The following three scenarios are the most common based on my observations as a teacher coach and literacy specialist:

Scenario One: Students are sleeping, moody, or completely disengaged in class.

Scenario Two: Students have a hard time staying in class. They are always in the bathroom, hallway, locker, or constantly asking for breaks during instruction (even right after a “break”).

Scenario Three: Students struggle to control emotional outbursts, resulting in verbal and physical altercations with adults and other students.

If any of these three scenarios are happening in your classroom, I’m going to dig deep into each one and discuss the context for each type of behavior, along with some tried and true strategies to re-engage students and keep them engaged in their education for the rest of the school year.

All the strategies I will be sharing are rooted in SEL (Social Emotional Learning), Restorative Practices, and Equity best practices for K-12 educational settings. If you’d like to learn more about these three frameworks, links are at the bottom of this article.

But first, two reminders:

Reminder #1: Stay student-centered

Before we start, you’ll probably notice my student-centered language in each scenario. This is part of the process of re-engaging students. Checking in on our own mindset toward students is a critical step that a lot of educators tend to skip because they honestly don’t think they need to do it.

However, think about how you describe students who fall asleep in class to another colleague, for example. Which of these descriptions sounds like you?

Teacher A: “Jonathan is ALWAYS sleeping in class. He never does any work and he’s going to fail my class! Sleepers never prosper. If he’s going to sleep in class every day, I’m just going to let him. His parents must not make him go to bed on time.”

Teacher B: “Jonathan has really been struggling to stay awake in my class lately. I’m concerned that he is falling behind with his assignments and grades. I’m going to have to figure out something I can do to support him and get him back on the right track.”

You may think to yourself that you’ve been both Teacher A and Teacher B at different points this year, or in your career. You may think there’s no harm in venting about Jonathan the way that Teacher A did, if we come back around to addressing the issue like Teacher B.

The issue with the words used by Teacher A is that by the end of that statement, the teacher has already made a handful of assumptions about Jonathan and his family. They have also already decided that Jonathan’s situation can’t be changed for the better and they will not be going out of their way to try.

Teacher B, on the other hand, admittedly does NOT have the answer to the problem in this conversation. Supporting students who are struggling is a year-long process that will require the teacher to be proactive, communicative, and supportive to both the student and their family at various points in the year. Teacher B understands this and yet understands that there are some things they can try to help Jonathan get re-engaged with his education.

I should also note here that in some cases, students will need more support than you provide just within your classroom. Lean on your school social workers, psychologists, and special educators to give you suggestions and referrals when needed for students who have needs beyond what you can provide.

Reminder #2: Don’t take it personally

For all the students described below, it’s almost NEVER personal towards the teacher. More likely than not, you are NOT boring your students to sleep or chasing them out of your classroom!

Teachers who come to me with questions about students who sleep or refuse to do work often have already tried a plethora of things to get students motivated. They’ve usually already implemented class-wide systems to positively reinforce student behavior with team points of some sort, and there’s one or two students who are still not responding the way the teacher hoped.

If you already have a supportive classroom culture in place but you still have students disengaging from the learning, the first step is to look for patterns in the behavior:

• Are they going to sleep as soon as they come in in the morning, or are they waiting until it’s time to complete an undesirable task in class?
• Do they leave class at the same times every day, or does it depend?
• Do they put their head down ALL day, or are they up and participating during activities like Physical Education or recess?

These types of questions will help you narrow down when and how often you need to step in with your additional support.

Now, let’s look in-depth at how to address each of the scenarios I identified at the beginning of the article.

How to motivate and engage reluctant learners

What to do when: Students are sleeping, moody, or completely disengaged in class

There will certainly be cases where a student sleeping is due to something serious going on in the home, and if you suspect this is the case you should reach out to your administration for the appropriate next steps before you do anything else. Student safety and care comes first. However, I caution teachers often on assuming students who sleep are doing so because they aren’t getting enough sleep at home.

Most of the time, disengaged students are often simply craving connection.

They may not feel like they are truly part of your classroom community for one reason or another. They may be experiencing bullying. They could be struggling with their own mental health and are unsure how to ask for help. They may be struggling academically and are embarrassed to be “found out.” Once you know what is hindering your student from feeling like part of your classroom community, you can make your plan for support accordingly.

Disengaged students need the adults in their life to not only create safe spaces for them, but also to encourage and invite them into those spaces daily.

They need to be reminded every single day that they are an important part of your classroom community, that you care about them and their ideas, and that you will be there to support them if they start to struggle throughout the day.

You can do this easily during morning meetings when students are typically still awake and alert. Build in a daily affirmation routine that all students will benefit from, but particularly the students you are focused on supporting. A quick online search for “daily affirmations for students” will get you started with videos and activities that you can choose based on the age of your students, but the idea is simple! Spending just 2-3 minutes each day engaging with affirmations will help students understand and see their own value within the classroom.

Beyond your morning meeting routine, your students will need proactive, planned check-ins with you or another trusted adult. They may be motivated to try to stay engaged, but become quickly frustrated and shut down before you get the chance to offer them redirection or encouragement. Their learned habit of shutting down has protected them from feeling frustrated, but that means they don’t have much in the way of coping skills to work through challenging tasks.

Conference with these students individually about growth mindset to help them understand that they may not be able to complete the task independently YET, but if they keep working at it, they will be able to soon!

Share with them things that you do when you get frustrated by something, such as take a few deep breaths, take a short break, or ask for help from someone else (identify peers or adults who can help).

You may feel like everything you are doing stops working when your student comes in and goes right to sleep one day after a few weeks of working hard. Don’t be discouraged!

This doesn’t mean your student has given up all over again, but it does mean they need more check-ins and possibly additional coping strategies. This type of student support is a “roll with the flow” kind of support that will change and evolve throughout the year in response to what your students need.

What to do when: Students have a hard time coming to class or staying in class.

Students may seem to always be in the bathroom, hallway, or locker, or constantly ask for breaks during instruction. With older students, they may even cut/skip classes altogether.

Many of the strategies described above for students who sleep or refuse to work in class will apply to students who leave class as well. Students who have built a habit of wandering the school building when they are frustrated or faced with an undesirable task can be challenging to re-engage, but with the right level of pro-active planning, you can help your students see the importance of staying in class and engaging in the learning with the rest of their peers.

For students struggling to stay in class, a little bit of positive attention goes a LONG way. Students will often leave class to seek out something that they would rather do instead. They want to feel successful, challenged, or validated more so than the rest of their classmates.

