Washington Education Association

Home » Events & Training » Professional Growth » ESP Professional Development

Trainings and webinars for education support professionals

The WEA ESP Professional Development 'TEAM' program aims to provide transformative engaging applicable meaningful training that supports all students.

Winter 2023 Courses

All classes will be held virtually. Participants can enroll in either a one-day or two-day class. It is highly recommended that members attend Part A prior to attending Part B to ensure content relevancy and continuity.

Clock hours: 4 clock hours are available for each class unless otherwise noted.

Contact Cristi McCorkle and Lama Chikh if you have questions about course offerings.

FCS01 Introduction to Cultural Identity and Diversity

Offered Jan. 7 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Feb. 7 and 8 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hours) for paraeducators.
Participants will gain an awareness and deeper understanding of ways to engage, build relationships and communicate with the diverse backgrounds of their students. This course is designed to help ensure that students experience a positive, consistent, safe, unbiased and equitable classroom experience. This course is for paraeducators.

Objectives:

Describe ways to identify and respond to racism, discrimination and stereotypes in the classroom
List strategies for supporting cultural responsiveness and anti-biased instruction
Describe ways to foster and support a safe, positive, and culturally inclusive environment
Explain ways students’ family, language, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic background, and other cultural assets impact behavior and learning
Describe strategies to support cultural inclusion and responsiveness when assisting in instruction
Demonstrate respectful behavior when working with diverse students

FCS02 Educational and Instructional Support

Offered: Jan. 7 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Feb. 7 and 8 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hours) for paraeducators.
Participants will learn classroom and building based instructional strategies and supports to assist classroom teachers in various learning environments and with diverse learning styles. This course is intended to enhance the instructional practices of paraeducators in order to increase student achievement and educational outcomes.

Objectives:

Identify basic instructional support methods to assist classroom teachers (small group work, one–to-one, computer aided learning programs)
Introduce diverse learning styles and strategies best suited to enhance and complement student learning requirements various learning styles
Review Washington Learner Standards and have basic awareness of academic achievement goals
Demonstrate various instructional support strategies to assist classroom teachers
Identify strategies to support classroom environments and apply materials to meet the goals of multicultural requirements
Recognize appropriate instructional support materials which represent and support various cultures and abilities

FCS06 Equity

Offered Jan. 14 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Feb. 14 and 15 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hours) for paraeducators.
Participants will gain an awareness of the legalities, polices, procedure and practices surrounding discrimination and how to respond to such violations. This course is designed to help foster a learning environment that is unbiased, safe and promotes the academic success of all students.

Objectives:

Identify the basic regulations and polices that apply to the civil rights of students
Describe ways to respond to racism, discrimination, and stereotypes based on family, language, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic background, or other elements of culture
Define discrimination and recognize unlawful practices

FCS01/06 Intro to Cultural Identity and Diversity/Equity

Offered March 4 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Participants will gain an awareness and deeper understanding of ways to engage, build relationships and communicate with the diverse backgrounds of their students. There will also be a focus on the legalities, polices, procedure and practices surrounding discrimination and how to respond to such violations. This course is designed for paraeducators to help ensure that students experience a positive, consistent, safe, unbiased and equitable classroom which will enhance educational opportunities and student achievement.

Part A: Introduction to Cultural Identity and Diversity

Objectives:

Describe ways to identify and respond to racism, discrimination and stereotypes in the classroom
List strategies for supporting cultural responsiveness and anti-biased instruction
Describe ways to foster and support a safe, positive, and culturally inclusive environment
Explain ways students’ family, language, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic background, and other cultural assets impact behavior and learning
Describe strategies to support cultural inclusion and responsiveness when assisting in instruction
Demonstrate respectful behavior when working with diverse students

Part B: Equity

Objectives:

Identify the basic regulations and polices that apply to the civil rights of students
Describe ways to respond to racism, discrimination, and stereotypes based on family, language, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic background, or other elements of culture
Define discrimination and recognize unlawful practices

FCS11/12 Communication Basics and Challenges

Offered Jan. 14 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Feb. 14 and 15 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hours) for paraeducators.
Participants will gain an understanding of essential communication strategies, conflict management, conflict resolution and how to effectively work in a team environment. This course is designed to help enhance collaboration and communication between paraeducators and other applicable stakeholders that will enhance student success and achievement.

