Kelly.McLaughlin 21st Century Learning, Curriculum Planning, Financial Literacy, Math

New math curriculum experiences

For the past month, my grade sevens and I have been taking a deep dive into the new math curriculum, specifically, financial literacy. Topics we have covered have included the following:

  1. Exchange Rates: how they come into play when travelling outside of Canada, how to convert to and from foreign currencies and how exchange rates fluctuate over time
  2. How to plan and reach financial goals: so many students in my class have large goals for their futures such as university, buying a car, etc. which we discussed as our unit progressed
  3. Financial Institutions: we talked about what institutions exist in Hamilton, how customer friendly their websites are as well as if students in our class have started savings accounts, etc. for post high school education plans
  4. Budgeting: how to make a budget for immediate, short term and long term goals. We also discussed incomes vs. expenses and how you would save for school or another larger purchases
  5. Interest Rates: we just finished today discussing how an interest rate could affect investing money as well as borrowing money over time

Over the past month, I have not heard one student ask the question that every teacher fears, “Why do we have to learn this? How will this help me in my future? These questions often come from inquiring minds of students who are frustrated with the math topic at hand and cannot seem to find the relevance. Not only have these topics been engaging for my students but this has been my favourite math unit to teach since I started teaching seven years ago. I wish I had been fortunate enough at a young age to learn about these topics so my parents did not have to walk me through them when I was 20.

I do wonder during some conversations if my students are too young to learn about specific topics, but maybe one day, they will look back on these math conversations and see the connection. Even though interest rates, etc. may not affect them today, it will still be more clear to them in the future when the topic is brought up.

Interesting (and challenging) discussions did come up with my students,  related to interest rates being haram in their religion. I discussed it with my admin. and those students were still able to learn about why interest rates could affect them if they need to borrow money for school, etc. It was interesting to hear that due to their faith, earning interest or being charged interest was haram. I recognize and hear what my students shared and continued to talk about how borrowing money in the future may involve interest rates in their future.

The other day while teaching remotely (at school) about interest rates, a teacher was nearby and heard our discussions. She was very interested in our discussions as a class and mentioned that she wished she had been taught these concepts back when she was in elementary. She mentioned how she learned a lot from our discussions and I felt great about that. I shared it with my class that these discussions will really help plan for their future and when they may not see the importance about learning how to find an acute angle, they hopefully will remember these financial literacy conversations one day.

I look forward to exploring other new curriculum topics in the future such as coding. It is a great day to be a grade seven math teacher when your students, parents and other staff around you realize the importance of these discussions! Now, to get there with other concepts taught this year 🙂

 

Will Gourley Challenging Topics, COVID19, Distance learning, Emergency Distance Learning, Engaging students with online learning, General, Mental Health, Modern Learning, Remote Learning, Resilience, self reflection, social emotional learning, Social Media, Teacher Wellness, Teacher Working Conditions, Teaching online, Use of Technology

Per / Con / In / Re – form

Perform 
I am wrestling with my thoughts again. In other words, I am restless again. When this happens many questions appear soon thereafter. Is there anyone out there that feels restless too?

I can’t be the only one in questioning a lot of things right now because most days I feel like a busker at a street festival trying to juggle a bowling ball(technology), a chainsaw(lessons), and a fishtank(learners). Nothing to see here other than a fairly confident educator having a tough time with something that he’s done before – delivering lessons.

So why am I struggling to deliver my lessons? It seems like a good place to start. Right now, I am questioning everything about my professional practice, and it feels like running along a path and tripping over an imaginary object. My week long tumbles are not so much about the content I am teaching, but rather how it is being taught, how it is being received, and how it can be assessed. It is leaving me limping into the weekend? Tell me I am not alone right now.

Conform
And then it hits. How long until the realization that some of my students are not completely engaging with learning right now even though their eyes and emotionless emoticons tell me otherwise? After extended times staring at screens and thumbnail sized student/profile memes I can tell my students are becoming exhausted too despite the brave faces that I see popping up on occasion when called upon. Is this happening to anyone else teaching right now? Are your students tired too? I am. 

