Educational assistants and other classified staff who assist teachers and students are vital ingredients in classroom success. Elaine Merighi Morelock, Clackamas Education Service District’s support staff partnership and learning coordinator on our teaching and learning team, focuses her attention on the regional paraeducators and the skills and support they need to serve the whole child.
A veteran tri-lingual educator, Elaine’s an expert on trauma-informed, culturally relevant practices and programs that help all paraeducators manage their work with students more effectively. Her workshops and coaching cover emotions and their impact on the brain, how trauma affects behavior, and regulation skills and strategies that will support students and staff. She uses a variety of tools — from discussion, coaching and mentoring to use of short videos — to help paraprofessionals explore and elevate their strengths, gain new skills and understanding, and benefit from customized training to best meet individual, team and district needs.
“What we call ‘regulation’ is really just the way people manage their thinking, emotions, attention and physical reactions,” Elaine explains. “Understanding regulation is critical to creating a trauma-informed school environment and to gain the confidence and mindset that will meet students where they are. The great news is there are proven, constructive strategies to get there.”
Elaine also heavily emphasizes self-care, relationship building, and the importance of humanizing our work space in order to solve the challenges we face.
“Social emotional learning starts with adults,” Elaine says. “These are challenging times to be in a classroom. To be at their best for students, educators must take care of themselves with compassion, and find successful ways to deal with stress and dysregulation. Creating resilience in adults opens the door for more learning for children. That’s the focus and impact of all the professional development I provide.”
Paraprofessionals across Clackamas County are finding Elaine’s trauma-informed trainings energizing and a valuable source of new ideas and approaches to apply to their work in the classroom.
One paraprofessional from the Canby School District shared, “During the training, I found the opportunity to share ideas and concerns with my colleagues and to be able to collaborate about possible effective actions to take.”
