This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Dallas,J Sharing Information
Hello all! I don't know how many of you have a co-teacher or paraprofessional in your class room. If you do here is a good suggestion. Inform your para. or helper of the things we have been learning in NTI. I have a para. in my class who has been in the teaching business for many years before NTI was established. As I have learned new things in the class and found so many new ways of doing things, felt it necessary to school my paras with this information. This is part of the cooperation that must be in the classroom. If the students see a flaw in the teamwork they will exploit this fast. There must be teamwork for the class to operate correctly. I was having trouble before with this para not wanting to follow the lesson plans, and wanting to do things the way he felt. After several team meetings and me sharing the information from NTI with him he completely turned around. I think all paras should at least have to take the summer class of NTI,also, this would greatly help teachers in the classroom. Especially the ones who have been teachers in the past.
Hi, John - what a great post. Most of your fellow NTI teachers probably do not or will not ever have the benefit of having a paraprofessional assistant in the class but your insight and action on this issue is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour concern about teamwork in the classroom can and should be (ideally) applied school-wide for the benefit of the entire student body. Sharing valid teaching tools with fellow teachers up and down the hall is a great way to increase the effectiveness of your school and, ultimately, the success of more students.