LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING SOUTH CAROLINA'S EDUCATORS
BY TODD SCHOLL Our minds crave certainty. Over many generations, natural selection has favored those who pay close attention to threats. By doing so, our ancestors were better equipped to avoid mortal mistakes. Most of us have inherited this high level of vigilance. Psychologists Paul Rozin and Edward Royzman called this "negativity bias." We pay closer attention to what is wrong than what is right. Dr. Rick Hanson puts it this way, "Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences, but Teflon for positive ones." This adaptation is great for survival. Unfortunately, it often leaves us feeling nervous, worried, and anxious. As we consider everything that could go wrong in our future, we can imagine those catastrophes vividly. These mental projections can activate our stress response sending stress hormones through our system. Our body's alarm system is designed to help us fight off or flee from threats. Unfortunately, when you are in the middle of second block, and you start worrying about the difficult student in your third block class, there's nothing to fight and nowhere to run. Our systems can kick off the stress response, and we are left with the physical and psychological damage that is done. As teachers, this process may repeat multiple times through our day. Maybe we become anxious about the amount of work left to do. Perhaps we are worried about a family member. This year many of us are anxious about the spread of COVID and the incredibly foolish response by several of our state leaders. Week after week we may experience many stress responses, and this toxic stress takes a huge toll on our health and sense of well-being. Experiencing this long enough can lead to burnout and high levels of teacher attrition. Well, there are essentially two ways to work on this problem. The first way, and often the only way chosen, is to work on our external conditions. We modify our classroom management approach, ask for help from administrators or colleagues, or call parents. We may also use our voices to ask for change within our school, district, or state to create better working conditions. For example, we may advocate for smaller class sizes, additional counselors, or changes in discipline policies. Working on external conditions is absolutely necessary, but if we are waiting on our external conditions to be ideal before we can find any peace, we may find ourselves miserable for a while. So while we are waiting for external change, we can complement those efforts by doing some inner work. This inner work is often sacrificed by educators as they focus their lives on supporting others. To effectively help others, however, teachers must invest in taking care of themselves. I can hear some of you now, "Todd, if I HAD time to take care of myself, I would." I understand that sentiment. I've lived it. I was a teacher, father, coach, club organizer. I get it. When I facilitate sessions on self-care, I start with the meme below. It is really hard to make yourself a priority when you don't have the time, but if you don't make yourself a priority, your health and wellness will eventually force you to. If you are struggling with stress and anxiety, here are five ways you can start that inner work to make more room for joy and peace. 1. See a therapist. If you thought you had strep, you would go see a doctor and get the meds you need to feel better. If stress and anxiety are chronic issues, therapy is a wonderful place to start learning how to better manage. Talking through your issues with an unbiased third party can be incredibly helpful. Your therapist will give you specific tools to help you understand the sources of your stress and anxiety. Techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy are effective and truly help improve the quality of your life. Search for a therapist near you here. 2. Practice meditation. Meditation has been shown to be very helpful in creating a sense of calm and well-being. Research shows that just a few minutes each day can help build new neural pathways conducive to better states of mind. Below is a free five minute meditation by Hanna Attafi. Download it and play it once each day. Consider expanding your practice. Try apps like Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer. If you are dealing with a mental health issue, consult with a professional before diving into these practices.
3. Exercise. If your doctor has no objections, it is critical to get your body moving each day. Start with a short daily walk. Consider joining a gym. Find fitness classes that work for you. There are tons of free exercise classes online. Exercise has so many benefits:
Read more here. 4. Sleep well. So many teachers are sleep-deprived. Sleep deprivation can worsen anxiety. All of the suggestions above can help you sleep better. You can also try the following:
Read more here. 5. Say no. To make time for all the four items above, you may have to start telling people no. Take a day to really examine your life. List everything you are saying "yes" to. Include the notifications on your phone and the time you spend on social media. Critically analyze how you are spending your evenings, weekends, and breaks. What can you let go of to make time for the inner work you need to do? It may feel selfish, but, as Dr. Hanson notes, "Nurturing your own development isn’t selfish. It’s actually a great gift to other people." The SCEA is fighting to improve your external conditions. We hope you will join us in those efforts. The SCEA is also here to support you as you work on your internal conditions. If there is any way we can support you, please contact us. Join the movement for the schools that South Carolina students deserve!
