Paraprofessionals and the Roles They Play in the Classroom: Comparing Best Practices in Literature & Implementation of Best Practices by High School Classroom Paraprofessionals

摘要

This document explores best practices for high school-level paraprofessionals in both general education and special education settings, including literature reviews on research studies on best practices in education for high school paraprofessionals. This paper will be composed as a narrative --- a journey of discovery and knowledge that will serve as a guide as to what characteristics and practices are needed to be a resourceful paraprofessional. Beginning with a literature review of best practices of classroom paraprofessionals, I discovered pertinent connections between qualitative and quantitative research methodologies utilizing mixed methods, as well as peer-reviewed literature that study the efficacy of various "best practices" and methodology in regards to high school paraprofessionals. The literature review provides a baseline on effective paraprofessional methodologies, and from there I used a deductive process to isolate what is accepted and what works as "best practices" for paraprofessionals. In the literature review, I determine similarities between characteristics from each article, as well as determining any notable differences. Methodologies I utilized in my field research included a likert-scale survey, personal observations, three formal interviews, and historical reviews of surrounding towns that feed into the North Suburban School District. When dissecting historical data of the school district and its surrounding communities, it is evident there is a great deal of diversity. It is imperative to my research to mention that Skokie, Illinois is home of the nation's oldest Holocaust Museum. The district was founded on the principles of equality and equity. My fieldwork demonstrates the importance of cultural diversity within the workplace, cooperative collaboration with staff, and community involvement. The aforementioned aspects of my research are the main predictors of an effective paraprofessional. Furthermore, the included assessments and data collection demonstrate specific best practices, which determine the most effective approaches to serving as a paraprofessional.