Supervision and Instruction of Exceptional Children

Lunch Duty
• Some exceptional learners will need supervision during the lunch period. It may be part of your assignment to provide assistance or help a student maintain appropriate behavior, develop eating skills, table manners and common table courtesies. A student may need paraeducator help in carrying a tray or eating assistance. You may have to go after lunches in some cases.
• When supervising identified students, they should be expected to follow the same rules in the lunchroom, which other students follow.
• This assignment is considered part of your paid duty day. Paraeducators will be provided a non-duty lunch period.
• Paraeducators are not employed by SCKSEC to supervise non-identified students.

Recess Duty
• You may be responsible for supervising exceptional students on the playground. A student may have a behavior plan that outlines the behavioral expectations for the student on the playground. This plan will also show the rewards or reprimands that will be given. Each attendance center has adopted playground rules and the consequences for misbehavior, so follow them. Your supervising professional will provide you with this information. Don't hesitate to reprimand other students on the playground if they are not obeying rules or engaging in an activity, which might be dangerous to themselves or others.
• No paraeducator will be assigned to general playground duty as a professional can be. Paraeducators should only be supervising identified exceptional students.
• A district may choose to employ a paraeducator to do playground duty during the school day when it does not interfere with service to exceptional students.

Bus Duty
• Paraeducators may be responsible for seeing that exceptional students get off and on the right buses. Be sure you know the correct bus number for each student and the usual arrival and dismissal times.
• Paraeducators may not be assigned to do general bus supervision as part of their instructional day. A district may choose to employ a paraeducator for this duty outside their duty day.
• Some paraeducators ride or drive school transportation and are involved in the supervision of students to and from their attendance center. This supervision time is considered part of the duty day and will be paid for by the district or in some cases SCKSEC.

Instruction In The Absence Of The Supervising Professional
• Paraeducators may work with or supervise exceptional students in a classroom, playground, hall, restroom, therapy area, gymnasium, and other specified areas on campus. In some situations, professionals may leave the classroom under the supervision of the instructional paraeducator (i.e. planning time, parent conference, telephone call, staffing, etc.). This is usually for a short period of time. The teacher should remain on campus and continue to be the person responsible for the classroom and students.
• In the absence of the supervising teacher with off-campus responsibilities, the paraeducator will be assigned to another teacher or administrator for supervision.

Community Based Instruction
• Off-campus activities such as community based training, work-study placements, work experience, field trips, errands, shopping and recreation, etc., may be supervised by paraeducators with appropriate supervision, and approval. Paraeducators are not to use their personal car to transport students, unless approved by the SCKSEC administrative office.
• Districts will provide transportation for community based programs in most cases.

BE PATIENT
• with yourself (teaching is a learned profession. It takes time to learn the work).
• with the teacher (it isn't easy learning to work with another adult).
• with the children (the courtesy and respect we show children will be imitated).
Remember that you are a part of a most important profession. What you do in the classroom will have an impact on the lives of your students. Your individual help may give a student new confidence in himself and his ability. Others may learn to be more tolerant and respectful of those who are different, in ability, race, or economic group because of your efforts. 

YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAM