Tag Archives: demanding classroom

Why I object to the term shadow

You may call me a paraeducator, a paraprofessional, a one-on-one aide, a special education technician, even a teacher’s aide…but please don’t call me a shadow or describe what I do as shadowing. The term shadow suggests that the aide never leaves the side of the child. That describes a bodyguard, not a paraeducator.

The Demanding Classroom: No dumbing down for special education

There’s a misconception among many in the field of education about special education. To many, “learning disabled” means “unable to learn,” or “limited learning capacity.” The focus is on the “dis” part of “disabled” instead of the ability part. They ask the wrong questions: “how smart is he?” rather than “how is he smart?”