On this page, you will find informational links that answer many trainer questions such as:

How do I stay up to date on the latest Trainer procedures?

The Trainers’ Handbook is made just for this purpose. It provides the most up to date details on topics such as:

• How to complete the hiring process as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (UCDHSC)?
• When to expect payment from the UCDHSC?
• How to reschedule and/or cancel a class?
• What to do when you receive the course registration packet?
• How to register paraeducators for a course?
• What information to provide at the beginning of the training?
• How to keep track of participants’ attendance?
• How to deal with disruptive and unruly behavior among the participants?
• How to maintain the quality of CO-TOP curriculum?
• How to administer the course evaluation forms?
• Observing copyright laws.
• Techniques for Maintaining Control in your class
  ……………………And much, much more

I have been trained as a CO-TOP Trainer but my district is not currently offering CO-TOP classes. How do I get our district involved?

The CO-TOP Manual was written to guide districts in adopting the CO-TOP Model and Curriculum. Many individuals – including people who have taken PSA and TOPA to become trainers – wonder how to get a district to move toward comprehensive, sustainable, and systematic training for paraeducators. The manual will give you ideas on where to start.

What supports are available to me now that I am a CO-TOP Trainer?

Several types of support are available to CO-TOP trainers. The Trainers’ Resources page links you to information and documents that trainers may find helpful. You may also want to visit the Trainers’ Forum for peer-to-peer discussions or Helpful Links for websites other trainers have found useful.

Now that I’m a trainer, how do I keep growing, learning and sharing?

TheTOPCAT Seminar is an online course offered several times each year for CO-TOP trainers who want to stay in touch with other trainers Through this seminar, trainers receive updated information about CO-TOP Academies, discuss ways to improve their own teaching, exchange resources on CO-TOP Academy topics, and get summaries of their evaluations from previous courses. To find out more about the schedule of offerings check out The The PAR²A Center calendar and look at the TOPCAT Seminar Syllabus for an overview of the class.