Supporting Students with Executive Function Challenges for Paraprofessionals

In today’s classrooms, paraprofessionals play a crucial role in supporting students with diverse needs. However, the challenge lies in striking the right balance—how do we provide essential assistance without inadvertently hindering a student’s growth toward independence?

The Dilemma: Helping vs. Enabling

The Intentions: Well-intentioned paraprofessionals genuinely want to empower students. They aim to equip them with the executive function skills essential for  classroom engagement and task completion.

The Reality: Sometimes, despite the best intentions, paraprofessionals inadvertently slip into a pattern of over-helping. They prompt, guide, and even complete tasks for the child, unintentionally creating dependency.

The Critical Questions:

Where is the Line? How do we differentiate between helpful support and enabling behavior?