Vol. 1/Issue 2
Winter 2020
In this Issue: Using Opportunities to Engage in the Creative Arts to De-stress When Just One More Task Becomes One too Many Connecting with Outside Activities to Preserve Your Sense of Self One Educator’s Story of Leaving Education with No Regrets Rethinking PE classes for the Success of ALL Students
And Much More... 1
A Letter from the Editor...
Dear Reader I am so excited about this issue of L’educateur Moderne because it addresses one of the most relevant and important issues in education—teacher self-care. Teachers have the tendency to put their blood, sweat and tears into their career as educators to the point that they burn themselves out mentally, emotionally, and physically. If educators are not able to re-energize adequately, then their depletion will impact their performance in the classroom, leading to lost educational opportunities for students. If educators are not given or do not find opportunities to de-stress, feel appreciated, or connect with resources that feed their soul, then a very real threat to the stability of today’s classroom is at risk. Teachers are the linchpin to the welfare of education and if the current trend of teachers leaving the field of education in lieu of better paying careers that provide greater support continues, we are going to see a catastrophic and continual decline in our comprehensive value in the global market over the next twenty years. Finding ways to provide opportunities for teachers to decompress and re-center is imperative to ensuring the welfare of not only our nation’s educators, but the education system itself and our nation’s economic viability. The writers for L’educateur Moderne are all educators in some capacity. Whether they are actively in the classroom teaching, providing instructional support to other educators, or are retired from the field, they are all empathetic to the issues that are experienced in today’s schools and know the reasons why teachers are giving up and leaving the career earlier than ever before in the history of American education. Finding ways to support our educators has got to become a societal priority. The articles in this edition will give insight, advice, and strategies that can be used within and outside of the classroom, but as compassionate as these articles are, society needs to support those of us who devote their lives to the ideals of learning, the promotion of higher-level thinking, and the principles of creative problem-solving, and only ask for support and respect in return. In addition to our amazing staff of writers, I am proud to announce that Kimmie Conlon, a RtI specialist, will be our regular advice columnist, so if you have any questions regarding the process of educating students most competently in the classroom, please fill out your question and submit it to her at http://bit.ly/AdviceNeeded-20. Check out the next issue of L’educateur Moderne on April 15, 2020 to see which questions were addressed. Speaking of the next issue, the Spring 2020 edition is going to be quite the controversial one being that the overarching theme will address the credibility of standardized testing and its long term impact on student learning, district and state spending, and teacher burn-out! And the issue will be out just in time for the state exams, so the articles should be quite provocative! Well, I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as I enjoyed being a part of it! And as Always, Your Partner in the Educational Revolution,
Dr. Robyn Delahunt, Ed.D. 2
Table of Contents The Juggle is Real: A Journey to the Mythical Land of Teacher Self-Care...p. 4 Rethinking Physical Education for All Students……………………………………………….p. 10 Save it for a Rainy Day! Games for Rainy Days at School……………………………….p. 12 Home is the Most Important Classroom— My Easy Decision to Leave the Classroom To Become a Fulltime Mom…….p. 14 When One More Thing Is One Thing Too Much!.........................................................p. 17 Teacher Support and Healing through Visual Journaling…………………………….p. 20 Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree: Every Mother’s “Meh…”…………………………p. 23 Teacher Inclusion Frustrations…………………………………………………………………………….p. 26 It’s Time to Get Real! Can You Handle It? Advice from Kimmie Conlon…….p. 28 Parents’ Corner with Amy Johnson: This IS My Circus…………………………………..p. 31
Cover artwork by Christine Miller Boarder artwork for both the Editor’s Letter and the Table of Contents by Christine Miller L’educateur Moderne is published by Papillion Press, LLC. Robyn Delahunt, Ed.D . Editor in Chief of L’educateur Moderne Founder/Owner of Papillion Press, LLC.
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The Juggle is Real A Whimsical Journey to the Mythical Land of Teacher Self-Care By Andrea Johnson, M.Ed.
As I sit in my cozy living room, enjoying my day to day life of winter break--- the impending dread of heading back into the classroom weighs heavy on my heart. Teetering on the brink of burnout and the associated anxiety is nothing short of suffocating. Don’t get me wrong, I love my students, even the darlings who require extra grace and patience! However, I fear this may not be enough to get me by. A mere glance at the alarming statistics of fellow educators who are dropping out of the profession and moving on to a land where the grass is “greener” (and not because we gave it a curve to pass it!), I am frightened. I am mid-year, 13 years in and have more advanced degrees and certifications than I care to admit. I, too, fall into the large number of educators who are talking about other career paths. A recent google search led me to the neatoday.org statistic that 48% of teachers are leaving the field of education because of “Dissatisfaction” in the workplace. Perhaps increased demands, lack of support, lack of flexibility, increased demands and the list goes on, creates the perfect storm for educators. Educators would rejoice at a greater level of respect for teachers, an income that matches the work they do and their investment in their students’ daily and future lives, as well as true, foundational support rather than meaningless legislation wrapped in a pretty bow. However, that requires change on a greater societal level. We will not stop working towards those goals, but there are simple answers that we can do for ourselves in our daily lives to avoid “teacher burnout.” I believe that life is too short to be stressed out and constantly running on fumes alone. I want to work towards educational reform, but I also want to get out of the everyday rut of feeling like I want to quit and move on (to what, I am not sure). After much thought, I determined that the immediate answer is to make myself a priority and shift my mindset to include self-care. Until recently, I believed that self-care was “just not my thing” or some unattainable goal, which I would just not be able to master. I could not even come up with a list of things I could try-- I had to use the trusty Google and Pinterest and many other sources to cross reference ideas. I made lists and crossreferences and crossed-out and narrowed down. I made plans and backed out with other priorities taking precedence, or cancelled when I got in the way of myself and started doubting the validity of this crazy notion of “self-care.” Because I am a 4
dorky person who loves researching and learning new things---I gave myself the assignment to get “this thing” figured out. Since I have already been feeling unsuccessful in juggling everything. Living a life of being tired, worried, sleep deprived, unfulfilled, and lacking joy, I was hoping that if nothing else, this self-assignment would be a great distraction. One big realization I made early in this process was how long I have been putting on a show. I have been staging perfection, trying to convince myself that as a wife, mom, teacher, Christian... I had it all together. I realized that although I may be happy, I was not joyful. I am an extreme people-pleaser, over-achieving, Type-A, ADHD (which in my opinion, allows my creativity to shine), quick to commit and overextend myself, master of making sure everyone else comes first, (overwhelmed and anxiety ridden) ninja. In the quest to make everyone happy, keep the peace, problem solve or lighten the load for others, the struggle to say “no” to people is all too often ignored and I am left drowning in a toxic sea of lists, and post-its, and time promised-away to others. Self-care is a way to take my awesome self back! It is a way for me to stay healthy, make myself a priority, and find joy! I have enclosed my (much abbreviated) findings, suggestions (and other not-so pertinent comments) for your personal enjoyment and potential benefit. Please do not read with unrealistically high hopes up or expect to experience life altering enlightenment. Having made this disclaimer, it is my humble hope that you will connect to at least one or two of my experiences and be empowered to increase your own level of teacher self-care. So… here goes… Mantras I have been repeating to myself: “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” “Self-care is not selfish.” “Self-care is fuel for my soul.” “Self-care charges my internal battery.”
