The Blue Umbrella has developed a comprehensive program designed to prepare learners for success on the Praxis® ParaPro Assessment. This course builds the foundational academic knowledge and practical skills needed to support classroom instruction while helping participants develop the confidence required to meet Indiana certification requirements. The course focuses on strengthening proficiency in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics while emphasizing how these skills are applied in real-world educational settings. Through interactive lessons, guided practice, review activities, and assessment preparation, participants gain the knowledge necessary to perform effectively as instructional assistants and paraprofessionals.
The Reading section develops the comprehension and analytical skills needed to understand and interpret educational materials. Participants learn strategies for reading informational and literary texts while identifying key ideas, supporting details, vocabulary in context, and organizational structure. Topics include: Reading comprehension strategies identifying main ideas and supporting details, making inferences and drawing conclusions, vocabulary development and context clues, interpreting charts, tables, graphs, and visual information. analyzing classroom documents and instructional materials, and applying reading skills in educational settings.
The Writing section focuses on grammar, language conventions, editing, and written communication. Participants strengthen their ability to recognize standard English usage and effectively communicate within a school environment. Topics include: grammar and sentence structure, parts of speech, punctuation and capitalization, spelling and word usage, editing and revising written passages, identifying errors in written communication, effective written communication in educational settings, and professional communication with teachers, students, and families.
The Mathematics section reviews the core math concepts assessed on the Praxis ParaPro Assessment while emphasizing problem-solving techniques and practical classroom applications. Topics include: whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages, ratios and proportions, basic algebraic concepts, geometry fundamentals, measurement and unit conversions, data analysis, graphs, and probability, multi-step word problems, and mental math and estimation strategies. Participants engage in guided instruction, practice problems, and timed review exercises to build mathematical confidence and accuracy.