There is a lack of documented evidence related to the relationships existing between paraeducators and teachers working in early childhood classrooms. Based on a 2-year project with three phases of data collection, the authors explore the duties of paraeducators and their working relationships with the teachers with whom they team. Based on findings from the data collected, the authors make specific recommendations for targeted professional development that is designed to improve collaboration and skill sets for paraprofessionals within early childhood learning environments. The position taken is one that supports collaborative teamwork designed to maximize the learning of young children.

An investigation of 17 second-grade and 17 fourth-grade classrooms was completed to determine the types of management behaviors teachers exhibited and the impact that these behaviors had on the teaching-learning environment for both teachers and students. Four hours of observational data were collected in each classroom. Data analyses indicated that the teaching-learning environment was greatly affected by the amount and quality of several teacher management behaviors. Teacher retreating, which is defined and discussed, was found to be a significant predictor of student off-task behavior. A detailed discussion of how the research findings can be used in teacher preparation programs is provided.

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