Why am I so tired right now? Shouldn’t getting an extra hour of sleep each night, drinking 2+ litres of water per day, reduced caffeine, reduced personal device time, reading more books, and getting more exercise than in years past be helping me out here? I have even added Tai Chi, Yoga, and Hip Hop Dance to our DPA to increase movement during class time. To top it all off, I take daily walks whether I feel like it or not. 

Inform
You see, I force myself to take a walk after each of my hyper-telepresent virtual teaching sessions. Once the goodbyes are done, it is pretty much all I can do to get out of my chair, climb the stairs, and get geared up to go out most days. Especially, when I have to pass by a very comfortable couch whose cushions scream, “Remember us?” It is very tempting, but something even better calls, my daily walks.

Regardless of the weather, these walks are my motivational carrots to keep taking the steps that get me through the many muddy moments along each day’s unpaved path. Knowing that no matter how the day goes, a walk awaits has been all it takes to see me through. Whether a lesson went well or died on the screen in front of me ceases to matter when I inhale that first breath of fresh outdoor air. The exhale feels pretty good too. 

You watch enough TV, and very soon the inside of your head has become a vast, arid plain, across which you cannot detect the passage of a thought. Harlan Ellison

So far this year, I have only missed one day of walking. In hindsight it was probably the day that I needed a it most. Instead, I ended up planted on that inviting couch with a bowl of Smartfood staring at our television. Tuned out. Achy. Sullen. Grumpy. Numb. These feelings got me thinking about screens. 

Reform
Sci-fi author Harlan Ellison referred to TV as the “glass teat”. He even wrote a couple of books about it. I see parallels to how education is being delivered right now. We need to wean our students off of their screens more and more in order to preserve their minds from numbing and tuning out. 

Somewhere along my way outside a struggle ensued about the work I am doing in front of my screen. Is it serving to numb our students over extended periods of time? Will these extended periods of online learning cause irreparable tears in our socio-academic fabric? I am not ready to believe that this is the beginning of the end for in person school and that we are heading for our isolation pods as told in E.M Forster’s The Machine Stops? 

We cannot continue feeding content from one glass plate after another and expecting students to grow up smart and healthy. A dear friend suggested that cutting the learning day back to 4 days might be a good idea. Allowing the 5th day for asynchronous activities such as self-directed inquiry and catching up on assignments during the day rather than in the evenings when fatigue sets in. Teachers could easily use that time for office hours, for one on one/small group support, and conferencing. Everyone wins. 

Yet to form
This is much more than having the tools to master a domain that has yet to be tamed? Virtual learning means we are virtually learning how to do this while we teach? I can tell you there are few system leaders or consultants that have as much experience as any teachers in this medium, and it has largely been gained through self-teaching and experimentation with their classes.

I worry that too much emphasis has been placed on performance and conformity without serious consideration to being fully informed of the true social, emotional, and physical costs of virtual learning. Teachers, students, and families are feeling the stress from this and without an alternative I fear that there will be problems far greater than being behind on assignments or failing a test.

There is a definite need to refine and reform how we are being asked to serve and support our students. I’d love to take a walk around the neighbourhood with those making decisions on our behalf, share some ideas, listen to one another, breath in some fresh air, and take the steps that would best support students and staff -from a safe distance of course. Maybe if we took away their screens everyone might be able to see eye to eye here about helping to change things for the better, our students. 

In the meantime, I think another walk is in order. 

 

 

Arianna Lambert Distance learning, Remote Learning, self reflection

Lessons From Virtual Learning

I’m going to start out by giving a shout-out to virtual teachers everywhere! Those of you that have been doing this since September, wow! You amaze me. As I’m getting used to the idea of teaching into a screen, I’m amazed by how you are able to do this day in and day out. At the end of the day, I sometimes walk away unsure as to the depth of our work; my eyes hurt; and if we didn’t have Phys. Ed. or if I haven’t had a chance to walk yet for the day, my back hurts. I was amazed by you before but experiencing this first-hand, you deserve much more credit than has been given!

