About the Editor

 ​​Kim Wrathall is a Kindergarten Teacher from the Calgary Area working in a High Needs school for 16 years. She has a Masters in Educational Research-Interdisciplinary Studies with her final paper focusing on Mindful Practice in K-3 Classrooms. 

 A Collective Sigh

       To be honest in writing this next issue it was more than a bit of a struggle. How was I going to address this new world of educating children and provide some profound insight into something that none of us have ever experienced. Whether you are in a classroom setting, working online or on a leave of absence due to health concerns this new world is….hard. How does one look at embracing the shift and being open to the ever changing rules, guidelines, and expectations of health officials, government, school boards, colleagues and parents?
       In our last issue I spoke to the idea that implementing a mindful practice was one way of bringing it all together-what we need now though is a shift of both our mental state and what we know to be in the best interest of students learning. So this issue I hope brings you some solace in ways that we might be able to bend our learning and approach things from a lens that creates a balance that works on some level for each of us.

 Pause and Listen

       I had a few conversations with colleagues, friends and parents since we started back and really wanted to focus on one thing, listening. By really slowing down and hearing what people are saying we will often find that the expectations that we are putting on ourselves are often far greater than what people are really looking for. Especially at a time when many of the things of the past might not be a solid option right now. 
       Now I know that this is often easier said than done as educators as we tend to be over achievers and want to do it all. I will be the first to admit that the word “stop/pause” might not be in my vocabulary. 
       So here is what I mean by this. We all know what is important to young learners. Building relationships, trust, understanding, guiding their learning and taking the time to engage in their play are the general focus of our work. These are things that we can still do in some capacity.
       By pausing and listening to both our inner voices and taking in the things that are beneficial to our work we make space for our need to decompress and hear what is being said. Yes, there are plenty of negative doom and gloom social media posts, items being thrown at us and even sometimes conversations with each other that take a turn down a dark and scary place. What I am encouraging us all to do though is to be able to say I am hearing what you are saying and this is what I am choosing to take in. “Sit with the winners, the conversation is different”-Ted Karsliyev. I would also add to this surround yourself with resources, people and space that reflect this energy for yourself.

Choose What You Take In

       It is increasingly important for all of us to know when what we are digesting is too much. How much social media, newscasts and conversation that we take in can really alter our moods if all it dwells on is the negatives. Surrounding ourselves with messages of rejuvenation and guidance are important for our mental well being as being in the middle of a global pandemic is heavy to carry. Knowing when to put down the backpack of all the worries and concerns and listen to something or read something to build our capacity is crucial.

Podcasts to Listen to:

 Building Connections

       Okay so parents can’t come into the building- however could you bring the gist of the building to them through a video of the classroom, a message on occasion that says what you're working on or a quick phone call or email to say how things are going? I am going to hazard a guess that most parents have the same concerns that we do, so perhaps a little video that shares that your number one priority is to care for their child goes a long way. I don’t know about you but the couple of comments by parents or kids during interviews about how much that video or note reassured them made all the world of difference. Now I want to say that if the thought of videoing yourself makes your stomach turn then do you, But find a way to connect. 
       This also goes for how you connect to the colleagues in your building. In most instances right now meetings are not being held in-person, we are not allowed to interact in ways that seem familiar and it just feels awkward. So is there a way that you can let them know that you are still there? Perhaps a check in a couple of times a week, a note to tell them how much you mean to them or even a video chat that gives both of you a chance to talk about all the ups and downs of this new reality. We need to have our own circle of support that checks in regularly so we hold each other up in this process. 