Walk
This one is simple and can be done during your personal time or as part of an after-school walking club. Phone-A-Friend Fill your cup by reaching out to an old friend and taking the time to have a real, in person or phone conversation with them. Journal This works best when you designate a specific time of day and place to write. I include coffee. See a counselor
Don’t underestimate the benefit of finding a great therapist! If you have never tried counseling, this is definitely an avenue to learn more about yourself! Practice Meditation Okay… I fell asleep with all that deep breathing. I am going to try again when I can focus a little better! Practice at attitude of gratitude This is also a starting point when journaling, but can also be a mental practice as you go about your day. Cry No really, I think this must be a part of our self-care. Find a place to sit down and have a good cry. Listen to music Discover your Enneagram Type Try something new Take a power nap Although a nap during your normal school day is frowned upon, napping in parking lots or in front of the daycare is perfectly acceptable. Create a list! Make a list of places you want to travel, even go as far as pricing locations, researching the area, imagining what time of year you will be taking this great adventure. Plan a party (or small get together with friends) Best results can be found when inviting a few good friends who are willing to show up after the kids go to bed, arrive in pajamas, bring their own wine, and who will not expect a fancy charcuterie board. Laugh Laugh with friends, students, your significant other, or co-teacher.
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Make a plan!
Arts and crafts-
By Wednesday— have a plan in place for the weekend so that you have something to look forward to. This does not need to be something big. Ideas: coffee with a friend, a daytrip, a new restaurant
Explore a creative craft...or as I like to call it, “add to my closet of Pinterest fails.” Not crafty? Try coloring!
Take a mental health day (or half day). Make plans, do nothing, sleep all day, online shop or walk the mall. Take yourself to lunch, read a book, day drink—- the day is yours! Binge on Netflix I am not a huge fan of watching T.V., however, it is hard to worry about my own “stuff” when watching the drama unfolding before me.
Tidy your home I know, sounds like a task and not in self-care. However, I found that tidy surroundings ultimately led me to less stress and more time to enjoy life. I was not frantically cleaning when someone stopped by and was able to avoid my bad mood upon seeing a sink of dishes. Added bonus: you will get your steps in! Research My personal favorite research was looking into Wine of the month club and joining! Each month when your special treat arrives, you can enjoy the fruits of your research. Don’t know what you like? Try it all! Afraid of the monthly wine (and financial) commitment? Make it point to pick up a few bottles next time you get groceries and invite a small group of friends over for the fun! Drink coffee in the shower Don’t knock it until you try it. Hot water, hot coffee… need I say more? You can thank me later. Take a soothing bubble bath
Cook or bake This could also coincide with starting what is sure to be one of your new favorite shows, The Great British Baking Show (not paid for this advertisement, but wouldn’t that be nice?) Write a letter Pick different people in your friend and family group and go for it. They will enjoy receiving something other than a bill and you will have a moment to yourself to think, reflect, and escape through writing.
Get outdoors While you are out there- get dirty! Although my black-thumb has prevented me from experiencing the joy of gardening, just being outside and breathing in the fresh air is an act of self-care.
Although this was a little too much for me and a task that I failed at. I wish you better luck. I did my best to prepare, research, have supplies such as wine, a book, candles, a special pillow to lay on… It was not my cup of tea. Intentionally pray Take the focus off of yourself and pay it forward with intentional and specific prayers for others. Take on an AB challenge Yes, abdominals. I made a challenge between my classes… after a few weeks, we were all looking forward to this and dreading it at the same time. The best byproduct of this was the teambuilding and laughter we had together, not the abs as I had initially thought.
Go camping Depending on how “rustic” you go-- you may decide to try “glamping” for round 2! Join a gym Free version: go for a walk or run. Note: I have only tried walking.
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Get a Massage
Eat lunch in your locked classroom (or office)
(Even if this means waiting until you find a great Groupon deal!)
Invite no one. Be alone with your thoughts and your loud chewing. Belch if you want to. Surf social media, take a super speedy nap, but do not exit the room unless the fire alarm goes off!
Forced relaxation Invest in a pedicure, manicure, facial or another type of forced relaxation service. Along with massages, these self-care experiences have always had an allure for me, but has not been something that I feel I really get into. Join a bible study This could also mean you organizing a few friends who are interested in doing a virtual bible study. As long as this is a set time as part of your day or week and there are others to hold you accountable, be along for the ride and help support you on this journey. You may find that you love the online option or maybe find more success in meeting a few teacher friends every Friday morning before school.
Eat lunch with a small group I sent an email to the teachers on my hall inviting them to a Friday “ladies lunch.” To my surprise, this has become something that I really look forward to and a way to force myself to slow down. Do not take work home Maybe this is not feasible every night. But pick one day where nothing goes home with you. I briefly contemplated leaving my planner and computer at school as well, but started getting the shakes. Small steps.
Have an afternoon treat Travel Go anywhere. Get lost. Go to a specific destination. Plan and budget and find the best restaurants along the way. Make a bucket list Leave at the end of your contract day This may be one of the more important lessons I have learned. Leave immediately. Do not stay around, make copies, talk to teachers or students. Do not pass go… run from the building. Skip if you must, just leave and don’t turn back. The mess will be there tomorrow. Eat lunch in your locked classroom (or office) Invite no one. Be alone with your thoughts and your loud chewing. Belch if you want to. Surf social media, take a super speedy nap, but do not exit the room unless the fire alarm goes off!
Coffee, chocolate, diet coke, regular coke, French fries. I love to have something very simple to look forward to at the end of the day. Before kids and diapers and daycare (and adulting), I would I buy myself a fancy latte on the way to school every Friday morning. Seems very simple, but if this is not something that you are frequently treating yourself to, it may help train you to appreciate and look forward to the little things.
Juggle Actually try to juggle I suggest scarves before balls or fruit. After working on this alone, I made this into a classroom challenge and had a complete day of fun! This was self-care- turned into group-care and a much needed mental break for all of us! This list is a work in progress and the assignment was an invaluable and eye-opening experience.
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After much trial and error-- a new and improved version of myself is beginning to emerge and I know that the work on myself (and with my students), has only just begun to unfold. I am finding myself and know that I will have more clarity in determining my place in the educational field both now and in the future. As educators, we owe it to ourselves to be reflective not only of our teaching, but of ourselves, of our goals, motivations, and what we need in order to survive and thrive in our workplaces and our homes. Through these examples provided, I have come to believe in the power of self-preservation through impactful self-care. I am grateful for those feelings of “just barely keeping my head above water” as they have forced me to realize that I am the only person who can take the steps to reflect, rejuvenate, relax, and focus. As you, too, embrace the struggle, stay mindful in your search for the little moments you are able to steal away for yourself. Rest assured that the sum of these moments will lead you to become a happier, more balanced and joyful version of yourself. As always, I am a work in progress and would love to learn from your experiences. Please share your simple or extreme, life-altering experiences in self-care with me at: mycoach@leveluplearningacademy.com
Meet Andrea Johnson, M.Ed.
Mrs. Andrea Johnson holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern Iowa, a Master's Degree from the University of North Texas, and Principal Certification from Lamar University. Mrs. Johnson provides personalized oneon-one academic coaching to meet the needs of learners of all ages and abilities, through Level Up Learning Academy (LULA) and meets students virtually all over the country! She’s also had the honor to teach within a variety of content areas including: Theatre, Speech American Sign Language, Special Education Fine Arts, and AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination). Having served over 2,500 students and families, Mrs. Johnson inspires student success and shares her passion by fostering a growth mindset, empowering all students and creating lifelong learners. When not teaching, coaching, or writing curriculum, Mrs. Johnson loves to spend time with her husband and children: Piper, Quinn, and Noah.
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Rethinking Physical Education for All Students By Marcie Adame-Mock If PE coaches had a dollar for every time a classroom teacher asked us to “run” their rambunctious kiddos “ragged,” we’d all retire with a nice size nest egg. Ironically, while physical activity has been proven to help students focus and pay attention, many of the students that struggle the most to stay on task have a harder time transitioning back to their regular classroom environment after physical education classes. It’s time to rethink the function and criteria of PE.
educators vehemently opposed the idea of shared responsibility to meet the mandatory physical activity requirements; and, in so doing, may have missed an even greater health benefit and behavioral strategy. The correlation between physical and social development is no secret, especially to child development experts. They know that structured play is one of the simplest ways for children to learn life skills.
