Q & A: What is the training for aides in your child’s school?
As a follow-up to the previous post about autism schools, services, treatments, and more in New Jersey, I’ve a question to ask: One of the articles I noted, An education of their own, describes a quite large (total enrollment will eventually be 300 students) new autism school, the Warren Developmental Learning Center (DLC) that will be opening on June 27 in New Jersey. The Courier-Post article describes the new facility in some detail: It will house a bank, miniature grocery store, diner (this is New Jersey, after all), a barber shop, a hardware store, swiming pools, and more. Regarding the educational approaches, the articles notes that the new school will provide “daytime education, applied behavior analysis [ABA] and activities”; as I live in New Jersey, I have indeed visited other similar centers, which state that ABA is used in their curricula. Students will also receive speech therapy, occupational therapy, and adaptive physical education.
The Courier-Post article does not mention how aides and paraprofessionals are trained; as such staff are often those who (in the case of my son) spend a lot of time with students in daily activities, I am trying to find out more about how aides, etc. are trained and what kind of supervision and support they are given.
Which leads me to my question: What is the training for the aides (not the teachers) in your child’s school? What kinds of qualifications or experience do they have to have? What kind of supervision and support are they given? Is there an in-district autism consultant or is someone hired from outside? What (in your view, in your child’s experience) has worked and what needs improvement?
25 opinions for Q & A: What is the training for aides in your child’s school?
Daisy
Apr 29, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Aide or paraprofessional license requirements changed with the No Child Left Behind Act. Ours have to keep up a certain amount of inservice training every year as well as their regular licensing requirements. But still, some are better than others.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Apr 29, 2007 at 2:51 pm
What kinds of inservice training is required—topics, methodologies?
Jen
Apr 29, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I as a home therapist didn’t have to have any training, but i’m sure everyone involved was glad I did.
Other aides have been hired, for both home and school, without training. It has occurred on the job.
We’re supposed to have crisis prevention training, which includes when and how we are able to restrain children, once a year as well. I think mine, and several other people’s is now slightly outdated.
I haven’t had any other training, and I have no idea what the in school staff gets other than that, since I am not part of the in school staff.
Joeymom
Apr 29, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Our school only hires aides as a last resort. If your kid needs an aide, you’ll probably be in a self-contained classroom instead. :(
Kristina Chew, PhD
Apr 29, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Not good! Do you have any sense of the criteria?
Jen, thanks for sharing about your training—-it’s essential, in our experience! And also a therapist having a supervisor to ask questions of. Our home therapists and Charlie’s aides and teachers all went through crisis management training, as did my husband and I—-with an emphasis on not having to get to restraining.
Lisa/Jedi
Apr 29, 2007 at 6:48 pm
In general, we’ve found that the aides hired by our school are better trained than the ones provided by the school districts, at least in terms of their understanding of how to deal behaviourally with kids. One of the school-hired aides is the father of one of the autistic kids at school- he’s the one-on-one for another, older autistic student (& very good at it too, not surprisingly). There has been a huge variation in the one-on-ones provided by the school districts. Although they are hired to deal with one particular student, they often are involved with all of the kids in some fashion & there have been occasions when they have done counter-productive things with the kids (& Brendan in particular) that have had to be addressed by the school. I do not know what sort of training these aides are required to have, but they haven’t always been impressive, skills-wise (although a few have been wonderful). This is one reason we’ve resisted Brendan being given a one-on-one, even though he is eligible. I do know that any subs hired for the consultant (special ed) teachers at school must have special ed training. For kids like Brendan, who don’t have a one-on-one, the consultant teachers provide the most support & they are uniformly well-trained (by NYS teaching standards), creative, & wonderful!
JanB
Apr 29, 2007 at 7:02 pm
We have sort of a split system here. We have a TSS who is provided through the state via a wraparound system. She is not paid by the school, but she accompanies Charlie to classes.
Now, if we didn’t have her and needed an aide the person that we would get would have less mandated training required than the bus drivers. It’s sad, but true, and this is all across PA.
Jen
Apr 29, 2007 at 10:24 pm
I had to run earlier, but wanted to add that, at home, which the school district does pay for, we meet once a month. This consists of the home therapists, the behavior analyst, and is supposed to include the parent. The home team is also supposed to be invited to attend the monthly in school meeting. I did this once for one of the teams I am on, and was treated in a way that made me decide I would rather not go to the meetings in school unfortunately.
As far as our communication in between meetings, this is different for each team I am a part of. On one team, the teacher usually sends what is supposed to be a daily email to the parents and the behavior analyst. The teacher does not send this directly to me, but it is forwarded to me by the behavior analyst. We get program data sheets sent home to record weekly. If I have a question, I either email the behavior analyst, who answers it for me, or forwards it to the teacher, who answers it, sends the message back to the behavior analyst, who then sends it back to me. If it can’t be answered by email, I have to wait until our monthly meeting. I’d better not have a suggestion, because the teacher does not want to hear it.