I find that having a direct, respectful, open conversation with students (yes, even in elementary school!) about their actions is the best first step. In the conversation, you will want to ask at least these three questions, and pay careful attention to their answers:

1.  “I’ve noticed you ask to go to the bathroom every day when it is time for word work. How do you feel when it’s time for us to do our ____ lessons?” Make sure you name the behavior that you’ve noticed, without judgment. This lets students know that you are aware that their actions are intentional, and it allows you to have an honest, non-defensive conversation.)
2.  “When it’s time for us to do our ___lessons, is there a place in the room that you would like to sit?” This won’t work for every student, but often a preferential seating change for the part of the lesson or subject that students struggle with the most can offer a quick fix.
3. “I want to help you stay in class so that you can learn the same ___ as your classmates. What do you think we should do to help you stay in class during this time? “This lets students know that you are still holding them to the same expectations as their peers, but that you are willing to take extra steps to make sure they feel supported. Most likely they won’t know exactly what they need you to do (they will probably shrug or tell you they don’t know), but the point of this question is to let them know that you have some ideas to share, and they are part of the process of deciding which strategies to try. I let students know that whatever strategy we agree on together will be used for at least two weeks, and then we will check in again to see if it’s working for them or not.

What to do when: Students struggle to control emotional outbursts, resulting in verbal and physical altercations with adults and other students

First things first: If students are a danger to themselves or to others, you will need to go through your administration team to follow the appropriate protocol for keeping yourself and your students safe. Once any immediate safety concerns have been addressed with the support of your administration, then your work on supporting students experiencing emotional dysregulation can begin.

It’s unclear yet whether we are seeing an increase in emotional or physical outbursts from students, or if we are just hearing more about it from our collective media and social circles. Regardless, many of the strategies described from the first two scenarios can be used as first steps for students struggling emotionally as well!

If you have worked through those strategies and still find students struggling to regulate their own emotions appropriately, you may need some slightly more sophisticated systems in place.

I like to think of support for emotional regulation in four stages:

Stage 1: Name it

In this stage, students need language to describe the emotions they are feeling. This stage needs to be proactively planned out, ideally WITH the student, like the conference in Scenario Two. Together, decide on the emotions that most OFTEN lead to an outburst (usually anger, frustration, or even sadness). They need a sentence to say out loud to you or another trusted adult to let you know what they are experiencing. “I” statements are a great tool we can teach children here.

“I feel _____ when _____ happens in class.”

“When we ______, I feel ______.”

“When you or a classmate _____, I feel ______.”

This helps students start to identify their own triggers and be more aware of them as they continue to develop emotionally. Don’t assume that because a student is in High School that they already know how to do this! Teach them anyway. Even if they do “know,” just like adults sometimes, they may benefit from a reminder to embrace a healthier habit.

Stage 2: Express it

Imagine getting a distressing phone call in the middle of your workday (I’m sure many of us have experienced this). Now imagine that your principal or administrator knows what happened, but still expects you to pick up your next class on time from the cafeteria in five minutes. For students who struggle with emotional regulation, their emotions can feel as intense as that phone call. Expecting students to take a five-minute break and go on like nothing happened is unreasonable and can be more harmful for students who have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences.

Instead, students need a safe place and manner to express the emotion they are feeling.

Students may need to leave your classroom to meet with a social worker or psychologist when they are experiencing an emotional outburst, but there may be times when service providers are unavailable to them. My “cool down corner” is usually a relaxing space with cushions, a comfy chair, or even a couch where students can go when they need more than a minute or two to get themselves together.

Once you have the space designated, you’ll want to have a bin or a folder of age-appropriate activities or fidgets that students can use while they are in the corner. It will be important to norm the use of this space and those materials with your entire class (everyone has a bad day sometimes!) and make sure students don’t take advantage of the system.

While we want to give students the flexibility to determine when they will be “ready” to rejoin the class, there needs to be structure and parameters for the system to work long-term. Decide with specific students (ahead of time) whether they will need 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes to rejoin class if they need an emotional break.

Explain that if they feel they will need more than 15 minutes to decompress, they will need to check in with you to see if another trusted adult is available (they would ideally meet with their social worker or psychologist if this is the case, but a “buddy teacher” could be just as effective if they have a good relationship with another teacher in the building).

Stage 3: Let it go

The goal of emotional regulation is of course to be able to rejoin class, feel calm, and ready to learn. Teach your class ways to welcome students back from an outburst with kindness and understanding. Teach them not to pepper the student with questions the moment they come back, but rather to give space when it’s needed. Explain to students that when their classmates come back to the group, they may need some support and that it’s okay to ask their friends what they need. Even with younger elementary students, I watch them support and uplift one another after the most disruptive moments – let them surprise you with their empathy.

Your students will most likely be ready to rejoin class in an unceremonious way. If their outburst did no harm (no one was hurt or verbally assaulted), I will allow them to rejoin class and move on. However, if harm was done, my students know that before they can rejoin class (or before the end of the day depending on the situation/student), they need to right their wrongs.

Stage 4: Make it right

If a teacher (yourself included) or a student was harmed physically or mentally during your student’s outburst, it is important for your entire classroom community that the harm is repaired in some way. If only one or two people were affected, a private restorative conversation is needed. If most or all of the class was affected, a restorative circle with the group is needed. During these conversations, you have three goals:

1.       Establish the harm done
2.       Decide how to make it right
3.       Make it right

The student who caused the harm needs to be completely de-escalated before this conversation. Keep your discussion centered on the three goals above. If an apology is all that is needed (as determined by the person affected negatively), the apology can happen and the class can move on. If something was torn or broken and needs to be repaired, come up with a plan to fix it with the student. This is teaching students accountability for their actions in a way that doesn’t humiliate or shame them.

I always end conversations with students the same way. I remind them that they are a part of our classroom community and that they matter to me. I let them know that it is okay to feel the way that they feel, there is nothing wrong with having emotions. I also let them know that in school we must respect one another’s boundaries and it’s not okay to take out how you feel on another person.

Final thoughts

It’s my hope that at least one of these strategies helps you reach your students in new meaningful, supportive ways.

While the strategies above are meant to give you a place to start, you may need to come back to this list throughout the year for new things to try over time.

Remember that our students are not static characters in a television show.

They are complex humans with emotions, stress, and triggers just like adults. Most of all, they are children who need the adults in their lives to model appropriate responses to stress for them as much as possible.