In the last 4 weeks, I have learned a lot about myself and my students. In this post, I’ll share a few of the “lessons” that I have learned. While they may not be new “lessons”, they are certainly reminders for me when I head back into the classroom.  Here they are:

  1. Flexibility is fundamental;
  2. Reflection is required;
  3. Connections are crucial.

Flexibility Is Fundamental

Every day I head into our Meet or Zoom with a plan of how the day will go and almost always that plan gets completely changed around. While I know that it’s the same in the classroom, I find that so much more comes up in the virtual classroom. Our check-ins last longer. Tech issues arise. We need more or different support with a question or task since the way in which we “move around the room” is quite different. Where I thought I would be and where we actually are, are two different places and I’m learning more and more to not feel as though I’m failing my students because we can’t get to it just yet. As a teacher, I know that I can’t get to everything and for years now I’ve worked on the philosophy that my students will set the pace of where we go. However, somehow when we started in January, I found myself planning out and feeling the need to be moving along faster. I found myself getting frustrated with not being able to support my students in the same way and it has taken me some time to figure out different ways to accomplish this. Small group meetings or peer review sessions. I’m learning to be gentle with myself and understanding that flexibility is needed in my plans and where I imagined we might take an activity considering we’ve moved from in the classroom to virtual. 

Reflection Is Required

At the end of the first week, we took some time to reflect on the week and while I thought we did a great job, the feedback was brutal! In the classroom, a lot of the work and conversations are student-led with me as the facilitator. Being online, I found – and sometimes continue to find myself – in the seat of being the person who is speaking the most. Sure, we ask questions and there are discussions but it’s definitely not like it was in the classroom and the students feel it and have commented on it! As such, I’m getting over my fear of controlling the online space and my notion of making sure that it’s “safe” for all and we have ventured into breakout rooms in Zoom where I pop in from group to group as they work to solve problems, offer feedback to each other and lead workouts for Phys. Ed. It’s in these times that I have seen that they are “themselves”. That is to say that they’re the leaders I saw when we were in the classroom who are in charge of their own learning and helping their peers along with their learning. The small groups resemble the collaborative learning we’ve grown accustomed to over the past few months. They’ve asked for more opportunities to lead each other in Art activities or other areas of interest and I need to listen to their feedback and work with them to weave it into our day. Next week is another feedback/checkpoint for us and hopefully, we’ll be doing better in some areas and learn even more ways to make virtual learning more effective for my students. 

Connections Are Crucial

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague reached out to me to check-in via email. This colleague also happens to be the parent of one of my students. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated them checking in with me to see how I was doing and to also share how they felt their child was doing. It came on a day when I was actually struggling. I was frustrated with the fact that our return to school was being extended and knowing that the current way of teaching really isn’t sustainable. I’m grateful that all of my students are in everyday and learning but this really isn’t learning as we have known it. As I read the email, I started to feel very emotional. It wasn’t about what I could do better but it was sincerely thanking me for what I had been doing and for that I will forever be grateful. I share this to ask, who are you connecting with during this time? Are there friends, colleagues, or family members who are checking-in on you or with whom you can check-in? Since this colleague checked in on me, I’ve tried to pay it forward. I haven’t checked in with as many people as I have wanted to but as I connect, I realize just how crucial these connections are, as we are so isolated at this time. 

These are just some of the lessons I have learned in the last 4 weeks. While virtual learning continues for the next while, I know that more lessons will come. I’m ready to accept them and learn as I continue in my teaching practice. What lessons are you learning during this time?  How might they help you in your practice? What might you leave behind when we are back in person? What might change when we return? I hope that you are staying safe and taking care of yourself.

 

ETFO’s position on in-person learning remains unchanged. The union firmly believes that the daily, in-person model of instruction and support best meets the educational, developmental and social needs of students, provides the best experience for support, and is the most equitable learning model for all students.

ETFO’s expectation is that elementary virtual learning in any capacity, including through hybrid models of instruction, will end once the pandemic ends.

Kelly.McLaughlin 21st Century Learning, Black Lives Matter, Challenging Topics, COVID19, Distance learning, Mental Health, Remote Learning, self reflection, Social Justice, Students as Teachers, Teaching online, Wellbeing

At a loss for words

Did anyone else have a very hard time before class Thursday, January 7th?

