Shelter from the Storm: Reflections on the End of the School-Year
The end of the school year is an annual milestone for educators – a goal to work toward and a finishline to strive for. Traditionally, the year ends with recognitions, celebrations, and a sense of accomplishment. Among the many other disruptions brought on by the pandemic, the loss of the anticipated end-of-the-school year traditions is felt deeply by educators, students, and families. And yet, we have witnessed another level of creativity and resilience from educators who managed to create meaningful rituals and recognitions for their students and families in heartfelt ways that bring closure to one of the most intense spring semesters in the history of education.
TeachWell amplified our support for educator well-being this spring and continues to offer opportunities through the end of June. We recognize that the experiences of shelter-in-place and campus closures born out of COVID-19 carry symptoms of crisis and community trauma. While unique to any collective experiences in our recent or even generational past, framing the experiences of this spring through a trauma-informed lens can offer mental health and wellness practices, which facilitate healing and resilience.
Over the past three months, educators have been navigating a global pandemic on the frontlines, demonstrating an unyielding commitment to continuation of our childrens’ education and a devotion to the well-being of those children’s families. TeachWell participants have shared stories of driving to the homes of students to drop off chromebooks and school supplies. We have heard educators speak of hours spent on the phone helping families log on to online classes. Teachers have sent handwritten letters when they could not reach a student or family by phone. Some have worked at the food distribution centers to provide meals and even attended memorials of students’ family members who passed due to the Coronavirus.
On the other side of all of the end-of-the-year hussle there is always a sense of let-down. With the flurry to finish, the end of the school year is quite abrupt. Suddenly the inbox is empty, the classroom is quiet, the text messages cease. This year it will be normal, if not expected, that we will feel the let-down more deeply. It may even feel confronting. Educators are processing all that they have been holding over the past several months. We will have feelings of grief and loss for all the events and connections we had to surrender. Be certain to leave space for feelings of pride and success for all that you have learned and been able to accomplish in the face of such challenges and upheaval in school systems and in your teaching practice.
According to the American Psychological Association, “trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster.” We cannot underestimate the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent school closures on our school communities. The psychological well-being of those on the frontlines in education (teachers, counselors, support staff) must be cared for. If our systems are trauma-organized, our responses will be reactive, authoritarian, fragmented and triggering. Moving towards a trauma-informed – and ultimately a healing – organization requires our school communities to prioritize the wellness of their educators so that their resilience can be carried over to the children that they serve.
Healing from crisis or trauma and processing toxic stress requires reflection and support. In the weeks following the end of the school year, we encourage educators to find a self-care practice that facilitates a process of reflection. We encourage you to find a supportive community of peers who can relate to your experiences – your struggles AND your resilience.
To this end, TeachWell is inviting educators to share their experiences through our Shelter.Me. project. Shelter.Me. is a space in which you can share your reflections from this spring with other educators and strengthen the network of support between you. Your writing, painting, photography, music, a favorite recipe you discovered, or a song that has gotten you through the school year – any expression of your experience is welcome! Below are examples of an art journal by Michelle Holdt, a sketch by Caroline DelCastillo Morton, and a painting by Ashley Bonton.
Art-making itself can be an inherently therapeutic experience for children and adults by allowing expression of difficult feelings, fostering support by bringing people together, or providing a soothing experience in an otherwise jarring existence. (Erica Curtis, Semel Healthy Campus Initiative, UCLA)
TeachWell will be running Shelter.Me. posts throughout the summer on Instagram @Bewell.Teachwell and on the TeachWell Facebook page. If you would like to submit a piece, you can post directly on our Facebook page or email anne@teachwell.net. Please remember to include a bio about you and a brief description of your piece.
In addition, TeachWell will host weekly educator peer support groups throughout the month of June. Please look for days/times on our Facebook page and in our weekly email. All educators are welcome to participate in Shelter.Me. and/or our weekly groups. Please share widely with educators you know, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram so that we can grow the TeachWell network of support for educators!