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BY TODD SCHOLL
Early on in my teaching career I was content to close my door and do my best to create amazing experiences for my students. I did not pay much attention to what happened in Columbia. I didn't really know what advocacy was or how I could make a difference outside of my school. In 2005, I was fortunate to be selected as Carolina Forest High School's first Teacher Cadet instructor. The following year I was elected to The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement's (CERRA's) Advisory Board. This provided me with opportunities to learn about teacher advocacy and leadership. In 2011, I went to work full-time at CERRA and began learning just how important it was for all of us to find our voices and use them. Finding your voice can be intimidating. For some, it may feel easier to let others stand up for the profession. That was my attitude early on in my career, but as I gained more confidence and discovered areas of expertise and passion, I was able to begin advocating for change. At first, it was simply a willingness to lead professional learning and discuss issues with my administrative team. It then became writing letters to legislators and OP/ED pieces for the local paper. My voice didn't always have the impact I wanted, but sometimes it did, and those victories meant better working conditions for my colleagues and me. For example, our school used to have time-consuming end-of-year procedures that were unnecessarily cumbersome. As a member of the Principal's Cabinet, I recommended changes that vastly cut down on the amount of time and effort this process took. At the state level, I began familiarizing myself with legislation, reaching out to legislators, and connecting with educators who were fighting for the same things. Advocacy work CAN be done alone. You don't need to wait on anyone's permission, but our voices are stronger when we speak collectively. That is why The SCEA wants YOU to work with us to not only find your voice, but use it together with thousands of other South Carolina educators so we can build the power needed to facilitate true change. There are myriad ways for you to lead. You don't have to take on everything by yourself. Download The NEA's Teacher Leadership Competencies below and look for areas where you can grow as a leader. Equip yourself with knowledge, resources, and allies. Then go LEAD! Start a blog, podcast, or website. Build a transformational professional learning session. Create a Facebook Group around your area or find one and join it. Get outside of the four walls of your classroom. Start thinking about how you can create systemic change. During my time at CERRA, I met Teachers of the Year from all across South Carolina. Many of them found their voices during that process. I was fortunate to meet Pete Stone a couple of years ago, and he is a shining example of a teacher who has truly found his voice and uses it to improve his profession. Check out his video below. When you're done, consider how your voice can contribute to creating the kind of schools our students deserve.
Join the movement for the schools that South Carolina students deserve!
BY TODD SCHOLL A couple of nights ago someone ripped down the pride flag I had waving from my front porch. I was able to get it back up, but it occurred to me that my advocacy efforts must go far beyond waving a flag or posting to social media. As an LGBTQ ally, visual symbols of my support should only be the beginning of my advocacy. Our LGBTQ teachers need allies who are willing to be vocal at school, online and in our communities. Too many of them continue to live in fear. Too many feel unsafe, concerned that their sexual orientation or gender identity will jeopardize their careers or result in an untenable work environment. Just over a year ago, The U.S. Supreme Court finally ruled that employers could no longer fire anyone based upon sexual orientation or gender identity, but the fear of some sort of reprisal or punishment remains etched into the minds of too many of our fellow educators. That has to change. In order for this fear to be eradicated, all allies need to step forward. Our LGBTQ students also need our support, and that is a moral imperative. LGBTQ youth have suicide rates 1.5-3 times higher than heterosexual youth. The SCEA and NEA are allies, and we are committed to standing by and supporting LGBTQ educators and students. Will you join us? If so, here are five ways you can help us create the inclusive environment our teachers and students deserve. 1. Examine yourself for biases you may still hold. Change starts from within. Take a close look at the political and religious leaders you support. Consider whether the organizations to which you are connected are allies. 2. Be a vocal advocate. Use your voice in person and online to ensure LGBTQ educators and students know you are a safe ally who will have their backs. Call out discriminatory policies and do not ignore anyone using homophobic or transphobic language. 3. Study GLSEN's Classroom Resources. This will help you develop a more inclusive curriculum and classroom environment. Seek feedback from LGBTQ educators.
5. NEA is also offering its members an opportunity to enroll in online blended learning LGBTQ courses to educate NEA members about a variety of LGBTQ+ topics and to inspire action. NEA LGBTQ Blended Learning courses will be facilitated by NEA-trained blended learning facilitators and provide a certificate for 15-hours of professional development upon completion. Together we can build a world where no teacher or student has to live in fear. Together we can promote love and extinguish hate.