Thinking about how to start discussing the terrorist attacks in the United States on Wednesday, January 6th? I spent the entire evening feeling sick about the whole situation. Then, an entirely new wave of anxiety came over me knowing that I would need to address it with my grade seven students.

At first I reached out to fellow intermediate educators, asking them how they were going to start this challenging discussion. They mentioned breakout groups, article readings and then discussions. Then I spoke to some friends about it who helped me come up with careful and sensitive things to say. In this profession, it is hard to speak about these topics (without being political) and to do so in a calm and professional manner. This attack was something that was devastating towards many people, especially BLM activists who were attacked with tear gas, etc. when they peacefully protesting in 2020.

The morning of January 7th arrived and class had begun. I always start the day with morning music and I found it appropriate to play the song “Where is the Love?” by the Black Eyed Peas. I found some of my students did not know what had happened the night before. A student in my class asked to speak on the mic and inform them about the terrorist attacks on the US Capitol. That student spoke very well and did a good job informing anyone who did not see the news, instagram, twitter or other social media platforms. I spoke about it for a while and explained the importance of positive role models/leaders in societies. Followers will always act on behalf of their leaders and this led to a discussion about positive leaders and how they have positively inspired change (Greta Thunberg, David Suzuki, etc.) Our conversation lasted about thirty minutes and was mostly student-led. Many grade sevens came on the mic to share their thoughts and they all did so in a respectful and calm way. Many students expressed their sadness for families that had children going through many things in the past year: forest fires, a pandemic, the death of Georg Floyd, the violent police response to BLM protestors, remote learning, election issues and then, this. We talked about how we are merely watching from Canada but imagine being in that city during this event, worrying about what may happen to you and your family. My favourite part of the discussion was when one of my students expressed her gratitude for talking about the situation rather than pretending it never happened and going about our day. This made me feel that the discussion had gone well and reaffirmed my thoughts about why current events cannot be swept under the rug (especially with intermediate students). We eventually went on with our day after first checking with all students, making sure that they were okay to move on from the challenging topic.

This week, we received an Emergency Alert on Thursday that informed us we are in a State of Emergency and a stay-at-home order is now in effect. This came during class time and many of my students own phones. We discussed what this means and I made sure to answer any questions students may have had. I discussed how the return to school date had been pushed back (that does not matter to us as we are always a remote class), plus the outdoor gathering size had changed to five and also, just to try their best to only leave home for important reasons. We had a great conversation about how the word “exercise” was now added as a reason to leave home. We continued a discussion about how mental health relates to exercise. This had tied in nicely to our healthy living presentations which had been going on during the week. We talked about how important it was that the government acknowledged that leaving your home for a walk or a run was an important thing to do.

After all the discussions were said and done, we did get back to our usual topics but as we know, the mental health of our students is the most important topic and we should always do our best to check in. This is especially important as we continue to learn online, with little to no face- to-face interactions with our students.

I am hoping everyone had a great start to 2021 so far and all that challenging conversations went as smoothly as they could go. I know I was extremely anxious about the conversations but I shouldn’t have been because my students prove to me time and time again their maturity and positive attitude towards their learning and overall outlook on our world.

Melissa Turnbull 21st Century Learning, Celebrating Success, Occasional Teaching, Remote Learning, Resilience

Occasional Teaching Online (part 3 of 3): My Favourite Things

"I love school"

 

If I had to pick my favourite thing about Occasional Teaching online the answer would easily be the students I meet each day. This picture was a screenshot from one of my supply days right before the winter break. “I love school” a student commented, randomly and unprompted in the chat box of Google Meet. Needless to say this reinforced my realization of how resilient students are. Comments like this keep me grounded during increasingly challenging times. 

 

What is it like to supply teach in an FRL classroom? 

 

I’ve put together some ideas in hopes to paint a picture of what it is like for my fellow OT’s out there.

Classroom management: Google add ons are helpful to download to view students who are using the ‘raise hand’ or ‘nod’ features. In FRL settings, I have found it important to emphasize many of the same things I do in the classroom, such as reminders to be respectful if someone else is talking or coming up with hand signals when students want to talk, agree, or need to use the washroom during a lesson. Each classroom teacher has different ways of doing this, so I find checking in with the students at the beginning of each day to be the most helpful.  

