Her eyes scan the device following nonverbal cues.
That's how Jennifer Hickman's students communicate with her. Educational paras plan their day every morning, but must pivot with meal plans, bathroom breaks, tutoring, and a third-grade special education crisis.
It doesn't stop. After all, she's leading the classroom now. She will be required to assist her teacher, likely along with her three other paraprofessionals from the Capital School District.
“My head is turned on,” said the para-woman who has been running the room for nearly three years. “What does this student need?” From this student to that student to this student. ”
Hickman has no formal training for her role, so she can only hope that she and other staff members are treating each student appropriately. A high-needs learner can't tell her in so many words.
And this story is not unique.
Some paraprofessionals said they didn't think the public knew much about their roles. Most have associate degrees. Many people take on side jobs to earn a living wage. And looking back, many of these support positions expanded across Delaware schools like never before.
Well, let me introduce you to four people who work in Delaware. They work with overworked teachers and strained resources. They lead group instruction or one-on-one support for special education students. Alternatively, as the shortage of educators continues, there are cases where they are covering the classrooms on their own.
Unions across the state have been demanding higher wages for teaching para-paras, and some unions just recently officially recognized them starting this school year. The starting salary for para athletes is currently about $23,000, which is expected to increase by 1% next year. More than 3,000 roles are included in the state's Public Education Compensation Commission's work and in the state's budget proposal in an ongoing conversation about pay raises for all educational support employees.
“I think the increased focus on paraprofessionals is due to a lot of things happening in education at the same time,” said Lauren Bales, program coordinator for the educational leadership doctoral program at the University of Delaware. “There is certainly a recognition that we are in a teacher retention and recruitment crisis, and paraprofessionals often have a track record and experience of service that already benefits schools in many ways. .”
Diversification of the teaching staff is also attracting attention. More than 40% of paraprofessionals in Delaware are people of color, a rate nearly twice that of teachers, the associate professor noted.
Greater support is expected from those who are not yet in their careers to those who are looking to enter the teaching profession.
“There are days when I wonder what the future holds for education. When I look around me and see people who are burnt out, exhausted, overworked and overworked, sometimes a feeling of hopelessness creeps in.” Tameka of Parapara said. Mays, from colonial schools.
“But I'm always hopeful that we'll find a way to continue to give people opportunities.”
“Remove barriers and give them as much support as they need.”
The students shouted with excitement.
Tameka Mays interrupted her typical morning routine by asking middle school students to introduce themselves one by one at small semicircular desks. However, the special education and vocational training staff managed to restore calm to the classroom.
At George Reed Middle School, where she attends, paraparas like Mayes work with teachers in classrooms, working one-on-one with students with disabilities. On a February morning of this year, Genene Barber's voice echoed through the room. This fellow para, already on track to become a certified teacher, agreed to be interviewed for the first time that Tuesday.
Mays sees more parallel media continuing to jump in to fill the gap. As vice president of the Delaware Education Association, he watched his role evolve from primarily assisting with toileting and mobility to supporting para-paras working with students in regular classrooms and small group reading. Ta. People are starting to notice.
“I don't believe that our story and the work we've done has always been highlighted the way it has been after the pandemic,” said the para athlete, who has been active for nearly 20 years and plans to return to the classroom in 2022. he said. “Some of the burden of continuing to support school operations falls on the shoulders of educational support staff, either by filling classroom teacher shortages or filling associate teaching positions.”
Diet members are also paying attention to this. Last year, legislation was enacted to smooth out the pipeline for paras looking to become full-time teachers, specifically allowing them to earn higher salaries based on their classroom experience. .
Prior to the bill, lead sponsor and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman explained last session that “the transition will likely result in pay cuts for the most experienced paras.” .
Mays says students need certified instruction. She believes the state can do more to remove affordability barriers and strengthen the pipeline for support personnel to receive more training.
“I think that’s a start,” Mays said, referring to para-support and the Grow Your Own model. “We get people interested in the career in the first place, remove barriers, and give them as much support as they need to become certified teachers.”
However, this is not a simple equation.
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“A lot of pressure”
At first I was just asked to fill it out.
