Ep. 30: Supervising RBTs and ABA Paraprofessionals

In this episode, we shed some light on what elements are crucial to develop a positive working relationships with RBTs and ABA paraprofessionals. Learn some tips and tricks to use with scheduling and communication to help keep your supervision meetings running smoothly! 🎉

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Transcript

Audra Jensen: This is what I call diversifying your portfolio. you get a little bit, I'm observing you, get a little bit of you observing me, do a little bit of research articles, do, you know, what's going on that's just brainstorming, kind of diversifying.

Welcome to the Misfit Behaviorists Podcast. Join your hosts, Audra Jensen and Caitlin Beltran, here to bring you evidence based strategies with a student centered focus. Let's get started. 

Audra Jensen: Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Misfit Behaviors podcast. And this is going to be our last episode for season one. And we have been talking, we've been really enjoyed doing this and we'd actually like to do more. And provide more for you. And so we've started to gather some input from everybody about what they would like.

We're thinking about pivoting a little bit and doing courses. So longer information episodes with strategies that we can interact with. And then we'll probably continue the podcast a little bit later, start a season 2 as we develop this course. What's really important is that you give us your input.

Like, what do you want? And a lot of the input that I'm getting so far is behavior reduction and dealing with behavior management in the classrooms. And, you know, today I think Caitlin's going to be talking about supervising behavior technicians. And so we're thinking about going a direction of creating something to help you out more.

So get into the Facebook group if you're not already there. And we're going to keep that going. I think it's going to be really important to have that, especially at the beginning of the school year, because all of the behaviors decide to come out at the beginning. So if you have questions or you're dealing with things, please go into the Facebook group and let us help you and collaborate and work with you and stuff. And then maybe we can be of assistance with you throughout the year. 

Caitlin Beltran: Yeah, for sure. And I think we can definitely keep sharing resources if we have things created and people are asking for them. Also, as our course gets developed, we'd love to offer, you know, our group members discounts and give away some memberships and things like that. And most importantly, we just want to keep connecting with you guys. 

Audra Jensen: Yeah, so we're excited about doing that. we've got a really good response from doing the podcast. I think we're having a fun time doing it. I like Caitlyn, so it's really fun that we actually like each other. It'll be easy to pivot to this, and so what are we talking about today?

Caitlin Beltran: Okay, so I wanted to talk about something that I've been doing a little bit more of lately or in the past few years I should say which is supervising RBT's and within my position as a public school based BCBA. So when I became a BCBA there was no RBT, you know back in the day. So it's been really exciting for me seeing people be able to get to do this as like a start in ABA, like a, you know, put your feet in the water, see if I like it kind of thing, because I do work with a ton of para professionals or aides or assistant teachers, whatever your district calls them.

And it's been really cool seeing when some of them are matched up in an ABA classroom and how that kind of Oh, I like this. I want to know more about this. I want to do more things with this. So I had some tips if you are either an RBT or also a school based BCBA supervising RBTs within your position, because it can be a lot to manage on top of your regular duties as a BCBA.

Audra Jensen: I'm really excited about this. Not only this doesn't, only apply to RBTs and stuff. This is going to be really good information for supervising any sort of para. Even supervising, say, student teachers. I've had student teachers, so these are just really good tips that Caitlin has. 

Caitlin Beltran: Good point. it could really, all of this could apply to supervising or, you know, in my district, and I'm sure it's different everywhere, I don't tech, I'm not actually the supervisor of the paraprofessionals, but I work with them in a way that, you know, I'm giving them direction and they kind of have to do it, so it's like that side by side, we're all in this together, but, I guess just like little more logistical things for the RBT supervisor relationship.

So my first tip for success that I found is just keeping that communication so crystal clear and having that really consistent collaboration. So any kind of effective supervision or working together starts with that really clear communication. So not only establishing the lines of communication, but also asking those people, like, how do you want this communication?

So, for example, with one of the RBTs I'm setting up a supervision relationship with right now, we may meet for a few minutes before school, whereas another person may want to come by on their lunch break, or maybe one person mostly email for logistical stuff. So just knowing that, every person that you're going to work with, mentor, work, have a working relationship, with is different.

And of course, if you are within your regular school duties and this is a para, you cannot ask them to stay, come early or leave late. But just how are we going to work this into our already existing schedules in a way that works for both of us? Because you do want to set that consistent communication in a way that's just something that the other person is you know, okay with.

I could easily say, well, I can only do Mondays. That's when I'm in your building. Just, just don't even try me on the other days. And that would be fair, but I don't really want to do that because I don't want to establish myself as somebody that that person doesn't want to come back to. And that I'm not having that kind of open door or that flexibility to have them communicate with me.

Audra Jensen: I think it's really important. 

Caitlin Beltran: Tuesday through Friday, if it goes poorly, I'm going to have a very bad Monday morning. Everybody knows this clear. 

Audra Jensen: And I think it's really important, beforehand setting up that communication, making sure they know beforehand what their expectations are, what the requirements are from the BACB, how they're going to meet their hours.