Social and emotional learning: Expect to enjoy some time each day for sharing, community circles and brain breaks. 

Academic learning:

 

Yet again as we head back into the unknown, remember to find what grounds you… find your favourite things.

Melissa Turnbull 21st Century Learning, Distance learning, Engaging students with online learning, Inspiring Teachers, Occasional Teachers, Occasional Teaching, Teacher Working Conditions, Wellness

Occasional Teaching Online (part 2 of 3): My Challenges

I will never forget my first supply day for virtual learning. Even though I am early into my teaching career, I believe this experience has changed the way I will reflect on my teaching practice for years to come – dare I say forever?

As I logged onto my first Google Meet with no idea who was greeting me on the other side, so many things raced through my mind and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. Nerves. Excitement. Fear. 

In my last post I reflected on my realization of the power of connection and children’s drive for relationships. As I continue to venture on with positivity and optimism, I cannot ignore the raw emotions I have felt, the challenges I have faced and the questions I have unanswered. 

 

“I don’t know”. 

 

In my personal and professional life this year, “I don’t know” has been part of my daily conversations with colleagues, friends and family. Last year, saying this out loud would have felt like admitting defeat, accepting failure even. As the uncertainty and the unknown continues, we are being forced to live in a world of “I don’t know”. The challenge is constantly turning the “don’t know” into “let’s try” with a smile on our faces. Of course we want to support our students, their families, and our communities. Of course we want to embrace change, challenge, and even failure. But, the reality is, we are navigating this new path in which there are no correct answers, there is no manual, and there are no instructions.  

Openly admitting what I don’t know feels uncomfortable and scary. But discomfort is required for growth and change. I share my challenges with you as a means of connection. Maybe you don’t know either – and that is okay. Additionally, admitting the unknown provides opportunities to gain insight from those who may know, those who have ideas and those who can say “I have been there, and I know how hard it can be”. 

As an OT I have felt it challenging at times to engage with students who are not turning on their microphone or camera, for whatever reason. I want to get to know them but am also mindful how vulnerable they may feel turning on their video to chat with a complete stranger. How are you supporting student engagement and providing a safe space for all? 

How are you supporting students with special needs, learning challenges and students who are working with limited resources? I once taught in a class where one of the students did not have paper or pencils. 

How are you supporting students through technical difficulties or navigating new online platforms? I have been doing a lot of screen sharing. I often share my own screen and/or ask students to share their screen if they are comfortable. I am finding this method to be extremely time consuming. Although sometimes necessary, it can also be very distracting. When students share their screen, it puts the issue they are having on display for the whole group to see. This can be helpful if someone knows how to solve the problem, or harmful under certain circumstances and can intensify feelings of helplessness for some students. 

 

*Holds breath* 

No correct answers.

No manual. 

No instructions. 

*Exhales*

 

There is beauty in this.

It may be hidden or the view may be obstructed right now. But it is there. Together with our students and our colleagues, we are the creators, we are the inventors, we are the pioneers.

Melissa Turnbull 21st Century Learning, Building Inclusion, Constant Learning, Distance learning, Inclusion, Occasional Teachers, Teaching online

Occasional Teaching Online (part 1 of 3): My Realization

Full Remote Learning or FRL for short. 

A concept that I had never even imagined myself being a part of in the position of the teacher. Remote learning for post-secondary students was something I was familiar with. In fact, I was learning myself remotely as a Master of Professional Education student, but how would this be possible with children?

I applaud any and all people who have dedicated themselves to ensuring Ontario’s students are safe, engaged and happy during this extremely challenging school year. Educators have put in countless hours and ongoing efforts to reimagine their classrooms (whether they are virtual or face-to-face) all while keeping student’s needs at the forefront of their priorities. This pandemic has forced us all to stop and think and required us to view the world through a lens in which we never have before. Each person with their own perspectives, hardships, wins and realizations. Each person has their own narrative, each educator has a different experience. Personally, my emotions are running higher this year as I feel more nervous, uneasy, confused and overwhelmed than I ever have before. 

