Here in Manitoba things have been feeling pretty heavy. We’ve had a huge increase in coronavirus cases. We’ve been put on “code red” lockdown and asked not to leave our household, except for essential items. Most schools are still open, but it’s an exhausting juggling act for students, teachers and administrators to keep up with changing policies, sanitizing requirements, distancing, remote learning, classes split into separate classrooms and more…
As teachers face overwhelm, anxiety and uncertainty, we’re also faced with isolation. Teaching can be an isolating profession to begin with, but add in a pandemic which requires distancing ourselves from others and it’s really tough to feel connected.
As teachers, we need connection more than ever.
We need connection in order to support our mental health. The relationships we have with our colleagues, friends and families are essential to our well-being.
We need connection in order to develop better solutions; to learn and grow together as we share ideas and work through this incredibly difficult time in education. No one knows how to teach in a pandemic, but we are all working away at trying things and finding out what works. Sharing, collaboration and connecting are vital in order to continue improving.
We need connection to be effective educators. Establishing relationships with our students and their families is essential for teaching and learning. It’s important that we find ways to develop meaningful connections while physically distancing and/or remote teaching.
So, reach out. Reconnect. Share. Support.
Connect with another teacher: a distanced chat in the school, a virtual video call, a social media interaction, a phone call to a teacher friend.
Share your ideas: if you’ve got something that’s working for you, tell a teacher friend, post it on your classroom blog, send a Tweet or post it on Instagram – you’re likely to support and inspire someone else by sharing.
Build relationships: overcome the obstacles and continue to form relationships with students and their families in any way that works.
Connect to yourself: it can be really tempting to “numb out” and avoid checking in with yourself. Take time each day (even just for a minute or two) to sit in silence, practice gratitude, move your body, and take a few deep breaths. We’re better equipped to connect with others and offer our support when we take care of ourselves first. If you need some help getting started, try our Teacher Wellness Toolkit.
We’re in this together.
If you’re interested in joining a group of educators ready to share, learn and grown, check out Cultivating Connection, our online professional learning community. We’re on a professional learning and wellness journey and we’d be happy to have you join us! New members are invited to join during our Black Friday sale November 26-30th (use code BF50 to save $50 on your membership!)
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