 Self Check In's - Knowing When it is Time to take a Break

       Do you ever have those moments when you are like “that’s it I can’t do this anymore? “ I am going to make an assumption that at some point this year many of you have already felt this way. You are not alone. We all need to acknowledge our limits, and know when our own mental well being is creating health concerns for ourselves. It is also okay to say this is what I am able to do right now and that needs to be enough. Again, speaking from experience I am not great at this myself. We often think that if we just keep going we can do all the things and then we can stop. We as per a recent quote that I have seen surfacing a lot lately “if you don’t take time for your wellness, you’ll be forced to take time for your illness”-Joyce Sunada. Too many times I have found myself in this same situation reaching for a deadline feeling that I just need to get it off my plate. Unfortunately, our bodies are very good at letting us know when we have gone too far. 
       So what I am saying is it’s okay to stop and take a day here and there or an hour or too for yourself. Read a book, do an art project, mediate, have a bath, slowly drink a favourite beverage by yourself. We all work so hard for others it's time we acknowledge the need to take time for ourselves.

 Acknowledging your Why

       So in a time like this why on earth would I bring this up? Well if we don’t know why we are doing this and what our purpose is in this profession it is going to become increasingly difficult to navigate the massive shift that has occurred in our profession.  Take a few moments and write down why you decided to become a teacher. What makes your heart sing when you are with a group of students? What brings you back to the love of the work we do even after a tough day? Recently I was listening to a Sunday Night Live by Dr. Jody Carrington where she was talking about passion vs purpose. The quote she used was “that passion always rides shotgun to purpose”-Dr. Jody Carrington. Having that conversation with yourself about what is the purpose of or intention in you being an educator? I am going to hazard a guess that it wasn’t hard to immediately say why you do this most important work. Now that it is written down as Dr. Carrington says keep it on hand and every time you start to question your reason- pull it out and read it. This kind of grounding is important to us all when we feel like we are alone in this process. What I have started to realize more and more is that deep down we all feel the same way.
       This also goes for our families. This time is hard as we are social beings, not being able to hug someone, see them due to health concerns or distance all takes a toll. It's okay to acknowledge that no one enjoys this. What ways can we still keep connected from a distance.
"2015-03-18c What I do for self-care -- index card #self-care #happiness #comfort by sachac is licensed under CC BY 2.0
       

 We really can do hard things

       Okay I will admit I have been listening to Dr. Jody a lot, but here is why. She is the person cheering us on right now. She may not be an educator but she truly wants us to know she cares. She regularly states how we are all wired to do hard things. I think back to the spring of this year and guess what we all pivoted and found a way, and guess what? We will with this too. Whether it takes time, energy and hard work we as teachers have always found a way. It is okay to know that it may take time, it might be overwhelming and it might make every ounce of who we thought we were as educators hurt, but you know what? We will overcome it. Why? Because we all care deeply about the students and the families that come to us each and every year. If anything we should all hold onto it is that.
       On that note here are some winners circles to sit in, some resources to hold onto, and some reading to ground us all at this time. 

 Books to Consider

 People to Sit in the Winners Circle With

Laurie McIntosh @ MrsMacsKinders:
Blog, Instagram, and Twitter
Jay Shetty:
Courses, Podcasts, Author
The Ooey Gooey Lady:
Workshops and Seminars
Dr. Jody Carrington:
Courses, Podcasts, and Author
Shelley Moore:
Speaker, Blog, and Videos
Child Care Exchange:
Sends out daily inspiration
George Couros:
Speaker and Author
Boulder Journey School:
Teacher Education, Professional Development, and Blog
Brene Brown:
Podcasts, Author, and Videos
Fairy Dust Teaching:
​Blog

 Follow on Instagram and Twitter

Laurie McIntosh @MrsMacsKinders
Dr. Jody Carrington @drjodycarrington
Jay Shetty @jayshetty
Brene Brown @brenebrown
Hope King @heyhopeking
Wade King @heywadeking
Get Your Teach On @getyourteachon
Fairy Dust Teaching @fairydustteaching
Artbar Blog @artbarblog
The Artful Parent @theartfulparent
Tinkerlab- Rachelle Doorley @tinkerlab
Jessica Janzen @jessicajanzen
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