In October 2019, @sydneycjensen gave a TED talk about the need for teacher emotional support.
Here's a summary of her talk. (Link at end.)
"How can we support the emotional well-being of teacher?"
Here's a summary of her talk. (Link at end.)
"How can we support the emotional well-being of teacher?"
First.
"The concept of good teaching has changed."
"The concept of good teaching has changed."
Students today will....
"...need to be able to communicate, collaborate and problem-solve."
"...need to be able to communicate, collaborate and problem-solve."
" That has caused teacher-student relationships to morph into something stronger than the giver of content and the receiver of knowledge."
She changed her approach.
"I built in plenty of opportunities for my students to talk to me and to talk to each other, to share their writing, and to verbalize their learning.
"I built in plenty of opportunities for my students to talk to me and to talk to each other, to share their writing, and to verbalize their learning.
But...
"And it was through those conversations I began not only to know their voice but to know their pain."
"And it was through those conversations I began not only to know their voice but to know their pain."
When students come from diverse and tough situations at home...
"They come to school with trauma, and when I go home every day, that goes home with me."
"They come to school with trauma, and when I go home every day, that goes home with me."
The hard part of teaching is not the grading, the lesson-planning, the meetings.
"The tough part about teaching is all the things you can't control for your kids, all the things you can't change for them once they walk out your door."
"The tough part about teaching is all the things you can't control for your kids, all the things you can't change for them once they walk out your door."
Teachers suffer the effects.
"They call it "secondary trauma" and "compassion fatigue," the concept that we absorb the traumas our students share with us each day.
And after a while, our souls become weighed down by the heaviness of it all."
"They call it "secondary trauma" and "compassion fatigue," the concept that we absorb the traumas our students share with us each day.
And after a while, our souls become weighed down by the heaviness of it all."
Other helping professionals like police and nurses have access to more mental health support than teachers.
"When it comes to teaching professionals, that urgency is lagging."
"When it comes to teaching professionals, that urgency is lagging."
Over time...
"Our emotional piggy banks are constantly being drawn upon.
After a while, it can become so depleted, that we just can't bear it anymore."
"Our emotional piggy banks are constantly being drawn upon.
After a while, it can become so depleted, that we just can't bear it anymore."
@BuffettECI research found one in 10 teachers in early childhood settings report clinically significant depressive symptoms.
Anecdotally...
"My interactions with colleagues and my own experiences make me feel like this is a universal struggle across all grade levels."
Anecdotally...
"My interactions with colleagues and my own experiences make me feel like this is a universal struggle across all grade levels."
So, what can be done?
"Every school need[s] social and emotional support staff, trained professionals who can navigate the needs of the building."
"We also need these trained professionals to intentionally seek out those closest to the trauma and check in with them."
"Every school need[s] social and emotional support staff, trained professionals who can navigate the needs of the building."
"We also need these trained professionals to intentionally seek out those closest to the trauma and check in with them."
Very simply...
"Reach out and make sure that we're OK."
"Reach out and make sure that we're OK."
More...
- "Have convenient and affordable access to mental wellness supports"
- "Partner with community agencies"
- "Have convenient and affordable access to mental wellness supports"
- "Partner with community agencies"
And yes, we must note...
"Many small districts and even some large ones simply cannot foot the bill without aid."
"Many small districts and even some large ones simply cannot foot the bill without aid."
And of course...
"Acknowledge that the work we do is downright hard."
"Acknowledge that the work we do is downright hard."
Sydney gives a few examples of support in practice. #1
"Finally, my friend and colleague Jen Highstreet takes five minutes out of each day to write an encouraging note to a colleague, letting them know that she sees their hard work and the heart that they share with others."
"Finally, my friend and colleague Jen Highstreet takes five minutes out of each day to write an encouraging note to a colleague, letting them know that she sees their hard work and the heart that they share with others."
#1, cont'd
"She knows that those five minutes can have an invaluable and powerful ripple effect across our school."
#gratitude #teacherappreciation
"She knows that those five minutes can have an invaluable and powerful ripple effect across our school."
#gratitude #teacherappreciation
Idea #2
"@SchooMiddle has what they call "Wellness Wednesdays." They invite in community yoga teachers, they sponsor walks around the neighborhood during lunch and organize social events that are all meant to bring people together."
"@SchooMiddle has what they call "Wellness Wednesdays." They invite in community yoga teachers, they sponsor walks around the neighborhood during lunch and organize social events that are all meant to bring people together."
Idea #3
"Zachary Elementary School in Zachary, Louisiana, has something they call a "Midweek Meetup," where they invite teachers to share lunch and to talk about the things that are going well and the things that are weighing heavy on their hearts."
"Zachary Elementary School in Zachary, Louisiana, has something they call a "Midweek Meetup," where they invite teachers to share lunch and to talk about the things that are going well and the things that are weighing heavy on their hearts."