Almost twenty years ago, public schools across the United States began cutting PE time from daily student schedules. With an ever-growing demand for improved test scores, time spent outside of the classroom was reduced to maximize the academic needs of the students. In fact, physical education and recess were in danger of being eliminated altogether. PE time was reduced to 2-3x/week, justified, in part by administrators, as the solution to the mandatory “450 -minutes/ 2-weeks” for teacher planning periods and conference times. When childhood obesity rose significantly, health professionals around the world joined PE coaches to speak-up in support of the need for mandatory physical activity time. Soon, national leaders and world health organizations were advocating for recommending a minimum of 60 minutes per day for children ages 6 to 17 years. *
While childhood obesity has been a huge motivator for supporting regularly scheduled physical activity for youth, the rise in behavioral issues may be an even stronger argument for the role of daily physical activity. Physical activity helps children regulate their anxiety and deal with their emotions. Recent school violence and an increase in behavioral incidences has drawn attention to the need for socialemotional learning national-wide; and, physical educators are just as adept at coaching life skills as fitness skills. Unfortunately, schools remain trapped by their own departmentalization of responsibilities and certifications.
In an effort to be politically responsible, public schools were charged with the task of providing elementary students a minimum of 135 minutes of “moderate to vigorous” physical activity per week, and 30 minutes per day for middle and junior high school students. These “recommendations” were left to school administrators to figure out how to get the minutes in while still meeting the needs of their academic goals. Suddenly, public schools across the nation were coming up with creative solutions that recruited classroom teachers to implement “brain breaks” in their daily lesson plans and tracking time spent at recess; but classroom and physical educators panicked. Classroom teachers were frustrated with the assignment of additional responsibilities; and, physical educators felt threatened that they would be replaced. In a “knee-jerk” reaction, both sets of
At a campus designed exclusively to provide special education services to students with behavioral challenges, I have moved away from a focus on sports and fitness skills to an emphasis on, what I call, “purposeful” education, physical activity that focuses on their specific life skills and socialemotional learning. PE includes weekly lessons on social skills, which correlate to PE TEKS.** Students work with emotional support dogs. We build and maintain produce and flower gardens. We participate in community outreach programs and collaborate with vocational teachers towards the development of “externships.” Additionally, students are offered plenty of opportunities to take walks, lift weights, or use “exercise” or sports equipment to manage their emotions. Personally, while I am deeply satisfied with the success of these outcomes, I am equally frustrated with the traditional mindset and format of physical
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education programs in general. That is to say, to meet the mandatory 135 minutes of physical activity, our students are required to attend a 50-minute PE class 3-5x/week, despite their special educational needs. It astonishes me that, while accommodations are made for how these students receive education in the classroom, there is a lack of understanding with regards to how students receive physical education. Students are still expected to participate in a traditional gym environment which can be loud and overstimulating. Students, accommodated by small class groups and 2:1 student:teacher ratios, are combined with other classes in the gym. Additionally, a general belief that all children know how to “play” often give staff a false sense of assurance where support staff often disengage or worse disappear. Students, especially traumatized and emotionally disturbed youth, lack the self-awareness needed for appropriate play and must be actively monitored at all times. Typically, both educators and students assume that PE classes are supposed to be high volume, energetically charged, and, even “chaotic” which can be intimidating to highly sensitive or traumatized students.
environments that are better suited to accommodate their special needs. If school districts could retire the old mindset that PE teachers simply coach fitness and sports skills, campuses could have access to professionals who are indeed Life Coaches. Perhaps an integration of mind and body curriculum orchestrated in a partnership between classroom and physical educators is the key, not only to long-term academic success, but success in life. * https://health.gov/paguidelines/secondedition/pdf/ Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf ** http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/ chapter116/
Meet Marcie Adame-Mock…
Traditional PE classes with 45 minutes of highly stimulating movement and sound are a recipe for behavioral setbacks with these students. Staff mistakenly believe that, the longer and more active students are during PE class, the better able they will be able to focus on a task later. In actuality, students can become overstimulated and have a hard time returning to the classroom without additional time to transition calmly. On the other hand, some students suffer an extreme drop in energy after intense environmental stimulation and become even more fidgety in an effort to simply stay awake in the quiet and slower-paced classroom. Moving forward, I believe that students with behavioral challenges would benefit more from PE programs implemented throughout the day when students (and staff) need it most. Instead of at a designated 45-minute assigned time that meets the needs of the school’s schedule, with the help of PE professionals, classroom teachers and students could get a variety of 5 to 10-minute planned movement activities for academic breaks. Teachers could use the gym or playgrounds to teach engaging lessons from the physical sciences to the language arts. PE teachers could facilitate weekly lessons in socialemotional skill development and provide these students opportunities to practice socially appropriate behavior in smaller, cooperative
Marcie Adame is celebrating her 15th year in Garland ISD and her 5th year at Pathfinder Achievement Center (PAC) in Garland, Texas, a school dedicated to students who have endured severe trauma. Before being recruited to PAC, Coach Adame taught at Kimberlin Academy for Excellence, an elementary school for gifted and talented
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Save it for a Rainy Day! Activities that Can Turn Rainy Days into Inside Fun Days By Paige Tritchler I am preaching to the choir when I say this: play is important for kids! Play is important when kids are young and it continues to be a motivating platform for learning and teaching well into adulthood. There are a plethora of skills that can be targeted during play: fine motor, vocabulary, syntax, interpersonal negotiation ... The list is never ending! That’s part of the reason why I became a school based SLP. I love to play and it is a blessing to have a career that incorporates my enthusiasm for fun and games. Below is a list of my favorite games to play with children and some idea of what skills children are learning while they play. These games can be used as carry-over activities for children diagnosed with a language delay or just fun activities to foster communication skills in any learner, including typically developing children. If you are a general education teacher looking for some activities for your “Fun Friday” box, hopefully this list will you give you inspiration.
Early Elementary (Grades 1-2) Candyland by Hasbro: To be honest, I’m a bit sick of Candyland, but that’s because children request to play it over and over and over again. If kids were in charge, I’m pretty sure we would be playing Candyland all day, every day. On the surface, the game teaches counting, color recognition, and turn taking. There are many “expansion packs” available on the web, particularly Teachers Pay Teachers, where you can purchase modified cards that target any skill imaginable. Beyond that, Candyland is great for addressing social-emotional skills, such as handling disappointment and practicing good sportsmanship. Candyland is a game of chance with no strategy involved. Every kid wants to get that lucky card to take them all the way to Candy Castle, but there’s only a 1.5% chance of that happening (Candyland teaches math, too!). There will be no “do-overs” when a child draws a disappointing card.