Part A: Communication Basics (2 hrs)

Identify communication skills required for working with team members
Explain the importance of decision making as it applies to school-based teams
Explain the four stages of developing effective teams
Describe questioning strategies which improve performance, productivity and clarify misunderstandings
Identify strategies used to initiate and receive feedback regarding student learning and/or personal performance
Describe ways to apply conflict resolution strategies

Part B: Communication Challenges (2 hrs)

Identify and give examples of the types of strategies used to seek, provide and clarify information and feedback to staff, students and families
Discuss the nature and possible sources of conflict among team members, students and families
Identify strategies for repairing relationships after conflict
Identify and apply problem solving processes to various case studies and scenarios

FCS 02/11/12 Educational and Instructional Support Communication Basics/Challenges

Offered March 4 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Participants will learn classroom and building based instructional strategies and supports to assist classroom teachers in various learning environments and with diverse learning styles. This training will also focus on essential communication strategies, conflict management, conflict resolution and how to effectively work in a team environment in order to increase student achievement.

Paraeducator Cert Educational and Instructional Support (4 hr)

Objectives:

Identify basic instructional support methods to assist classroom teachers (small group work, one–to-one, computer aided learning programs)
Introduce diverse learning styles and strategies best suited to enhance and complement student learning requirements various learning styles
Review Washington Learner Standards and have basic awareness of academic achievement goals
Demonstrate various instructional support strategies to assist classroom teachers
Identify strategies to support classroom environments and apply materials to meet the goals of multicultural requirements
Recognize appropriate instructional support materials which represent and support various cultures and abilities

Pareducator Cert. Collaborative Communication

Objectives:

Part A: Communication Basics (2 hr)

Identify communication skills required for working with team members
Explain the importance of decision making as it applies to school-based teams
Explain the four stages of developing effective teams
Describe questioning strategies which improve performance, productivity and clarify misunderstandings
Identify strategies used to initiate and receive feedback regarding student learning and/or personal performance
Describe ways to apply conflict resolution strategies

Part B: Communication Challenges (1 hr)

Identify and give examples of the types of strategies used to seek, provide and clarify information and feedback to staff, students and families
Discuss the nature and possible sources of conflict among team members, students and families
Identify strategies for repairing relationships after conflict
Identify and apply problem solving processes to various case studies and scenarios

Tier 1 Behavior Interventions Differentiated for Students Part A

Offered Jan. 7 (9 .am. to 1 p.m.) and Feb. 7 and 8 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hrs) for all ESPs.
The course is focused on how to work with students who are demonstrating unsuccessful behaviors. Participants will learn why student expectations for behavior should be high and how to redefine discipline as a growth and teaching opportunity rather than punishment. Participants will learn Tier 1 redirection and intervention learn skills (Symbolic, Physical, Verbal and Non-Verbal) that will support positive relationships with all students, and how to be culturally and socially responsive to issues.

Course Objectives:

Identify the various communication styles that are represented in the classroom to develop ways to be responsive and respectful of students’ communication needs
Understand the value and impact of implementing student focus groups
Understand the guiding principles for developing a Tier 1 culturally responsive behavior approach through a relational lens

Tier 2 Behavior Interventions Differentiated for Students Part B

Offered Jan. 14 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Feb. 14 and 15 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hrs) to ALL ESPs.
Participants will learn guiding principles of TIER 2 interventions in a culturally responsive approach and how to implement them at their building. They will also learn how to change interactions with students positively through courageous conversations so that students feel included, valued and respected.

Objectives:

Understand the guiding principles for developing a Tier 2 culturally responsive behavior approach
Increase awareness of opportunities we have as educators to ensure our interactions with students promote safe inclusive buildings
Develop an understanding of Tier 2 interventions that can be applied to our school context
Demonstrate an understanding for how to apply the protocol for Courageous Conversations for individual students to your context educators to ensure our interactions with students promote safe inclusive buildings

Communicating Effectively with Diverse Students and Families

Offered Feb. 7 and 8 (5-7 p.m. each session for a total of 4 clock hours) for those in clerical services.
Participants will gain an awareness and deeper understanding of ways to engage, build relationships and communicate with the diverse backgrounds of students and families. This course is designed to help ensure that students experience a positive, consistent, safe, unbiased and equitable space wherever they are in schools.

