Hi everyone! I'm Lynn from Wisconsin! I'm currently attending University of Wisconsin Platteville studying Middle Childhood Education! I will begin my student teaching in the fall and graduate in December. Very excited to join this chat tonight! #dojochat
A1 I'm Lisa Iraca and I teach at Crossroads South in South Brunswick. I teach 6th grade writing and I have been using Class Dojo for over 4 years. #sbpdchat#dojochat
A1: Our current environment is mixed. We just finished Spring Break, so some of us feel rested. 3rd-5th are gearing up for state testing and are feeling busy and stressed. Some teachers are exhausted. Some teachers are trying to get everything in before the end! #DojoChat
A2:Communication! My school is horrible for communicating anything. We often find out anything important when it's too late. It definitely starts to take its toll as you can only "go with the flow" so much. #dojochat
I am currently teaching at the high school level in Oklahoma. Currently, teachers are on strike the past few weeks have been chaotic and confusing making sure our students are provided for. #dojochat
A2) It's important to have an environment that is both positive and open to innovation and creativity. When people support one another and work together to create innovative things for Ss the whole environment will feel better. #family#dojochat
My admin was actually very horrified when I started teaching here last year of clicks happening that she would make comments that it was happening as a "prevention method". Unfortunately anywhere they will happen. #dojochat
A3: Physically avoid it (like close the door) or use a Cheshire cat face when listening to those venting. You can also find a small way to brighten & lift moods. i..e small positive notes in Ts mailboxes. #dojochat
A3: focus on your kids and your classroom, do things for yourself that make you happy, find the people who make you smile and stick to them like glue. #DojoChat
A3: My team and I like to make each other laugh everyday with funny videos or memes. It keeps our spirits high and we know we have the support of one another. #dojochat
A3: It is so easy to get sucked in! Know the difference between venting and just being negative. Look for ways to add positivity, ask how you can support others who are struggling, and sometimes you just have to avoid the negative people! #dojochat
A3) I think promoting positivity is important, but also finding a group of runners who you can go to run ideas by, vent, move on, work on creative experience for your class with. #dojochat
A2: Better communication and cooperation are needed throughout. Teachers and administration staff seem to be at odds with each other most of the time. #dojochat
A3: ignore as much as you can, let things go, realize there is a better way to solve a situation! if you are stressed, take a break or go for a walk. don't get wrapped up in the negativity! #dojochat
A4: My school hasn't done this but a few Ts @ our school started Friday lunch (we have 1/2 days). Our school does nothing. We say we will but no one takes initiative. I'd like to see us communicate in advance & have more opportunities to collaborate. #dojochat
A4: We did a count down to Spring Break with different treats/themes every day (i.e. Soda day, goodie day, coffee day, etc.) Admin did the same before winter break and it made it better to be at school during the countdown. #DojoChat
A4: Providing free lunch, celebrating things together, and getting together outside of school. Boosting teacher morale is often hard because we usually just need more TIME! #DojoChat
A4: Nothing! My grade level team is great at this, but the rest of my school isnβt. It would be nice to see creative staff meeting days, where we share ideas and build each other up. My old school did this at the beginning of every staff meeting. #dojochat
A4) I would say that as teachers we do more to boost morale for each other than admin do. For example, our Art Teacher made up a hilarious remix of Champions by Carrie Underwood as a send-off for spring break #dojochat
A3: The only way I have been able to pull myself away from negativity is to focus on my students. My students are intelligent and capable, and I want to do the best I can for them. #dojochat
My admin hasn't really either- purposeful ignoring, but we've worked together as a staff to communicate when we are getting bogged down. Sometimes its the Ts that that need to show the admin what needs to be done to lift moral. #dojochat