Go Fish: Go Fish is an infinitely adaptable game, similar to Candyland. Played with a typical deck of Count Your Chickens! By Peaceable Kingdom: cards, Go Fish targets number recognition and This is an adorable cooperative board game that inexecutive functioning skills such as memory and volves counting baby chicks and moving them to their attention. It’s also a great opportunity to practice home. I like that the mechanics of this game force kids expressive language, by encouraging children to speak to work together to meet their goal. This game also in complete sentences and address other players’ by works great for learning farm vocabulary (chicken, their names. Just like Candyland, it’s easy to purchase dog, cow, tractor, etc) and 1-1 correspondence / modified cards on education sites to target a counting skills. Children will also get to exercise their particular skill. Kids also love to get the chance to little hands by manipulating the tokens, moving a practice manipulating cards by shuffling and dealing. game piece, and using a spinner. For kids who struggle with fine motor, card holders Raccoon Rumpus by might be useful. Educational Insights: In Raccoon Rumpus, children Upper Elementary and Secondary: are invited to disguise their The Disney Meme Game by Cardinal : I use this game raccoons as any number of to target metalinguistic skills (thinking about oral and colorful outfits. This game written language and how it is used) and perspective is great for learning vocabtaking. This is game is played similarly to Apples to ulary for different occupations, such as doctor, Apples, where players take turns as Judge, evaluating lifeguard, and scientist. If you play by the “memes” created by the other players. Kids get to the official rules, kids will also get the show off their own sense of humor, and the fun is opportunity to practice matching and barely diminished when I make them stop to explain sorting by color. The dice are chunky and perfect for small hands. their jokes. To win, players have to predict and infer Ages 3-6
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what the Judge might find funny, so a little bit of social-thinking is required as well. Meow by Asmadi Games: Meow is an adorable bluffing game that helps practice body-awareness and facial expressions, which is perfect if you have some learners on the Autism Spectrum in your classroom. In Meow, “Not Meows” must infiltrate a secret meeting of “Meows.” Kids are encouraged to observe each others’ facial expressions while trying to control their own. Silliness ensues. The rules are very simple and most children will be able to learn them in less than five minutes. Overall, a great game to encourage social interactions with peers.
Give kids a little encouragement to help them initiate and maintain play. They may need some scripted phrases to help them out, even something as simple as practicing, “Will you play a game with me?” I like to have my students commit to playing a game all the way to the end, which helps develop their attention spans and reinforces sportsmanship. It’s also a good opportunity to do some social-thinking and predict how others might feel if a player tries to end the game early. Most of all, happy gaming!
General Tips for Gameplay As much as possible, let the kids negotiate for who goes first. Kids may need to have this modeled or be preloaded with ideas, such as roshambo / rock-paperscissors.
Meet Paige Tritschler… Paige is a Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist who has over a decade of experience working with students who have communication needs, especially those students with neurological disorders, including, but not limited to, Autism. She incorporates play therapy into the majority of her lessons to stimulate both socialization and language development for the students she works with. Her love of working with students on the spectrum is evident to anyone in her presence when she is teaching.
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Home is the Most Important Classroom My Easy Decision to Leave the Classroom To Become a Fulltime Mom By Robyn Delahunt, Ed.D.
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Home is the Most Important Classroom By Robyn Delahunt, Ed.D. I am an artist, a writer, a parent, and a teacher. If I am not actively doing artwork, that does not mean I cease being an artist. It means I am not currently performing activities tied to or associated with the actions typically performed by an artist. For me, being an artist encompasses more than the act of creating work. It is the manner in which I see things, process visual information, and how I creatively interpret content and respond to it. When I am not writing, that does not mean I cease being a writer. I am a writer because I think in storytelling terms. I look around, I contemplate, and I consider how my experiences and events in my life and in the lives of others impact life itself. There are times when I have at least twenty separate stories building and formulating themselves in my mind, but I am not ready to put them to pen to paper quite yet. Like creating a piece of art, writing an article, paper, or book has a gestational period before the birthing process. A piece of art or writing needs to grow and develop into a viable and strong organic element before it is successfully birthed. If the artist or writer is not in a good place, mentally, emotionally, or physically, then the piece will either never be conceived or it will not thrive to the point of birth during the developmental process. Even after my children are fully grown and out of my house, I will be a parent. I will always be a parent. People who lose their children still consider themselves a parent. Once you have had a child, you are and will always be a parent. You may not be a “mom” or a “dad”, because those titles are reserved for those who fulfill their unwritten contract to care, love, and provide for that child they conceived, but once you have had a child, you are, by nature’s definition, a parent. Becoming a parent for me was seamless being that I have always been somewhat “parental” in my management of others. Since I was a child, I have felt the need to protect those that need protecting, to nurture those who need nurturing, and to care for those who seem in need of care. Becoming a mom to management of others. Since I was a child, I have felt the need to protect those that need protecting, to nurture those who need nurturing, and to care for those who seem in need of care. Becoming a mom to my son, and then to my two daughters ten years
later, is the most natural and fulfilling experience in my life. They are my greatest loves and my highest priority, so when their safety and security was compromised, their protection, care, and love over-rode my fourth defining role; that of teacher. I am not currently teaching in a classroom or for a district, but that does not mean that I no longer consider myself a teacher. Being a teacher, like being an artist or a writer, is tied to perception`, responsiveness, outlook, and manner. How many teachers do you know continue to teach when they explain basic, everyday situations or events? Have you ever noticed that teachers are always looking for learning and teaching opportunities around them in the most mundane and banal arenas? It is because being a teacher is who they are, not what they do. They can not help themselves. It is innately part of their being. Like other professionals that place care above all else, teachers whole-heartedly believe that knowledge is power, that education is key to gaining knowledge, and that learning is a life-long, neverending process. A historical event is not only data, but an opportunity to learn a lesson on human frailties and to gain perspective on how to modify what does not work and assimilate those actions that bring about positive change. A trip to the store with a small child is not simply an outing, but an opportunity to learn addition, subtraction, and budgeting. A walk through a park can turn into a scientific study on plants and animals regarding natural habitats and its inhabitants. A teacher corrects regularly (much to the dismay of their children and spouses), but where they may be seen as a stickler or nitpicker by others, they see themselves as an educator to those who are in need of an education (like it or not). If you are a good teacher, you understand that your own learning process is never-ending as well. Willingness to be a lifelong learner in all things in life makes an instructor and student of life a true educator. 15
Learning that it was going to be impossible to adequately perform both roles during a time when my children were struggling with a variety of serious issues that related to both physical and mental health problems, I chose my kids. I will always choose my kids, over everyone else, including myself, because I am a parent before all else. I may be an artistic teacher who loves to advocate through the written word, but I do all those things as a mother first. It was not a difficult choice to leave the classroom when I did. As a special education teacher, much of the time the stress from daily school routines is enough to drive a less patient individual out of the room, never to return, but add on issues with paraprofessionals who need almost as much guidance as the children they are supposed to be supporting, curriculum that is inappropriate, and a disengaged administration that seemed more dedicated to persecution than positivity, well you have quite a good deal to emotionally digest, even on good days. The last year I was in the classroom, my two daughters were going to two different schools on opposite sides of town and neither was in an emotionally healthy enough place to be left alone unsupervised, so I was in a panic every morning trying to get to school at a reasonable time—and let’s just say that was not the expected 45 minutes prior to school starting. Despite my speaking with campus administrators about my conundrum, I could see by the glazed, disconnected look and their condescending manner, they neither cared nor were in the least bit empathetic about my situation. Their dismissive response was typically “well, you are just going to have to find a way to get them to their schools and you here at your contractually obligated time”. (I would like to qualify this statement with the fact that I spent many Saturdays and even a few Sundays at school, and they were not part of a contractual obligation, but a personal dedication to my position as a teacher, but I digress.) Before you assume that no one at school knew what was going on with my children, I reassure you that they did. Both of my daughters attended the school that I taught at and struggled with their issues while they were both there. Everyone knew, and I mean everyone, about the struggles my family was dealing with. I received advice from those without an iota of personal experience in these areas of parenthood and many times the advice revolved around tough love. Thankfully, my maternal instincts never allowed misguided feedback to cloud my judgement on how to best care for my children, so the day
