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Instructional Strategies for Paraeducators
with Kelly Herndon, Master Trainer, The PAR²A Center
Elevate your impact as a paraeducator in the classroom through an engaging, practice‑focused two-session course led by expert facilitators who specialize in effective student support. In this workshop, you’ll gain practical strategies, confidence, and ready‑to‑use tools for fostering engagement, presuming competence, and preparing for instruction so every learner can thrive.
As a paraeducator, you play a vital role in helping students connect with learning. This workshop is designed to strengthen the skills you use every day. Together, we’ll dig into how students take in and respond to information, and you’ll practice approaches that help you plan so you can step into instruction feeling prepared and purposeful. You’ll also explore fresh ways to spark and sustain student attention, along with simple, effective methods for implementing accommodations and modifications that truly support individual needs. By the end, you’ll walk away with clear, ready‑to‑use techniques and the confidence to apply them right away in your classroom.
Audience: Special education and general education paraeducators
Purpose & Outcomes
- Gain a clear, practical understanding of how learning actually happens and what that means for your day‑to‑day role in the classroom
- Explore a range of evidence‑based practices and instructional strategies for effective instructional support, and
- Develop skills to help every student stay engaged and successful.
| The Details | |
| Dates | Choose to attend the workshop on June 26 or July 17, 2026. |
| Time | 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. |
| Cost | $89 per person $159 per person for this workshop plus the Supporting Students with Challenging Behavior workshop in the afternoon Contact us for group rates for four or more paraeducators |
| Location | CU Denver |
| Graduate Credits Available | |
Kelly Herndon, Master Trainer, The PAR²A Center
Facilitator
Kelly Herndon is a trainer and coach with nearly two decades of experience in special education and early intervention. She holds a master’s degree in special education and has supported children with disabilities in a range of roles, including paraprofessional, teacher, and administrator. For more than seven years, Kelly has partnered closely with the Paraprofessional Resource and Research (PAR²A) Center at the University of Colorado Denver, where she has trained hundreds of paraprofessionals in evidence-based practices such as instructional strategies, behavior support, and working with students with significant needs. She is highly skilled in designing and adapting professional learning experiences to meet the diverse needs of participants. In collaboration with the Center and Mile High Early Learning, Kelly developed the Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood Credential program, which provides targeted, practical training for early childhood professionals supporting young children with disabilities and challenging behaviors.