With mounting research that correlates relationships with successful learning environments and outcomes for students, March CalTURN focused on relationship building as a vehicle to improve student success.
The conference started off with a review of research conducted by Alan Daly from UC San Diego that indicates relationships are an underutilized resource. His research touches upon the efforts to increase human capital with such things as professional development even though those efforts tend to produce limited results versus focusing on building social capital that correlates to positive outcomes for students.
Teams also learned about the work of Building Assets-Reducing Risks (barrcenter.org) which builds out groups of teachers that serve as support teams to a specific group of students. The team regularly reviews student grades and mentors students when an individual is identified as needing support academically or emotionally. A union-district team from Moreno Valley shared their efforts to implement BARR strategies in schools and classrooms.
Other break out sessions included the following topics:
- Engagement strategies to recruit, retain and support quality educators
- Interest based bargaining and managing conflict
- Strengthening relationships
Day two of CalTURN was power packed starting off with an engaging presentation from the San Jose Unified and San Jose Teachers Association team that demonstrated what deep trust and commitment in a labor-management partnership might offer. The team shared their journey to becoming partners and examples of various initiatives they have created together. They then provided the context for a very unique and mutually agreed upon financial formula that not only governs the traditional bargaining issue of salary, but also various innovative efforts.
Leaving the room stunned and then energized was the final presentation about the Supreme Court case: Janus v AFSCME. Teams heard from CTA General Council, Glen Rothner and Bob Lawson from In the Public Interest. The panelists addressed the potential initial effects of the decision as well as the efforts to weaken unions that are likely to follow the Supreme Court ruling and the possible impact on public education. Teams had time to discuss their reactions and ways the ruling might impact their partnerships and their district communities. As teams talked, the energy in the room shifted from one of anxiety to one of empowerment and culminated in a clear and resounding commitment from participants in the room to continue to work together to improve outcomes for students regardless of the Supreme Court ruling.