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My First Post!

Introducing Mrs. TeeJayPee..

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog, stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

While the blog is officially about education, it’s about so much more. As the name suggests in my thoughts about being a wife and teacher and navigating both roles that I’m passionate about. I won’t be able to get away from sharing thoughts on becoming a mother and a Dr. eventually because those thoughts have started already though those are both future plans. There will be tidbits about all things education – being a teacher, becoming a leader, growing in my various roles and expanding my own horizons. It will include tips that I’ve accumulated over the last 16 years as a teacher at a private, primary school in Trinidad and Tobago. All sorts of random things will dot this blog. This is a complicated journey in a complicated world of unknown and sometimes I just can’t get my brain to stop..

Stay tuned..

TeeJay

Tips for going LIVE!

This pandemic has certainly forced many of us to step outside of the box and do all kinds of things that we would not have before. One of the first things that I found myself having to do on a weekly basis was recording myself in videos. I knew I was not ready so before diving into my daily live sessions with my kiddies and the recording of the weekly videos for my parents, I found myself researching and searching and reading and looking at what felt like hundreds of videos to prepare. While I did not know exactly what kind of videos I needed to do or the kind of prep needed for live synchronous teaching, I knew I did not want to be bad at it – so prepare, I did!

We have all endured the long, boring videos that we are forced to comb through looking for the important information (IF it is ever to be found) or those live sessions that seem to be delivered by a robot and you wonder if they even remember that you are there. I did NOT want to fall into any of those categories. Sometimes either thing could be so uncomfortable that I click out of it entirely and I often can’t help but think that just a few tips and tricks would help.

As you know, the more I learn is the more I share so I decided to put together my top tips for going live/recording videos and share them with you. Mind you, this is in no way only for educators. These tips can be applied to priests, fitness instructors, insurance agents, medical professionals, artisans and any other person involved in any kind of recording, streaming or online information exchange. It is by no means exhaustive and is certainly not the most technically sound or professional list. I am not a recording specialist/videographer of any kind. I am an educator who has had to pivot and adjust and I continue to embrace that journey every day.

I am sharing what I have gathered in my searches and I hope that they can help you too.

You may well have your own tips to add – and please do add them! Let us learn from each other!

Be PREPARED
Practise. Have your notes and details ready and in order. Do a sound check and camera check before your presentation. Speak some of the notes or text aloud to practise and feel how it sounds. If you want to be super-prepared put little time suggestions on your notes to keep you on schedule. You know yourself best- you will know if you need this.

Be SEEN
Check your camera angle- be sure that your camera is higher than your eye line or at regular eye height. Do NOT look down at your camera. Check your background. The inclusion of one uplifting/motivational poster or a piece of bright artwork goes a long way. Remember you are trying to invite people in.

Be ENERGETIC
Remember people are not there with you. They need a little extra energy and vibe from you to connect. It will feel like it’s over the top but it will be just enough.

Be HEARD
Your voice matters. Be aware of the timbre of your voice- is it very deep? Then you may come across a bit muffled. Is it very high? Then you may come across a bit screechy. Project, always- have the same energy at the start and at the end of your sentence. All voices can sound beautiful in online presentations once you acknowledge the type of voice you have and give it the chance to shine.

Be PURPOSEFUL
Think of your purpose. Why are you doing this live? Why are you recording this video? The answer should never be ‘because I have to’, because that is the message that will come through loudest. Your purpose will dictate your energy level, speech, level of engagement and general presentation.

Be READY
Speed up but slow down! It is important to remember that evenly spaced and deliberate speech is crucial in the online platform BUT do not have too many lags or delays as you lose your audience quickly. Be organised- have your notes close-by.

Be INTERACTIVE
People may not be there with you but they are there with you. Remember to include them.

Be CREATIVE
Try new things, backgrounds, online tools, songs etc. Do not be afraid to step out of the box.

Be the BEST version of YOURSELF
It is important to be your awesome self- but an enhanced version is sometimes needed. Coming through the screen some of your natural sparkle may be lost. Keep that in mind.

Above all else – remember WHY you are doing this and WHO you are trying to reach. It is within you to make a difference: so do.

Lots of love to you

TJP 🌺

New Term – Here I Come!

Prep for this term has been intense.

It has involved 2+ months of reading, training and exploration. MOOCs, webinars and meetings about Blended Learning, Remote Learning, Flipped Classroom Model, Effective Assessment etc. Getting ready for an unknown and ever evolving term has been exhausting to say the least. This is really not for the faint of heart. However, having all the info. now, it’s time to focus. I have a new bunch of kiddies coming to me and I wan tto be ready for them. So: what am I putting in place for this term in particular? What is my 3 month plan?

