Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/812811
Teachers are Part of the Solution T he San Juan Teachers Asso- ciation (SJTA) and San Juan Unified School District's PAR (Peer Assistance and Review) program is considered a national model. SJTA President Shannan Brown says approximately 40 districts have sought advice about how to make PAR work uniquely for them. Recently, the district included PAR in its new evaluation system as part of the Center for Teacher Support (CTS). CTS also governs the district's induction program, which helps new teachers clear their credentials. Consulting teachers work both with newbies and veterans. San Juan offers two PAR options: • Teachers can self-refer for peer assistance without review, and receive assistance from consulting teachers until they feel it is no longer necessary. It 's not part of the evaluation process. • Struggling teachers are referred to PAR by their administration. In the latter, when they go before the CTS panel — accompanied by a union representative — they are given the opportunity to present evidence if they believe the referral was made in error or they feel they are being harassed. If the panel determines this not to be the case, an individualized improvement plan is created by the referred teacher and assigned con- sulting teacher. Every six weeks the referred teacher meets with the panel for a progress check and to ensure the teacher 's adminis- trator is providing resources needed for improvement. In the majority of cases, so much progress is made during one year that PAR is no longer needed, says Brown. In some instances, a second year of PAR can be recommended. If progress is not achieved, the panel can recommend the partici- pant exit from the program, which might lead to their leaving the district. That has happened twice in the last six years. Some assert it's not a teacher 's place to evaluate a peer, but Brown believes otherwise. " Teachers must be part of the solution. Our goal is to help teachers be better at their jobs and grow as professionals. How- ever, not everyone can teach. If you believe anyone can be a teacher, what does it say about our profession?" For one veteran SJTA member, PAR rejuvenated a career that might have oth- erwise been cut shor t due to an inability to integrate technology into curriculum under the new standards. "After decades of teaching, everything from grades to lessons needed to be created online and my confidence took a dive," admits the teacher. "I had a laptop and didn't know how to turn it on. And at the time I was too embarrassed to ask for help." A year of discreet assistance from support provider Cheryl Dultz changed things. "I went from being scared to someone who enjoys other people visiting and observing my classroom. Cheryl didn't look at what I was doing wrong. She looked at what I was doing right and asked me to build on that. It was beautiful." SJTA President Shannan Brown, left, looks on as support provider Cheryl Dultz talks about her role in the PAR program. TEACHERS MUST BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP TEACHERS BE BETTER AT THEIR JOBS AND GROW AS PROFESSIONALS." — SHANNAN BROWN, SAN JUAN TEACHERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT 25 April 2017