Mental Health – Page 9

February 16, 2020 Deb Weston Advocacy for public education, Class Size Matters, Differentiated Instruction, Flexible Classroom, Inclusion, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health

Class Size Matters: Then and Now

As I look back on my 1973/1974 grade 5 classroom of 29 students, there are significant differences in how we were taught.

Teacher Qualifications:

Our teacher did not have a university degree and only one year of teachers’ training. (I looked her up).

Today’s teachers must complete a 4 year university degree and two years of teachers’ training before they can become professional teachers.

Seating:

I recently returned to my former grade 5 classroom and knew exactly were I sat as we were in rows in alphabetical order. There was little or no collaboration with classmates and we were expected to sit quietly and work with little or no support from our teacher. In the 1970s, I did a lot of rote learning and paperwork – it was pretty boring. I sat and worked in the same spot for my entire grade 5 year.

Today, classrooms are dynamic with flexible seating and continual student collaboration. Now learning is more active through student inquiry and the use of technology. Collaboration within groups is a key learning skill on report cards.

Class Composition:

In 1973, we did not have any students with significant special education needs as those students were placed in contained classrooms. This was before the inclusion model was implemented. Any students who struggled were likely held back by failing a grade. (I was almost held back due to my undiagnosed learning disability). We also had students who were younger as they had “skipped” a grade.

Today, there is a wide range of student abilities in classrooms. I’ve taught classes with gifted students and students with significant learning deficits. This meant that I had to modify my teaching instruction to several grade levels higher or lower to meet these students’ needs. I once had a student functioning at a grade one level in a grade 7 classroom and was fortunate to have an educational assistant and special education teacher to support this student.

Educational Assistants:

In the 1970s, classrooms with students with significant special education needs had educational assistants/teaching assistants. I can only remember ever seeing teaching assistants in the special needs’ classrooms. I recently spoke to a retired teacher who informed me that when the inclusion model was implemented into Ontario schools, the government promised teachers significant support with an Educational Assistant in every classroom. That was not implemented as promised.

With today’s classroom composition, teachers need significant additional supports. A full time Educational Assistant (EA) would give teachers time to work with all students. In addition, when I’ve worked with Educational Assistants, my students have been much better behaved as there are two adults watching them work. Even when students are allocated funding for Educational Assistant support, schools often place EAs with other students who have no funding – as the EA is “assigned to the school, not the student”. This means the student with EA funding never gets their allocated support and the teacher must support this student instead. Teaching in classrooms with a few students with special education needs and little EA support is doable but currently many classrooms have up to a third or more of students with special education needs. This is unmanageable and disheartening when teachers cannot provide enough support to help all students. In this case, students who are capable but need a small amount of support never get the help they need.

Discipline:

When I went to school, students were expected to behave themselves in class. I personally was terrified to get into trouble at school as I would have received significant consequences. I remember a few students receiving “the belt” by the principal. In order the get this consequence, the principal had to document and justify the consequence.

Today, discipline varies by administrator, school, and school board. Students who misbehave can go to a behaviour teaching assistants’ room (if this is available) or to the office. The challenge is that students with behaviour needs really require intervention supports to improve their overall behaviour and academic outcome at school. I personally know of a situation where a student, who struggled academically and with behaviour needs, got the mental health and behaviour support programs they needed and is now thriving academically and with behaviour under control. (This support happened as the teacher did a work refusal due to extreme student behaviour concerns which precipitated extra support for this student).

So why can’t we implement programs like this for all students who need behaviour supports? Funding – recent government cutbacks have meant that these safeguards of mental health and behaviour supports have disappeared leaving only the most challenging students getting this critical intervention.

The Bottom Line:

Class size matters more today than it ever has as classroom compositions are highly differentiated with students with many needs. Further, with fluid and dynamic instruction, students do not sit in orderly rows not leaving their seats. As a teacher, I prefer teaching this way as it is more organic and helps students develop critical collaborative skills they will one day use in the world of work.

