Don't Want to Miss An Episode?
Sign up to get all new episodes sent straight to your inbox.
Get notified as soon as a new epidsode drops!
We won't send spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Listen to the show
Episode #57 Why Evaluating Your Paraprofessionals is a Must-Do!
When it comes to evaluating paraprofessionals, I have a strong opinion that evaluating them 1 or 2 times a year based on district requirements is NOT good enough. The evaluation tool that my district uses is too broad and not given repeatedly throughout the year. It's safe to say, I’m not a fan. I use it when I have to and then I supplement it with my own.
Evaluations should be more often, more meaningful and more intentional
In addition to using the district evaluation, my co-teacher and I evaluate our staff every 9 weeks.
This is what it looks like at my school…
Each 9 weeks, Mendy, my co-teacher and I, use a para evaluation rubric to evaluate the paras AND we have the classroom teachers who work with each para evaluate them as well. We want to know how that para is performing on a daily basis. Hopefully, if there has been an issue, those teachers have already come to us and the issue has been resolved but I’m not naive to think that this is always the case.
But we want teachers to have input into what is happening in their classrooms. This rubric, which is something I created 5 years ago as a part of my Paraprofessional Handbook, looks at a para’s:
- Work ethic
- Student interactions
- Ability to provide instruction
- Behavior management skills and
- Relationships with their colleagues
Once we have all the evaluations back from each teacher, we look at the data and see if it is consistent with what we are seeing within the resource room or just from our own observations. We make notes in a file folder and then we schedule a private sit down with each para and have a discussion about the results. We talk about strengths and weaknesses and set goals for improvement. It is very informal and gives us a chance to connect with each para individually.
By doing evaluations in this manner and this often, you are building a culture of team improvement...everyone has strengths and weaknesses and we are all here to help each other be the best we can be. In fact, my paras seem to enjoy their evaluations.
This para rubric is part of the Paraprofessional Handbook and was created by me for me because I was sick and tired of being ineffective at being a boss. I needed to have something concrete to set in front of my paras to provide them with the expectations and responsibilities of their job. And it was a HIT. It is my biggest seller from my old store, All Things Jenn and I just revamped it, changed the graphics and added more pieces and now it is available in the Sped Prep Academy store.
I actually had a review the other day on this handbook from a paraprofessional and it said, “I am new to special education and to being a paraprofessional and was looking for a resource to give me some tips and advice about the job. This resource was the best out of all. I did purchase 2 other paraprofessional binders and this one by far beats them all.”
I have so many reviews on this product but it’s the ones like this, the ones from actual paraprofessionals, who are living the job every day who are saying how beneficial it is to them.
Mentioned in the Show...
Sped Prep Academy. com/quiz
JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
The Sped Prep Academy Facebook Group
Connect with Jennifer on Instagram
ENJOYING THE PODCAST?
Tag me @spedprepacademy on Instagram and tell me what you are listening to!
SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW
I don’t want you to miss a thing! Be the first to know when a new episode is available by subscribing in iTunes HERE!
If you would like to support The Sped Prep Academy® podcast, a review would mean so much. By leaving a review, you are helping fellow special educators find this podcast to receive the help and support they need. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Ratings and Reviews. Click “Write a Review” and share with me how this podcast is helping you grow as an educator!