6 Ways Educators Can Support Educators

Every day, I’m in and out of multiple schools. I walk the hallways, push into classrooms, lead professional learning, and serve on committees. I’ve been out of the classroom for almost one full year (as of February 6th, 2020), and after stepping into the role as an instructional coach, I recognize the depth of what educators do. You might wonder why I seem to see it now more than when I was in the classroom myself. The truth is, when I was in the classroom, it was all I knew. I lived and breathed my school community, my teammates, and my amazing learners–– I then returned home to give all I had to my family. On some days, I didn’t have a ton left. However, I mustered up all that I could to provide my best. Year-after-year, it’s all I knew. It was my normal; teacher normal.

As an instructional coach, my days still fly by! I’m incredibly busy, but it’s a different kind of busy. Rather than having many students with varying needs, I have adult learners who rely on me to provide resources, feedback, listen to their needs, and problem solve–– all while validating and supporting them. I really enjoy my job because every day there is something different to focus on or someone to work alongside. Plus, I’m fortunate to still interact with students and on occasion, facilitate centers or lead Design Thinking as we launch makerspace in schools. However, even with all I do in my current role, I can still say that there’s nothing compared to ‘classroom teacher’ busy, in my opinion. In my reflection, I’ve developed greater appreciation for all teachers. Teachers truly are heroes. However, they can’t do it alone. It truly takes a village.

I’m in Awe of Educators

In my role, I gain a unique perspective of the varying needs of individuals; from teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators, to students. It’s completely different to stand back and observe more often and take in all that occurs within a school during the day. Although I was a classroom teacher for 15 years, I stand in awe of all teachers do and all it takes for a school to run efficiently and effectively.

There are schools out there at all different levels of needs and growth. I’m sure most of you are aware, but some are thriving while others are struggling to survive. Regardless, educators are there providing all that they can for kids and families. I’m not sure that communities understand how much educators give. I believe as educators, we give our heart and soul to our profession to ensure learners have the best we can provide. Students become ‘our kids,’ and our school becomes a community.

Educators are Incredibly Dedicated

Today, I worked with a third grade teacher straight through her prep period and lunch. Repeatedly, I shared that we could continue any time. I shared that she was more than welcome to get lunch and I would wait or go make rounds and return. She didn’t want to. She wanted to persevere as we explored assistive technology that could be used with iPads to support a learner. I could tell how invested she was in helping her student. She placed her needs last despite having other options. I remember being this teacher, too. I recall all of the times I would rush to use the bathroom and then back to my classroom to take a few bites of something while I prepped materials for science or caught up on other work. Although I commend her, I worry about how much teachers put on the line before they have nothing remaining.

Each day, I watch teachers care for students as if they had clones of themselves in all corners of the classroom. They move flawlessly to support the diverse needs, while learners also facilitate their own learning; a result of how their teacher created the conditions to empower learning. I’m in awe of all they do. It’s the same for administrators and other teaching staff. Every single individual is chipping away at something different and each role is much needed. Being married to an administrator, I have a unique view into all administrators do to serve their staff, students, and community.

Many educators, regardless of their role, work late into the evenings and often at some point on the weekends. You see, I believe in giving our all. But, in order to best serve our learners and school community, we also have to serve ourselves. That means that it’s important that we don’t get lost in all we have to do. By blocking out time during the day to simply eat, catch up with a colleague, or even sit for a few minutes, we just may provide ourselves with enough to rejuvenate to provide our best. I know that there are some days we may feel that we have no choice but to keep moving, but at some point, it’s likely to catch up to us. Taking time for ourselves in the evenings or on the weekends is also important for self-care. Being in and out of so many schools has encouraged me to reflect on how we can best support fellow educators so that they can thrive. When educators thrive, our learners flourish! In addition to self-care, there are little things we can do during the school day to support fellow educators and brighten their day.

6 Ways to Educators Can Support Educators

• Add value to colleagues by recognizing their strengths. Often times, we do the work we do without realizing that it’s anything too special. We need to amplify the work of our colleagues and uplift by recognizing and celebrating their efforts.
• Leave a handwritten note of thanks. Did a colleague make copies for you so you didn’t have to? Did they share materials that they created for you to use? Maybe they are just there to listen to your concerns or work alongside you. Embrace moments and express gratitude. A small piece of chocolate never hurts, either!
• Speaking of listening, take time to truly listen to your colleagues and validate their concerns. Work alongside them to solve challenges and collaborate to lessen the workload. Acknowledge how much they matter, we can’t do this work alone.
• Random acts of kindness are an excellent way to uplift and support a fellow educator. Do you know of a colleague who is going through a difficult time or seems to have lost their umph? Select a random act of kindness to brighten their day and remind them of how much they’re appreciated.
• Create opportunities for fun! I have two staff meetings that really stand out to me in the 15 years I served as a classroom teacher. At one, we played Hungry, Hungry, Hippo in the gym with our staff as the hippos! We used office chairs to roll one another and laundry baskets to catch the balls. It was hilarious! Plus, the activity developed our school team, too. During another staff meeting, a professional was brought in to take us through breathing exercises to cultivate mindfulness. Both activities were facilitated to remind us of the importance of different kinds of self-care for educators, but also how we can incorporate self-care in the classroom as well.
• If possible, support one another by teaming or partnering to create solutions. I’ve seen principals and instructional coaches cover classes so that teachers can receive additional breaks, engage in professional learning, or planning time. I also see teachers working with one another to divide classes up differently when needed for the best of the group. The possibilities are endless, it just requires a creative mindset to design effective solutions!

The reality is that there are endless ways in which educators can support educators. Often, it’s the little things that go a long way. In the busyness of life, let’s remember that people (including ourselves) are important. We are all needed to ensure schools are the best they can be. By caring for ourselves and also engaging in any of the suggestions above, we contribute to the development of a healthy school culture where we all have the opportunity to thrive. In the weeks to come, how will you engage in self-care and support a fellow educator by brightening their day?