The bottom line is that teachers need more support in their classroom with not more, but less students. Schools need more Educational Assistants and Special Education Teachers to support students with significant academic and behaviour needs. Boards of education need more programs and qualified adults to address mental health and behaviour needs with students. Without these supports and interventions, students’ behaviour and mental health needs will only be compounded and student outcomes will flounder.

With this blog, I advocate for all students with special education and behaviour needs to get the support they require to be successful in their education … because without these student outcomes will be grim.

Collaboratively Yours,

Deb Weston, PhD

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 Will Gourley Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, General, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health

Oh wait

For all of the right reasons and in my own best interests I think it best to resolve some issues from what has been a terrible January. As such, I have taken to implementing a number of life changes in order to ensure I am my best me, living and giving my best.

Less caffeine – down to 4 cups of coffee per day from 6 – check
Drink more water – some is more than none right? – check
Sleep more – at home, not at school or while driving – check
Take time to be still – shhh I’m doing it right now – check
Exercise – I turned my Wii Fit on for the first time in 10 years and it still works – check
Read more – information is armour for the mind and soul – check
Show vulnerability – asking for help and support does not make me weak – check
Seek help – unisolating myself has been a necessary and positive experience – check
Look forward – know that good things are all around even when things look grim – check

Without all of the above, I might have really been physically and mentally weakened by an exasperating month.

Oh wait…there was something else on my mind

With nearly complete media proliferation from all ideological camps, it’s hard to have a moment of tranquility without being bombarded by [mis]information. A person in a compromised position may not have the intellectual immunity to resist the indefatigable onslaught of shady dealers wearing blue blazers and brown pants who persist in spewing surreptitious messages meant to shatter the successful education system we have worked so hard to construct and move forward to be among the best in the world. So it’s understandable that educators, students, and families would want to fight to protect it.

Come to think of it, despite months of patiently waiting for a contract, hearing about unions leaders bullying members from MPPs who seem confused on where to find beer, and from Twitter trolls who spout about how teachers are only after a pay raise to their shared 50 followers, it feels like it’s time to fully engage in this war that is being waged by the government and its partisan proxies on our profession.

Instead of a being an integral partner in education, our government has chosen to become our adversary. In addition to our exceptional daily work in the classrooms, ETFO educators are having to defend our hallowed halls from unprecedented and misleading attacks. Hearing the Minister of Education talk trash about our profession is offensive. It should never be part of an elected civil servant’s mandate.

This doesn’t even begin to address the passive aggressive and staged photo ops via social media or contrived press conferences. How can someone who appears in photo ops at a STEM daycare centre strike camp, in a school district that was not even on the line that day rather than at one of our thousands of incredible public schools, be taken seriously or trusted?

Speaking of trust

Maybe our MOE is the victim of bad advice? What if he is being setup for failure from inside his own party? MBAs (read through to the final footnote) and politicians are notoriously self serving entities. Think of the contracts to hand out to the highest bidding E-Learning providers and private sham credit mills if things go unchecked. There are lots of dollars to be made when you are unscrupulous enough to wallow in that trough, but is it worth your humanity?

What if the goal is to fleece the flock and retire to a cushy Conservative consultancy? After all, what out of touch political party doesn’t love recycling ineffective ideas? So this cut, gut, shame, and run approach will sound fresh again in 20 years since their good old days are an archaic product of a classist’s poor memory.

Perhaps in his limited time in the position and on the planet, the current Minister of Education has not been privy to grace, kindness, or truth? Wouldn’t it be swell if the lack of progress in our negotiations be weighing heavy on his conscience? With Valentine’s Day around the corner, maybe the warmth and solidarity we show as a union in standing up for education can melt his heart, and he will begin to see the impact of this current government’s flawed approach and policies. Until then we will walk and hold the line.

Walking the line

On a chilly Monday I proudly walked the picket line to fight against the legislative tyranny of our current government. 17000 steps in 3 freezing hours. 1 Day’s wages was a small price to pay in order to stand alongside my fellow ETFO members in solidarity. The honks of support, the visits from admin, superintendents, and school board systems level staff meant a lot to us all. Having families and other union members show their support was the encouragement we all needed to maintain our spirits.