 

“The realization that life is absurd cannot be an end, but only a beginning” – Albert Camus

 

I am constantly reflecting on my teaching practice and how I can adapt to new changes, learn from them, grow with them and ‘realize’ from them.

In early October, I picked up my first supply call for FRL. I had no idea what to expect. How would I enter this classroom community and have a positive impact on these students? How do I ensure students are provided with chances for sharing? Collaboration? How do I ensure a safe space for students to take chances, ask questions and make mistakes in the era of ‘muting’ your microphones?

The resilience of children never ceases to amaze me. Here we are as educators feeling unsure, uncomfortable even, as students join in as though they have done this 100 times in the past. Teaching and learning online has reminded me to never underestimate the power of connection. Just a few days ago, I was teaching in an FRL grade 5 classroom where a new student had joined the class that same day. Before our scheduled ‘recess’ time, one of the students in the class asked me if he and the new student could remain online with me for a couple of minutes so he could introduce himself. When the rest of the class had left the Google Meet and the three of us remained, he said “Hey! Do you wanna be my friend?” and the conversation blossomed from there. 

 

THIS. 

 

It was at this moment I had a realization. It became apparent to me that we cannot stop children’s will to connect, drive for relationships and the innocence in their hearts. Nothing will stop this. Not removing them from the physical school building, not the transition to learning online, not wearing a mask, not social distancing, not a pandemic. Nothing.

Kelly.McLaughlin 21st Century Learning, Building Inclusion, Celebrating Success, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Distance learning, e-learning, Engaging students with online learning, self reflection, Students as Teachers, Teaching online

From zero to one hundred, real quick!

As my online teaching journey continues, I find myself always thinking about the importance of reaching all students.

Last week, I noticed I only had about 13 out of 31 students participating daily. I wouldn’t see the other students writing in the chat, posting in the discussion section or raising their hand to speak on the mic. I started to worry if they were even in front of the screen during our calls. I started to think about solutions to this problem. I contacted every family in the class to touch base about their child’s online participation. Not even one hour later, I noticed a huge change in my entire class. I know this motivation came from a parent this time, but in the future I believe it could turn into self motivation. I received 25 out of 31 responses in math, 18 readers for our online novel, nine more short story submissions and six students speaking on the microphone for the very first time. To top it all off, this was happening on a Friday afternoon!I wondered if Friday was just going to be a one off and students would go back to their bystander ways in the future, but participation during these past two days have been better than ever. Not only that, my original 13 that participate so much (since the first day) are always encouraging everyone that is just starting to participate. The environment could not get any better!

We started off this week talking about goal setting and the importance of student participation in the classroom. Every Monday, students would set a goal that they hope to achieve by Friday. On Friday, I will ask students to type in the chat or use the microphone to share if they met that goal. If they did not, their classmates will help them brainstorm ideas for them to reach it the next time.

I know teaching new concepts is something that I can do during math, language, etc. but I love when the students get to hear from each other on that microphone or in the chat. In math, I find students teaching each other concepts before I am even quick enough to reply. In language, students are congratulating each other about their reading abilities before I even think to do so. My favourite moment of last week was in drama when a student gave away his turn because he wanted someone else to have a turn who had not participated yet. I constantly feel like crying tears of joy because of the supportive environment my class has created.

I look forward to continuing this online journey as I know I have a group of hardworking, goal oriented, passionate and kind students.  I am so fortunate to be on this learning journey and I am learning that the online environment really is turning out to be an incredible place for student growth. I cannot wait to share another great success story!

 

Michelle Fenn 21st Century Learning, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, COVID19, General, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Modern Learning, Occasional Teachers, Occasional Teaching, Professional Judgement, self reflection, social emotional learning, teacher efficacy, Teacher Wellness, Teacher Working Conditions, Teaching as a public profession, wellness, Wellness, wellness, Women at Work, Women's Health

Compassion Fatigue and Teacher Burnout

It is no secret to educators that teaching is an occupation of high stress.  A Johns Hopkins University study ranked teaching as the 4th most stressful job of all occupations.  Educators know that the job is stressful, but sometimes it helps to put a name to something in order to help us cope.  Sometimes, it is enough to know that others are going through what we are going through in order to come to terms with our own feelings. Recently during a webinar workshop from “Right to Play,” the facilitators referred to what some educators are experiencing right now as “compassion fatigue.”  I had heard of this phenomenon relating to emergency response occupations, but I had never really thought about it in terms of education.  What we may consider “stress” in the teaching profession may be explained in better detail by examining compassion fatigue.