All that stuff should be figured out beforehand because I've had some people interested in becoming an RBT. And then we lay out kind of what the expectations are going to be, and they're not able to meet those. So we don't even go forward. So having that all beforehand set up and all that communication and what those expectations are before you even get started.

Caitlin Beltran: Such a good point and I know like some people are of the mentality that you know okay, if you're interested in becoming an RBT or if you've just become certified as an RBT like maybe Obviously it's on them and me right so I don't want them to feel like it's a hundred percent on them And I'm just there to pop in and out and I also can't take on a hundred percent of that and expect them to just sort of like sign on the dotted line that doesn't make sense.

So I was just setting up a folder for somebody this week and I printed out like the actual handbook from the BACB. Obviously she's read, like she's looked through it. She knows where it is, but like just to be on the safe side, just so there's no confusion. I was like, let me just print this out. That way if we either ever of us, have a quick question, we can refer to it.

And I kind of even want to highlight it a few key things. don't forget, This is required. This is ideal, but this is required. So especially if it's an RBT, you're talking about where you could be audited or they could be audited. You want to make sure, yes, you want to try for best practice, but certain things are non negotiable as far as meeting an amount of times per month or how many percentage of supervision.

So just making it that shared accountability, I found is helpful. And I told her straight up, I said, this is for both of us, because I don't want to, find out a few months down the road that we're doing something wrong and I'm sure you don't want that either. And like you said, there's been people, I was with, had a working relationship with an RBT two years ago and she just froze.

She did that inactive status and she's doing something different right now, which is totally fine. but it was great while it was going on. And then now she's just pivoting in a different direction. I think as far as consistency too, I told her that we are going to try for meetings say every Monday at this time as far as supervision because they require at least two per month.

And I said that gives us four. So you have to miss a day and I have to miss a day. We still have our minimum two most likely to fall back on. So maybe just shooting for a little bit above what's required so the on the 3rd. 

Audra Jensen: It's a good tip. 

Caitlin Beltran: Not scrambling. I found that helpful in the past. 

Audra Jensen: Yeah, that's an excellent tip.

My second tip is just really to keep providing the ongoing training and professional development, if you can, or at least helping them access that. Because I feel like when I was making our kind of template for logging our supervision, it's very heavily focused on obviously supervising the RBT in action, you need to be doing that, but I didn't want to put so much emphasis on that and kind of forget the teaching aspect because I do want them to learn.

And again, this is within the confines of my position and her hours, so we have to really be creative with it. But maybe instead of just me coming in every week and observing her and giving her feedback, which I definitely want to do, but sets up this kind of reactive tone where I'm watching her doing something and saying, great job, or you could have done this better.

Maybe once a month, she's going to watch me work with a student and then just troubleshoot what went well and what didn't go well after so that I'm also providing a model of how I want things to be and just giving her kind of like an ongoing professional development. Look, say, look, this is how it should run ideally. Not to say something can't go wrong in my session either. It happens all the time. 

This is what I call diversifying your portfolio. Oh. Yeah. So, I mean, you get a little bit, I'm observing you, get a little bit of you observing me, do a little bit of research articles, do, you know, what's going on that's just brainstorming, kind of diversifying.

Caitlin Beltran: Maybe we, if there's a staff member out and we both have permission from our supervisors, I take her to the classroom across the hall and say she's gonna observe this, you know, person working with a learner she doesn't normally work with. Totally thinking outside the box. 

Audra Jensen: And all of those you're creating a well rounded para or rbt rather than just having somebody who's taken the the courses but you haven't really seen them working or they've only done one little thing so you're making this well rounded person so that when you do send them out they know what to do.

Caitlin Beltran: 100%. And I always say, I feel like I was so lucky and blessed. And at the time, I didn't really realize it because when I was become pursuing my B. C. B. A. I worked in a setting where it was a private school for learners with autism and everybody around me was a B. C. B. A. So I was learning from like a new person all the time.

And I got to see so many different models, so many different styles and just learn so many different techniques from different people. but when I've been supervising people, I'm primarily, I can think of maybe one that I wasn't their primary supervisor. The other two or three, I was their only supervisor.

And it's hard, you know, I love myself, but I kept encouraging them to like maybe pick up some hours here or maybe see if you can pick up a mentorship. And it's hard because logistically, the time and money and things like that. So I totally get it if that But you really don't want to always put all your eggs in one basket just because you want to learn more from different people and one person can only teach you what one person knows. Even if it's great things, it's just one style. 

Audra Jensen: I've had a couple of RBTs who were school district RBTs, but then over the summer went and got a job with the clinics because they increase the hours because students are out of school. And so that gives, You know, then another well rounded to see how this all works in a clinical setting is different than an education setting. And so having that is really useful too. 

Caitlin Beltran: Absolutely. And even if, if somebody does have a passion, like I can't tell them, you know, you have to read these articles every weekend, or you have to listen to this podcast where you can learn about this topic. But if, if they're learning and they're new to the field and they're passionate, chances are they want to learn those things.