Come to think of it, those 3 hours on the strike line have to rank as some of the best moments the month of January had to offer. I know there might be more days ahead, and I am dedicating my attitude and focus on everything that matters to my students, their families, my colleagues, and those who will occupy my classroom in the future. Together ETFO, and our partners in the OSSTF, will continue to make public education in Ontario a global beacon of progress and success through our work in the classrooms across the province. Together.

Thinking of you all, this week as we walk at the picket line shoulder to shoulder in solidarity and support to ensure a future for over 1.3 million students in Ontario’s public schools. Thank you.

January 31, 2020 Will Gourley Challenging Topics, General, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Resilience, self reflection, Teacher Wellness, Teacher Working Conditions, Weather

The end is here

The end (of January) is here. Thankfully. I thought wrapping up 2019 would have signaled my surrender. I didn’t know another white flag needed to be waved so quickly, but here goes.

The month of January has been particularly trying on my mental health and well being. When I say my mental and health and wellbeing, it’s important to know that it implies the way a lot of my colleagues in education are feeling right now. It’s tough sledding right now. Let me explain what’s been going down.

The usual demons

The entire month has elapsed as a slow motion dream sequence of continually compartmentalized interactions. Meet here, teach now, listen here, discuss there, teach again, receive devastating news, listen, meet, teach, share, support, listen some more, put on a brave face, teach, weep for a student lost in a senseless act, grieve, cope, support, listen even more, meet, teach, and try to make sense of what the heck happened?

I’d like to blame Mother Nature for the storms, poor commutes, and frigid school days, but I can’t because I bought snow tires which ensured that the weather would only be bad on weekends this month. I’d like to say it’s the flu, but I can’t because I got my first flu shot in 10 years. I’d like to say that my students are being difficult, but I can’t because they are truly interesting and engaging learners.

So it’s got to be me right? I’ll own my part of things knowing that I am sharing with 7.2 billion others in January right now. Let me reiterate. It’s been an incredibly difficult month even though my usual January demons were uncharacteristically co-operative? Now that the month is over things can get better right? Either that, or something really bad is in store for the future once the demons get back from vacation. Fingers crossed, salt over my left shoulder, ladders put away, black cats all in their homes, and artificial rabbit’s foot rubbed something more positive is possible. Anything will be better than the start of 2020.

This January’s tragic events were completely out of our hands. Yet, as teachers, we were all working together in support of our students, as well as one another. At my school, the death of a student on UIA Flight 752 was devastating. Upon confirmation of the news, it was as if the air had been taken from our lungs in a flash. It was hard to breath that day. We were all in shock, and had to put on a strong face for our students and each other as the news unfolded which was not easy.

We are told to try and return things to normal as quickly as possible, but all I remember is feeling numb in the weeks that followed. I wonder how normal I looked trying to hide how it hurt to lose a student? In fact it has taken me a few weeks to even process the feelings in order to share them here.

Despite, therapy dogs, social worker support, and incredibly kind admin/school board officials it has been one of the toughest times I’ve ever experienced as a teacher. When tragic and senseless events occur the losses are hard to overcome regardless of the supports in place. Finding “normal” again would have been very tough without help, but isn’t enough in itself. This leaves many of us having to manage some of the restoration on our own outside of school.

Setting aside a bit of quiet time to process each day helped. As simple as that sounds, it is hard to shut it all down at the end of the day or over the weekends. Taking time to remember the good things and dwell for some time on positive memories helps healing to begin. Sometimes laughter helps too. Especially, when the humour comes in the form of a joke, a meme, or a witty remark. Thank God for animal videos and Reddit.

As teachers we live and breath our callings. Our learners occupy a huge space of our thoughtlives. We have them with us as we process our days whether we are at school or not. There have been countless times where I’m reminded of a student, past and present, in a casual conversation with friends or family. The life of an educator guarantees that you will accumulate some incredible memories, and this is largely a good thing. For me there has been so much joy in reflection back on 2019, but in contrast comes a much harsher start to 2020 with the loss of a beautiful soul from our school family. As February takes over the calender, I am glad to say the end(of January)is here.