Objectives:

Describe ways to identify and respond to racism, discrimination and stereotypes in schools
List strategies for supporting cultural responsiveness and anti-biased ways
Describe ways to foster and support a safe, positive, and culturally inclusive environment
Explain ways students’ family, language, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic background, and other cultural assets impact behavior and learning
Describe strategies to support cultural inclusion and responsiveness
Demonstrate respectful behavior when working with diverse students

WEA - Organizing your Workplace and Beyond

Offered Feb. 14 and 15 (5-7 p.m. each session) for Clerical Services Staff. This course does not provide clock hours.
Why is an organized clerical space important for students? Why is the office so important for students? As office professionals it is very important to be able to provide the resources for staff, students, and families. Resources from district or community education partners are essential for the process to help and support all those involved in the growth and advancement of educators, ESPs, and accordingly, students.

Participants will be able to keep track and maintain work information that supports student and their academic success. Ex. Ensuring that educators have all students' records filed in an efficient way with easy access.
Participants will learn strategies to retrieve necessary data quickly and how to communicate that information to the administration and the educator in their process of helping students.
Have a functional simple workspace that serves your daily tasks as well as parents, the community and students, and also provides a safe place for students when they are sent to the office. Ex. Do you have place for them to be safe and busy? Coloring books? Play station?
Create a collaborative vision as a group where job alike tasks become uniform district wide so when students are moved from one school to another can recognize the rules and expectations that help them succeed and alleviate the stress behind the change.
When we identify the needs as a group, we are able to provide support for each other, and ultimately support to students and families district wide.
Learn how to mentor colleagues who are struggling by regularly offering support and guidance through workshops and meetings tailored based on the needs of the colleague/s that you are providing support for. When we minimize our colleagues struggles, we increase our services to students.

When we notice weaknesses in our workplace when it comes to providing the same support for all students and meeting them where they are, then we know that we are well organized and ready to advocate for them using all the tools that are available for us as a whole.

WEA - On the Front Line: Nurses and Health Clerks are Essential

Offered Feb. 25 (9-10:30 a.m.), 1.5 hour
The School Nurse Organization of Washington (SNOW) supports school nurses in the delivery of health services designed to improve the health and academic success of students. SNOW recognizes the stress and pressure of our essential health care workers within the school setting. Come spend 90 minutes with experts that can help you navigate these difficult times, answer questions that may help you improve your practice, and generally provide the support you need to weather this storm.

Building Winning Teams: Effective Communication, Collaboration, and Instruction

Offered Feb. 25 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for paraeducators.
Participants will learn about their personality types and how those characteristics impact their roles as team members. The characteristics of highly effective teams will be examined, and attendees will participate in a variety of activities to build strong, cohesive teams. Participants will also apply what they learn about themselves and how that relates directly to their current classroom.

Participants in this course learn tools and resources to better support students and increase student achievement.

Topics include:

Characteristics of new paraeducator and teacher teams
Guiding principles for paraeducators
Paraprofessional responsibilities
Planning and working together: strategies for clear communication between teacher and paraeducator

WEA - BWT ll: A deeper dive to focus on collab discourse/scenario-based immersion

Offered March 4 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for paraeducators.
Follow-up to Building Winning Teams. Participants will take a deeper dive into the paraeducator- teacher relationship/partnership and work effectively together to have a positive impact on student learning through scenarios, role-playing and discussion. Participants in this course practice tools and resources through role-modeling and scenarios to better support students and increase student achievement.

Course Objectives:

Participants will learn to define and delineate roles and responsibilities for the para and teacher
Communicating strategies and creating a system for transparency
How to manage and resolve conflict using the 7-step problem-solving method
Self-awareness and your personal effect on the team
Practice the 5 “knows” of collaborative teaming

Keeping the Wheels on the Road - Transportation and Student Success

Three sessions offered on Feb. 25 (9 a.m. to noon), Feb. 27 (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and Feb. 28 (5:30-7:30 p.m.) (7 clock hours)
To close the opportunity gaps and help all students succeed, schools need to expand classroom cultural practices, policies, and strategies to transportation employees. Transportation employees are critical to the student's success. They are the first educator that students see in the morning and may be the last one they see in the afternoon. Setting the tone for the day, creating relationships, safely transporting students, and managing behavior are the keys to success for any bus driver.

