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<a href="http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/2011/09/para-who-became-incredible-protech.html">The Para who became an Incredible ProTech</a>
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There is a lot of debate about para educators and how to utilize them,
so I thought I would tell a story of one of my greatest and best
experiences.<br>
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I worked in a particular area for 7 years. The para educators working
with the students started out as typical by helping the student too much
but that is all they knew. They began training classes that met a
couple times a month to learn how to be a para and weekly braille
classes to learn braille. Within a year and a half over a dozen passed
the braille exam and had increased tremendously in their technology
skills. Another year went by and another half dozen or so passed their
braille certification and all continued in their advancement of skills.
As they passed the braille certification test, they became known as
ProTechs--highly skilled individuals working with students. <br>
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Most of their time is utilized adapting work. They have fine tuned their
knowledge to know when to step in to help and when to step back. They
easily can adapt the work for their student or students and assist them
when needed. When one Protech is out, the others take over their
student or students. Everyone working off of each others best skills. <br>
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The students excelled far faster than the Protechs, so they have all
gained those independent skills needed. Skill advancement has to come to
all: Protechs (or past paras), students and Teachers all have to
constantly advance in their skills in order to have everyone meet goals
and dreams.<br>
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One of my favorite things to hear is when the Protech asks the student
if they will need any help in a certain class that is difficult and the
student replies, "No Thank you, I got it."
<div> </div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Brush Script MT';COLOR:black;FONT-SIZE:18pt;"><font color="#4040ff"> Denise </font></span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Brush Script MT';COLOR:black;FONT-SIZE:18pt;"></span> </div><div>Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D. <br>Teacher of the Blind & Visually Impaired<br>TechVision-Independent Contractor</div><div>Specialist in blind programming/teaching/training</div><div>509-674-1853 <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="mailto:deniserob@gmail.com"> deniserob@gmail.com</a></div><div> </div><div><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/">http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/</a></div><div> </div></div></body></html>