Paraeducator
(Female, Age 38) from Baltimore, MD
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 38 who works as a Paraeducator in Baltimore, MD. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Paraeducator |
|---|---|
| Salary | $27,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Baltimore, MD |
| Years Experience | 7 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
Public school system. About 10000 employees.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
Prepare lessons, teach preschool children English and social skills. Plan field trips. Meet with parents.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
Sick leave, 403b, medical insurance
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
The hourly rate is fine, but I would like to work 12 months a year.
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Yes. I enjoy working with others.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
Classroom setting. I travel to two different sites.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 4
Benefits: 7
Hours: 6
Co-Workers: 2
Supervisors: 3
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 5
The Actual Work: 1
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | |
| 8am to 9am | Arrive at 8:30. Put outside toys outside and set up arrival activities. |
| 9am to 10am | Families arrive close to 9. Mothers drop off the children and go to their ESOL class and the children do their activity. Then we play games based on the lesson for the day |
| 10am to 11am | Circle time, singing, learning the date, reading stories and then art time. After art is snack time. |
| 11am to 12pm | If the weather permits we will play outside. If not then we have a second story time and another craft or art type activity. We do music and movement. |
| 12pm to 1pm | Children leave at 12 then we clean up and eat lunch, then leave by 12:30 to drive to the next site |
| 1pm to 2pm | Class starts at 1. Arrival activities then we play games according to the days lesson. We play outside if the weather permits. If nit it’s circle time |
| 2pm to 3pm | We have snack time and do art. Sing some songs and read a story. |
| 3pm to 4pm | Exploratory play time. Then dismissal. Clean up the classroom and leave by 3:45. |
| 4pm to 5pm | |
| 5pm to 6pm | |
| 6pm to 7pm | |
| 7pm to 8pm | |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
A friend referred me.
What was the application process?
Electronic application then an interview then a background check.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes. It was 2 interviews. One on the phone, then one in person with the group.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Do you like children. Are you comfortable doing home visits. Do you think you could communicate with someone who doesn’t speak English.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Para-pro certification and an associates degree
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Somewhat. It is hard to teach teaching, when there are so many people groups you could end up working with.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
Yes.
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Get a degree in education
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
They need to like kids and have empathy. They need to be organized and comfortable speaking to new people.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Respect the kids and your co- workers as much as you respect your supervisor. Respect your supervisor like he/ she was your mother.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes. I am basically an assistant teacher. It is not too much stress.
What are your current career goals?
To maintain my position in the county school system. Maybe find a similar job that ran12 months.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
My position is being eliminated. The county is moving me to another program, but is won’t know which one until next school year.
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | IEP assistant | 5 years | 25000 | Assisted special needs kids with all aspects of schooling |
| Prior Job 2 | Receptionist | 9 months | 12000 | Answer phones, file, make appointments, take payments |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3 | Community college of Baltimore county | Education associates |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
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