On my other team, the mother gets daily emails, and they send home copies of his in school data daily. We also get a copy to record at home. if there is a question or we need something, I tell the parent, who emails it to the teacher. The teacher writes back, or they send us the supplies we ask for. If I need to see something demonstrated, I again have to wait until the monthly home meeting. I have no contact with the behavior analyst in between meetings, although this could change as she is soon leaving. She does not even contact me directly to set up meetings. I don’t go to the meetings in school, but with this team, I can make a suggestion or comment, and it will be considered by the school team. I in fact did suggest to this student’s mother that we could perhaps teach him to set the table, which we did in the classroom I was in during ESY. She brought up the idea in the meeting, and the next week it was in his program. Now of course, this was able to be incorporated into one of this student’s other goals in a way that made it more functional (the ‘block design’ is a placemat with the items traced onto it).
I don’t know what happens on the other students’ teams, but I would guess it is some jumble of what goes on with the teams I am a part of. Some have less cooperation and communication, and some have more.
A more disturbing situation I find is that of the school district of Philadelphia. I spent half a semester in a practicum in an autistic support class. There was one aide, who clearly had no training in working with students with autism. She also knew very little about it at all. I hate to say it so harshly, but she was probably among the worst thing that could have ever happened to those kids behaviorally. One particular student really had her figured out, and negotiate and manipulated his way out of doing anything and everything asked of him. Some of the students also had TSS workers, who were equally untrained and unknowledgable, as unfortunately I have found to be the case of most TSS workers I have interacted with, though certainly not all. Please do not interpret that as my saying all TSS people are horrible, as I have known some great ones. However, the majority have been horrors. In that classroom in Philadelphia, I saw the TSS workers and aide restraining and handling a child in a way that I found frightening. It was an accident waiting to happen. What may be more sad though was that when I brought this up to my supervisor, she dismissed my concerns. I brought it to the professor whom I was sure would help me, and whom I was sure cared after the supervisor dismissed my concerns, and I found out I was wrong. They were clearly more concerned that the school would continue to accept students from the University, than with the welfare of the kids.
I also have been told by teachers in Philadelphia, that it is not required of them to receive crisis prevention intervention training, another thing I find a bit scary. I think all teachers,aides, and other school staff should have it, regardless of the population they are working with. In fact, the only time I used it was in a typical first grade classroom, as two students fought, and the substitute teacher stood there watching them go after each other. The aide and I pulled the kids off of each other and restrained them from going at it again until the substitute finally thought to call security.
Sorry for getting so lengthy there. JanB, I think you summed up the state of things here in PA quite well. The way things are is just plain sad.
Moi ;)
Apr 29, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Training? Bahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Zip. Zilch. Nada.
My son has a 1-1 aide. She is actually the mom of one of my students, and it was a fluke that she ended up with Bug. She is really good with him. She gets him. And she also knows about “backing off” and letting him do on his own - which is really important now that he’s going into high school. Mostly she keeps him organized and focused, and I don’t know how much training you need for that, as long as you know the kid, you can telll…
He had a couple of duds before her. But she’s told me she plans to stick with him through high school - it’s like he has two moms, lol. One at home, one at school….
Moi ;)
Apr 29, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Jan and Jen - I am in PA, too.
No Training Necessary…. @@
JanB
Apr 30, 2007 at 6:29 am
Also, PA is going to managed care and they will probably try to cut out TSS hours. With the TSS he is in the traditional classroom. Without her he would have to be in Life Skills. Life skills is dismal.
Caroline
Apr 30, 2007 at 8:40 am
We moved to CT. for its policies on inclusion. My child loves being part of a group and really responds to being treated as a kid not a diagnosis. Speech and fine motor are huge issues of course and that therapy is needed and appreciated.
The well -trained aid or teaching assistant should have the following:
1. outgoing, positive attitude
2. not be phased or horrified if a child acts out
3. is trained in how to shadow not hover, and encourage the child to answer questions. (training in modelling, partial prompts, etc.)
HOWEVER, the aid needs the full support of the team and special education teacher. There should be no agendas other than that of the child succeeding. The parent should be involved and suggestions for what has worked well in the past from the parent should be considered seriously.
Above all, the general ed teachers should be given training in sensitivity. Schools should have zero tolerance for bullying and that goes for teachers and administrators too.
Inclusion at some level is the way if children with special needs are going to be independent and productive members of society.
It begins with a great teaching assistant.
Jen
Apr 30, 2007 at 10:29 am
Moi, I would have to agree with you, life skills is dismal, or rather, the one life skills classroom I subbed as an aide in was dismal. I can’t speak for any but that one though.
Actually, they take people to be support staff subs here with no training at all. All that is required is a warm body really. You can sub anywhere from the cafeteria, to recess, the office, or in any classroom with no training at all because they are so desperate. My mom’s friend took a spot in one of the autistic support classrooms one day, not knowing what she was actually getting into. She didn’t make it the whole day, because she didn’t know how to handle the students, and got sent to the doctor after she was bitten by a student.
Now that I think about it, I am not so surprised that I have been called by one of the regular aides and asked to take her spot for a day, and on other occasions, people who knew they would be absent in the near future have asked for me to take their spots.
