Are you frustrated and worn out at the end of the day? Do you feel like you give everything you have and the children just don’t appreciate it? Does the next break from school look too far away for comfort? My mother taught for a total of fifty years, and, in those years, she speaks […]
trauma
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Life Lessons from Mister Rogers and Mrs. Hughes
I can remember it clearly. I was sitting on the floor next to my sisters and watching a small box television mounted on top of a T.V. tray that was not built to hold a T.V. We sat on the floor as we heard that familiar sound of a child’s piano playing. We would get […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Self Care Won’t Solve Teacher Burnout. Organizing Will.
The Self Care Trap There was a time (I suppose we’re still in it) when an endless stream of “trauma-informed” initiatives passed through my Facebook feed, e-mail inbox, and classroom. A lot of these offered some variation of mindfulness training for teachers or students. Whether it was through yoga or meditation, numerous programs promised safer, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Trauma in Schools – Teachers Are Asked to Handle Too Much
Trauma in schools has always existed. From the first public schools until today there have always been hungry children, those who have lost parents during the school year, as well as those who have for one reason or another, moved during the school year, having to adjust to a new school. Something much different is […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Secondary Trauma and The Teachers That It Affects
It is 30 days into the school year. So far I have listened to or read stories about my students experiencing homelessness, bullying, deaths of family members, suicidal thoughts, and sexual abuse. These traumatic events weigh down on our students. Unfortunately, as we know, our schools do not have enough mental health supports. If we […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Current Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines
The Hidden Emotional Labor of Teaching
It’s time for teachers to talk about our feelings Thursday morning I was called into a meeting unexpectedly and given the news that one of my students would probably not be returning to school this year. The news and the surrounding circumstances hit me with a wave of emotions. After discussing logistics such as how […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Opinion
Don't Discount Trauma For Young Children
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] I had my eyes really opened today by one of my students who lost his house in the 2012 Oklahoma tornado. We were talking about how the things we are thankful […]