Wishing you all health, happiness, and good memories for the rest of the year and beyond.

January 29, 2020 Michelle Fenn Behaviour Management, Constant Learning, Diverse Learning Needs, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Integration, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Wellness, wellness

Mindfulness in Education

There is a significant amount of research about the benefits of mindfulness in education. Much of the research shows that consistent mindfulness practices in classrooms lead to lower stress levels and higher test scores. It is a hot topic and wanting to to do the best for students, we are seeing more of it in schools. There are all kinds of books and videos on breathing and mindfulness exercises for reduction of stress for kids. I have learned to practice meditation myself and I have used some mindful practices with my students and believe that at the right time and in the right circumstance mindfulness practices can be powerful. I am left wondering, however, if the practice of mindfulness in some cases is becoming routine or something to check off on a plan and not truly ‘mindful’ at all?

Let’s take yoga for example. Yoga instructors go through intense hours of study in order to practice and teach others. However, teachers pop on a kids yoga YouTube video and we’re “being mindful”. I’m not being critical. I have done it myself! My question or wondering is; what are the implications of these actions on a broader level? Yoga is about mind and body. My worry is that we are literally “going through the motions” with students and not really giving them a true mindful experience.

How about a timed meditation? Everyone drop everything and take part in a guided meditation right now! I understand the idea behind this strategy; the whole school is engaging in the practice at the same time. However, isn’t the idea that students will learn to develop mindfulness skills to help them in stressful situations? It is a starting place, but hopefully there is more in-depth practice and explicit teaching happening. Otherwise isn’t it more a kind of fast-food approach to mindfulness?

Mindfulness needs to have an environment that is conducive to practice. Norms and expectations need to be established and there has to be “buy in” from the students. Students require a variety of skills in order to truly practice mindfulness and they need to be explicitly taught so that students can use what they know in order to transfer the knowledge into other situations. Finally, it has to be modeled by the adults in the room. If there is mindfulness being practiced, everyone should be doing it and debriefing the experience and learning together. If a teacher is busy organizing the classroom library while the students are being mindful, it won’t demonstrate that mindfulness is valued.

We can’t be experts at everything. We can’t always have a certified yoga teacher come into our classroom. Whatever we are teaching it must be done with intention, done explicitly and through modeling. Going through the motions out of habit and routine may do more harm than good.

December 12, 2019December 12, 2019 Michelle Fenn Advocacy for change, agency, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Equity, General, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Mindfulness, self reflection, Social Justice, Wellness

Holiday Break Assumptions

December is stressful for so many reasons. Seasonal concerts and plays, crafts and the general hustle and bustle around this time of year. While teachers attempt to make things fun and engaging for the last few weeks before the holiday, there are a few things to consider about assumptions that as educators we might make about our students.

Not every child is looking forward to the holidays.

As working adults we look forward to the break from our daily occupations at this time of year. For us it means a chance to regroup and reconnect. However, for some students it may mean a lack of routine and structure which can provoke anxiety. The reality is that some students may find school the safest place in their lives. The two weeks off of school at the end of the December will inevitably happen for everyone however, not every kid is looking forward to it. So it may be best not to focus on the “Countdown to Break.”

Children living in poverty.

For those children living in families who celebrate the season with any kind of gift giving, this can be a time of stress and anxiety for parents and invariably children. According to parenting expert Alyson Schafer, “Parents of low-income families will often put themselves last in order to shield their kids from poverty and the parents’ health and well-being suffers for it.” Some parents may even skip meals or prescription medication in order to have enough money to buy gifts. Whether the children are aware of their family’s financial situation or not, they will witness wealthier classmates getting more at this time of year and it can be difficult for those children. While this is the time of year that many schools engage in a food drive, teachers need to remember that some students may not be able to donate and in fact, there may be students in your class or school whose family accesses the food bank. It doesn’t mean that would need to stop these charitable acts. As educators we just need to be aware of the assumptions that we make about our students when we engage in the activities.

