy B]

If she is 1:1 with that one student, legally that teacher or support person is only bound to that person only.

She doesn't have to support any other student if her responsibility is that student only.

Yes, it does get tricky if that student is getting a high grade and other students aren't. However, as you know, an IEP is a legal document and can not be changed easily. If that support teacher does not support her student she is in breach of a legal document.

The other students that are struggling, do they have IEPs or other documented issues?

 

[lvs_eeyore]

If that aide is contracted to that one student it is unfair of you to ask her to help other students regardless of what grade the aided student is getting in the class. It is up to the parents and the administrators of the children that are struggling to get help for their children too. Maybe he is doing so well in your class because he has the aide and would not be doing so well if he didnt have her support because she was off helping other kids. She is also in breech of contract if she does not tend to only her student. I would be furious if I were the parent of a child who needs an aide and that aide was spending time teaching other students. I have a child with an IEP but does not need an aide. You can be sure though if he did need one I would be making sure she was only helping my child which is what she is contracted to do.

 

[KeepSwimming]

I agree, as frustrating as it it to watch, she is supposed to be focused just on "her" student. I had a similar situation several years ago. I asked an aide to work with a student while her assigned student was busy on a project, and she said to me (in front of the class mind you) that her job was to work with "john" and she was not there to "do my job for me".

I would mentally write her off and consider it an unexpected surprise if she assists other students.

 

[Cindy B]

Now is it a special ed teacher/student teacher or a paraprofessional/aide we are talking about?

I've been a paraprofessional and now work as a substitute teacher while I gain credentials for special education teaching.

Some paraprofessionals (not all but the older retiree types that I worked with) only did what was required and nothing more. It would have never occurred to them to even check with other students or ask for other responsibilities or duties or even ask the lead teacher what could be done to help. They only knew what to do and they did tend to hover over the students because the paraprofessional was so nervous or uptight about doing the wrong thing.

But when I was a 1:1 I would work with that student and others as well. It was a balancing act, but I managed to do it. My student was an A student, so I would get them started on the assignment, check to see if all was well, and then checked all all the inclusion students and come back to her. However, though I sort of checked on all the learning groups so I wasn't singling out the special ed students. I was sort of like "Hows this group doing? And ask all students.. not just the inclusion kids.."

 

[Wishing on a star]

I am not an expert. But I continue to agree with the ones who mention that if a student has an IEP, which is a binding document, and it requires 'support' for the student. Then this IS indeed the job requirements of this 'aide'.

The school is legally responsible for providing the accomodations that have been deemed necessary for this student. If the aide does not focus on this, then the school is not meeting its legal liability.

It does not matter that this student is getting an 'A'. This could very well be due to the fact that the aide is providing the accomodations necessary for this child to function and learn in the classroom.

It is not easy to get accomodations like this. Usually a parent has to fight very hard for them. A documented diagnosis is required. The IEP has to be signed by the School Psychologist, Head of Special Ed, etc....

To me, the whole, 'it should not be obvious' thing is not valid at all. How can an aide be expected to provide the accomodations and assistance necessary for a child, when they are not supposed to appear to be helping this child.

As a parent, if I fought long and hard to get my child the in class assistance that they have qualfied for, and then learned that my childs in-class-support was basicly in the classroom being a 'teachers aid'... You can bet that I would addressing this all the way to the Superintendant.