When you think about PTSD, what normally comes to mind? To most people, what comes to mind is war veterans because, of course, they go through some truly traumatic experiences that most of us can’t even imagine. Their experiences are real, and we should acknowledge them. At the same time, we also need to acknowledge […]
Teacher Self Care
Posted inHow to Fix Education
Take One For the Team: The Need for Self-Care
In the wee hours of this morning, another of my 24-year-old son’s friends killed himself. I say another because the first one was about a year ago. Two close friends in two years. Here at The Educator’s Room, we constantly talk about self-care. We constantly are saying how important it is to take care of ourselves […]
Posted inAdult Learning
The New Teacher Smell
I love to see new teachers join our ranks. In a profession that is being left behind to make more money working at the local 7-11, it’s still good to see fresh faces believing in what we do. The teachers fresh from student teaching, wearing their classroom key around their neck like a badge of […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care, Teacher Self-Care Conference
More than a Warm Body: You Are Not Replaceable
There have been many, very important, conversations about teacher self-care lately. I am so glad this is happening, because I know I am one who suffers from spreading myself too thin while burning the candle at both ends! However, there is a constant refrain I hear from teachers who are trying to help people who […]
Posted inSpecial Education
The Importance of Communication For IEP Students and Parents
I realize that I am a little on the eccentric side. I like it there, without the boundaries and regiment of the real world. And since I see things from a different perspective than most I also enjoy some things that many teachers find to be less enjoyable. One of those things is IEP meetings. […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Teacher Anxiety: How to Cope With Anxiety Under Stress
As teachers deal with an enormous amount of stress that grows every year, very little research has actually shown the impact of that stress on teachers emotionally. Recognizing this fact, a preliminary study completed in 2014 in order to investigate teacher working conditions showed that 11% of teachers suffered from anxiety (Borrelli, Benevene, Fiorilli, Damelio, […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Depression Kills Teachers if Left Untreated: It Should Not Kill Their Careers
Recently, I learned that I have been blackballed from a school district from what was cited as “poor performance” after receiving summary evaluation marks that demonstrated performance far above “poor.” In talking to people I used to work for, the only conclusion I could come to (since the school district failed to provide me with […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Teaching Through Trauma: What I Learned Through My Divorce
I honestly didn’t see it coming. I knew we were both unhappy, but I seriously thought that we would either work things out or one of us would suffocate the other in our sleep. But then the inevitable happened. On a cold, dreary Friday night (exactly January 15) when we had planned a date. My […]