Those “fun” activities aren’t always “fun” for everyone.

This time of year gets busy in a school. There are often more announcements, events and things for sale or collection. Students who already struggle in school find this time of year difficult because of the multitude of interruptions to regular routines. When possible, keep things as simple as possible for your students. I have always found that keeping as much routine as possible in my classroom at this time of year provided much needed comfort and predictability.

November 5, 2019 Michelle Fenn 21st Century Learning, Behaviour Management, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Classroom Management, Communication Tools, Constant Learning, Diverse Learning Needs, General, Inclusion, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, self reflection, Teacher Appreciation, Teacher Wellness, Wellness, wellness

Daring Classrooms

I state the obvious when I say that teaching is a demanding job. If you are reading this, you are most likely a teacher and this is not news to you. I’d like to highlight a resource that feeds the soul of a teacher (and quite frankly a human being) while also providing some strategies for integrating that soul feeding into your classroom practice for your students. Wait, what…that exists? It is a website from Brene Brown called Daring Classrooms. If you haven’t heard of her yet, you can find “The Call to Courage” on Netflix and/or her Ted Talk on Vulnerability. She is inspirational in leadership, in life and in work. Here is a snippet from her #DaringClassrooms website:

“Teachers are some of our most important leaders. We know that we can’t always ask our students to take off the armor at home, or even on their way to school, because their emotional and physical safety may require self-protection.

But what we can do, and what we are ethically called to do as teachers, is create a space in our schools and classrooms where all students can walk in and, for that day or hour, take off the crushing weight of their armor, hang it on a rack, and open their heart to truly being seen.

Teachers are the guardians of spaces that allow students to breathe and be curious and explore the world and be who they are without suffocation. Students deserve one place where they can rumble with vulnerability and their hearts can exhale.

And what I know from the research is that we should never underestimate the benefit to a child of having a place to belong—even one—where they can take off their armor. It can and often does change the trajectory of their life.

Teachers: Everyday should be Teacher Appreciation Day. I am so grateful for you and your willingness to show up and create brave, safe spaces where our children can learn, grow, and be seen.”

Some of the short (8-12 minute) video resources from Daring Classrooms include:

How do we avoid the pressure to please?

How do teachers manage oversharing?

How do we help parents understand failing as part of the learning process?

Does the word “disappointed” shame students?

In addition to the video resources there are free downloads for resources, parenting the classroom and daily life. There are pdfs that you can print out for working with students. My favourite one is the list of core emotions. Sometimes when students have triggers they can’t always name or explain the emotion that caused the trigger in behaviour. Being able to learn about the names and the definitions of core emotions is helpful for students to self-regulate.

Every year in a classroom brings new challenges. In fact, every day in a classroom will bring on a new challenge. I hope that as you lead your own #DaringClassroom you will find this resource helpful and that it may feed your teacher soul.

April 29, 2019April 29, 2019 Arianna Lambert Mental Health, Mindfulness, Resources, wellness

Wellness in the Classroom

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had a number of people reach out to ask about an activity that I did last year with junior students in our Wellness Club. I’ve been answering questions and sharing ideas and I thought perhaps this might be of benefit to more people so for this post, I’m sharing some of the work that I did with my colleague, Cynthia Wan at Shaughnessy Public School.

Over the last number of years, I’ve personally realized the benefits of incorporating elements of wellness into my daily routine. When working with students, I always saw great value in helping them to develop their own “wellness toolkit”. Through activities and conversations, students were given the opportunity to understand and express how different situations or experiences made them feel. In being more self-aware, students were then able to determine strategies that worked best for them when they were experiencing times of stress. We all think it would be ideal to not have any stresses but in reality, stress will always be around and we sometimes need those challenges to help us grow. The difficulty becomes when we can’t manage the amount of stress that experience. While much of the activities and ideas below are things that I’ve incorporated in my classroom with all students, last year, Cynthia and I thought about trying to take it a little further with a small group of students who were willing to dig in with us and really spend some time thinking about their own wellbeing and worked to create their own physical tool kits filled with strategies and tools. Below, I’m outlining some of the tools that I’ve used in the hopes that it might help if you’re thinking of starting your own wellness club or thinking of trying some of these activities in your class with students.

