We recently came across a couple of stressful accounts from paras of their first day back from school:

I'm a paraeducator for children. Today was our first day. I am praying for patience. Not with the kids. The kids are great. My stress levels are so high after this morning, that I have a horrible headache, and my shoulder is killing me from being tensed for so long. (from Lord, it's Monday)

And this one...

The NRCP 2011 Paraprofessional Conference has been scheduled for:

May 12-14, 2011

At the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The Call for papers will be posted soon and additional information will be forthcoming.

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We recently came across a post titled
100 Essential Blog Posts for the First-Year Teacher. While geared towards teachers, the list includes lots of great posts for anyone involved in education. Categories include Working with Student, Teaching, Classroom Management, Using Technology in the Classroom, Resources, Going Green in Schools, Education Reform and The Future of Education.

Going through the list we came across great posts such as Catch Them Doing the Right Thing and More Classroom Ideas for Old Fashioned Index Cards.

Do you have a blog where you talk about paraprofessional issues? If so, leave us a comment below!

One of the most popular posts on our site is a discussion started by a para from Sioux City, Iowa asking what paraeducators make in different states. The 100 replies to that question show that there is a lot of interest in that area. If you enjoyed that discussion you will likely also appreciate a recent article titled The Paraeducator Dilemma about paraeducators in Yakima, Washington fighting for a living wage.

The entire article provides a great overview of the work that paraeducators do and some of the struggles that they face. Here are a few quotes to whet your appetite:

From Heidi Mann:

"At MLK, the teachers treat us like equals," Mann says. "We're not saying we are equal to them. But I'd say we're at least worth half of what they make."

Wikipedia now has an entry titled Paraprofessional Educator that begins:

A paraprofessional educator, alternatively known as para-pros, instructional assistants, teacher's aides or classroom assistants, is a teaching-related position within a school generally responsible for specialized or concentrated assistance for students in elementary and secondary schools.