According to Joanna Krop, author of  “Caring without Tiring: Dealing with Compassion Fatigue Burnout in Teaching,” compassion fatigue “is a form of burnout characterized by extreme mental, emotional and spiritual exhaustion, and it’s an occupational hazard in the caring professions.”

Teacher burnout is not something new.  Recently, however, there have been a number of articles written on the topic of teacher burnout.  A few days ago, the CBC released and article with the results of a survey completed by 2,000 teachers about the pressures in education. One third of the respondents are thinking about retiring or seeking a new career.  One third.  Some educators cite that the pressure and stress is coming from trying to maintain the best educational experiences possible for students while also trying to adhere to pandemic rules and guidelines.  Teachers hold themselves to a high level of integrity and service in their work, in addition to wanting to help their students and their families.  Then add a global pandemic on top of the regular burnout reasons.  As if that wasn’t enough, there are so few teachers available for daily occasional work that teachers feel more guilty than ever when they need to take time for their health.  For many educators, teaching isn’t the only thing that is leading to that compassion fatigue as many teachers have the added pressures of taking care of children and/or aging parents. The most challenging aspect of burnout is that what seems to be the biggest factor in burnout is dedication to the job.  The more dedicated the teacher, the more apt they are to experience burnout. Teachers are burning out because they care.  Hardly seems fair.

The question becomes then, how do we counteract compassion fatigue and burnout? From what I’ve researched, it is all of the things that we know are good for our mental health:

  • figure out what you can control and what you can’t and focus on what you can control
  • temper your expectations of yourself and your work (remember that we are in the middle of a global pandemic and the circumstances are different)
  • small steps towards getting outside, eating betting, exercising and doing creative things
  • surround yourself with supportive people and trusted colleagues
  • be aware of toxic positivity or the rabbit hole of complaining about things
  • show your true self to your students, be authentic so that your students have permission to be authentic too
  • quiet time for yourself and for being mindful

All of that sounds wonderful.  All of it sounds like common sense.  However, it isn’t as easy to put into practice as all of the research makes it sound.  This can appear of just another long list of things to do added to an already long list of things to do. Sometimes burnout can get to a point where you feel immobilized or you may even be at the point that just getting through the next breath is all that you can plan.  As someone who generally plans the menu of meals for our family a week in advance so that we can do our groceries, I know the chaos I feel with uncertainty.  Right now my plan is to try to be patient and gentle with myself.  Everything is going a hundred miles an hour and I keep thinking that I have to keep up or somehow I’ll miss the bus.  However, I also know that if I get to the point of exhaustion, I become less self aware and I’ll end up getting run over by the bus and won’t be good to anyone.

It feels like an impossible task to willingly accept less of myself than I normally expect.  I feel like I will let others down.  However, if I don’t temper the expectations that I have of myself and my work I’m going to have tire tracks on my back and that won’t be good for anyone.

Will Gourley 21st Century Learning, Advocacy for change, Black Lives Matter, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Equity, Inclusion, Inspiring Students, LGBTQ2S

About those special days at school Pt 2.

This post is a continuation of About those special days at school Pt 1. Both seek to make sense of a number of events in and out of the classroom over the month of October. I believe it serves as an excellent snapshot of the incredible amounts of effort, organization, and attention that educators put into this calling on behalf of students even when faced with the extraordinary circumstances of 2020. In that context alone there is nothing to refute. However, my goal is to continue working through this month’s mind purge along the contiuum towards anti-racist education and equity – something that cannot be contained by a day, a month or a year. Hence…

I get it. I feel the fatigue of being an educator during a pandemic.
I see it in your eyes and via your posts on social media.

I get that not everyone is at the same place on the anti-racist continuum.
This is not a virtue signalling contest. We are not playing.

