What is a Para-Professional?
Para-professionals are individuals, typically trained paraprofessionals, who provide assistance and support to other professionals. These personnel can be found in a variety of settings, such as medical offices, schools, libraries, and social service agencies, where they help support primary professionals.
General Job Description
The general job description of a para-professional typically involves completing a variety of duties that can include:
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- Administering medical or psychological tests: For example, this could include conducting hearing and vision tests for students in a school setting.
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- Assisting in delivering educational services: This could involve helping a teacher create lesson plans, adding input to parent and teacher conferences, and helping students with physical or learning disabilities.
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- Maintaining communication with other professionals: This includes exchanging information with peers and supervisors.
- Maintaining records and documenting activities: This could involve assisting in filing paperwork, entering data into a computer system, and reporting any changes.
Requirements
Para-professionals must typically have at least a high school diploma and some professional training before they can begin working. In some special cases, a college degree may also be required. Para-professionals should also have strong communication skills, basic computer knowledge, and the ability to take on a leadership role when needed.