that I was told by an administrator that my younger daughter’s behavior had made me look bad as a mother and a teacher, I knew it was time to give up my position of teacher and focus solely on my role of mom. In November of 2018, immediately after Thanksgiving break, I left the school that I had given 12 years of my life, energy, creativity, and resourcefulness to and never walked through those doors as a classroom teacher ever again. You know how I mentioned that a parent is still a parent even after their child passes before they do? Well, the possibility of that happening with both of my daughters was a reality, so all the energy I split between teaching and parenting started being channeled solely into becoming the best mom I could be to them. I was goal driven in my quest to find ways to best support my children as they moved towards a sense of peace and calm. It was my only purpose at the time and by being more engaged and focused, I was able to establish patterns and recognize signs before the catastrophic storms hit. I was able to perform as a capable, proactive parent and not as a discombobulated, reactive one. By giving my girls, and at times, my son who is ten years older than my older daughter, a full-time parent, I feel I have played a major part in their surviving the issues that plagued them. We still have our moments of relapses and depression, but they are now intercepted and managed during their early stages before they are too big to control. Tough love was never an option for me as a parent. Maybe it works for others, but it is not, nor will it ever be, who I am as a person, parent, or teacher. Walking away from the classroom and deciding to stay away in lieu of caring for my children was the best choice I could have made for them and our family. Do I still see myself as a teacher despite not being in the classroom? Of course, I do, much in the same way I see myself as an artist when I am not painting, or as a writer when I am not writing. Not actively working in a classroom as a teacher does not impact my intrinsic sense of being an educator. I do not need a classroom to verify that I am a teacher. I do not need a canvas to reassure myself that I am an artist. I do not need to be writing to know I am a writer, but I do need my three children here with me to be a parent, because without them, my primary purpose no longer exists. I will not be a parent without my children. That is not an option. Everything else is…
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When One More Thing Is One Thing Too Much! By Sadie Dalton When I first began teaching elementary, my principal always ended staff meetings by exclaiming, “One more thing!” as she began to dictate another district or campus initiative. During that same time, she would also state in emails, “But wait there’s more,” as another mandated task was declared. It was a running joke at department meetings and staff meetings. It was a short three years before I decided that I remembered the grass being greener on the other side of the public education spectrum and headed back to high school. I was warned that things had changed, but I failed to recognize the warning signs glaring in enormous neon letters right in my face. High school was no longer a haven of autonomy, but a prison of meetings, deadlines, and impossible standards. It is currently Wednesday, and I have already attended six meetings totaling over four hours. My work week still has at least two more meetings on the calendar for a grand total of six to eight hours of meetings. Eight hours is supposedly an entire day of teaching with contract hours of 8:30-4:45, in which I am supposed to be teaching the country’s future. I’m also supposed to spend that time planning, doing case management for a caseload of approximately fifteen special education students, making copies, posting assignments to Google Classroom, writing IEPs, checking in with teachers to prepare IEPs, contacting parents of failing students or students with other issues that need to be addressed, offering targeted intervention, and offer regular tutorials. The one thing I failed to mention that I needed to do between the hours of 8:30 and 4:45 was teaching. When I began teaching thirteen years ago, I was young and idealist, but eager to do what I needed to do to teach. By no means was I a great teacher to write home about that first year. I barely struggled to keep my head above water. I don’t think I called a parent other than through a robocall. I occasionally emailed parents with concerns if they initiated the conversation. My planning period was spent, planning and preparing my lessons for my classes. I was able to research quality lesson plans and incorporate meaningful technology applications. Creativity and a fresh look at English curriculum using innovative technology were how I made a name for myself. I was hard-working getting in around 7:00 and leaving a 5:00 or 6:00 and then spending a few more hours at home grading and planning.
Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, life has happened in those thirteen years. I have gotten married, earned a master’s degree, supported my husband through two master’s degrees, and had three wonderful daughters with unique needs all their own (giftedness, dyslexia, and premature birth). During this time, I have transitioned from the world of general education to the unique world of special education. I have also vacillated from teaching to pure case management to teaching/case management to Special Education assistant department chair and back to the classroom. Through each twist and turn of my journey, one thing has remained constant…the ever-increasing workload. 44% of new teachers leave the profession within 5 years of obtaining their first job. (Will, 2018) I find that totally believable. In my years’ teaching, I have seen teachers come and go, some forced out by administration and others left by choice. Many of these teachers were quality teachers who truly cared about their students and the education they were receiving. Currently the average teacher has over 14 years of experience, and over half of all teachers hold a postbaccalaureate degree (Walker, 2018). Yet, the average salary of these teachers sits in around $58,950 across the United States (Caffee, 2017), nearly $10,000 a year less than other professional occupations and paling in comparison of other professions holding advanced degrees to a tune of 81k a year (Doyle, 2019). Every year the list requirements for teachers becomes longer, and we are held to high standards. We should be temples of excellence providing the best possible education for the future of our country, but at some point, enough is enough. Parents expect us to raise their children, administration expects us to build relationships with students, educate them, keep in constant contact with their parents, provide them counseling, bring them up to grade level after being below grade level since they started school, and so much more. Administrators undervalue us, parents expect us to be the personal liaison and tutor to their children, and we have incredibly high expectations on ourselves for the quality of education with disseminate to our young pupils. Lately I feel as though I have reached that breaking point. This year end of year exhaustion and frustration peaked early, instead of the usual early May, with only weeks left to survive the school year, I have reached the pinnacle of frustration incredibly early, the end of August. 17
The frustration was brought on by a lack of appropriate resources for my students, an incredible workload on my to do list, needy parents, being split between two departments, one of which had incredible internal conflict before I arrived on the scene and the objective for this year is the clean it up and the other department on of highly contentious parents threating to sue the school if they sneeze wrong, which in turn ups the ante on quality of work in which we produce. There was also the influx of meetings eating up all my time to produce that quality work. My campus also endured the loss of a great teacher the first week of school to a motorcycle accident. The last week or two, I have pondered the question of when is one more thing too much and I just walk out the doors one last time and say goodbye to beloved students and colleagues alike. There were days during the past semester that I seriously pondered leaving education but realized in the end it was what I loved despite are of the hardships and opportunity costs for my family to get ahead. I hate that the thought even crossed my mind, and I keep praying that something will change and that one more thing will not occur, but I am afraid that sooner rather than later someone somewhere will ask me and my fellow teachers to do one more thing and I will hang up my hat for the final time.
Weeks Law Firm, Plano Leaving a Loving Legacy Call 214-269-4290
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Teacher Support and Healing through Visual Journaling By Christine Miller, M. Ed.
Two of my classroom (and life) “rules” are:
Have compassion for yourself and others (in other words, put your oxygen mask on first before you help someone on with theirs)
Bless it, and release it
These rules were definitely directed to my young high school students who could be hard on themselves (and others), and could stubbornly hang onto a grievance or hurt that kept them in a state of discomfort. But, they were also daily reminders to me. As their teacher, I had to have compassion for myself when I didn’t implement a lesson as well as I thought I could; or when I reacted to a student in a manner that I regretted; or if I bungled a communication between a parent or colleague. And when I held onto my own frustrations of being an imperfect teacher, I had to repeat to myself to “Bless it, and release it” until I returned to a more balanced state.
aspect of my personality enabled me to be compassionate, supportive, and loving to my students. But the negative feeling aspect meant I also felt the negative emotions and actions that came my way; I didn’t know how to protect myself from them to stay in a healthy frame of mind. Teaching was proving to be the ultimate real life roller coaster with amazing highs and terrifying lows, and I’m not a big fan of roller coasters! During my undergraduate art education studies at the University of North Texas, my art education cohort was visited by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox with a presentation about their book: Visual Journaling, Going Deeper than Words – Using Art to: •
Reduce Stress
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Release Anger
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Resolve Conflicts
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Get in Touch with Feelings
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Give Voice to your Soul
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EVEN IF YOU CAN’T DRAW! (Capitalization emphasis by author).
Often if you mention journaling to an individual who is not “an artist”, they will dismiss the process because “they can’t draw a straight line” or “they don’t have a creative bone in their body”.
