T/TAC Mission

Coordinator's Corner

Team Work: Key to Success for Teachers and Paraeducators

By: Kent Gerlach

The changing landscape of public education has had a significant impact on the roles of the personnel who serve in our schools. Teacher shortages, increasing numbers of English language learners and the rising enrollment of students with disabilities and other special needs are just some of the factors that make the need for a dynamic school team more necessary than ever. In this challenging environment, paraeducators play an increasingly critical role in improving student achievement. (Gerlach, K.P. 2002, Let’s Team Up, National Education Association)
A common thread across definitions of teams is that teamwork can be defined as a process among partners who share mutual goals and work together to achieve the goals. Teamwork allows people to discuss their work together and, as a result, to grow professionally.
To be successful, the teacher and the paraeducator must ...

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