Course Objectives:

Qualities needed for success based on the NEA Professional Development Standards for ESPs
Identify and improving communication skills
Learn how students communicate
Creating relationships and managing the bus environment
Moving from a culture of equal to equitable
Acknowledge biases exist and their impacts on kids
Brains Matter-Neuroscience and behavior
Reimagine Discipline
CRCM behavior strategies and how to de-escalate

Embracing Diversity with True Colors

Offered Feb. 25 and March 11 (both 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for all ESPs.
In this training, participants use the True Colors system to focus on embracing diversity in the classroom and in the larger school community to improve learning opportunities for all students and enhance communication between student, teacher, staﬀ and parents. The True Colors system identifies intrinsic values, motivations, self-esteem, sources of dignity and worthiness, causes of stress, communication styles, listening styles, non-verbal responses, language patterns, social skills, learning styles, environmental motivators, cultural appeal, negative mental states, relationship orientation, and ethical behaviors.

Course Objectives:

Participants will be able to recognize diverse learning styles and communication styles in the classroom and with colleagues that will enable them to communicate in a manner that information will be better received.
Understand their own communication styles (positive and negative) and learn strategies to alter their personal communication skills to meet various circumstances.
Learn the value of creating teams that incorporate different learning and communication styles, increasing in creativity, learning and acceptance.

WEA - ELL Culture, Language and Equity for Paraprofessionals

Offered Jan. 28 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
To close the opportunity gaps and help all students succeed, schools need a new vision of the English language learner students that recognizes their strength-based assets both culturally and linguistically. The Culture, Equity & Language Training Module for Closing the Achievement Gaps uses research-based, classroom-focused instructional and advocacy strategies to help paraprofessionals:

Engage English language learner (ELL) students in academic learning and English language development.
Recognize and build on cultural and equity assumptions and culturally relevant instruction.
Create classroom and school environments that facilitate language learning.
Absorb, understand and capitalize on language acquisition theory.
Recognize language development stages and promising instructional practices for teaching in the classroom and school.
Identify appropriate ELL instructional strategies aligned and differentiated to lessons and objectives and goals.
Find innovative ways to motivate ELLs to practice academic language skills that are carefully structured and require students to demonstrate growing proficiency.

This ELL training module is offered as a WEA member benefit to support and assist paraprofessionals in understanding how to apply the best research-based ELL, culture and equity practices in the classroom.

Paras in the Classroom

Offered Feb. 8 and 9 (5- p.m. both days)
In this course, the paraeducator will develop a general understanding of:

Their role and responsibilities (NEA ParaProfessional Growth Standards),
Their importance of meeting student basic needs (SEL),
Curriculum delivery, the use of materials, techniques and resources, classes, and requirements for Washington State para certification

All paraeducators encouraged to participate. The course fulfills WA State Paraeducator general certificate clock hours requirement.

WEA - ESP DEEPER DIVE Session 5 - New Discipline Rules - Moving Away from Exclusionary Practice

Offered Feb. 23 (5-7 p.m.)
Participants explore and understand the new student discipline rules adopted by OSPI in July 2018. Participants review the rationale for the new rules and the requirements the rules place on classroom-level educators. They also problem-solve and review resources to support best practice implementation in the classroom in order to enhance student learning.

WEA - ESP DEEPER DIVE Session 6 – Educator Well-Being

Offered Jan. 7 (9-11 a.m.)
This course helps educators understand compassion fatigue and working to support students in a challenging time. This course will help educators recognize symptoms commonly associated with compassion fatigue and its impacts. This course will help educators to promote the calm, relaxed, but enlivened classroom environment that children need to learn. This training will also help educators to be more effective at reducing internal stress, conflict and developing more positive ways of relating in the classroom, which can contribute to higher levels of job satisfaction.