Let me dial the story back a few years. I entered the teaching profession at the age of 50, and I thought I knew what I was getting myself into! I had already held a variety of jobs with some management positions, so I mistakenly believed I would flow into this new pathway fairly smoothly. Boy, was I wrong! In the Myers-Briggs personality type system, I am an ENFJ, but for the purposes of this article I want to emphasize the F – that symbolizes being a “Feeler”. The Positive feeling
One of the best things about the visualjournaling process is that you don’t have to be an artist, nor do you need any previous art experience or what some people call “artistic talent.” Everyone has the ability to express feelings and emotions using their inner language of imagery. (pg. 5 Ganim & Fox) Through their anecdotal stories, I came to understand that using visual journaling wasn’t about “if” I would need it, but “when” I would need it. They planted a seed in my thinking that I will always be grateful for.
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It wasn’t too long into this new career path that I began journaling, and I was not a regular journaling kind of person. But instinctively I knew that I needed a place to process the scope of emotions and that that were coming at me. Reaching for pen, pencil, paper, or glue allowed me to work through a situation in my own way, using my own words and visual representations. I am not a naturally gifted 2D artist, and drawing during art school was stressful. I am a more naturally 3D artist that likes to construct and build. Despite my supposed lack of drawing skills, I dove right in to my journal, and throughout my teaching career, I kept at least one journal, sometimes more, to help me process my job and the variety of emotions I was feeling. And, let me emphasize one visual journaling point: it was not always about the bad stuff! I also used the journal to celebrate the positive things that happened as I moved down my path! This was essential for keeping the balance in my life and for honoring the entire spectrum of my experiences. Some of the journal entries I am including here are called “Zentangle”, and this is a great entry point for people who are not accustomed to drawing. Zentangle is a drawing method that uses patterns to build an image, and they give you step by step instructions on how to draw a variety of patterns. You can find LOTS of info about Zentangle at their website: https://zentangle.com/ Drawing with the Zentangle method is so calming and meditative. My students learned how to draw Zentangle patterns, and they loved it as well. So, if you need a jumping off point, this is a great one.
I can hear the protests right now as you are reading this, “But I don’t have any time to journal!” Well, I understand the crunch of time. But if you take just a few minutes out of a day to spend a little time drawing, and you build on that drawing over the course of a few days, before you know it you will have completed a journal entry! Laura and Matt Grundler head up a valuable teaching resource, The Creativity Department. The Creativity Department/GrundlerArt.com is to connect creatively minded educators with ideas and colleagues. Building a Professional Learning Network and a community of arts advocates via the #K12ArtChat twitter chat and the Creativity Department podcast. Their website has lots of great resources to help you find balance and self care in your hectic career. Laura and Matt are super busy like the rest of us, Laura is the Visual Arts Coordinator of Plano ISD’s art educators, and Matt is a middle school art educator. Their collaborative life has them hosting twitter chats, presenting at state and national conferences, and leading professional development sessions on visual journaling. But, despite their super busy schedule, they are both avid, daily visual journalers!
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So give it a try! Don’t get too hung up about experimenting. In the Resource section of this article, I have listed some of my favorite visual journaling books for you to check out. Look on YouTube for videos, check out Pinterest, follow visual journaling hashtags on Instagram. There are tons of pathways to creating more balance in your life through visual journaling. And, the most important ingredient to your investigation is to…
Resources: Carriker, P., (2010), Art at the Speed of Life, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO Ganim & Fox, (1999) Visual Journaling, Going Deeper than Words, The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, IL 60189-0270 Harrison, S.W. (ND), Spilling Open: the Art of Becoming Yourself, Villard, New York, NY Scott, E.M. & Modler, D.R., (2010), The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict, North Light Books, Cincinnati, OH The Creativity Department, https://www.grundlerart.com/ The Myers & Briggs Foundation, https://www.myersbriggs.org/ Wakley, D., (ND), Art Journal Courage: Fearless Mixed Media Techniques for Journaling Bravely, North Light Books, Cincinnati, OH Zentangle, https://zentangle.com/
Meet Christine Miller... Christine Miller is a life long fiber artist and a retired art educator. She currently conducts a variety of fiber classes and workshops. She participates in k-12 art education classes as a presenter and visiting artist. Christine continues to advocate for fiber as a fine art material through her collaborative website www.explorefiber.com. “Beneath the Surface” is a collaborative installation of her work and her husband’s, Keith Miller (www.keithmillerartist.com), opening November 2019. For more information about this Dallas exhibition, check out her personal art website https:// artistteacherjournal.com/coral-reefinstallation/
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Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree: Every Mother’s “Meh…” By Robyn A. Delahunt, Ed.D. I remember reading Shel Silverstein’s book The Giving Tree and not really understanding that the tree represented a mother’s willingness to give everything of herself in order to satisfy her child’s comfort and happiness until I was expecting my first child. It always brought tears to my eyes when I read this book because the selflessness of the tree was so moving, but before I was a mother to be, I did not recognize that the “boy,” who selfishly kept taking from the tree without regard for her sacrifices, represents the depleting effect children have on their mothers. All I knew was that I did not care for that “boy”. He was entitled and ungrateful and once he took her trunk in order to make a boat and then stayed away for a long time, leaving her lonely and waiting for his return, well that was too much for me. That ungrateful little jerk basically consumed the one thing in his life that was willing to give all of itself in order to keep him happy. In fact, his happiness and presence were the only things that made the tree happy, but that did not stop me from feeling resentfulness towards the “boy”. Boy oh boy that “boy” really had some nerve. Now I am a mother of three children, a 27-year-old son and two daughters who are 17 and 16, and I realize that the tree maintained her tree like figure as long as she did because she only had one child to satisfy. If she had had two or more kids to keep happy, that book would have been much shorter, and her trunk probably would have been removed and turned into mulch for one of their gardens. My kids, as much as I love them, consume me daily. I give them what they ask for and it makes them happy for a very short while, but not long enough for me to regenerate before the next one is in need of something else. I hear the word “mom” constantly shouted from throughout the house. Not “mom, I love you”, but “mom, can you…?” or “mom, will you…?” or “mom, I need…!”. As for my feelings, many times I feel happy when I give of myself to them, but sometimes I feel manipulated, and there are quite a few times that I flat-out feel played like a Kentucky fiddle. My kids know my weaknesses and play upon them like maestro on a Steinway. They know I am a sucker for them when they are sweet and snuggly. They know that if they channel that adorable six-year-old, I will cave. It’s every mom’s kryptonite. When they become that six-year-old “boy” or “girl”, we are putty in their hands. I need to reassure the reader that my children love me, and we have a wonderful relationship, but they also know me and how to yank my proverbial chain to get what they want. And I am fully aware that many of you reading this believe that we make our own monsters as parents through enabling and co-dependency. All that being said, there is not one invested parent who has not been manipulated or depleted at some point and to some degree by their child. Some of us just have a higher pain tolerance than others for manipulation tactics, so haters or those in denial, slow your roll. The issue with most moms is that we always see our kids as they were when they were most connected to us--as that loving small child who wanted to simply sit in our branches and rest in our shade. If you read the book, you will notice that the tree never referred to the “boy” as “man”, even after he is very old, because she always sees him as that sweet child, swinging on her branches, lovingly interacting and actively engaging with her. As they got older, she felt disappointment that he was not spending time with her, but she was always excited to see him after long bouts of time and space that he manifested between visits, even if she knew her came looking for something else from her. Her joy came from knowing that there was once a time that he simply enjoyed being with her and the promise that he may return one day with that simple and innocent sentiment. But in the end, all she had left for him was a place to sit and rest. No shade, no food, no resources, just a stump to sit on.