Instead of looking at students in terms of their “problems,” we must look at students in terms of their needs whether they are academic, social, emotional, or physical. If we can embrace the idea of authentically supporting the “whole-child” sitting in our classrooms, many of the disengaged behaviors we are seeing will lessen or even disappear over time.

References

Fundamentals of SEL

Restorative Practices in Schools

9 Ways to Promote Equity in Our Schools

Are the kids alright? A deep dive into the pandemic’s toll on students

The post A fresh approach to supporting students who are disengaged and task-avoidant appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

“I don’t know how you do it! I know they don’t pay y’all enough.”

What I WANT to tell them is I am very fortunate to work for a high-paying district in my state of Maryland. But I am unfortunately the exception, not the rule.

Here are the answers to the FAQs I hear about my own experience and what I’ve learned about teacher salaries and income levels.

So how much DO you make, Erika?

Even in 2022, discussing salary still carries a stigma. This “hush hush” attitude when it comes to discussing pay stems from anti-union propaganda from the 1950’s-1970’s as unionizing started to take hold across the United States.

These days, we are just starting to realize that keeping salary a secret is a ploy for companies, not some privacy protection for employees.

So, let’s talk about it! Not counting my extra income (I will discuss that later), I make between 90-100K per year working for Baltimore City Public Schools. When I started working for the district in 2013, I made $47K as a new teacher.

How long did it take you to make that much money?

Everyone’s career trajectory is different. Mine involved one year in New Mexico’s public school system five years ago. I only made 35K for the year, and I was one of the highest-paid teachers in my building.

When I returned to Baltimore City after that year, I was fortunate that I was able to negotiate to be placed back on my previous salary scale prior to leaving (I left to take care of a family member, which helped a bit in the negotiations). My salary was about 70K at that point.

In the last four years, I have been doing more and more work in instructional leadership, which often comes with additional pay raises and stipends for work above and beyond my teaching contract, which is how I’ve managed to get my salary up close to 100K per year.

Where is the best place to teach if I want to make that kind of money?

Before you Google this question, there are some things to take into consideration and some hard questions to ask yourself.

The national average K-12 teacher salary is about $65,000. However, this figure varies greatly by state, and even further by districts within a state. For example, teachers in Mississippi make $45K per year, on average. By comparison, teachers in New York can expect to make around $85K per year.

$65K sounds like a respectable place to start, right? Unfortunately, many new teachers won’t make anywhere near this amount until five or more years in education.

New teacher salaries can vary even more depending on your state or district and are often nearly half of what the average 5–10-year experienced teachers are making. So, if you are new to the field or considering entering education, you may need to brace yourself for an adjustment in salary, at least for a few years.

It is important to note that the figures I am about to share below are the average salaries for teachers with at least five years of classroom experience.

The highest-paying states for educators are New York ($85K), California, and Massachusetts (both paying around $82K).

The lower-paying states with salaries less than $50K per year are Mississippi, West Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, South Dakota, Kansas, and Arizona. These states also tend to spend less per pupil on education statewide.

What about the cost of living?

It is important to reiterate that starting teacher salaries are much lower than many of these figures and are often far below the actual cost to live in many states.

The only states currently with starting teacher salaries above 50K are the District of Columbia and New Jersey ($55K and $51K, respectively). The living wage for D.C is around $70K and $56K in New Jersey.

There are 34 states in the U.S. that have starting teacher salaries of less than $40,000 per year.

Here is a ranked list of the 10 states in the U.S. with the highest average teacher salaries (as of 2019):

1. New York – $92,222
2. Massachusetts – $88,903
3. California – $87,275
4. Washington – $81,586
5. Connecticut – $81,185
6. New Jersey – $79,045
7. Rhode Island – $76,852
8. Maryland – $75,766
9. Alaska – $73,722
10. Pennsylvania – $72,428

If you are deciding on a new place to teach or are new to teaching and haven’t yet put down roots in your community, you will want to ask yourself how far you are willing to relocate or commute for a higher salary. What tradeoffs are you willing to make for a higher salary? Fewer benefits, longer commutes, extended school year programs, etc. are just some of the trades you may need to consider for a higher salary.

But what about “step” raises?

Most school districts increase teacher salaries yearly either based on “time in” or “effectiveness measures.” Some even use both to determine raises for teachers each year.

“Time in,” raises, also known in many places as “step raises” are automatically given for each completed school year of service. Your human resources department or teacher’s union can provide clarity on exactly how and when these raises are given.

“Effectiveness” raises are more controversial but are also becoming more popular for school districts that continue to perform poorly on state testing. Some of these districts also offer regular step raises, but most choose one or the other. These raises are typically determined by some combination of teacher evaluations, school-wide data, and student achievement data. If your district determines salary raises in this way, make sure you talk with human resources or your union representative to make sure you are very clear on what the requirements are to earn your raise each year.

What about career advancement opportunities?

Much of the work being done at the national level around teacher pay and retention is around career advancement. When looking into a new school district or even re-evaluating where you stand with your current school district, you will want to familiarize yourself with the process for moving up the career ladder within that district.

Baltimore City Public Schools offers more career paths than many other districts in Maryland, with new teachers able to move along salary “pathways” based on coursework and portfolio reviews that are specific to each pathway. My district also offers a “model teacher” pathway for teachers who can demonstrate excellence that not only affects students in their classroom, but in the entire school building.

These pathways are challenging to navigate for many. They often require a certain degree of patience and skill with documentation and creating digital portfolios, but the effort is well worth it for many teachers in my district who want to remain in the classroom/school building but need to improve their earning potential.

Should I get more degrees/certifications so that I make more money?

Not necessarily. Very few states pay teachers enough of a salary boost to justify the time and money spent to earn additional credentials. Most teachers enter the field with a master’s degree either complete or in progress.

National Board Certification is becoming more popular as states are increasing incentives and salaries for National Board Certified teachers (NBCT), but the cost for the program is still more than what many districts are offering to pay.

However, if your career trajectory involves instructional leadership or even school leadership, additional credentials that are required for those positions are worth it. Not all teachers want to leave the classroom one day, but for many, this is a natural progression of our careers.

The average salary for instructional leaders (from instructional coaches to school administrators) ranges from $80,000-120,000 depending on the state and role.

