Learning: ESP On the Team
Finding Face Time

Paraprofessionals find strategies to communicate effec-tively with teachers.

As a reading aide at Medora Elementary School in Illinois, Mary Loy works with three different teachers in three different grades. "They each have totally different expectations from me," says the 20-year veteran. "And because it's hard to find the time to meet with each teacher individually, I'm not always sure about lessons and how I can best help each teacher with the students."

Michelle Lucker, a special education paraprofessional at Brighton West Elementary School, agrees: "As aides, we don't have planning time built into our day to meet with the teachers we work with."Without that time, it's hard to know specifically what the teachers expect."

According to the Southwestern ESP Association, which represents the district's education support staff, Loy and Lucker's situation is common.

"We have a lot of aides in our district," says Association president Debbie Nash. "And regardless of whether they stay with one teacher or float to different classrooms, they all express a major concern: lack of time to communicate about how they can best help the teachers they work with."

That's why the Association recently capitalized on a provision in their contract that lets them develop their own in-service training.

In January the Association designed and delivered a one-day session called "The Power of Two: Strengthening Instructional Teams." More than 50 of the district's teachers and their assistants participated.

The training offered techniques for time and resource management and communication strategies the para-teacher pairs could use to establish more productive working relationships. Donna Manering, director of higher education for the Illinois Education Association, led the training.

"Our goal was to help the aides and the teachers communicate better with each other so they can maximize the resources they both bring to the classroom," says Manering.

Paraprofessionals and teachers examined their individual belief systems about schools, classroom strategies, and pedagogy and shared their beliefs directly with their work partners. They also developed action plans for improving and growing their relationships.

"It was an incredible workshop," says Lucker. "Because my teacher and I were given time to get to know one another's expectations for what the classroom should look like, we figured out how we can utilize each other more effectively."

Tammy Retherford, a first-year para at West Brighton, agrees: "I was able to share my objectives with the teacher I work with and she shared hers with me," she says. "Through the process, I discovered that a lot of her views were my views, too."

As a direct result of the in-service training, Retherford--who helped plan the session--now meets with her teacher before school to review plans and share ideas.

"Talking more often has become a priority for both of us," says the early childhood education program aide. "By communicating face to face, we're setting expectations and getting on the same page for the sake of our students."

Christy Spencer-Mull, a seventh grade special education teacher, says the session's practical skills helped improve communication with the paraprofessional she works with.

"I now feel like our relationship is enhanced to its fullest potential, which will directly benefit the students."

The training was the first time the local proposed and implemented a workshop that included teachers and addressed student learning, says Nash. But thanks to a $3,000 NEA Learning and Leadership grant, it won't be the last.

The Association hopes to offer two more workshops to reach 65 additional people, says Nash.

That's good news for Mary Loy. "I wish I could get this training every year," she says. "I'm already working better with the teachers and students because of the skills I learned. Everyone should have this experience."

--Dina S. Gómez

Team Player
Crunching the Numbers

Name:
Donna Johnson

Job Title:
Clerk IV, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts

What I do in my job:
Bookkeeping, budget management, payroll, travel preparation, and other office duties.

The most rewarding part of my job:
When I am able to help a student or faculty member resolve a problem and, of course, when all the numbers work out right.

Why I do what I do:
I love a challenge and this job certainly provides for that. This job is diversified, no two days are the same and that makes it both interesting and fun. I love it and I'm good at it!

My greatest passion:
It's being the best person I can be and helping others. Right now I am very involved in bringing the recognition of support professionals and their rights to the public, here in Massachusetts and within the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

My favorite pastime:
Bowling and relaxing with friends.

How I've helped my Association:
I began as a district steward, moving on to treasurer, grievance officer, and now president. Though I have served in many capacities, I believe I have been instrumental in assisting members to not only know their rights, but to become knowledgeable advocates for themselves and other members.

My community involvement includes:
Vacation Bible School and Sunday school. I also was a day care provider in my community for six years before coming to the University.

Going the Extra Mile

It took two years, but sign language interpreters in Omaha, Nebraska, bargained their first contract with the public school system. The new one-year contract guarantees a new salary schedule, paid holidays, a duty-free lunch, overtime compensation, and planning time, among other benefits. The 19 interpreters (16 of whom have joined the Omaha and Nebraska State Education Associations) accepted the contract in December. Omaha Public Schools accepted it in January.

Under the new contract, the interpreters have a 10-step salary schedule that awards credit for experience. As a result, some interpreters will earn several thousand dollars more than they earned a year ago.

"When I came here three years ago, my starting salary was the same as interpreters who had been here 20 years," says Rebecca Marks, an interpreter for Omaha Public Schools. "I was benefiting but I knew it wasn't right."

The contract allows interpreters to use the school system's grievance and complaint procedure as well. Before they received a contract, the interpreters had no due process, their employment was defined by a fluid board policy and handbook, and they could be called upon at any time to interpret for extracurricular activities. Interpreters will receive a revised policy handbook and also are eligible for overtime pay and compensation for any hours they work outside of their normal schedule.

The contract also addressed a school system provision that required interpreters to wear blue smocks. The new contract no longer requires smocks. Instead, interpreters can wear any clothing that contrasts with their skin tone and provides a good background for the interpreters' hands when signing.

As president of the Lake Forest Education Association in Delaware, Karen Crouse represents the interests of all members in her unified local. This financial secretary demonstrated her expert leadership last fall when several construction and renovation projects delayed the start of the school year. School district officials rescheduled the first day of school for September 10, but many of the construction projects still were incomplete and the schools were not equipped to handle students. Crouse worked with administrators and the school board to delay the start of school until September 13. Then she personally visited as many school staff members as she could to inform them about the new start date. Crouse points out that paraeducators helped teachers prepare their classrooms that week and custodians worked extra hard to prepare the schools for the students.

Resources

Project PARA
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) offers free online training for paraprofessionals. Project PARA is a self-study program paras can complete on their own or with a local school district. The program includes units on classroom organization and management; instructional skills; behavior management; effective communication with students, teachers, and other professionals; and special education programs and procedure. If paras enroll with a local school, then results from the program are E-mailed to an instructor or mentor provided by the school. This instructor provides the participants with feedback and monitors their progress. Paraprofessionals also can use the resources on their own, although UNL cannot provide feedback or support. For more information go to http://para.unl.edu/default.html.

ESP Technology Grants
There's still time to apply for NEA's ESP technology grants! Deadline for submissions is April 15, 2002. These grants are awarded to educational support professional Associations (not to individual members) to help them use the ESP Information System and other online resources to carry out NEA's strategic focus. Awards range from $250 to $3,500. The application process is open to all local associations that have not received an ESP technology grant in the past three years. For more information, go to www.nea.org/esp/espnea/howtoapp.htm.