Working as a physician treating substance use disorders sparked my interest in chronic stress and trauma and how it affects teachers. I learned that most of my patients struggling with addiction experienced traumatic stress, and many people use drugs to cope with the...
Teachers, you have always been superheroes in our book, but during the pandemic, you reached a new level of incredible. Faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, you stepped up and showcased your adaptability, strength, creativity, and compassion. The world has...
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. Under Pressure Teachers—this might ring a bell. Many of us go into the teaching profession because we feel it is our mission in life, or heart’s desire, to help children. While this is an honorable goal, it can lead to unrealistic, high...
By: Joel Karabo Elliott She is always there, deep within us all . . . Music! Music presents herself so fluently, so fluidly, as a universal language, a way of communication that bridges flesh and spirit, emotion and intellect, uniting and uplifting all the beings...
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. Wyatt’s face grew a darker shade of red. Between sobs, he sputtered, “I hate recess! Everybody plays so rough!” I steadied myself with a deep breath, mustering every ounce of calm I could. I felt the eyes of 30 seven-year-olds watching...
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. On a crisp November evening, I sat huddled in blankets at my kitchen table, clutching a cup of steaming coffee. Stacks of paper covered every inch of the oak tabletop—I was drowning in a sea of essays, tests, and data. Eyes burning from twelve...
For teachers, supporting students through conflict can seem like a full-time job. How do you focus on a lesson when your students return from recess shouting and crying? All teachers know that—for learning to happen— students need minimal distractions and a sense of...
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. Supporting my students through trauma was a consistent and heartbreaking part of my teaching career. These stories from my own classroom and those of my colleagues might feel familiar to you: A student showed up to class one morning, seeming...
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. Teacher-Caregiver Relationships Matter When you become a teacher, you know you'll be working closely with students. Likewise, you know you'll have relationships with their parents and guardians. That said, you might not realize just how much of...
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. Why Teachers Need Self-Care Teachers choose their line of work to make a difference in the world. Bright-eyed and full of hope, they open their hearts to their first class. Oftentimes, the positivity they begin with diminishes as they struggle...
By: Catie Ensz, BSN, RN, CPN Nurse Catie (as her students and staff refer to her) has spent the last 7 years as a Title 1 school nurse. She works in a predominantly-Latino school and speaks Spanish. She lives with her husband and children in Northern Virginia....
By: Erin Swanson, M.Ed. Teaching Social Justice Teachers shape their students' worldview. This is both a privilege and a weighty responsibility. A teacher's response, or lack of response, to social injustice throughout history or in present-day life makes an impact....