I’ve heard that we have to tread lightly for fear of offending someone’s feelings(privilege). This is not about codling your fragility or mine at the expense of someone else’s existence. There will be no emotional power plays allowed here, but that doesn’t mean we don’t hold power. In fact that has been one of the biggest barriers to authentic change in the past and now because we are part of a system that has held all of the power. I’ll let that sink in.

You, me, us have benefitted for a long time from the systems that have been created to oppress others. Don’t run away. I promise something good can come from all of this if we listen, unlearn, and work together.

I know that acknowledging and reconciling issues of systemic racism take a lot of emotional energy. I hear it directly from friends, in group chats, and through the silences about how draining and frightening it can be. There has never been a better time to recharge your batteries than by taking the next steps along the continuum with others on the same journey. You’ll find you have more stamina to overcome your fears than you thought.

Tired or not, this does not mean we cannot take on the necessary work that needs to be done to undo 400+ years of colonialism and systemic racism in our country and education system. I fear that failing to face our discomfort(fear) or to foster learning around systemic issues will be far more detrimental to the future than any ignorantly bliss days we have without it. This is not the time to sit on the sidelines of history. There is too much at stake, but with so much happening all at the same time, it is easy to see how it can be put on the back burner in our schools. It doesn’t have to mean that the heat is off though.

My October

October started at a brisk pace. If by brisk you mean tornadic and unpredicatable for students and staff in class and online, you nailed it. So, it should surprise no one that there was not a lot of time to tackle tough topics during that first week with a reorganized larger class and new schedule. Did I mention it was Islamic Heritage Month? Reminder to self. Share with students and ask them what it means to them and how should be approach learning more about it?  Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate that! Remember that the history of Thanksgiving has ties to settlers who broke treaties with First Nations across North America. No school on Monday.

Week 2 – routines falling into place. Did someone switch the hand sanitizer for some cheap booze? Students nearly retching as the virus killing juice splashes their hands. Wipe down markers, pencils, technology, and anything with a surface repeatedly. The realization that some concepts taught during Emergency Distance Education may not be easily recallable or cemented. Looking your way Math. Hey, don’t forget to wear purple to show support and solidarity for  2SLGBTQ+ youth who have been bullied for their identities. Reminder to self. Revist conversation about Islamic Heritage month.

Week 3 – Math, Language, AP level Sanitizing and distancing, classroom closure due to possible COVID 19 Case. Staff and students on edge. Conversations around the Mi’kmaq First Nation and  about Black Lives Matter that leave my bucket filled by students asking more questions and forming some critical connections. Don’t forget to talk to your parents about virtual meet the teacher night next week. Reminder to self. Visit board web site for resources and events for Islamic Heritage month and share with staff. Done and done. Make sure to mention the significant contributions to Math from Islamic and Indian mathematicians. Wonder how to extend learning about Islamic heritage further into future months.

Week 4 – See prior week and add in 2 sessions of virtual meet the teacher night, a morning of PD planning for our staff leadership team, an assessment or two, a realization that Friday is the day before Hallowe’en and that the place is already going a bit bonkers with the excitement. Debate over decorations or not? Not. Debate over distribution of candy in class to students and how to do it safely in times of COVID 19 while tying it into a wonderful Data Management and Number Sense activity. Done and done with a few sweet treats to spare. Send students home happy, safe, and full of treats.

Throughout the entire month we tried to tackle issues that are relevant beyond a single day. No pumpkin spiced worksheets, word searches, or TPT drivel was necessary to make the month meaningful. My only regret was not taking more time to check in one on one with my newer students a bit more. We had a few rough days that still need refining, and their resilience has been admirable despite the long shadows of COVID 19. Next month will be better.

With November smashing down the door, my class will be embracing the learning from a whole new set of special days. Many of them specific to November such as Holocaust education week and Remembrance Day. It is my goal to make each one meaningful and relevant for my students while continuing to instruct through culturally responsive relevant pedagogy and anti-BIPOC racism focus. Sorry, there will be no themed worksheets this month either.

Note to self: Complete progress reports and confirm virtual parent interviews. Stay safe. Stay strong.