If you are considering instructional leadership or another role in education to make more money, make sure you take the time to talk with other teachers who have made similar career moves. They can offer insight into the process, which certifications are necessary, and what the return on investment would be for those additional certifications. They can also share valuable information about what you can expect from these roles in terms of work-life balance.

Leaving the classroom does NOT automatically mean you are “getting your nights and weekends back.” Administrative and leadership roles often require just as much time and energy, just a “different” kind of energy. I can’t count the number of teachers who were burnt out and thought that working for the district office would solve their problems, only to dislike the demands of those jobs even MORE than they were weary from the classroom.

If you are still struggling to set boundaries for your time and energy as a classroom teacher, that issue will follow you into other positions even if you leave education altogether. Make sure you are still prepared to set those boundaries and time-management systems for non-classroom settings if you are considering a vertical career move. The skills taught in the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek course are useful for not just in the classroom, but also teachers moving into other job titles!

I don’t want to leave the classroom or move to another district. What can I do to make ends meet?

Prior to COVID, about 20 percent of teachers held second jobs during the school year.

Today, that number is estimated to be as high as 50%, if not higher, according to a 2021 national survey conducted by the Teacher Salary Project. Inflation mixed with many families losing at least partial income during the pandemic has exacerbated the problem.

I have always held at LEAST one second job since I started teaching in 2013. Making a higher salary means higher taxes. This means that many of my yearly raises are “eaten up” by the new tax bracket in which I find myself. As a result, a second job is often needed to make up for the difference in my take-home pay.

I do have some tips and tricks for working a second job while teaching so that you don’t burn yourself out completely while trying to provide for yourself and your family.

First, work to your strengths.

Make yourself a list of all the skills that you can use to make extra money. These can be related to teaching, or something different! My list reads something like this: K-5 tutoring, article/op-ed writing, resume editing, baking, fixing up old furniture.

Which direction you go in depends on your comfort level and the time that you can invest into your second job. If you only have a few extra hours on weekends, you may want to lean toward something you can do from home like writing articles or upholstering furniture for clients. If you only have time after school during the week, tutoring may be a better option for you.

Universities often love to hire K-12 teachers to teach pre-requisite or remediate coursework. These courses can be in-person or online, and often only meet 1-2 days per week. Some even offer Saturday courses that you can teach just once a week.

Whichever direction you choose to move in for your second job, make sure it’s something you can sustain while teaching. If you are new to teaching, you may want to wait a few months into the school year to start working another job on the side to give yourself time to adjust and determine how much time and energy you will truly have to commit outside of teaching.

If you have some years of experience in the classroom and you are looking for ways to streamline that secondary income, making a list like the one I made for myself is a great way to see where you would prefer to put that time and energy.

Some teachers prefer to do something that is completely unrelated to teaching as their second job to get a “mental break” from the education world. Others still prefer to work to their strengths as educators and take on jobs that involve students or education in one way or another, ranging from writing about teaching for websites like this one, or training teachers for a curriculum company or educational technology firm. There are pros and cons to both, it really depends on your own needs and capacity for extra responsibilities.

Also consider: what side jobs have worked for you, without affecting your ability to serve students?

In my ten years as an educator, I’ve held many different jobs to make ends meet. Some worked out wonderfully, while others didn’t work very well for me.

Some of the non-teaching jobs I’ve held have been ridesharing, ghostwriting, personal shopping, and pet sitting. The pros of these jobs involved the mental break they gave me. Each of these jobs requires a different skill set than teaching, which at times was what I needed. The cons were around the time it took to make the money I needed to make. These types of jobs often pay close to minimum wage, which means more hours are put in to make the same amount of money.

Over time, I noticed my desire to streamline the type of work I do outside of the classroom increased. As a result, I started to seek out education-related jobs that pay per contract or stipend. I’ve worked as an adjunct professor, a curriculum implementation specialist, and as a private tutor.

The pros of these types of jobs are higher pay with typically more flexible time commitments during the school year (or none if you choose to only work those jobs during the summer months). The cons can come from having trouble balancing multiple priorities while dealing with the changing pressures of the school year.

Today, I still work for a curriculum company during my summers where I get to travel and work with educators all over the continental U.S. I also still tutor 1-2 clients at a time when needed for a tutoring agency throughout the summer and some months of the school year. This works best for me as I can front-load the extra income that I need, put it to the side for when I need it during the year, and focus on my school and my students during the school year.

Whether you are looking to earn more as a current teacher or are considering joining the field but cannot conceptualize how to make the salary work for you, the questions below are a great starting point in your decision-making process.

Of course, the ideal situation would be fair compensation for teachers nationwide so that none of us have to work multiple jobs.

Hopefully, however, the strategies and information I’ve shared with you will help you navigate making the money you need and deserve until the rest of the country catches up.

Works cited

• Teacher pay by state 2022
• Teachers often work a second job outside of the classroom | EdSource
• Almost one-third of new teachers take on second jobs | NEA
• Best states for teachers 2022
• Here’s how much every US state pays its teachers and how much they spend on each student
• The ins and outs of teacher salaries
• Upping the ante: The current state of teacher pay in the nation’s large school districts

The post “I want to be a teacher, but I can’t afford it.” appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

I was not prepared for budgeting a 10-month salary over 12 months. I was a young professional at 23, still learning how to budget for myself. The school district I work for allows teachers to have their salary split over 22 or 26 pay periods throughout the year after their first year, but that makes budgeting for the first year all the trickier.

I did the best I could with the knowledge I had at the time. I learned to track my expenses, and even figure out how much I could realistically afford to save each month. However, by March I started to think ahead to the summer months. I would have no income coming in during those months and no idea what kind of temporary work I could do to make ends meet.

That first summer, I ended up working two jobs. I worked a summer school program in the mornings, and I drove for a rideshare company during the afternoons/weekends. It was a difficult summer, and I did not feel completely prepared for the next school year. I felt I hadn’t had an actual “reset” from the year before. I felt exhaustion set in earlier that second school year. I made it through that year, but I also knew what I needed to do differently in the summers ahead.

Many early-career teachers cannot financially afford to “take off” for the summer months. Many more teachers have children and family members to care for who will still need full-time care during the summer months. However, teaching is a career that by design requires frequent recharging for both physical and mental wellbeing. The cost of emotional labor will sneak up on you one way or another, whether you start to notice more health problems than usual or start to struggle with your mental health more than years prior. To avoid this contributor to burnout, it is crucial that teachers know their limits and have strategies prepared to rest and recharge.

