Working with paraprofessionals can be a rewarding, yet difficult situation. For example, after listening in class to the difficulties that a classmate is having with her aide, it makes me think am I better off just working on my own with 29 students? Some questions I was thinking of when she was speaking were:
1. How might you change the situation? Everytime we offered suggestions the ideas were immediately turned down, but perhaps when thinking about both of your needs, what do you both want out of this situation? I imagine both might say the success of their students. If not though, find what both of you are good at. I know I am certainly not a perfect teacher but I know my strengths and I seek out to find others who are good at what they do. Sometimes simply observing another teacher can provide you with a bag ful of tricks and good ideas.
2. How can you change the routines in your classroom where you are both working at what you are good at. If you work best separatly, you should each be running two centers. If you work best with small groups have this aide working one on one. I think when you discover and listen to what they really "want" you will become much happier!!
I think that sometimes we turn down "solutions" or imagine that they will not work when we are burned out. The actual dialogue with the person with whom we are in conflict often mitigates against burnout because we come to see the viewpoint of the other person.
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