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Portland Public Schools asks other staff members to coach students on reading as teachers strike

Paraeducators, teacher assistants and librarian assistants are being asked to coach students on reading. Some said they feel unprepared for the task.

PORTLAND, Oregon — The first ever Portland Public Schools teacher strike continued into a second day Thursday. School was already scheduled to be closed Friday, meaning the earliest students could return to classrooms would be Monday — if Portland Public Schools and its teachers union can reach an agreement.

Portland Public is now asking paraeducators, teacher assistants and librarian assistants to help students with reading.

"I am extremely overwhelmed and uncomfortable," Charlotte Fisher, a paraeducator in Portland Public Schools said.

Generally, Fisher assists teachers in life skills classes.

"I teach stuff like handwashing, sneezing into your elbow,” Fisher said.

Now, Portland Public has given Fisher and other paraeducators thick lesson packets to review, so they can coach kindergartners through third graders on reading. Lessons are expected to begin Monday, Fisher said.

Though some subjects are confusing, Fisher said.

"It felt like I needed to have prerequisite classes in order to understand the concepts,” Fisher said.

KGW obtained a copy of the reading packet. Some tasks are relatively straightforward, like asking students to read words and phrases, as well as identifying commonalities in words. Other topics are much more in depth, like teaching phonemic awareness, which tutors students to emphasize specific letters.

"I didn't know what phonemics are," Fisher said.

Fisher said many topics required more education in order to effectively instruct students.

Some teachers agreed.

“These people are expected to do one job, and then here we are,” said Evan Willams, a teacher at Rigler Elementary School. “And they’re forced into these positions they’re not trained for.”

Williams said he also wished the school district would spend more time negotiating instead of setting up "coaching" sessions with students.

Portland Public Schools said that students don’t have to accept coaching. The lessons are an attempt to ensure students don’t fall further behind.

"We've tried to design a supplemental program that supports their continuation of learning," said Portland Public Schools Chief of Student Support Services Jey Buno.

District officials also said the coaching is solely focused on topics students have already studied.

Regardless, Fisher said she feels like she is being used as a wedge between teachers and the school district.

"We're being used as a divisive tool," Fisher said.

Portland Public Schools and the teachers union are expected to continue bargaining Friday in hopes of an agreement. If none is reached, they could continue negotiations over the weekend.

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