Jennifer Hickman's Kent County Community Schools serves more than 200 students ranging in age from 3 to 21 with varying degrees of physical, cognitive, communication, and other abilities. had to find a new teacher. The approximately five-year teaching para will be sufficient to lead the classroom in the summer of 2022 until a replacement is hired.
“That never happened,” the Dover educator said. And she didn't look back.
She estimates that her building may need 20 more pairs of hands, but six other paras already work as teachers with her. Every day feels like a game of balancing resources. Hickman knows why most paraparas stick to the system. It's not just her $100 extra per day that her union has achieved so far this year.
“It’s about knowing and meeting the needs of our students every day,” she said. “And I think it affects me even more that they don't have a voice. It's like, I'm their voice. They go home and say, 'I didn't have school today.' I’m going to speak for them because I can’t say.”
But the pressure mounts.
“We’re not given a lot of tools and resources to really be successful as teachers,” she said. “I don’t have any background, so I haven’t had any training other than veteran teachers.”
Mr. Hickman is currently studying at Wilmington University. She is often late for her assignments and she struggles to find the mental space to do more of her work after school. She received state aid to help pay for her education, but that's not the only thing holding her back.
She switched her major from education to behavioral science because “burnout is real” amid a lack of support. Hickman plans to bring her skills back to school, but she's not sure what form that will take.
For now, she's still focused on third grade.
“It’s a lot of pressure,” she said. “But my students are the biggest prize. Whether they're able to independently say, 'I need to go to the bathroom,' or independently walk to the bus, or use a device to say, 'No, stop.' When you are able to say this and take control of your body independently, that is your reward. ”
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“Without us, this wheel won't move.”
Josette Surette knew the conversation needed to change post-pandemic.
The COVID-19 crisis has further sharpened a trend she had already noticed for more than a decade as president of the Caesar Rodney Education Association.
“Here we are. We're not just making copies anymore,” said a career paraprofessional at Maj. George S. Welch Elementary School. “We're in the classroom. We're working with the students. We're engaging with them. We're working collaboratively across all grades on all the topics related to the interior of the building.” I’m here.”
At the start of last school year, her para did fill the void as the district competed for vacancies ranging from special education needs to general population. Threat fought for compensation to the district to show that. Caesar Rodney said he has agreed to give para-paras who work as teachers an extra $75 a day if they serve in that role for more than two weeks.
“The teacher shortage is not getting any better,” she says. “And they need us to do the work and pick up the slack and make sure kids get what they need in the classroom.”
Another union leader echoed her voice from about 40 miles north.
“This room cannot function without paraprofessionals,” said Gretchen Ruth, a paraprofessional at the Brennen School. “Each child has their own IEP, their own behavior support plan, and there are six to 10 in a special needs classroom. You can't impose that on one teacher.”
Ruth, president of the Christina Paraprofessional Association, leads the largest group of paraprofessionals in Delaware. She says the role of paraprofessionals has become important to address behavioral challenges, learning loss, mental health issues and staff strain.
“It's always been a challenge for people with special needs,” she continued. “But even shortly before the pandemic, and certainly after the pandemic, the role of specialists in general education classrooms has increased exponentially.”
Ruth said about 80 teachers are being cut at 19 schools in the district. Those classrooms either had to be disbanded and pushed into other classes, or paras had to take on that role.
“Due to the teacher shortage, paraprofessionals are filling vacant teacher roles or serving as long-term replacements for the position,” said Parra, who has been with the school for 25 years. “So they are being asked to essentially run their classrooms, with additional professional support from building management.”
It's a daunting task. Roos said most school districts in Delaware compensate paraprofessionals for increased workloads, pointing to “own growth programs” to encourage further education. Ruth said these programs need to be strengthened, as are the current average salaries, as the cost of higher education remains a barrier.
Ruth said it's a tough time to be in education in any capacity, whether you're a teacher, counselor, principal or administrator. But Delaware can't forget about the grease in the machine.
“Seeing what all of my colleagues are doing in classrooms and buildings across the district inspires me to come to work every day,” she said. “I said, 'Guys, we are the grease that keeps the wheel moving right. Without us, this wheel won't move.'
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Do you have a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity with a focus on education for Delaware Online/News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast. Contact him at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191 and follow him on Twitter @kpowers01..