Join the movement for the schools that South Carolina students deserve! BY TODD SCHOLL We are right in the middle of hurricane season. Thankfully, we have not had any major threats along our South Carolina coast this season. I know. I need to go knock on some wood. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plays a critical role in preparing the public for hurricane season. These experts observe, monitor, and collect objective data to provide reliable information about tropical systems, and we are all safer thanks to their work. In May 2021, NOAA predicted we would have 13-20 named storms this season. They recently updated that to 15-21. These are not numbers they pull out of a hat. They are based upon detailed analysis of atmospheric conditions and global weather patterns by meteorologists who dedicate their lives to collecting and interpreting data to make the most accurate forecasts possible. Imagine, for a moment, that NOAA warns us of a major hurricane heading towards our shores this week. They release a forecast track that shows catastrophic impacts to our coastal communities. Now imagine a campaign on social media that began sowing seeds of doubt about that. Thousands of South Carolinians begin accepting this disinformation and fail to take the precautions necessary to safeguard their homes and lives. The storm comes and ravages the coast. Thousands die, needlessly, because they believe the research they did on YouTube was more reliable than the research done by the experts at NOAA. Twenty years ago, this hypothetical scenario would seem preposterous. Today, we see that the glut of disinformation proliferated on social networks and countless websites, combined with a lack of critical reasoning, has produced the perfect storm of ignorance and arrogance. This perfect storm has rolled in during a global pandemic. It has cost thousands of lives and threatens to continue doing ongoing and unnecessary damage to our state. Like NOAA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an agency designed to help protect the public. Their experts have studied COVID-19 and make recommendations based upon their research. Similar to the constantly updated track and intensity of a hurricane, the recommendations on how to best safeguard ourselves during a global pandemic are subject to change as new data is collected and analyzed. These changes to forecast models or CDC guidance don’t imply incompetency. They imply a capacity for experts to modify their understanding based upon that new data. It’s called science, and it’s awesome. The CDC is, as of today, advising all people, regardless of vaccination status, to mask up in indoor public spaces if they are in areas reporting “substantial” or “high” transmission of the virus. The CDC stated that this will “maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others.” They have also advised universal indoor mask-wearing in K-12 schools for everyone over the age of 2. This includes teachers, other staff members, students and visitors, even if they are fully vaccinated. In South Carolina, however, some state leaders believe that they know better. These lawmakers have decided that their beliefs about the pandemic, grounded in a surface level understanding of epidemiology (at best), are more valuable than guidance coming from experts who have dedicated their lives to studying diseases. (Educators are all too familiar with this arrogance as their expertise is too often ignored by lawmakers who force ill-advised policies upon them and their students.) This hubristic mindset is killing people. Many South Carolinians are dying because our elected officials believe that their thirty minutes of internet research is more valuable and trustworthy than the exhaustive work conducted by the CDC. The cynic in me believes many of these leaders know better, but have calculated that telling the truth to the public would result in too much damage to their political careers. Their desire to be reelected means more to them than protecting human lives. I don’t enjoy wearing a mask, but if the folks at the CDC are now making new recommendations, who am I to object? If experts have determined that wearing a mask, in certain environments, can help reduce the spread of a deadly virus, why would I choose my own selfish preferences over the health and survival of others? It does not take a Herculean effort to wear a mask until we can safely stop doing so, especially when such a small gesture could save someone else’s life. The internet has been a wonderful tool and democratized access to knowledge, but it has also opened a Pandora’s Box of nonsense. It has provided a megaphone to anyone who wants to spread deception and ignorance. Without safeguards, too many of our fellow citizens who lack critical reasoning skills will fall further into the rabbit holes of conspiracy theories and disinformation. Rather than acknowledging the limits of their expertise, folks now believe that watching a handful of YouTube videos on a subject makes them MORE knowledgeable than the experts at the CDC.
I don’t know how we stop the momentum of this, but it is incumbent upon educators to take a stand. While we should always be critical of official sources and question authority, we should not assume that our own understanding of any subject supersedes that of the experts. If we continue to travel down this road to insanity, it is only a matter of time before we begin doubting all authority. Those category five storms will come. NOAA will warn us. And many of us will be blown away. Join the movement for the schools that South Carolina students deserve! |
AuthorTodd Scholl is a Professional Practice and Policy Teaching Fellow. Archives
October 2021
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