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Poor stupid sap of a tree. (Trust me, I am the same kind of sap!) How is it that parents become a non-renewable resource to deplete as children become older? You see it all the time. From entitled teenagers to young adult children still financially dependent on their parents to older children fighting their siblings for their parents’ assets, many parents transition from their children’s life line to their primary line of credit. Make no mistake, I am far from the only person who has interpreted this seemingly innocuous story of selfless love as a cautionary tale for parents to consider when they find themselves being depleted by their children, whether it is emotionally or financially. Elissa Strauss goes as far to note that, “The Giving Tree is not actually a happy book about giving, but a meditation on longing and the passing of time. The boy and the tree are just like the rest of us: they can't get no satisfaction. They are trapped in a co-dependent relationship — to use a psychological phrase —with the boy as the narcissistic taker and the tree as the compulsive enabler. Neither can break away from this pattern, which is why the ending is so tragic (The Week, 2014)”. Yikes! But the ending is tragic because it is steeped in the reality that parents, especially moms, find themselves completely consumed by their children. So maybe the moral of the story is meant for parents, especial mothers, to remember they need to remain whole, physically, mental, emotionally, and financially, in order to avoid becoming a stump of a human being. Or maybe it is a message to children that their parents are not a renewable resource to draw from, but the only people who will stand by you and love you without conditions throughout every stage of your life—from “boy” to “man”. References: Silverstein, S. (1964). The Giving Tree. New York: Harper & Row. Strauss, E. (2014, October 17). The uncomfortable truth in The Giving Tree. Retrieved from The Week: https://theweek.com/articles/443019/ uncomfortable-truth-giving-tree
This article is dedicated to my dad, Robert James Mooney, who has always been and continues to be my Giving Tree. I hope that, as the “boy” in our story together, my actions reflect appreciations and not expectations. May he know that his branches will always be supported and that he will always find the comfort from my sisters and I that he has provided for us over the past 54 years. I love you, dad,—my Giving Tree, for living through example and by demonstrating boundless love, support, and a safe place to rest when your children have needed security that only a parent can provide.
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Teacher Inclusion Frustrations By Sherry Burton Gleason When I began my teaching career, students with challenging disabilities, severe learning deficits, and medical issues weren’t included in traditional classrooms; they attended classes with other challenged students with teachers who specialized in educating and nurturing them. Eventually “inclusion” was born, and even though I’d by then had a few years of teaching under my belt, my frustrations soon began as an “inclusive” classroom teacher. Following the provided, detailed IEPs helped, but I knew that there were major gaps in my knowledge. Nurses and special education teachers are angels in my view...they do amazing, selfless acts in difficult situations in order to help the students who are struggling. I quickly found out that I’m no angel, no matter how hard I tried to be. While we didn’t always have enough special education aides, we've had helpful, creative, competent special-education departments in the schools where I’ve taught. The teachers consistently provided us with assistance and ideas, but I still never felt that I had a handle on how I was supposed to help students with special needs. I didn’t take college courses that focused on special education, and I received no training before special-needs’ students were placed in my English classes. I never felt that I was capable of being that kind of special teacher. I did joyously find that the other students were accepting and helpful...I was the one who felt inadequate. Because some of the students’ needs were so different from their peers who did not have accommodations or modifications, I never knew how to make the inclusion students feel a part of the class. Even though I had never received specific instructions or guidance as to what would work and what wouldn’t, I certainly wanted them to feel comfortable and safe. I wanted them to be able to participate and enjoy activities the same as other students. I never knew how to ask for help because I wasn’t even sure of what direction I needed. It finally ended up being trial by error. I treated them the same way I would want my own child treated - with warmth, normalcy, kindness, and concern. I talked to them as I would any other student. I gave them the same opportunities that all had, but I modified where needed. That seemed to work.
I never knew how to adjust assignments or how to actually grade these students’ efforts. I wanted to be fair to all students in the classroom, but I knew I would need to adjust on several levels. I decided to see how much effort the students could give and how I could, at the same time, challenge them and help them grow. We individually talked, compromised, and agreed on how learning would progress. By including the students in the decisions, we were able to work out a smooth path for learning. They asked for help most of the time, and I always checked for understanding. That seemed to work. I never knew how to discipline/correct students who received special education services. I wanted to be kind and gentle, especially to them, but I didn’t want the general education students to feel that I was giving an unfair advantage to those students who had IEPs (Individualized Education Program). Much of the time, having to deal with classroom outbursts took away from my teaching, so finding ways of dealing helped me stay focused on every student. Being calm and patient and speaking to them privately kept them out of the limelight. If the students with special education services had the comprehensive skill set to perform expected tasks, I encouraged them to use their problem-solving skills. When students with special needs struggled to keep up with their peers, I paired them with buddies whom they trusted; the buddies could act as bridges between the students with special needs and me. I held high expectations for them, just as I did for all students. That seemed to work.
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A final, huge issue for me was the amount of paperwork and regulations that accompanied teaching special education students. I don’t think I ever got used to filling out forms and accountability trackers, documenting everything, attending ARDs (Annual Review and Dismissal meetings), and remembering every accommodation for every student with an IEP. This was added to my already full day of teaching 130+ mainstreamed students, grading, duties, meetings, sponsoring clubs, attending after-school activities, and planning. It became overwhelming, and I felt mostly frustration as to how I was supposed to get everything done that needed to be done. That exasperation never eased, and to this day, I feel that I didn’t do as good of a job as I could have done. The worst part was that I never planned on teaching students with disabilities, so a bit of resentment and then guilt crept in also. I had always gotten along well with all students, and I was used to running a successful classroom where students felt safe to learn. I found out though that even as hard as I tried, I just couldn’t be that angel in the classroom.
Some teachers find that there’s a lack of administrative support; however, I never felt that. I do think that administrators have no clue what teachers are actually dealing with in the classroom. We seamlessly go about our days, and we seem to be holding things together. I think most administrators would try to help ease our frustrations if they knew of them, but I don’t think they’re any better equipped to deal with all that’s involved than teachers are. They’re bound by regulations, just as we are. Our jobs are difficult enough without having more responsibilities in areas we’re not trained or certified in. Teachers need to make their voices heard and must ask for more support. People who aren’t in the classroom daily have no clue what we’re facing.
Meet Sherry Gleason Sherry is a retired English teacher who dedicated thirty years of her life to education. She earned a B.A. in English from U.T. Arlington and a Master’s degree in Educational Supervision from Texas Woman’s University. Before embarking on her teaching career, she worked at U.T. Southwestern Medical School as an editor for Williams Obstetrics textbook. Afterwards, she worked for a cardiologist/internist and later for a dental group specializing in reconstructive dental surgery. During her long teaching career, she taught English grades 9-12, Creative Writing, Pre-IB English, Humanities, e-school, and SAT/ACT test prep. In addition, she served in numerous leadership positions, including instructional specialist, team leader, department chair, teacher mentor, and curriculum writer. Currently, she substitutes in Plano ISD, where she continues to teach and inspire.
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It’s Time to Get Real! Can You Handle It? By LM Advice Columnist, Kimmie Conlon
Dear Kimmie, Am I crazy or what? I teach Pre-AP English and I keep getting these AVID students and/or Special Education students. Why? There can’t keep up with the rigor and I feel like I must dumb everything just to for them. I think the other kids are just as frustrated. How can I get everyone to understand they need to go back to regular English?
Done with All of This “Inclusion” Dear Done with All of This Inclusion, While I’m a certified WebMD doctor in my mind, I can’t classify you as crazy; however, I will gently say that you don’t understand Inclusion. I will also say this is not your fault as it appears that you have not been properly educated on the principles of Inclusion. This upsets me because it means that your principal is not properly educated on this matter and central office is not functioning as a team. It’s a common phenomenon around the country. I’m going to give you a few steps to help you climb out of your frustration and empower you (not to get rid of students) but to ask the right questions to get the answers you really seek – how to help these students in your class that are just probably sitting there feeling honored that they finally get to be “seen” for the first time. Step 1: Reflect. AVID and Special Education students are looking for coaches to coach them to excellence. There is a 99% chance that before they got to your class, everyone only saw what they couldn’t do. Be the person to see what they can do and work on that to build their confidence because they are both scared and excited to be in your class. Step 2: Clarify. Ask for detailed information on the AVID and Special Education Student. I’m talking detailed. Not surface level. I’m going to use Special Education as the example. You need to know the following: Eligibility – How do they qualify? Original and current FIE report – Don’t allow anyone to give you a brief summary. That’s an interpretation of someone-else’s report. You are the teacher of record and you need to review the entire document because it provides background information you may not know. Accommodations – you may have them, but why does the student have them? Sometimes they are outdated. If no one is showing you how to implement the accommodations, go to http://acentral.education/. This cite should become your best friend for all students.