Meditation Apps

Stop, Breathe & Think is an app that I’ve used with students centred around meditation. In the past, there was only one version but in the past couple of years, they also have an app specifically geared towards children. Students particularly enjoyed meditations connected to their breathing as well as the Body Scan. It offered them a chance to just pause and reset if needed. We also took the mindful walking meditation outdoors with speakers and students considered ways in which they might utilize mindful walking as they travelled from one pace to the next. There is a link to some of the resources that they have but I haven’t used any of them with students.

Sitting Still Like a Frog is another meditation tool that has a book with activities. Visualization was another tool that I used with students and the A Safe Place meditation was one that students quite enjoyed.

Resources

Zones of Regulation was also a resource that I used in my classroom. I found it super helpful for getting students to identify what they are feeling and consider their own triggers and strategies for what they might do to move back to the green zone. The language is great in not valuing one zone over the other but thinking about how we can get back to being optimal if and when we identify that what we are feeling is impacting what we are doing and our interactions with others.

The Mindup Curriculum is also a great resource that I have used in the past with my whole class. I like that it starts off with talking about the science behind what we might be feeling and our responses to stressful situations.

I found this great book list with some mindfulness books that I’ve used to talk about mindful eating and some of the other activities that I have done with students. Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is also a great resource.

Just Breathe is a great video for opening up the conversation about naming what we are feeling as being a powerful part of being able to determine steps to change the feeling if things are not where we would like them to be.

Wellness Toolkits

Screenshot 2019-04-29 at 4.49.31 PM When building out toolkits, students used ideas from our discussions and activities from our sessions together to help build their own physical kits. We started off with ziploc bags and students decorated them with duct tape. This really was an idea from one of the students who had used it in the past to create her own pencil cases and she thought it would be a great – and inexpensive – way to personalize our own toolkits. Once the toolkits were designed, it was time to think about the items that they wanted to include.

Some of the items included:

Mindfulness colouring – We picked up a few from Dollarama. Some students also worked to create their own doodle books when given a blank scrapbook.

Inspirational quote books – We also found a few at Dollarama but some students were given their own scrapbooks as well to gather their own book of quotes that served to uplift them when needed an extra bit of encouragement.

Mindfulness Jars – A quick and easy visual for helping students to be able to understand that sometimes we have a lot swirling around in our minds and that by taking some time to be mindful of this fact, we can work towards calming some of those thoughts. Some students even like using them as a way to regain focus as they watch the sparkles settle. We used this recipe but there are so many more. I like the explanation on this one but didn’t like the idea of using glue.

Stress Balls & Slime – One student lead 2 sessions for our Wellness Club around using stress balls or slime as something tactile that sometimes help to manage stress. We did have conversations around making sure that it was something that was needed vs. something that we just enjoyed playing with in the classroom.

Wellness Journal – Students had their own journals – simple notebooks that they decorate the front of after we covered them with construction paper. We used these as a check-ins for themselves or prompts that they could use to write about how they were feeling.

Some of the prompts included:

Today I feel… because…
I’m grateful for…because…
One thing that I can do today to make it fantastic is…
Draw yourself as a superhero. What powers do you have? What powers might you like to work on further developing?
3 ways in which I can help make someone’s day great are…
Write down three I am statements that define who you are. Take a few minutes to think about each one. Which quality feels the best? Why?
When you’re feeling confident, what emotions do you experience?
Who can you compliment today? Why? Find the time to make sure that the person hears what you have to say today.
Write three things that make you happy. How can you spend more time on these things each day?
The best day ever would be…
One thing that I learned about myself this week is…

Other Mindfulness Activities

Nature walks – Quiet walks in a small group in the neighbourhood to just take some time to notice. Some students captured items along the ground that they wanted to include in their journals. Some focused on sounds that they heard when they took the time to stop and truly just be in the moment.

