The Paraprofessional's Handbook for Effective Support in Inclusive Classrooms by Causton-Theoharis Julie;Kluth Paula;

Author:Causton-Theoharis, Julie;Kluth, Paula; [Causton-Theoharis, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: EDU026000 Education / Special Education / General
Publisher: Brookes Publishing

I was kind of getting embarrassed because I always had, like a mother right there. People were like looking at me and stuff, and saying, Why do you always have this person with you who is twice as old as you? (Broer, Doyle, & Giangreco, 2005, p. 420)

The placement of one student directly next to a paraprofessional (nearly attached) can be described as the Velcro phenomenon. As a paraprofessional, it is important to avoid being Velcroed to a student. Velcroing might include holding hands, walking next to a student, sitting next to a student, having a student on your lap, walking together in the halls, and so forth. There are many different alternatives to such intensive close proximity; I provide some suggestions in this chapter. See the sections “Five Ways to Naturally Support Students” and “Six Ways to Facilitate Relationships” in this chapter.

What Does Research Say about Velcro?

In a study I conducted with Kimber Malmgren, we observed a second-grade student named Gary as he worked in his classroom and played with his friends. Gary was supported by a paraprofessional throughout his day. During a 4-week period, Gary participated in only 32 interactions with his peers. Twenty-nine of those interactions occurred on the day when the paraprofessional was absent. Only three interactions occurred when the paraprofessional was with him, and the paraprofessional ended two of those three interactions by asking him to get back to work. Clearly, the presence of the paraprofessional had a significant impact on Gary’s ability or willingness to connect with other students (Malmgren & Causton-Theoharis, 2006).

What do kids report about having paraprofessionals? Another important study examined the perspectives of high school students with disabilities attending general education classes with paraprofessional support. These students described their paraprofessionals’ roles primarily in four ways: as 1) mother, 2) friend, 3) protector, and 4) primary teacher (Broer et al., 2005). The majority of the students in the study further “expressed powerful messages of disenfranchisement, embarrassment, loneliness, rejection, fear and stigmatization” (Broer et al., 2005, p. 427). These students can be powerful teachers to those responsible for their education. Paraprofessionals can learn from their voices and from those of other students to create supports that are not stigmatizing but that, instead, help students make friends and feel socially successful in school.

Hiding in Full View: Subtle, Gentle, and Respectful Support

At this point in the book, I am moving to the “art” of paraprofessional support. Believe it or not, there is a great deal of finesse, subtlety, and elegance that goes into excellent paraprofessional support. This part of the job requires the most nuance, careful action, and, at times, inaction. As Jamie Burke, a high school student with autism, spoke about adult support and its impact on his social interactions, he emphasized that the support he received should be subtle so that it would not interfere with his desire for a social life. He stated, “We are willing and ready to connect with other kids, and adults must quietly step into the background, camouflaging their help as a tiger who may hide in full view” (Tashie, Shapiro-Barnard, & Rossetti, 2006, p.

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