So I can at least give them the resources. I mean, they have to fulfill their hours if they're an RBT, but they don't have to go above and beyond. But again, if they're passionate about it, at least I can kind of do my part. And I come into contact with a lot of resources and people on different opportunities.

So if I see a free webinar or, a free mini course or something, just turnkeying that and sharing that is a great opportunity as well. So I think the last tip I have is going back to that feedback. You don't always want it to be reactive, but. Just remembering your job is to provide feedback, and this definitely goes for an RBT, a para, an assistant teacher, if you're a BCBA working with teachers, that happens all the time, you know, we develop really close relationships with our staff, hopefully, and we become, friendly, and we have good working relationships, but kind of not forgetting that our role there is to support and not always waiting for them to,do something wrong or mess up to, provide that feedback, but just keeping that relationship ongoing where I may just come into your room and offer just a suggestion if you want to try it.

And I'm open to that as well. I try to make that clear to all my teachers, paras, rbt, please give me feedback as well on how I'm doing this, but also how I'm supervising you. Again, going back to is the time not working? Is the style, is the format not working? But again, if I'm watching somebody run a program, you know, my job isn't to say, looks good and like sign and we had our 5 percent and see you next month kind of thing.

I really want them to be learning what I learned and what I'm passionate about. and I also really believe in teaching somebody to seek that out. And I think that's when you start to see the shift of someone saying Oh, okay, I'll do that. to when they understand the value of the feedback and how it makes them a better practitioner and it makes all of us better at our jobs.

what I, again, going back to my experience when I was trained, like we knew every month we were being observed, sometimes twice a month, like we were observed all the time. It was written up, it was documented. So, switching to public school. I was like, being observed doesn't scare me because it's two to three times a year.

I'm used to it like two times a week. but it really kind of trained you to seek that out because you didn't want three weeks to go by and you didn't have a good observation. So if I got one less than stellar observation, I would immediately be like, what'd you mean by this? Model that for me.

show me how to do that. And I think you really see a really driven conscientious employee when they're coming to you and saying I did this. Would you have done it the same? Or how could I have done this better? This is what happened. And not waiting for that to happen in front of me to ask for that. Because it makes both of our lives easier. 

Audra Jensen: I think this is good time also to talk about kind of watching those blurred lines because we do work so much with these RBTs and paras and stuff that sometimes the, that dual relationship starts to happen, you know, you become kind of buddies. And then I've seen quite a few instances where people get burned from becoming friendly, too friendly with somebody they're supporting.

And then it, becomes it's problematic. So just be mindful of that. And we do get friendly because we're spending so much time together, but be mindful of kind of our ethical standards in maintaining those and avoiding those dual relationships too. 

Caitlin Beltran: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think it probably was more of an issue when I was younger.

Now I'm just like too old to be worried about going out and becoming friends with too many new people at once. I don't have that much room in my life. No, I'm just teasing, but it's certainly a good point, especially working with schools. I mean, I think we had this conversation with families and parents and guardians and things like that, at the end of the day, I mean, it could be my best friend working in the same setting, like, when I'm at work, that child, that client, that classroom is always my number one priority.

So I think as long as both parties are always keeping that in mind, and that's something too, you know, you could, provide someone who's newer to the field. I guess we can talk about it, but I can also say, Hey, listen to this episode of this podcast, or Hey, read this article about the pros and cons of you know, good working relationships and how to build them and how to avoid any conflicts because you want them to be coming from the same knowledge base that you are and how important those things are.

I think that's it. I feel like the more that we can just create that positive relationship where again, whether it's an RBT or a para or teacher feels really valued. And by feedback, I always mean of course positive as well. We're constantly trying to highlight the things that we're doing well and not in a condescending way like, oh, you did that thing.

I told you, but just as a human being, wow, that was really cool. Like they really responded when you tried this strategy. Like I always try to point that out just in passing, even if I see it, so that someone feels really valued and supported. And then also is more likely to come to you for feedback when they feel like maybe they do need help with an issue.

Audra Jensen: So you mean those good strategies that we use with the kids also works on adults? The science of behavior. It works anywhere. It's genius. 

Caitlin Beltran: We feel supported. We're just so much more likely to do a good job, you know, to try harder, to want to do better, all those good things.

Audra Jensen: So, just a reminder, this is our end of Season 1. We want to thank everybody for joining us. We didn't know how this would go, because it was new to us, and it's gone really well, and we've really enjoyed it. So, stick around with the Facebook group. If you're not already in there, please go and join us, because we're going to keep all of our updates and progress on what we're doing next.

We'll put that in there. And again, like Caitlin said, we're going to continue to share resources and collaborate as the beginning of the school year starts, and so we will see everybody really soon. 

Caitlin Beltran: Yeah, please keep in touch. Stay connected in our group. Speaking of, I'm going to share a free template for session notes for RBTs and a supervision log structure.

So if you like it, grab it. I'll put it in the group files. But more than that, just keep in touch and let us know. Reach out to us if you need anything. Let's have a good year. 

Thanks for listening to the Misfit Behaviorists. And be sure to tune in next week for more tips and tricks. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.