PARAEDUCATORS

teaching them basic things they need to know that maybe the parents haven’t had time to teach them.”

Cupertino High School students with a range of disabilities can access numerous resources, including help from paraeducators who assist with classroom objectives, school counseling and subject-specific intervention when necessary.

A paraeducator is a special education teacher aide who assists students. Unlike special education teachers, a paraeducator accompanies assigned students throughout the school day.

Special education students generally take around three classes per day, though it could vary, and take on jobs both on and off-campus to gain experience around the community.

Said Tino paraeducator Corina Bustamante, “[We teach] life skills. That’s why we do these jobs in the community because after they’re done with high school, they’re going to have to learn how to survive. We’re

Tino has numerous paraeducators whose most important role is students learn information about current events. They can also receive additional help in subjects they struggle with.

Said Bustamante, “We do math [activities] online with them. So they have a laptop cart [...], and we help them log on. And so it’s things [other students] would do, but just at a lower level.” aiding students in learning critical skills.

Paraeducators gain a more personal insight into their students’ lives because they attend all their classes with them. They aid them in academics, communication and social skills.

An average day for a Tino student with a disability includes the same schedule as other students but with a specific classroom serving as a homeroom. Special Ed students and paraeducators often go to places like Safeway to learn valuable skills such as counting money for payment. These students also learn to use public transportation, like the bus.

The Special Ed classroom teacher creates lesson plans tailored to each student’s needs. A unique facet of this class is the section News

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Each paraeducator’s differing facets, including gender, are tailored to a student’s needs. For example, male para students may be in Bustamante’s group, but a male paraeducator must accompany them to the boys locker room. In such cases, minor changes are necessary, though each paraeducator is generally assigned a specific set of students to look after.

Bustamante also described the challenging aspects of her job.

“A lot of it has to just do with their ability,” said Bustamante. “We have some kids [where] you wouldn’t even know that they have a disability. [...] But then there are other students where there’s kind of no filter.”

With the help of paraeducators, students at Tino can receive adequate resources and sufficient assistance with academic, social and emotional well-being. Though it can be difficult to tackle obstacles, paraeducators at Tino can assist students with a wide range of disabilities through their proximity to the students while at school