The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a competency-based training program on the attitudes of 45 teacher-aide trainees as defined and measured on two separate attitude measurement instruments. Instrument I, the Opinionnaire On Attitudes Toward Education, was designed to measure attitudes toward child-centered policies and practices in education. Instrument II, the Education Scale, was designed to measure attitudes varying from very favorable toward progressive educational practices to very favorable toward traditional educational practices.

Eight years after the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-17), there still appears to be gaps in the efforts to ensure that students with disabilities are given a free and appropriate public education. While the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 aims to create school environments where teachers and paraprofessionals are highly qualified for all students, the issue of having adequately trained paraprofessionals assisting in physical education continues to be ignored. The purpose of this study was to determine the basic profiles of paraprofessionals assigned to physical education and to conduct a needs assessment for training. Participants (N=76) were comprised of paraprofessionals from city and county public schools grades Pre K -12 in Northwest and East Central Indiana, and Northwest Ohio. A twopart questionnaire was given to paraprofessionals in the classrooms to assess current responsibilities in physical education as well as identify training needs they might have in physical education. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency counts, and measures of central tendency (means) to answer all research questions. Results indicated that paraprofessionals who assisted in physical education perceived themselves to be adequately trained despite not having much professional training. Paraprofessional responsibilities in physical education remained vague and unclear; however, results showed paraprofessionals were willing to receive training depending on training length of time and training topics offered. / School of Physical Education

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Since 1973 teaching authorities have been compelled to employ artisans due to the shortage of technically trained teachers. This precaution has not been satisfactory because the artisan who has no formal teachers training has now become part of the educational profession. Methods have to be found to provide in-service training for this category of teacher with the view of preparing him for his task as teacher. The headmaster, as manageri all eader, can in thi s case, make use of a tutor-teacher and subject-head. The tutor-teacher must be an experienced and successful teacher , seeing that he has to convey his knowledge and teaching experience to the artisan-teacher. The subject-head can also play an important and valuable role in the initial in-service training programme by conveying knowledge and expertise concerning teaching practice, to the artisan-teacher. In the designing of an initial in-service training programme, attention should be given to the practical side of the subject, so that the knowledge acquired can be implemented immediately. Later in the training programme more time can be allocated to the theoretical aspect. The aim of this programme should be to encourage the artisan-teacher to acquire formal teaching qualifications. The school's in-service training programme is only an endeavor to provide the artisan-teacher with sufficient knowledge to teach his subject. The school cannot, in the final instance, replace tertiary institutions in the training of teachers.

This study examined the impact of child teacher relationship training (CTRT) on teachers' and aides' use of relationship- building skills in the classroom and the correlation between teachers' and aides' demonstration of relationship- building skills and the effect on student behavior. CTRT was modeled after Landreth and Bratton's (2006) 10-session filial therapy model titled child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) which is based on the principles and procedures of child -centered play therapy. The CPRT manual was adapted slightly for use with teachers and aides for this project. In this quasi-experimental design, 12 teacher aide dyads (n = 24) were assigned to the experimental (n = 12) or active control groups (n = 12). Children who scored in the Borderline/Clinical range on at least one scale of the Child Behavior Checklist-Caregiver/Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) at pretest qualified for the study (N = 32). During the first phase of treatment, teachers and aides participated in the equivalent of 10 training/supervision sessions consistent with the principles and procedures of CPRT. During CTRT Phase II, teachers and aides participated in 10 weeks of coaching/modeling to facilitate the use of CTRT skills in the classroom environment and continued to participate in weekly 1-hour group training/supervision sessions. Eight hypotheses were analyzed. Different analyses were conducted based on the hypotheses. Analyses of covariance and repeated measures analysis of variance were conducted. Correlation coefficients were also calculated. Additionally, effect sizes were calculated to determine practical significance. Two hypotheses were retained at the .05 level of significance. Children in the experimental group (n = 19) demonstrated a significant decrease (p = .04) in Externalizing Problems between Measurements 1 and 3 when compared to the children in the active control group (n = 13). A statistically significant relationship was found between teachers' and aides' higher use of relationship-building skills and students' decrease in externalizing behaviors (p < .05). No statistically significant results were found on the remaining hypotheses.

Since there is a need for auxiliary personnel, then, there appears to be a need for a training program for teachers, paid aides, and for volunteers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to formulate a pre-service, in-service, and on-the-job training program for these personnel at Wesconnett Elementary School.