With the continuation of the pandemic, health concerns, and working on self, I have not taken the time to put thought to paper. The past 2 years have sparked a deeper desire to create change, but I haven’t quite figured out where to start or how. I knew I wanted to have a larger impact and so I stepped out of the comfort of my classroom. This was exhilarating and set in motion the work I needed to own my voice. What I have discovered since stepping out of the classroom is that as education changes, it has forgotten students and teacher autonomy. So where do I start on this journey to spark the change? That is the question I’ve rumbled with during the 2021-2022 school year. I’m still working on owning my voice and questioning if I am really making an impact.
This year I have gone through the work of setting boundaries, I’m a big people-pleaser and empath. I love to help everyone out and when I see the emotional roller coaster this year has put teachers on, I want to fix it. I have come to realize that in this need to help others I don’t put myself into that equation. I’m working on not bringing work home and allowing myself time away from always being on the clock. I feel my purpose is to let others know they are heard, seen, and valued through my God-given talents. I will stop what I am doing to listen to a student, even if I know they are in the wrong, or even a teacher share, with vulnerability, their needs. These moments have broken my heart for the hurt that is going on in the world and yet empowers me to continue to serve. That leads me to my biggest question…How do we change curriculum to make SEL a core subject? Every human has the desire to be heard and seen. If we do not provide the tools to develop ways of coping and working in community, we will continue to see a rise in behaviors that are crying out to be seen. SEL also allows the teachers to be human and share with the classroom community on how behaviors or learning curiosities have impacted them.
Is SEL a Core Curriculum or a Check On the List of Things to Do?
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is talked up and pushed to be included in our school day, yet we don’t embed it into the curriculum or make it apart of the core. If we simple tell teachers to use SEL in a read aloud or provide calm down areas of the classroom, are we really teaching authentically? Teachers should be allowed to stop the flow of the day and teach conflict resolution or character building when a classroom situation arises. Just because it is not on the schedule at that exact moment shouldn’t stop a teacher from using the teachable moment. We want our students to leave our classrooms and schools with the tools needed to enter the world and be critical thinkers and problem solvers.
There were times in the classroom I would tell students “we just need to learn to ignore that behavior” or “go tell an adult at recess when someone says/does something”, are we addressing the issue and providing the intervention needed to stop the cycle of behavior? Our students need to know they are heard when they speak up. Every day after lunch my class would take time to listen to the enjoyments or situations without interrupting that happened on the playground. I understood that if I did NOTHING about a behavior, students will stop speaking up and deal with the issues in a negative way – physical retaliation or stuffing emotions. Those coping skills do not off students the tools to navigate the adult world in a productive way.
So, how can you embed SEL into your day or where do you start with read alouds? Check out this resource that provides a list of titles that cover specific character traits to build your students’ toolbox. Also, when a situation arises in the classroom, how can you work as a class to restore the connection to peace or resolution? Could you call a class meeting, offer suggestions, or allow each student to share how they feel about the situation? Allow students to be heard and work through any miscommunication with a shared understanding that tone is important to deescalate an intense, emotional situation.
Starting with a small question, that has huge impacts, I have a starting point. There are so many more questions that I have, but I think tackling one at a time will protect my boundaries of not always focusing on work or how I can fix my work life. I am passionate about education and educators. I will continue to stay curious and learn as I go. Starting 2022, I want to make time to do what I love, know/own my value, and continue to serve with whole-heartedness.