Whether you teach for 10 months with 2 months of summer break or teach in a year-round school with shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year, the tips below will help you plan for making sure you are rejuvenated at the start of every school year, ready for each new challenge ahead.

Tip #1: Budget based on your needs

Making sure your finances are in order regardless of whether you need to work through your summer reduces the overall stress and pressure that you could feel during those off-contract weeks. Evaluate and adjust your budget every year as your income and expenses change. I use an excel spreadsheet that I’ve been adjusting for the past seven years as I’ve learned to budget better over time.

Make sure your budget matches where you are in your teaching career. Early career teachers have different financial needs than those who are 10-15 years in. If you are in the first five years of your career, you will want to see what financial services your district and/or teacher’s union offer and take advantage of those services. Many districts have partnerships with financial planning services and as a result, can offer teachers many services for free or low-cost.

Take advantage of pay-all year options as soon as you qualify if you can do so. This will take your salary and split it across 12 months so that you receive a regular paycheck during the summer months. This does mean your checks will be slightly smaller than they would be over 10 months, but if you can adjust to the difference in your monthly budget, the peace of mind is well worth it. Even if you still must work during the summers with year-round pay to make ends meet, knowing you will have consistent income coming in will give you more options when it comes to budgeting any additional income you earn during your off-contract months.

While I’ve had to work most of my summers for the past ten years, having a reliable budget takes a lot of the anxiety and uncertainty away when it comes to summer finances. I have a separate budget for the summer months when I spend my money differently than during the school year. This helps me stay on track when my earnings might be higher (or lower) than expected.

Tip #2: Apply for your job early and choose it carefully

Decide on what job you will hold during the summer as early as possible. The last weeks of the school year are stressful enough. Worrying about how you will pay your bills is not an added stress you need during this or any time of year! If you are looking for summer work, I recommend starting your search by March/April at the latest, depending on when your summer vacation begins. Choosing the right summer work for you is half of the process of making sure you can build in time for rest and rejuvenation.

Narrow down your options by availability and earning potential. Summer school often requires less face time with students and therefore less prep time on your part, making it a great choice for many teachers looking for summer income. The hours are typically shorter than the traditional school day, which makes it great for newer teachers or teachers with families and young children to care for.

If teaching during the summer isn’t what you are looking for, per diem positions in the corporate world are ideal for teachers since you can often choose the days you would like to work, based on the company’s demand. Curriculum companies love to hire teachers for professional development delivery. Colleges and universities also often hire teachers as adjunct professors since we are experts in internalizing and delivering content. Tech companies are known to hire teachers for trainings, presentations, and even sales! Know that you have options and a skillset that is more flexible than you might think.

#3 Plan to relax (don’t just hope it happens if there’s time!)

Once you know what your summer schedule and budget are going to look like, you can then move on to planning for ways to sneak in that crucial rest and relaxation time. While planning this out might seem strange at first, it is important to decide ahead of time how you are going to recharge your own batteries and keep your spirit-filled. This is more than just self-care. This is a deliberate decision to choose yourself and something that brings YOU happiness each day. This will remind you throughout the year that joy is not something to look forward to, but a state of mind to maintain full time.

You will want to decide on daily, weekly, and monthly re-charging activities. I recommend making your own list or choosing from the lists below and posting your list somewhere you will see it every day (perhaps somewhere in your kitchen or set reminders in your phone).

Ideas for daily restorative practices

This should be something you can accomplish in 10 minutes or less but spend more time on if you choose to. The key is to choose something that you enjoy, to remind yourself that you deserve to feel joy daily. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• mindfulness meditation
• take a brisk walk
• coloring pages
• make yourself a quick but nourishing meal or treat
• care for a plant
• write in a journal

Ideas for weekly restorative practices

This should be a hobby that you can carve out an hour or so for throughout the week or on the weekends. Whether that hour is all at once or spread out throughout the week depends on your schedule and family needs. The point of a weekly activity is to make time for something with a product that you will see progress in immediately and be able to enjoy for a long time to come.

• tending to a garden/yard work
• DIY project in your home
• working on a side business
• writing for a blog/website about a topic you love
• take a longer walk or hike in a park
• start a new exercise program you are excited about (yoga, rock climbing, kickboxing, martial arts, dance, etc.)

Ideas for monthly restorative practices

This should be something that you deliberately plan for ahead of time at the beginning of the month. You are planning for a day that involves you and your family or friends having FUN! There is no pressure to go all-out on these activities, go with what works for your family, schedule, and budget.

• day/weekend trip to the beach/lake/camping
• sight-seeing at local museums/zoos/aquariums
• sporting events
• festivals/concerts

Tip #4: Reflect on what’s working and set intentions

To make sure one school year doesn’t meld into the next, it is important to take time to reflect on the year prior and set intention for the year ahead. This isn’t something you need to spend a lot of time on, an hour or so of time set aside for this process is fine. Some teachers spend an afternoon or even a day reflecting, journaling, and setting intentions for their school year coming up. You can do this work at any time during the summer, it does not matter if it’s at the beginning of your break, in the middle, or toward the end. The process is simple. Choose a medium to capture your thoughts (journal, word document, vision board, collage, etc.). Once you have your medium, ask yourself the following questions and give yourself ample time to respond to each one thoroughly:

1. What was your biggest success this past school year? To what do you attribute that success?
2. Describe your favorite lesson that you taught last year in 10 words or less. What made that lesson amazing?
3. What was the hardest piece of feedback you received this year? How will you put that feedback into practice next school year?
4. How do you feel about your previous school year? Explain as much or as little as you need to.
5. How do you feel looking ahead to next school year? Explain one thing you are looking forward to and one thing you are apprehensive about.

These questions are intended to give you time to reflect honestly and candidly for yourself. By engaging in this activity in writing, you can get those feelings out, positive, negative, or a mix of the two. You don’t want to assign judgment to your responses. Just get them out of your mind and onto paper or computer screens. Once they are written down, acknowledge them as your true experience of the last year and your honest expectations for the year ahead. Once you have a good handle on your feelings toward your work, you can make decisions as needed to improve your outlook.

While you may or may not be able to look forward to a true summer “off”, there are ways to make sure you can recharge your mind and body for the work ahead. These ideas are simple and don’t require a huge time commitment (unless you want them to!). I’m confident you can incorporate these strategies into your schedule for an intentional, restful, and energizing summer ahead.