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Goals/Objectives – these are probably poorly written if they are tied to turning in homework, getting to class on time, or the TEKS. These should be addressing actual skill deficits. Want to test me out, go to https://www.interventioncentral.org/teacherresources/curriculum-based-measurement-probes-writing to get a writing probe. While outdated looking, it provides directions on administering a writing probe. Give it to your identified struggling writers. Locate the appropriate skill deficit and create a goal for it. If they don’t have one, then that’s a strength you should build on. Step 3: Alternative Methods. You are in a Pre-AP class. It is not AP and even if it was, it’s okay if the student does not pass the AP exam. No one is going to die or become injured over it. That will be a life lesson for the student and their parents. Failure is an okay option. I fail all the time and I survive it. Step 4: Communicate. If the special education teacher is not a great communicator and you get push back on what you are trying to explain, it is because they don’t understand what you do as much as you don’t understand what they do. Begin the conversation and hold out the olive branch. It’s hard to start the conversation, but if you stick to it, I promise, magic will happen. Good luck,
Kimmie Dear Kimmie, Is there a faster way to get a student the services he needs in special education? I put him in RtI and they still have not referred him for special education. I can’t even anymore with these people and this system. I thought RtI was the road to special education.
Can’t Even Dear Can’t Even, To be quite honest, I can’t even anymore either. I hear you and I’m absolutely frustrated….frustrated that were not provided with a clear understanding of RtI and that you think Special Education is going to profoundly help this student. The student will more than likely not leave your class to go to a special education setting, because you are the specialist in content while special education is a support and service. In most cases, they supplement, not supplant your instruction. You were more than likely trained under the misconception that RtI is the magic train ride to Special Education Eligibility. Here is a quick look at how to get students the right help when they need. RtI along with Social Emotional Learning and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports are part of a bigger picture call a Mutli-Tiered Systems of Support Framework. MTSS is about levels of prevention, enrichment and intervention while looking at the whole child. The Whole Child approach analyzes how the social emotional learning, behavior and academic needs of a student is affecting one or more of the other areas. A student with an academic need may also have a social emotional learning need. If you need more information on social emotional learning (SEL), please check out https://casel.org/. SEL has many components such as selfawareness, self-management and relationship skills.
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The levels of prevention, enrichment and intervention begin are comprised of Universal, Targeted and Intensive. Universal is what every single student receives. Universal systems range from curriculum tools teachers have for solid first time instruction, probing students in their learning along the way and the supports all students receive in that instruction area as well as the behavior supports and services, such as PBIS or restorative practices, every student receives throughout their day. Universal systems are also designed to provide teachers with tools to determine which students need more targeted intervention for a skill deficit, how to determine how to hit that targeted skill and the intervention needed. It is also about targeting students that need to be enriched and getting them the enrichment they need. Targeted is about really focusing on the skill in question and providing a very intentional approach to cleaning up that skill. Intervention is provided with fidelity, progress monitored and graphed. It’s all about fidelity. You know if your administrators understand Targeted Instruction if you see ample time in the master schedule. Intensive is about individualization and you don’t need to be in special education for intensive, but you can be. And no, this is not a resource room. This level is about data-based individualization. It is about looking at the progress monitoring data and determining how to use the intervention by adjusting it to meet the needs of the student. For a module on how to do this, please visit https://intensiveintervention.org/implementation-support/ online-learning-modules. These are free modules. You also might want to go to https:// intensiveintervention.org/taxonomy-intervention-intensity. Yes both will give elementary examples; however, I have used these methods at the secondary level as well. The key is an open mindset. Always,
Kimmie
The following advice column is purely based on the experience and opinion of Kimmie L. Conlon. She has over a decade of non-stop fun in the world of education. She has served in various roles from elementary to high school to central office. She has both special education and general education classroom as well as having served as an instructional coach. If you would like to submit a question, please complete this at http://bit.ly/AdviceNeeded-20. By submitting a question, you agree to have your question and the answer printed in L’educateur Moderne.
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Parents’ Corner
This IS My Circus by Amy Johnson
Not all days are easy with autism. Something comes up, and we are once again faced with the heavy realities of it. Tonight, over dinner, Cru was frustrated with Jackson's repetitive questioning and overwhelming, tireless energy. I could see the wheels turning and knew his thoughts as clearly as my own. Cru worries that he will surpass Jackson in many ways. Even though he is the “little” brother, he can already do many activities that his teenage brother cannot. Cru agonizes that Jackson won't have the same "grownup" experiences as him. And truthfully, I stress and dread those exact same questions and answers. Will he always live at home? Will he have close friends or a partner? Who will take care of him when I am gone? Our hearts are filled with love for him, but they also break for things he may not have. When Jackson was diagnosed, I poured every ounce of my day into helping him. I scheduled play dates, signed him up for pre-school, took him to speech and occupational therapy, made him play soccer, and I read a ton (TON) of books. (Fortunately, I worked from home, only part-time.). I am an English teacher with a passion for literature – books are my love language. However, my veracious need to “cure” Jackson led to some unwelcome side effects… depression and anxiety. The further I dove into the pool surfaced more questions and worries about my sweet boy’s future. Then the death blow… Like so many other couples, my first marriage fell apart and our lives were turned upside down. Not only was I a parent of not one, but two special needs children, I was a SINGLE parent of not one, but two special needs children. What the he*$ do I do now?
Reluctantly, I followed her advice. I signed up for a Zumba class, then picked up running again. I decided it was ok to get that mani/pedi, spray tan, or new outfit. I devoured fun books even a few “trashy” novels. Once my confidence returned in force, I enrolled in graduate school and started looking for teaching jobs. I was back, and all three of us were reaping the benefits. I had more energy to take the boys to the zoo or the aquarium, and I had more patience for the trials that rise with autism and cystic fibrosis. If we went out to eat and the “Happy Birthday” song sent Jackson into a meltdown, I could cope – calmly – effectively. If Jackson cried for a Lightning McQueen car in the store, I could handle it in stride. If Cru has an annual CF checkup that involves x-rays and numerous vials of blood, I take a deep breath and remind myself “you got this sister.” My story is dark, but I am not sharing it for sympathy. There are thousands of moms just like me dealing with divorce, depression, anxiety and more. I am not special. But in my darkest moments, I needed someone to tell me that it is ok for me to take care of myself. So, if you are reading this and you need it today: It is ok to take time for yourself. It is ok to get a mani/pedi or lounge in front of the tv. It is ok to put yourself first.
Of course, all of my friends (mostly married ones) gave me the same advice. Focus on the boys. Put all of your effort into your kids. So, I did. Unfortunately for all three of us, my depression and anxiety only deepened. In a moment of total frustration, I even shouted at a friend, “The only way I could spend more time with them is if they were attached to my butt!” Obviously, not my finest moment. However, after months of bad coping strategies, I landed on a winner – THERAPY. And the therapist gave me the best advice I have ever received. It is ok to take time for yourself. It is ok to get a mani/pedi or lounge in front of the tv. It is ok to put yourself first. You cannot take care of others when you are on empty.
“This is My Circus” is a regular article written by Amy Johnson who shares her personal experiences of being a teacher and mom navigating the course of parenthood, while empathetically advising other parents on the importance of self-care. 31