PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Public Schools teachers have now been on strike for three weeks. While teachers and the school district continue to bargain over a new contract. Paraeducators, librarian assistants and education assistants are now coaching kindergartners through third graders in reading sessions.
So far, it’s been a struggle, some paraeducators said.
"It's been kind of a lot of guesswork," Charlotte Fisher, a paraeducator said.
For the past couple of weeks, Fisher and other PPS paraeducators have been tasked with reaching out to families and coaching young children in reading.
"The most challenging part for me is feeling like I've been set up to fail," Fisher said.
As a paraeducator, Fisher helps out in special education classrooms.
"I just feel like I need more of a background,” Fisher said. “If I had a master's in education, I think that would likely be enough."
RELATED: Portland Public Schools asks other staff members to coach students on reading as teachers strike
Other paraeducators told KGW they feel similarly.
"It's been a bit chaotic," Ali Tucker said.
When paraeducators first began raising concerns of coaching reading, Portland Public Schools told KGW that the coaching sessions only review material students already learned.
A school spokesperson said lessons were meant to ensure that kids don’t fall further behind. They are also optional for families.
Though paraeducators said they were surprised to learn the district considered the coaching sessions to be a review of past material. Paraeducators said materials they have reviewed asks them to teach students.
"To hear the district say that we are not, that we are tutoring, is very confusing to me as well," Tucker said.