So true! I'm lucky some of our Ts get together outside of school hours & I'm blessed to call them friends. But time is everything! Too band we didn't have more! #dojochat
A5: Daily: Watch my TV shows, talk to my Mom. Weekly: See a counsellor, go to band, spend time with loved ones & Fri lunch. Monthly: Do a day adventure with the bf or start a crafting project. #dojochat
A1:I think we all recharged over spring break last week, but I know our 3-5th grades r prepping for major testing. Us primary Ts r gearing up for diagnostics.Overall though I feel like we find ways to support 1 another,& more than anything make life easier for 1 another!#dojochat
A5: I make sure to have a set routine where I leave school at the same time. I do all my prep before school starts. This helps me be able to wind down when I get home and spend time with my family. #dojochat
A5: Taking professional days to learn something new, going for a run a few times a week, walking away from school when I stop being productive. @cultofpedagogy suggests doing 5 things when you are overwhelmed. If Iβve done 5 things and Iβm still overwhelmed, I leave. #dojochat
A4: I can't say my school has made any concrete steps to help teacher morale. For the most part, teachers are isolated from each other and are so busy in our classrooms that the thought of morale-boosting seems frivolous and we go on being grumpy. #dojochat
A5: yoga every morning and afternoon, lots of coffee, disconnecting when I get home (phone on airplane mode, computer off [except on #DojoChat days], TV/book ready to entertain, good food)
A5) I am forcing myself to detach from work when I am at home. I read before bed and try to go on weekly or biweekly adventures with my bf. Sometimes you need to just get away and reflect on things outside of school even though sometimes I feel like my job takes over #dojochat
A2: Mutual respect. Ts respecting Ss/fams/team, Fams respecting Ts/Ss,admins, and Admin respecting Ts/Ss/Fams. If we followed the #GoldenRule each day.. WOW! What would that look like?!?! #dojochat
The world would be such a better place to live in! Our jobs would also be a million times easier and Ts wouldn't have to deal with wear down as much! #DojoChat
#dojochat A5 One of my schools we formed a Social Committee and have started monthly Birthday Celebrations before school. This fun has helped, also a few outside of school activities including a Chili Cook off
A5: Daily: take a walk, listen to music, take time to just relax and watch tv (if time!) Weekly: talk to my mom and sister who live far away. #dojochat
Q4: Our admin team is really great at communicating appreciation for the hard work/effort of both Ss and Ts. I feel valued. I feel blessed to work at a school that offers radical support! #dojochat@The_GESGators (shout-out!)
#DojoChat It's hard to incorporate, I started doing it more by getting to work early and doing it in my classroom before the kids get there and in the afternoon when the kids are gone.
daily: take a walk at the end of the day, enjoy a cup of coffee
weekly: journal about the week and what my goals are for the following week
monthly: take a day trip, spend time with friends
#dojochat
A5: I exercise every day. I helped co-found a walking club for our staff. We are small but mighty! We meet 2 days a week in one of our classrooms after school and do a 1 mile walking (#LeslieSansone) video, and one day a week walk a mile bridge. It is awesome! #DojoChat
Man I'm jealous. We are getting dumped with more snow here in Alberta, Canada. The beach would be soooo nice right now! #dojochat#wintercanleaveanytimenow
A5: Daily: take a walk, listen to music, take time to just relax and watch tv. Weekly: talk to my mom and sister who live far away, try to find a fun activity to do on the weekends. Monthly: spend time with my family! #dojochat
A6: Honestly I struggle with this. As I'm a full time Grade 4 T & the school's full time Tech Lead it's hard to get it all done. I make sure I'm at the school at 7:30 so I can get a head start.I rationalize out loud at the end of the day if I will get it done at home. #dojochat
#dojochat It started small last year, just two on my grade level. We make it sacred. 4:00 pm we meet... even if we have work to do. Those videos are 15 min. so even on days we don't feel like it, we do it! it all started w/ email invites!
