My 17 1/2-year-old son still isn’t driving. We waited and didn’t push him into getting his permit because he had no interest, and we thought, “If he isn’t motivated, he isn’t ready.” Well, flash forward 2 years, and his driving test is scheduled in April. IT.CANNOT.COME.SOON.ENOUGH. All I can think about is having extra help in running errands, taking younger siblings to after-school activities, and being able to drive himself to hang out with friends. I have so many plans, but this quiet, almost desperate waiting reminds me of when I was a new teacher.
When I started teaching I was hired on an emergency waiver to teach special education and work with mostly middle school boys. What a learning curve! I went home every night exhausted, threadbare, and wracked with guilt about not meeting my kids' needs. I just needed some help and support to get through the day. The crazy part is that I had a paraeducator with me most of the time, but in my “just trying to survive and teach these kids” stupor, I had no idea how to collaborate with this person to help me and my students.
Sometimes, as educators, we support students who receive the help of a classroom paraeducator or even one-on-one support—but most of us weren’t trained on how to collaborate effectively with another adult in the room. When we intentionally plan and communicate with our paras, they can help us amplify the inclusive practices we use every day—especially those grounded in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.
In many classrooms, the paraeducator is an underutilized resource because there’s often uncertainty about how to partner in ways that truly support student learning and independence. I’ve been there myself. Below are four tips for maximizing having another adult in your classroom to support student learning.
Tip #1: Station Rotation or Center Facilitation
Use your paraeducator to facilitate a station rotation or run a center during center time. Make sure that you are really clear with them about what your firm goals are for that lesson. So, while they're doing the instruction during the center time, they are aware of what flexible choices you've built in and how they can support that firm goal with their flexible methods.
For example, during a reading comprehension lesson, while you work with one group on vocabulary development, your paraeducator could run a "Reader's Theater" station where students practice expressive reading using different voices and performance techniques. Brief them that the firm goal is improving reading fluency, but students can choose which character they want to be, whether they want to stand or sit, and whether they want to use props or not. The paraeducator keeps the focus on the fluency goal while honoring these flexible choices.
Tip #2: Support Student Goal-Setting
Make sure that you partner with paraeducators to support student goal-setting. During a lesson, paraeducators can walk around and check in with all students to see what the goals are that they may have set for themselves. If students have a hard time setting goals, the paraeducator can help them self-reflect on what the learning objective is and how it might support their understanding of the content.
We know this is really important when shifting to student-led design. So, why not have paraeducators check in with students about if they set personal goals, how they're working towards those goals if they're making progress, and if they'd even refine their goals during the lesson?
Example: In a writing workshop, students might set individual goals like "I want to use five descriptive words in my story," “I want to work with a peer to revise my writing,” or "I want to write a complete paragraph with a topic sentence." Your paraeducator can circulate with a small clipboard, briefly checking in with each student: "What's your writing goal today? How's it going? Do you need to adjust it?" This quick check-in keeps students accountable and gives them an opportunity to reflect on their progress without disrupting the flow of the class.
Tip #3: Collect Data
Having a paraeducator or an instructional assistant in the classroom as another set of eyes is amazing because we can use them to observe and collect data on things we don’t see in the midst of instructional delivery. They can collect data on what options students are choosing. They can collect data on who's engaged. They can collect data on who might be facing a barrier that can inform our instructional design next time.
For example, during math problem-solving time, ask your paraeducator to track which students are using manipulatives versus drawing pictures versus using number lines. This data might reveal that students who struggle with certain concepts gravitate toward specific tools. Later, you can analyze this information together to inform future lesson design: "I noticed most students chose counters for subtraction problems but drew pictures for word problems—maybe we need more visual supports for application tasks."
Tip #4: Provide One-on-One Support
Last but not least, have them give one-on-one support to kids who are continuing to experience barriers. Have them increase scaffolding and flexible methods to meet that firm goal.
If kids are struggling to make choices, that's a perfect time to have another adult come in to ask some self-reflection questions to guide students.
Example: When introducing a new science experiment, some students may freeze up when asked to make predictions. Your paraeducator can sit beside a hesitant student and scaffold the thinking process with guiding questions: "What do you think might happen when we add the vinegar? Why do you think that? What have you seen in previous experiments that makes you think this?" These prompts help the student work through their barrier without simply giving them the answer.
It is important to remember why we are doing this work—for the kids—and by focusing on clear communication, collaboration, and teamwork, you can partner together to create a successful learning environment for your learners.
The next time you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to leverage UDL with the help of paraeducators, think about which of these tips might help you utilize their talents and skills in more meaningful ways. I know my son is anxiously awaiting the big day he takes his driver’s test. Not only does he want the freedom to be more independent, he is excited about getting his license so that he can use his talents and skills to help contribute to our household and support our family. It’s like my mom always said, “Many hands make light work”. We get better results when we amplify everyone’s skills and work together.
These four strategies are just the beginning of how UDL principles can transform the way we utilize paraeducators in our classrooms. Ready to dive deeper into Universal Design for Learning and discover more ways to remove barriers for all students? Novak Education Consulting offers comprehensive professional development that can help you and your entire team implement these practices with confidence and purpose. Join the thousands of educators who have transformed their teaching through our workshops, coaching, and resources. Your students—and your paraeducators—will thank you.