Music – Sometimes having the opportunity to select the type of music or having ambient noise was helpful for some students as they worked and also to change their mood.

Yoga/Mindful movements – Cynthia was great in leading us in Yoga or mindful movements. A few years back, a colleague had the Yoga 4 Classrooms resource which we sometimes used to get us moving and stretching when we needed it. I also had students lead the Circle of Joy, which is also a mindful movement activity that is easy to learn and just helps to refocus.

These are just some of the tools I found useful when helping students to create their own toolkits of wellness strategies. As I mentioned before, stress is all around us. I think that helping our students determine which strategies work best to help them manage the stresses is an important part of helping them to be successful.

March 31, 2019April 2, 2019 Will Gourley Challenging Topics, Classroom Management, Diverse Learning Needs, General, Health & Safety, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Special Education, Teacher Wellness, Violence in Schools, Why unions matter

Before you get hurt…again.

https://pixabay.com/photos/concrete-space-empty-3161863/

Student: (momentarily non-responsive to verbal interaction) slap, push, slap, hair grab, lunge, slap, yell, cry, run, crouch, cry, calm, apolgize

Staff: (1 CYW, 2 SERT) block, block, reassure, block, supportive stance, reassure, block, redirect, clear space, block, reassure, follow, remain calm, reassure, accept

The slaps(verbal/physical) are like slabs of concrete that a student piles up when they are in distress(feeling helpless, unheard, confused, frustrated, angry, trapped, hurt, and _________).

Our students are using these slabs to construct walls which will insulate and protect them from what they feel are are real threats to their wellbeing, happiness, and safety. All the while, staff are working tirelessly to keep them from walling off completely to the point of hurting themselves or others because the ability for flight has left, and the fight is on…again.

It has been happening a lot more frequently in our classrooms and it knows no age limit as educators are experiencing violence from JK to 12. Has it happened to you? How about to someone in your school?

A 2016/17 survey of elementary teachers showed that 70% of them had experienced or witnessed violence in their schools. That distills down to an average of 7 in 10 educators are on the frontlines of a serious problem. No one wants to work where threats and acts of violence are now daily bi-products of their job? Yet, that’s what many teachers are facing as they enter the classroom each day. Even with NVCI, CPI, SERT, CYW, EA, IBT, BHS, and Social Work support in the building or available from regional teams, incidents are increasing in number and intensity.

Students are taking out their frustration, anger, and anxiety in physical ways directed towards school staff. More than ever, it is being documented and reported more across all age panels. So what’s happening inside our schools where once seemingly uncommon incidents are now daily occurences? All of this cannot simply be dismissed as statistical anomalies.

A reminder

Before you get hurt, or hurt again. Each time a student slaps, bites, kicks, target throws, pushes, strikes with an object etc. a report must be made. If you are injured, seek medical help first. Make sure you tell someone (union rep, admin, a colleague). See the graphic below to make sure you are protected as you have the right to refuse work when you believe workplace violence is likely to endanger you. If you are hurt, it is not the time to play through pain or put on a hero cape. It is your health and well being that must be protected. No one should go to work expecting to be hurt on the job. If you need help, call your union rep or a colleague. Let your voice be heard.

Our schools cannot be left under-supported with an expectation to educate our students in the face of increasing violence and increasingly complex behavioural needs? Our schools need supports in place to ensure safety for all and that includes you.

I will leave you with this final question.

How have spaces of nurture, growth, hope, and community also become places of anxiety, stress, harm, and PTSD for both teachers and students? How are you managing in your school? Please keep the conversation going.

In case you need some more food for thought

Our notifications, news outlets, and social media feeds are filled with stories, images, and video sharing what’s happening. As I draft this post. CBC News shared a disturbing news story that surfaced online involving a teacher being assaulted by several students in Toronto.

