The purpose of this lesson is to examine how paraeducators and teachers can plan together in managing student behaviors. Planning for behavior management is important because it establishes a consistent approach to teaching students behaviors, provides a convenient way to document progress, assists teachers in training of paraeducators, and helps clarify specific teacher and paraeducator responsibilities. This lesson discusses teacher and paraeducator roles in behavior management, and provides information about behavior management plans.
The roles and responsibilities of both paraeducators and teachers are important in managing behavior. The classroom teacher is responsible for making major decisions, creating a positive classroom environment, writing behavior plans, carrying out interventions and establishing classroom rules and procedures. Paraeducators perform a variety of tasks that are unique to their position as well. Paraeducator roles include: demonstrating, explaining, modeling, and reinforcing appropriate behavior and skills. Additional roles often include: observing, monitoring, and recording students behaviors in carrying out a particular behavior management plan.
Teachers and paraeducators are equally vital in working together on behalf of students. Paraeducators may observe a number of behaviors that the supervising teacher does not see, in the classroom, the lunchroom, the playground, and the halls. Therefore, it's the paraeducator's responsibility to bring to the teacher's attention any concerns about behaviors of students they observe. Paraeducators compliment the role of the teacher in a variety of ways; they can respond immediately to students, assist in working with smaller groups and individual activities, increase monitoring, provide frequent attention, help prevent problems and deal with them quickly when they arise.
The table below illustrates possible teacher and paraeducator roles in behavior management.
| Roles in Planning and Implementation | Paraeducator | Teacher |
| Establishes classroom rules | X | |
| Establishes class schedules and activities | X | |
| Observes student behavior | X | X |
| Designs behavior management plans | X | |
| Establishes objectives for student behavior | X | |
| Selects appropriate reinforcers | X | |
| Records & charts student behavior | X | X |
| Provides consequences according to behavior management plan | X | X |
| Provides praise to students | X | X |
| Evaluates intervention effectiveness | X | |
| Provides feedback regarding appropriate behavior | X | X |
Behavior management plans are written documents that describe the behavior to be changed, strategies or interventions regarding the target behavior, and include a recording system. Behavior management plans are developed by either the classroom teacher or a team of school personnel. In some cases, paraeducators input may be requested.
Behavior management plans assist the teacher and paraeducator to proactively and effectively deal with behavior. The plan may be carried out by the paraeducator and/or the supervising teacher. They aid in communicating behavioral expectations to individual students or an entire classroom, as well as the consequences for achieving the goal or objective. They help paraeducators and teachers remain consistent.
The use of a behavior management plan helps to establish the expectations of both paraeducators and the supervising teacher. It permits frequent feedback regarding the effectiveness of the management strategies being employed, assists in documentation of student or class progress and provides useful guidelines for interacting with students.
Below is a classroom situation and an accompanying behavior management plan that addresses managing the student behavior.