Solidarity between the teacher and paraprofessional helps promote uniformity and helps support better classroom management. A positive relationship can help create a positive learning environment for the students. It can also facilitate concise instruction and less wasted instruction which helps with time management. 

Best Practices for Teacher-Paraprofessional Collaboration: Solidarity

The clarity of roles is also an important aspect of good teacher-paraprofessional collaboration. Both parties need to have a clear idea of what their roles are to not lead to confrontation or confusion regarding what needs to be done. The teacher should analyze the needs of the students and classroom and instruct the paraprofessional on how they can best help. 

Best Practices for Teacher-Paraprofessional Collaboration: Clarity of Roles

Respect for each other's work and authority helps create a positive relationship. Respect helps promote collaboration and positive communication between teachers and paraprofessionals.   

Best Practices for Teacher-Paraprofessional Collaboration: Respect

Researchers believe that there are three main components to having a good teacher-paraprofessional relationship. 

- solidarity 
- clarifying roles 
- demonstrating respect

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Teachers and paraprofessionals have to work together in order to create a good learning environment for the students. Unfortunately, sometimes it is difficult for them to work collaboratively as they might both have different ways of teaching or ideas about their roles in the classroom. It's important that both the teacher and paraprofessional be on the same page in regard to their responsibilities and methods of teaching the students. 

Teacher and Paraprofessional Relationship

Barnes, Tia N., et al. “Cultivating Effective Teacher–Paraprofessional Collaboration in the Self-Contained Classroom.” Beyond Behavior, vol. 30, no. 2, 2021, pp. 107–115., https://doi.org/10.1177/10742956211021858. 

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