#DojoChat A6 I have tried to unplug however if I am not connected I feel I miss out on an opportunity to collaborate or communicate with families or colleagues. Some teachers can do It, #icannotunplug
A6: I try to leave work at work. If I need to vent, I vent to a colleague... not my family. That way itβs not co summing all aspects of my life. #dojochat
A6: like I said before disconnecting when I get home, using @ClassDojo scheduled messages and black out times to make sure that parents can't bother me after certain times, scheduling extra time at school when my hubby is busy or asleep #DojoChat
Q6: I feel like my answer is probably identical to a lot of Ts, "I struggle with this." I am not under any illusion that teaching is the only profession in which employees struggle w/ home/work balance, BUT it sure seems prevalent in this profession.#dojochat
A7: Being the Tech Lead I told my admin "no" the other week when they were trying to get me to send audio clips to an app developer. I always say yes as it is admin but my plate was already over filled & it isn't a part of my job. #dojochat
A7: I have said no to having a student teacher once. I was too overwhelmed with my sonβs health issues at the time and he had to come first. #dojochat
A6: A work life balance is hard sometimes. Planning for days when I leave on time to go workout. Setting quiet hours at home when Iβm done with school work and not available to parents. Prioritizing work and not taking it home if I donβt need to! #dojochat
@CRMS_Science66
A7: Everyone at school knows that I have a hard time saying "no." I run StuCo, Data Team Leader, work at the after school program, hold Saturday Detention, and a PD Facilitator for the district. #dojochat
I was on sooooo many committees last year and the year before. This year I stayed on the committee that I am facilitating and putting all extra energy into that and explained to admin what I was doing and why. #dojochat
I didn't really have any balance this year until a friend brought up the motto of #putyourmaskonfirst. For me it means am I getting any time to myself that isn't 1 ounce career related tonight? If not there won't be enough me to help them put "their masks on"! #dojochat
A7: The longer I am a teacher the more able I feel I am to say no. I try not to volunteer for things that are going to take up a lot of time. I did that my first few years teaching and it became a big problem with my home life. not letting that happen anymore. #DojoChat
A7: Iβve said no to having a student teacher one year when I was pregnant! Other than that... I usually say yes. π€·π»ββοΈππ»ββοΈπ€¦π»ββοΈ #dojochat
A8 #1: Get back into the habit of using our Shout out board in our photocopy room. I set it up last year, but haven't really used it this year. #dojochat
That's me to a T! I run our Me 2 We club, am a full time teacher, Tech person and help with Literacy and Math nights. People think they can walk over you because you you are involved & the go getter. #dojochat
Q8, 1: I like the idea of a Shout Out board that was suggested earlier. I think I will ask to make one in a public area of the school for teachers. #dojochat
A7: I had to say no to a recent fast food fundraiser night. First of all, I am a vegetarian so I could not have eaten the food, plus I had to pick up my daughter from her HS Chorus practice. I hated missing it, but you know.. balance. All was well! :) #dojochat
A8: Love the call to action! Part one: I will find a way to encourage my teammate! Buy her a coffee, leave her a positive note, or offer to get something done for our team! #dojochat
A8: Since it's spring break I will A: clean out my storage room and donate some things to teachers and/or our donation store. and B: post some fun gifs on our school FB group to make people laugh #DojoChat
A8: 1. Trust my gut. Get a feeling that someone on our team is feeling down? Go in and check on them personally. Sometimes we Ts don't know how to ask for support or help, or feel guilty. Anticipate these moments by being aware! 2. Breathe! Pray! Smile!#dojochat
Something small can go a long way! I put Kit Kats that I found at Dollar Tree in our Ts mailboxes with small personal notes. It brightened the mood for the rest of the week. I didn't even say who it was from. #dojochat
It's hard asking for support too! Instinctively we think it's weak to do so but in reality it's power in numbers! Two brains are better than 1! #dojochat
How are you going to implement something you learned from tonight's #dojochat? π€·ββοΈ HUGE thanks to @MsFiddler for the great choice in topic, and hosting a wonderful chat! β€οΈ
