As an educator, you are the leader in the classroom. You are leading children, parents, paraprofessionals, other service providers, and community members. Consider your role as this leader. Answer the following questions, using supports fromthe readings and outside sources. Each answer should be between 150-250 words.

1. Collaboration is an essential component to early childhood education. Why is collaboration necessary to meet the needs of young learners and their families? Cite evidence and specific codes of ethics, teacher dispositions, and/or standards that apply.
2. Paraprofessionals are often assigned to classrooms by administrators. You will likely be the direct supervisor of a paraprofessional who was hired and assigned by someone other than you. What will you do in the event that your personality or general philosophies about education seem to clash with those of your paraprofessional? How will you maintain a positive relationship and a professional rapport? What strategies could you use to teach, lead, and model appropriate interactions and responses to student needs so that you and your paraprofessional are on the same page?
3. How can you utilize your paraprofessionals to maximize student engagement in your classroom as well as help maintain a structured learning environment?
4. You have a paraprofessional who is older than you and more experienced. She has been at the school for the past 15 years and this is your first year there. As you set up the classroom and begin lesson planning, she challenges you at every turn, stating that, “this is not how it is done here.” When your students arrive, she begins undermining you and dismissing your comments, even when you are managing classroom behaviors. On two occasions, she refuses to comply with your classroom management plan and instead sends students to the office for minor behavioral infractions. What will your plan of action be to gain control of your classroom, maintain professionalism, and address the paraprofessional’s actions?
5. You have a paraprofessional who comes to school late every day, takes frequent bathroom breaks that last 20-30 minutes or more, and leaves early at least three days a week. What strategies will you use to gain rapport, set limits, and reduce these absences? Are there any procedures you can think of that might reduce these “disappearances”? At what point will you need to contact your administration and have them intervene? What steps should you take before that point? How might building a rapport help reduce these issues?