The post How to rest & recharge as a teacher when you have a summer job appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

I struggled with anxiety and depression on and off as a child. I grew up in a family that didn’t “believe” in therapy, so I struggled through many years without help. When I arrived at college to complete my undergraduate studies, it only took about a year of being away from home for me to realize I needed to talk to someone about how I was feeling.

I went to therapy for about a year during college. I saw a psychologist, psychiatrist, and engaged in group therapy. I did “homework” activities to manage my symptoms, and eventually took medication for a short time to address my more depressive episodes. That experience opened my eyes to all the ways that the medical community can help with mental health concerns.

Once I started graduate school and student teaching in 2013, I felt the anxiety and depression start to creep back in. I “didn’t have time” for therapy or finding a doctor to prescribe me medication, so I went without for a few years to see if I could manage on my own.

By my third year in the classroom, I was back in a therapist’s office with no idea of where to start untangling my thoughts and emotions. Thankfully, I was able to find a great therapist who has worked with me for the last six years on building the behavioral habits I need to manage my mental health.

Throughout the last nine years, I’ve had to learn how to manage my anxiety while making sure I’m meeting students’ needs. Managing my mental health is a journey, not a destination.

What follows are the strategies that I’ve had success with over the years. I look at these strategies as a “toolbox,” like the teaching tools I’ve “gathered” over the years. I use different strategies for different moments in my life, and sometimes I need to try a few before I figure out which one will work best for the current situation.

Strategy #1: Checking in

One great place to start if you don’t feel you are managing your mental health effectively is to start checking in with yourself. This can happen weekly, daily, or even multiple times daily depending on your situation. The first step is determining what areas of your life need to be monitored. To keep tabs on myself, I have a list app on my phone where I have a list called “How am I Doing?” I answer honestly since this list is just for me. Here is the list I use if you need some ideas:

Date:

How am I doing with….

• Chores (my executive functioning is one of the first signs that I’m struggling)
• Meal Prep/Eating (some weeks I overeat, some weeks I don’t eat enough)
• Finances (when I’m depressed, I am more likely to overspend/not adhere to my budget)
• Movement (I speak more on this later)

Next to each bullet point, I explain narratively how I’m doing with it and what I think the cause is if I’m struggling. I also note what I need or need to do to regain control over that area of my life. I do mine weekly, but you may need to do this multiple times a week or just once a month, depending on your needs.

Strategy #2: Therapy

Having a therapist who I trust was one of the most meaningful decisions I made. It took some time to find the type of therapist that would work best for me. My therapy sessions address not only the underlying trauma that triggers my anxiety, but also the situational issues that raise it both at home and at work.

Take your time when seeking a therapist. Compile a list of questions you have before your first appointment. If you have tried therapy before and didn’t like it, take some time to reflect on what it was about the experience that didn’t work for you. Bring that up with the next therapist, as each one is different and there are as many different approaches to therapy as there are teaching pedagogies.

Radical acceptance: How to deal with teaching frustrations you cannot change

Strategy #3: Meditation

Meditation or relaxation techniques offer many benefits to people with anxiety. In times of prolonged stress, I start to feel like I’m not even in my own body, that my body is moving but I’m just along for the ride and not an active participant in my own daily activities. When I identify this feeling early on, making sure I’m getting in quiet time for meditation, breathing exercises, and reflection help bring me “back to my body” and feel more present and in control.

I find it is easier to meditate early in the morning when my mind is fresh and more focused.

It can be more difficult for me to meditate as the days goes on, as I am now also processing the events of the day in addition to managing emotions. That doesn’t mean I never meditate at night; it just means I know going into meditating later in the day may require some additional time and patience with myself.

How long do I need?

If you don’t have 20-30 minutes to spare, 5-10 minutes is always better than zero minutes! That’s 5-10 fewer minutes spent worrying and chasing my thoughts around in my head and more time spent focusing on just being present in that moment.

If meditation is a struggle for you, there are several apps out there that can help you. The Calm app is popular with many teacher friends of mine (and a few students have recommended it as well!). Netflix even has a “show” called “Unwind your Mind,” which is a choose-your-own-adventure style application that guides you through various meditations based on your mood and time constraints.

Strategy #4: Organization

When managing my anxiety, organization and systems are key. One of my own measures of how much my anxiety is affecting me is what my desk at work and my dining room table at home look like.

I view my disorganization as a symptom — a symptom that I’m feeling out of balance or not in control. Taking the time to address disorganized areas in my home or classroom are therapeutic in that I can see a mess as an encapsulated anxious moment; addressing the area is almost a metaphorical unraveling of the emotions and anxiety that I felt that day, week, or even month.

The systems you put in place need to be sustainable for YOU.

Organizing according to a theme in your classroom or an aesthetic in your home can backfire on you if that system is not something YOU can maintain. If you need multiple paper bins or laundry baskets to help contain chaos in your classroom or home, do what works for you, not what looks cute on Pinterest.

Strategy #5: Acupuncture

A relatively new treatment for me, I started seeing an acupuncturist in October of 2020. Originally, I started treatment for migraines. I was suffering from migraines 2-4 days per week. Ouch! As I saw the severity and frequency of my migraines decrease over the course of just a few months, I began to explore acupuncture for treatment of other issues as well.

Anxiety is another condition for which acupuncture has been helpful. Needles are placed in points that open energy flow that may become trapped by inflammation, stress, and even trauma. The treatment process encourages relaxation and focusing on your breath, so you can get that meditation practice in at the same time!

When doing your best just isn’t good enough…

Strategy #6: Movement

For anyone who has dealt with mental health issues, hearing the words, “you should try exercise!” can be incredibly frustrating. But hear me out. It is more than just “exercise” in the traditional sense.

You don’t need to run a mile or lift your body weight! Gentle movement is just as effective at releasing the endorphins you need to feel calm and more focused. A 10–15-minute walk around the block helps me cool my head before I walk in the house after work.

My personal favorite movement activity this year is Restorative Yoga. In this type of yoga, you spend the entire class in deep stretches and breathing poses — none of which require a particular level of physical ability or flexibility. You are supported by blankets and yoga blocks — it is as relaxing as it sounds!

How often should you engage in movement for it to be effective for anxiety?

That is something you can figure out over the course of a week or two!

If you are relatively inactive outside of work, try engaging in gentle, low impact movement (stretching, walking, treading water, etc.) 15-30 minutes just once per week. If you find yourself wanting to move a second or even third time that week (you just might once you get started!) just slowly add one day/workout at a time until you find that sweet spot.

