Defining Roles and Responsibilities Helps Prevent Confusion and Conflict:

Often the paraprofessional starts the job with only a vague idea of a teacher's needs or the task he/she is expected to perform. The first weeks in the classroom together can be confusing, especially since teachers can vary in the kind of help and the specific job duties they expect from a paraprofessional. While it's the teacher's job to communicate this information clearly, both colleagues can move the process along by asking questions, speaking in a direct and honest way, and bringing up problems before they become crises.

A paraprofessional has a right to ask questions such as:

• "What are my regular duties?"
• "What is the daily routine?"
• "What student records are available to me?"
• "How much contact should I have with the parents? 
• "What is expected of me in terms of student discipline?"

In turn, the teacher has the right to expect the paraprofessional to be reliable, flexible and cooperative.

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