Time to Recharge
On Mondays, I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider.
Guess what!? Today is the LAST Monday of the 2024/25 school year!
This time of year is always chaotic for those in education. When I shared this graphic last year I commented on the fact that the spring of 2023 had been a challenging one for our communities. At the risk of coming across as a “Debbie Downer”, 2024 has also not been easy. Our school division has been highlighted in various media outlets throughout the spring such as:
- Manitoba school trustee faces calls to resign after comments on residential schools, reconciliation
- 3 Mountain View school trustees resign, superintendent out
- Parent demands Mountain View School Division board be disbanded
- MMF expresses deep concern about well-being of Red River Métis children and youth in Mountain View School Division
While I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by amazing colleagues who are doing important and meaningful work with youth, the moral injury resulting from these experiences is very real and something I am working on addressing both independently and with my work team. As we all navigate our current situation in our own ways, the overall climate of our workspace has been affected.
Now, more than ever, it is important to reflect and take time to “recharge”. For many of us, the summer holidays involve taking time away from work during July-August to pursue personal endeavours. For others, this is a time for them to pursue ongoing education in areas that are of interest. However, I feel the vast majority falls somewhere in the middle.
This summer I am choosing to focus on my time on personal well-being including:
- spending time at our summer cabin on Lake Manitoba
- taking my children to enjoy many of the quintessential tourist locations within our province (Assiniboine Zoo, Manitoba Museum, Tinkertown, Spruce Woods)
- exploring the city of Saskatoon as I visit my sister and new baby niece!
What does your version of “unplugging” look like?
If you are looking for professional development options for the summer months, I’ve included a few in our June ICT Newsletter.
If you are looking for wellness resources specifically designed for educators, KG Education, which was has previously been highlighted on the blog, has some great resources and events dedicated to teacher wellness.