Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/498229
Whenever a student sets foot into an educational setting, there must be a team approach to address what concerns that student." That also means working within the community. "I reach out to parents so they know I'm approachable," Eberhardt says. "Part of building community is building relationships, so let them see your life is just like theirs. It's just your job is about taking care of and educating their child. Parents needs to see that connection. It builds trust." Her duties change at each school site, but essentially, she works one- on-one with students and their parents regarding conflict resolution. She facilitates a mentorship program, recruiting adults in the community to mentor students. She has created programs that promote reading and help students make positive choices regarding their personal lives. For these and her union activities she was also awarded a CTA Human Rights Award in 2012. For her part, Eberhardt says, she recognized early on that to be effective in her job she had to immerse herself in the union, and that meant under- standing what CTA stood for and could do. "Union means family. Solidarity. Substance. The glue by which you're connected to your job," she says. "Whenever you're in need of someone, of support, union means you have somewhere to go." Eberhardt's union leadership helped ESPs gain voting rights and be admitted as full CTA members. "Janet has worked tirelessly to gain equity and fairness for support professionals," said CTA President Dean E. Vogel when she was named CTA's ESP of the Year in 2014 (yes, you've counted three awards already). "She finds a way to get the job done, and she does it with class." In her acceptance speech, Eberhardt focused on the power ESPs have in the lives of their students and encouraged colleagues to "keep on keeping on" and "go the extra mile," which is defined differently for each student. "Each student is an individual and has different gifts. Please be bold, be strong, and help our kids to find their special gift." We sat down with Janet back home to talk about her life as a paraprofes- sional. You can watch a video of the interview at www.cta.org/2015neaesp. Here are a few excerpts. My life is full… so I read mostly magazines like Ebony. My mom, Cleo Dickson… is my "shero," and my dad, Wesley Dickson Sr., is my hero. The favorite part of my day… is when I am greeted by the students with such smiles. I think paras and teachers should… have the mindset that you are a team. Build your working relationship so it's obvious to your students. Build community within your classroom. My advice for paras is to... know your contract, your job description and what is expected of you. From there, be active and involved. Be a voice for public education. Share your story — talk about the adventures in the school site. Be active in your union. Be a voice for your union and students. My education includes… a bachelor's degree in industrial and person- nel management, and a master's degree in counseling, plus teaching credentials. Eberhardt was presented the award and a $10,000 check by the NEA Executive Officers. CTA & You 49 V O L U M E 1 9 I S S U E 8 IN JANET'S WORDS