Caroline, in response to your comment that general ed teachers should have some sensitivity training, I concur. I think it really needs to be at the college level. I have certain peers who I feel as though if we were teaching in the same school, I would not want my special education students to be included in their general education classrooms, or if it were my child, or the child of a friend, I would not want them to be with that person. I can foresee that as being a disaster for everyone involved. Some of these people are elementary/special ed majors (as am I) but it is evident that it is only because they have to be either elementary/special ed, elementary/early childhood, or all three. I suppose that perhaps these people realized they would not do well with small children.
nshelle
Apr 30, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Hi all,
Under what conditions can a student have an aid? My daughter (8years old) was recently expelled from school for the 3rd time due to her explosive behaviors (attacking teacher and/or students). I verbally requested an aid a while ago but was tod she did not qualify for one but even with an FBA/BIP her behaviors are still present. So I guess my question is - how does a child on the spectrum qualifies for an aid/para? I am thinking of having someone there who can help her control her frustrations/sensory overload she doesn’t hurt anyone.
Thank You.
Moi ;)
Apr 30, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Children qualify for services (including aides) based on educational needs. Your child’s behavior is getting in the way of her education, and an aide (in addition to behavior strategies) could most definitely help!
While Kristina’s blog comments isn’t really the forum for this, to be brief, getting your child an aide would be something you would have to get into your IEP. I don’t know what state you’re in, but you want to find an advocate, first. Then go over the IEP and the advocate can tell you from there. Oh, and take the advocate to your IEP meeting. If you’ve already had it, call another. Tough for them.
Chris
Apr 30, 2007 at 8:29 pm
We have had great luck, but it is luck, on getting someone who fits with your child. Training is important, but common sence and willingness have proven to us more benificial/
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 1, 2007 at 7:56 am
Thanks to everyone for your comments—-this has always been an issue of real concern to me.
Nshelle, I’m going to provide some more information later today—-here is one site on children being expelled:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/ltrs/ellen_expel_son.htm
How is your daughter doing now?
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 1, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Nshelle, this is from Wrightslaw about requesting a one-on-one aide for a child:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/relsvc.aide.steedman.htm
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 1, 2007 at 6:22 pm
The aides in Charlie’s classroom get a lot of training —ABA, crisis management—-and there is someone in the district who can be consulted abut behavior problems (Charlie had a period of throwing his lunch; this stopped when we started to offer him choices, following the in-district consultant’s advice after he had observed Charlie). This has been good for Charlie, who (as I’ve observed after a lot of mishaps) does best with college-age aides with ABA training that emphasizes motivation, fun, good spirits, language and communication. ABA implemented by aides without such careful training has been more “cut and dry” and has not worked Charlie—-more like the opposite.
Moi ;)
May 1, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Kristina - Is Charlie in private or public school?
mumkeepingsane
May 2, 2007 at 11:26 am
We’re in an interesting situation in regards to Patrick’s aid. We’re in a small rural school in a school board that doesn’t really know what to do with autistic students (there are inclusion and segregated options but it’s confusing and badly managed)
She’s an experienced aid but she also completely follows my lead. There’s no team or supervisor (unless you count and spec ed lady who meets with us for IPRC and IEP). The first day she met Patrick was during an interview with the teacher. I spoke to the teacher and she followed Patrick around the classroom while also listening to everything I said. She asked me a ton of questions and still to this day will say to me “this is how we’re approaching x, do you approach it the same way or differently?”.
I know the education/training requirements here aren’t very high. I think anyone with a university edcuation can be an EA. I don’t even think this aid has autism experience. But a willingness to do what works, dedication to success and a lot of common sense seems to be working for us. I’m pretty sure we’re just very lucky and I’m thankful for this placement.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 2, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Moi: Charlie’s school is public.
nshelle
May 3, 2007 at 8:28 am
Thanks Moi, Kristina and everyone for your advice and input, It’s been very helpful. Yesterday I went about seeking counseling outside of school for her, so Hopefully that will help. Kristina, she was to return to school on Tuesday but I decided to just keep her home for the week since they also had a field trip but I was adviced against sending her in because they just cannot anticipate her explosiveness and wouldn’t know what to. I will send her back to school on Monday. Kristina, I apologize for using your forum in this way. Everyone with info/input, Please email further comments to Nshelle@gmail.com.
Thanks again.
sboock
Dec 21, 2007 at 12:46 am
I am writing in regards to my son I need some advice, My son has Aspergers Autism, he has a aide that is deploying all of his social skills training and is now getting involved in his sensory skills, no one else. I recently asked for a modification in his IEP, and need some really good resources to give a good case I am very new at this. I do not have any knowledge in this, is there anyway to get someone with the knowledge to advocate for me I could really use the help. My son is 13 and is having a really hard time dealing, please help….Lost in Iowa
Kristina Chew, PhD
Dec 21, 2007 at 1:44 am
Hi—-there’s been a discussion here in this post, How do we educate the educators. Another mother has also posted about her top 11 suggestions for advocating for a child. I hope these might be helpful—what kinds of modifications are you seeking? Thank you for writing here and best wishes.
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