Course objective:

Understanding vicarious trauma
Recognizing symptoms of vicarious trauma
Practices for self-care
Developing s self-care plan

WEA - ESP DEEPER DIVE Session 7 – Getting Started with Google Classroom

Offered March 4 (9-10:30 a.m.) for all ESPs
Google Classroom isn’t just a place to post homework; it can help improve your ability to connect with your students, respond to their needs, and challenge them with personalized assignments. Come learn how to set-up your very own Google Classroom and get up and running with remote teaching & learning quickly!

This is a beginning level course, designed for participants who are not familiar with the basics of Google Classroom.

Objectives:

Participants will learn how to set up a Google Classroom for students
Participants will explore the basic functions of Google Classroom

WEA - ESP DEEPER DIVE Session 8 – Facilitating Quality Practice

Offered March 11 (9-10:30 a.m.) for paraeducators
Quality practice looks, sounds and feels different virtually. Let's practice with tools that teachers and para-educators can use with students. We will learn about best practices for online learning, including instructor presence, learning objectives, real world applications, clear expectations, engaging students, prompt feedback, and netiquette. The session will focus on two platforms: Seesaw and Google Classroom.

Participants will develop a definition of quality online practice and support student learning
Participants will internalize quality practices and create a plan for implementation
Participants will understand and plan to create a culture of quality edtech use
Participants will learn about online tools to use in remote learning environments

The course fulfills WA State Paraeducator general certificate clock hours requirement.

Courses for those working in Special Education

Registration links coming soon. Also, check our special education and inclusionary practices courses web page.

PD 4 Paras

WEA's Inclusionary Practices Project and ESP Program will provide paraeducator-specific professional development sessions live via zoom to complement four online asynchronous modules. Synchronous sessions are facilitated by WEA paraeducators and are designed to allow participants to collaborate, connect and reflect with colleagues. This series includes sessions about going beyond the label, helping kids become independent, decoding the ABCs of the IEP, and dealing with big emotions.

Up to 14.5 clock hours will be provided for this four-part series. Classes will be held on Jan. 25, Feb. 15, March 8, and 22.

Para-Bytes

This course series includes 24-hour-long sessions (the first 8 sessions will take place in fall 2022, and the remaining sessions will be scheduled in winter and spring 2023). Attend whichever sessions you would like. Each session will contain a 10-15 minute video highlighting a key question, small group discussions, collaboration, and resources.

Para-Bytes is a series of 24 topics designed to offer quick information and resources to support students with disabilities in the general education setting. Designed for paraprofessionals (or substitutes or preservice educators), Para-Bytes are organized into four categories that cover everything you need to provide inclusive support to all students. Each "Byte answers common questions about inclusive education, and they are conveniently organized into Foundational Bytes, Academic Support Bytes, Behavioral Bytes, and Independence, Interdependence, and the Need to Belong Bytes.

Para-Bytes will be offered on Jan. 7, 21 and 28; Feb. 4, 18 and 25, and March 18. This is a one-hour class on Saturdays and continues from the fall series. Register for this course (only January sessions are open for registration right now)

Special Education and the Law for Paras

This course will be held on Feb. 6 and 8. It is one class, held over two evenings.

Assistive Technology

Offered March 15 (5:30-7:30 p.m.)

All special education courses are open to all educators regardless of WEA/NEA membership.

Maintenance and Custodial Series

WEA and Labor and Industry have teamed up to provide a series of courses to assist members in these challenging positions. Hear first-hand about your rights and responsibilities, updated industry standards, chemical and material usage, biological protocols, and prevention measures.

There will be five courses in the series. Once dates are set, registration information will be sent to all WEA locals representing these vital employees.

Lunchroom, Playground and Crossing Guards - Strategies for Success

Offered Jan. 14 (9 a.m. to noon), 3 clock hours
Unstructured time (on the playground, in the lunchroom, and walking to/from school) is a time when students demonstrate autonomy and behaviors that are quite different from the structured classroom. You may see issues that don't occur once your student(s) step back into the traditional school setting. What are some strategies that can help you build relationships, create systems, and de-escalate issues when they occur, and help you establish yourself as a critical piece to
each student's success.

If you missed one of NEA's monthly professional development webinars for education support professionals, you are in luck. Watch NEA's archived ESP webinar recordings.

NEA ESP Professional Growth

To ensure a great public education for every student, education support professionals (ESPs) want and deserve opportunities for professional growth throughout their careers. Visit NEA's listing for ESP professional development opportunities.