Workshops
Workshop Title: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Strategies for Improving Communication, Socialization, and Behavior
Presenter: Hope Morris, M. S., CCC-SLP
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Powerpoint (PDF Format)
In this workshop, paraeducators will become will become familiar with the core deficits in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and with the different strategies to address behavioral manifestations of core deficits. They will learn about strategies to address the areas of communication, socialization, behavior, and sensory and for working with families and professionals in the care of children with ASD.
Bio
Hope Morris is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and a certified Speech- Language Pathologist. She is the Director of the Graduate Distance Learning program in Communication Sciences. Before coming to the university in the fall of 2008, she worked for 9 years as an SLP Manager and Autism Specialist at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, part of Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) and in affiliation with the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution (JHMI) in Baltimore, Maryland. Hope has also presented extensively in the community on topics related to autism spectrum disorders and provided training of staff within KKI and JHMI. She specializes clinically in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), verbal apraxia, and feeding disorders (in ASD).
Workshop Title: LRE: More Alphabet Soup or Is It?
Strategies to Encourage Student Independence
Presenters: Patricia H. Mueller, Ed.D. and Corrie Palmer
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Handout (PDF Format)
Powerpoint (PDF Format)
This session, co-presented by a practicing paraeducator working in inclusive classrooms and a teacher/paraeducator trainer, will give paraeducators strategies for developing student independence. Participants will understand the concept of “Least Restrictive Environment” and how it impacts the role of the paraeducator, recognize different types and levels of support based upon student’s needs, tasks and environments, and explore how support affects student independence.
Bios
From 1989 to 1997, Dr. Pat Mueller coordinated the University of Vermont’s Certificate of Study Program for Paraeducators that prepared paraeducators to work in inclusive schools and community settings. Dr. Mueller began her career in Special Education as a paraeducator and has held the roles of special educator, federal grant coordinator, and Special Education Administrator in a local Vermont public school system. Dr. Mueller’s area of expertise is in the training and support of paraeducators and their supervising teachers to achieve successful and responsible inclusion of students who have diverse academic, social and emotional needs. Pat is the founder and president of Evergreen Educational Consulting (EEC), a small firm dedicated to improving state and local educational systems.
Corrie Palmer has been a special education paraeducator for 23 years and works at Ferrisburgh Central School. She was a Board member of the Vermont National Educators Association for six years and has presented at many statewide and national conferences on topics such as ‘who you are as a paraeducator’ and how to work as part of a team. She has been a member of the statewide task force to write a state standard related to paraeducators.
Workshop Title: The Paraeducator’s Role in ‘Response to Intervention’ for Academics
Presenter: Rich Reid, Ph.D.
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Powerpoint 1 (PDF Format)
Powerpoint 2 (PDF Format)
Dr. Reid’s session will explore the core skills or “Big Ideas” that research has demonstrated are essential in order to become a competent reader and develop functional numeracy skills. Participants will become familiar with curriculum-based measures that evaluate these core skills and will become familiar with representative research-based instructional practices that have been demonstrated to enhance the development of these skills in students. Participants will have an opportunity to practice instructional activities that enhance these skills in young children.
Bio
Richard R. Reid, Ph.D. is a licensed School Psychologist with over 29 years of experience working in public schools. He is also an instructor at the University of Vermont and St. Michael’s College where he teaches courses on assessment and interventions for students with disabilities. Dr. Reid is the founder and principle psychologist of Green Mountain Psycho-Educational Services, an organization that provides staff development, consultation, systems change support, and assessment services to school districts. His areas of professional interest include student assessment, early intervention, student progress monitoring, and Responsiveness to Intervention (RtI).
Workshop Title: Practical Strategies for Preventing and Responding to Problem Behaviors for Paraeducators In Schools Involved in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Presenter: Howard S. Muscott, Ed.D.
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Individual Files:
Handout 1 (PDF Format)
Handout 2 (PDF Format)
Handout 3 (PDF Format)
Powerpoint (PDF Format)
This workshop will provide paraeducators with practical strategies for preventing and responding to problem behaviors within the context of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). First, techniques for teaching and pre-correcting common routines within the context of universal PBIS implementation will be included along with ways to acknowledge expected behavior. Second, participants will learn the conflict cycle and related strategies for avoiding power struggles and addressing escalating behavior. Finally, function-based strategies for responding to students who do not respond to universal approaches will be discussed.
Bio
Howard Muscott is director of the New Hampshire Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Support (NH-CEBIS), a statewide technical assistance and training network aimed at promoting positive and preventive school discipline systems and improving the emotional well-being of all children including those with emotional/behavioral disorders. In this capacity, Dr. Muscott serves as project director of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports-NH (PBIS-NH) and NH RESPONDS statewide initiatives. Howard has more than 30 years of experience in education ranging from preschool through high school and higher education. Dr. Muscott is nationally known for his work and publications in the fields of schoolwide discipline, positive behavior supports, educating students with emotional/behavioral disorders and service-learning.
Workshop Title: Leadership from the Bottom UP
Presenter: Barbara Jo Stahl
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Individual Files:
Handout 1 (PDF Format)
Handout 2 (PDF Format)
Handout 3 (PDF Format)
Powerpoint (PDF Format)
We all have a manager, boss or leader in our work environment. This is someone who directs our work and, in many cases, defines our activities. In most instances, the success of our work is dependent on knowing the parameters of our functional job description. Sometimes paraeducators are left to intuit or guess what is their role. One of the keys to effective teacher-paraeducator partnerships is the clear definition of roles and responsibilities. This workshop will give you a tool that will assist you to lead from the bottom up to clearly define your classroom roles and responsibilities.
Bio
Barbara has been working to support an infrastructure of staff development and support for paraprofessionals for the past 19 years. While at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Ms. Stahl initiated the Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium, the statewide needs assessment of paraprofessionals, supported the development of paraprofessional competences and coordinated IDEA and NCLB paraprofessional efforts. Since leaving MDE, Barbara is Off Campus Cohort Recruitment Coordinator at the University of St. Thomas and continues to work with schools to support teachers and paraprofessionals.