For me, I do ten minutes of gentle stretching and core stability exercises each evening, in addition to going to the rock-climbing gym 2-3 days per week (including weekends). I’ve found it is much easier to quiet down the racing thoughts and nightly panic when I am moving my body regularly.

Strategy #7: Setting boundaries

There is a strong relationship between healthy boundary setting and mental health.

It has taken me nine years as a classroom teacher to finally have the courage to respond to that email asking for a meeting at 3 PM on a Friday, “Unfortunately, I do not stay late on Fridays. Let me know what time your planning period is on Monday and I’m happy to meet with you then if I’m available.”

Five years ago, it would have taken me a therapy session and half a box of tissues to speak that truth. Why? Because that’s not what “team players” do.

Today’s education system is supported by the emotional labor of (mostly) women. This “labor of love” backfires quickly when the pressure to be a “team player” overtakes the need to take care of your own needs. Teachers (especially newer teachers) notoriously struggle with setting boundaries at work. This causes us harm over time unless we actively work to address it. Doing so requires some tough decisions and having even tougher conversations with colleagues and leadership about what we need.

I know that education is the field where I belong. I love my work, whether I’m teaching my fourth graders or coaching my team teachers in their classrooms. But I know that at this point in my career, I must prioritize my mental health if I want to stay in this work.

Just like physical health, this requires lifestyle changes and constant decision making focused on the goal of being mentally healthy. There will be days, weeks, and maybe even months when you struggle more than others. Trust the process of getting in tune with your mind and body. Take pride in your journey, wherever you are on the map.

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The post 6 strategies that help me manage anxiety as a teacher appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

When I first read an article from the New York Times, I admit I didn’t pay it much attention. I thought, “wow, surely the folks at the forefront of this debate just don’t realize they are debating something we don’t even teach in K-12 schools?” I figured they would realize their blunder and just sweep it under the proverbial rug and move on.

Spoiler alert: they didn’t.

Next thing I know, colleagues are sending me articles about Culturally Responsive Teaching and Social Emotional Learning being put under fire. At this point, I became concerned. I am fortunate to work in a school district that values these practices, but I have educator friends in neighboring districts and all around the country who are not so lucky. For them, I started to worry.

As I began to research exactly what is going on, the anti-CRT conversation began to take on a very different tone. It was as if someone realized the blunder of banning Critical Race Theory in K-12 schools and immediately sent out a task force to figure out what else they could fear-monger around and ban in school districts where leaders and communities tend to be more conservative, or even outwardly identify with various far right movements.

Add a hint of racism:

Today, the conversation has evolved from a nonsensical ban on Critical Race Theory to a slew of concerning policies across more than two dozen states seeking to curb how teachers discuss history and race in their K-12 classrooms. In some places, they take the form of vaguely worded warnings surrounding discussing systemic racism in class.

In others, they have become full-on bans on using certain curriculum and materials, ranging from CASEL (Social Emotional Learning), BrainPOP (which include diverse characters including BIPOC and LGBTQIA characters and provide a balanced, global perspective on historical events), and the 1619 Project (a curriculum frequently used in middle and high school classrooms to teach about the enslavement of Africans and African Americans and the ongoing struggle for racial equality).

Many of these policies took effect this fall, and some of them involve penalties for teachers and administrators found out of compliance, including the loss of their license or fines.

The debates continue across the U.S.

Still many other states are debating whether new policies need to be put into effect to control how educators discuss “sensitive or divisive topics” with students. These states include but are not limited to Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Utah.

As an educator with experience working with white educators seeking to examine their privilege and how systemic racism shows up in their classrooms and communities, the language used by state and district leaders is important to examine.

Behind this language, you will hear something a little more discreet; dare I say a bit more covert.

For example, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, signed a bill in May 2021 that bans educators in the state from teaching the concept that, “an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

Additionally, educators are not allowed to perpetuate the idea that “an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.” Teachers in Oklahoma are also not permitted to make students feel “guilt” or “anguish” on “account of his or her race or sex.”

How do we process this, personally and professionally?

Make sure you know the laws being passed and/or debated into your state and school district. Clarify with your district/union leaders what is and is not banned. Make sure you understand how exactly these policies will be enforced and what the consequences for violating them are.

You have the professional right (I would go so far as to argue professional responsibility in many cases) to request a written explanation of what is and is not banned, why it is banned, and what you are expected to use instead to meet the varying needs of your students.

In the case of Social Emotional Learning in particular, make sure you know what your district and school expect you to do in the event that your students are struggling academically due to a lack of attention to their social and emotional needs in your classroom.

Ask what additional resources and staff will be provided to care for students as whole children.

In terms of processing this controversy at the personal level, you may feel some anxiety. We know that excellent teachers have been meeting their students’ varying needs, teaching accurate histories, and including global, non-western, and non-dominant cultural perspectives for many years.

But when it comes to our livelihoods being placed at stake, that may change for some folks. Take some time to examine what potential bans on teaching practices and topics could mean for your classroom and your pedagogy. Prepare yourself for some hard decisions in the years to come if your state is considering or enacting these policies.

What exactly does all this mean for educators in the United States?

That depends.

If culturally responsive teaching, SEL, and other materials/programs are banned from use in classrooms in your district, it means you have some decisions to make. Will you shut your door and do what you’ve always done for students? Will you work around the system and find new ways to reach your students without the buzzwords and labels? Will you abandon your practices altogether in the name of job security?

Even putting those words in writing feels bizarre for me.

It doesn’t feel quite “real” that in the year 2021, I must help colleagues decide if meeting the needs of students and teaching the truth about our world and our history as a nation is worth losing or leaving the profession we love.

For me, a ban on what I consider best practices for meeting students’ needs would most likely signal the end of my time in that district. Being forbidden from exposing students to varying perspectives and non-dominant narratives would mean the same for me. If a national ban on these practices/topics is imposed, I will take it as a signal to take my beliefs to higher levels in the name of advocacy for our children. But, not everyone is able to take that stance.

We are, after all, talking about people’s careers, how they put food on the table, a roof over their heads, and care for their families. Not everyone is able or willing to risk their livelihood, and that is a harsh reality.

The decisions will be difficult. You may find yourself willing to table what you believe is best for children temporarily while you look for other ways to help the cause and reverse these harmful policies. You may feel too overwhelmed to do either and instead you might feel compelled to continue teaching what you can, avoiding controversial lessons or activities until you decide on your next steps.