Read more about how ETFO has been lobbying our government to address the issues of violence in our schools.

https://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2017/01/17/teachers-union-raises-alarm-over-rising-violence-in-schools.html

March 31, 2019 Kelly.McLaughlin 21st Century Learning, Celebrating Success, Inquiry, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health

Update: Inquiry project

An exciting update for my classes upcoming inquiry project, our board has funded the project for us! Students in my class will start to work with the supplied budget to help them start their treat company! This funding will make it possible for the students to make this project the best it can be.

This week they will start planning for the supplies to make the smoothies and their advertising/media project will be made possible due to the funding that will allowed them to order stickers or other items to be introduced with their treats. We are excited to begin researching paper straws and look at why it will be better to purchase the paper straws vs. the plastic ones. We will also continue to look at the best combination of ingredients in order for our smoothies to taste as good as possible!

We will have to look for suppliers for all the products now that we have the funds to buy them. This project is so exciting and I look forward to updating you all on the steps we take.

A group of ten of my students (out of 22) have indicated they would like to be in charge of delegating tasks and headlining the operation. I am so excited for my students to take this project under their wing. It will be great for them to understand that in the future they can all run their own businesses with hard work and sound thinking.

On another exciting note, two of my students applied for a grant for a mental health day at our school with fun activities for students in grade JK-8 to participate in. This will be another fun venture for my students to plan! It is awesome to see so many opportunities available to kids in our board… hopefully the funding will always be there 🙂

March 24, 2019 Michelle Fenn Advocacy for public education, Challenging Topics, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Professional Judgement, self reflection, Teacher Wellness, wellness, Wellness, Why unions matter

Teaching in Uncertain Times

When I graduated teacher’s college it was the beginning of the “Harris years”. Teachers were being declared redundant all over Ontario. I spent three years teaching outside of the province. Since then I have been through many rounds of collective bargaining-both as a teacher and a local ETFO leader. I have seen how Ontario’s Provincial governments have continually eroded our collective bargaining rights, stripped our benefits and made working and learning conditions steadily worse for teachers and students. As you well know, they’re at it again. I’ve been asked, what can new teachers do to make a stand for education while still keeping a focus on our classroom in these uncertain times?

1. Take care of yourself Anxiety abounds in times of uncertainty and scarcity. Focus on the present moment as much as possible. Make sure you have the facts you need but try to stay out of the swirling vortex of unproductive conversation and speculation. Take time when you need time, do something for yourself that isn’t school related, eat healthy, exercise, if it is something you do-meditate, and get some sleep. Take one day at a time.

2. Don’t believe everything you hear in the staff room Well meaning and passionate teachers will discuss the political situation. Some of the things that you hear will be true and some will not. The correct information will come from ETFO Provincial office, local ETFO leadership and your school Steward.

3. Social Media Social media is a great a source of information but also one of anxiety. Remember to follow reputable sources such as ETFO and other Ontario Education Unions and get the information you need from reliable sources. As always, be cognizant of who could be reading your social media posts and pass on correct information.

4. Attend Union meetings and ask questions Collective bargaining and political legislation can be daunting. Sometimes it is assumed that everyone in the room knows exactly what is being discussed. Ask questions when you need clarification. You might find there are others in need of such clarification too.

5. Follow the advice of your Union Your Provincial ETFO has a plan of action that is communicated to all local ETFO leadership and ETFO members. As a new teacher you may feel powerless, but there is strength in members taking action together. Read your emails from your stewards and participate in political actions when asked.

6. Support one another These are uncertain times for all teachers and education workers. It is important to be aware of your own mental health and that of your colleagues. Check in with your mentor and friends on staff when possible. A note or a treat in a mailbox, an email or a visit at recess might make the difference in someone’s day. Remember, other education workers in your school, whether they belong to a union or not, feel the same pressures.

7. Your students When the learning begins, your students will always need your full attention. They will sense the anxiety that you are feeling. Try to leave the uncertainty and politics at your classroom door as much as possible. Concentrate on the students that you have in front of you for the next three months. The students are at the heart of what we do as educators and we will get through this together.