How do we respond to concerned parents?

If you teach in a district with policies banning the teaching of certain topics or the use of certain practices in classrooms, you may have concerned parents reach out to you from either side of the controversy.

Parents who do not want their students “exposed” to certain ideas and practices:

Recently I was bombarded on social media by a woman who accused me of being “just another one of those teachers who doesn’t teach.” She went on and on about how teachers “like me” were why she was pulling her child out of school. She voiced many frustrations with public schooling with which many parents can relate. Interestingly, none of her concerns had anything to do with social emotional learning or culturally responsive teaching, which was the topic of my original comment.

I did my best to let this parent know that I felt each one of her concerns, and that I hoped for nothing but the best for her child. There was no point in going any farther than that. Unfortunately, fear is like poison. Once it gets in deep enough, it is almost impossible to treat. She expected me to attack her back and entertain her rhetoric, but in refusing to do so I let her know that I was not the enemy, and I am most certainly not a punching bag for her frustrations.

Most often you will not be questioned by random strangers on your pedagogy, but you will get questions from the families you serve. I saw a meme on social media that summed up my response to these families, “Tell me what it is and I’ll tell you if I teach it.” Ask parents exactly what it is they are concerned that you are teaching, or what it is they do not want their children to learn in your classroom. Ask them to put it in writing in case you need to get clarification from your administration.

In many cases, they will not have a great answer for you, if any at all. If they do give you a specific answer and are asking you to either lie or omit historical truths, or alienate students from other cultures in some fashion, send that response directly to your administration and request a written response back from them that you can provide to the family.

If parents are perpetuating racism or xenophobia in their families, this is not a battle you are going to win on your own with logic and research.

As we have seen in recent years, racism and xenophobia tend to retreat behind false “patriotism” when threatened or questioned. Logical discourse is rarely effective in bringing these folks around. Protect your energy and preserve it for your students. Simply provide whatever guidance your administration gives you to those vocal families and go about your school year.

Parents who are angry/worried their children won’t feel valued or reflected in curriculum or that their needs won’t be met:

If you have parents who are just as concerned about these policies as you are, you may breathe a short sigh of relief. These parents are unlikely to “turn you in,” or “tell on you,” for teaching their children. However, their fears also need to be addressed.

You can write a proactive letter to families explaining what topics you will be teaching that year and your dedication to meeting the needs of each student to the best of your ability. In your letter, you can direct parents who have concerns about new policies to contact your administration and/or the local school board. In some cases where you have active parents in the community, it may be helpful to direct them to the state legislators who sponsored and supported those policies.

So, what can I teach?

If your district has enacted any of the policies mentioned above or are currently drafting their own, you rightfully may feel anxious. But consider exactly what the language in those policies does and does not permit.

If you are not “allowed” to make students feel guilty about their race or gender privilege for example — this does not in itself mean you cannot bring those inequities to students’ attention. It simply means that the discussion around issues of equity and privilege may need to take on a different form.

We should teach students to look at issues from a variety of perspectives, without the appearance of “indoctrinating” children into one world view.

For example, when teaching the real story of Christopher Columbus, including both his contributions to exploration and how he came to make those contributions at the expense of indigenous peoples provides students with provable facts. Unless your district forbids you from discussing Columbus altogether or is asking you to tell a particular version of history, they don’t have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to enforcing which verifiable facts you present to students.

If your district is asking you to present what you consider false or misleading historical facts or context, that is something that you can present to your union and school board. This will most likely result in those policies being overturned rather quickly to avoid a media catastrophe.

How can we show solidarity and support for our fellow educators?

If your district supports your pedagogy, this controversy may not affect you directly, but it will affect those around you. It will affect colleagues in other states or districts. It will affect a generation of students who are receiving two very different educational experiences.

The implications for students are clear. If Social Emotional Learning is banned in some districts and not in others, school climate and culture data will reflect the consequences in years to come. I believe that state and district leaders will eventually be held accountable for the harm they cause to students with these outrageous policies.

The implications of bans on culturally responsive teaching and specific curriculum materials like the 1619 Project will be a bit trickier to measure.

The United States already has hundreds of years of documented difficulty discussing race, slavery, and social justice, much less doing the work required to change the conditions faced by BIPOC every day in the year 2021. Teachers unions, universities, and alternative teacher preparation programs can organize task forces to examine the impact of these policies over time, in much the same way they examine the way we have taught literacy in hopes of developing more effective, scientific approaches to the literacy crisis in the U.S, I am confident they could do the same with social justice teaching and learning.

But what can we do if we are not affected by these policies?

Start by staying informed. Know the policies in your state and how they may differ from district to district. Prepare for questions from students and families who may transfer in from other districts. If you have friends and colleagues in other districts, offer a listening ear when you have the space to do so for them to voice their frustration and share their ideas with you.

What can we do in the long term?

I want to believe that much of this controversy will die down over time and fade into the political landscape in the name of progress, but we cannot afford to be naïve in these uncertain times. Our nation is still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, global protests against police brutality and systemic racism, on top of a political battlefield that feels like a violently swinging pendulum depending on what region you are from. This means that emotions and tensions are still high.

We must be grounded and steadfast in our own beliefs as individuals if we are forced to choose which side of history to stand on.

If you have the emotional space and energy for activism outside of your classroom, there are things you can do. Call on your local union, school board, and parent associations. Write/call local legislators.

When speaking to these groups, explain why you need access to certain curriculum materials or permission to use research-based programs in your classroom.

Come prepared with specific examples of students whose lives and educational experiences have been shaped by receiving exactly what they need, not just academically, but emotionally. If there are families that support you, ask them to write testimonies and share those (with their permission of course).

It may feel like education itself is under attack right now.

Educators are angry and frustrated even in states where their pedagogy is not under fire. It is key to remember in these stressful times that we ultimately shape the future through the students we reach each day in our classrooms. We are the voice guiding tomorrow’s doctors, mayors, legislators, and presidents. One day our current students will run the world we leave for them. It is up to us to decide what we will leave them.

Works Cited:

https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/podcasts/the-daily-newsletter-critical-race-theory.html

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/local-school-boards-are-also-banning-lessons-on-race-heres-how-that-looks-in-7-districts/2021/08

https://www.newsweek.com/critical-race-theory-banned-these-states-1599712

The post How do we teach truth to students in a climate of CRT backlash? appeared first on Truth For Teachers.