Here are my top 5 things!

1. Build Community

My goodness I miss my kiddies! I miss them. I miss the hugs, kisses, high-fives and the thousands of random stories. The community I created in my classroom made every work day worth it – we were a little family. The good thing about having to transition to Emergency Remote Learning in March was that the community was already built. Now starting with this new group, building community is going to be more important than ever. This is a pandemic and we are all experiencing this differently, some with more trauma than others. The children are no exceptions. During the first 6 weeks – yes, I said 6 – I will focus on building my class community.

What exactly does this mean? It means creating and implementing routines and rules. When my children join our face to face session, I have my playlist going to welcome them. They see my smiling face welcoming them. As soon as they start signing in, I start engaging them. How are you? Do you have anything new to share with me? How are things going at home? My questions are similar but still different depending on the child I’m engaging with. This is all before the session starts. Once we do start, we have our morning greeting. I greet you (officially) and you greet me. What is your learning mood today? We know how it is to have a bad day. Remember our children have bad days too. Don’t expect them to be in a wonderful mood every single day and don’t punish them for having one either!

During the session – build in some breaks. Water and bathroom breaks, movement breaks, stretch breaks. This is not easy on our minds or bodies. Focus is affected by your physical state too. And of course, at the end you want to implement a wrap up routine. How do you say good bye? How do you close off till next time?

Of course, building community is also about the worksheets that we will do – to find out info about each other. It is setting up office hours to allow parents (and children) to drop in and chat with me informally.

The possibilities are endless to build community – you will know your peeps. However you’ll note I listed this as my first priority. The children will not learn without feeling a sense of security and belonging and the parents will not trust me to do what I need to do if they are not comfortable. Community first!

2. Refocus and Shift Ideas about Lesson Planning

Last term the planning was kinda haphazard to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, we got into a groove and we delivered, however, it was EXHAUSTING! This term my goal is to do some purposeful planning. This holiday, I learned more about and fell in love with the Flipped Classroom Model. I had heard about it before, of course, we’ve been hearing about the Flipped model for years and sometimes, it takes an opportunity like this, to really dive into something you’ve been skirting around. Well, dive, I did. 😂 😂 So the planning this term will be focussed on expanding my own ideas of an effective lesson plan for remote learning. It is not only what we do in our synchronous sessions but also the asynchronous sessions as well it is the ongoing learning experience offered about any one topic. How do the introductory activities tie into our live sessions and assessment? How do all of these activities make the learning meaningful? How do we make it stick? I like to think of education like a cycle that I have to ensure makes the full revolution and continues turning. My beautifully designed and laid out lesson plan do not ensure learning is taking place and if learning isn’t taking place then I’m wasting my time!

3. Perfect Google Classroom and a Google Products

I think we all suffering from resource overload. 😲 Lord knows I am! So for this term, I’ve refined my list and will focus on those apps only. My school is using the Google Suite so that’s what I need to focus on. So much so, I’m hoping to do the certification.🙌 Believe me I know that it is not easy. Everybody who knows you’re a teacher, as well as other teachers, shares every single article, website, app, book, software, hardware etc education-related with you and it can become overwhelming very, very quickly! Don’t feel bad to say thanks, but no thanks or simply ignore the suggestions. Focus on a few effective products and perfect those. Then incorporate more as you need to or not.

4. Focus on Meaningful Assessment- Formative and Summative

I don’t know what others have experienced but finding ways to asses my 7 year olds during Emergency Remote Learning was kind of challenge that had me thoroughly stumped. Could we trust the results? Were they cheating? Were they receiving extra help? In an excellent session I went to last week we were advised that we need to ‘let it go’ and trust the process. So this term, I’m bumping up my methods, starting with an ‘Assessment Agreement’ for my parents and students. Yes, it also includes me. We each have our part to play. I must assess what I teach, trusting that my parents will play their role and the students will do their best as well. We are like an assessment teepee, each of us has to lean on the other 2 parts and if any one stake moves our teepee will crumble.

One thing that worked for a number of subjects was using a multiple choice system. Each student had their letters – A, B, C, D, E -which they used to answer questions when they were presented. Oh boy, they loved it. I was immediately able to see those who didn’t get it and address any misconceptions or misunderstandings. We also had a lot of fun with the picture and video assignments. What I will say here is that we will spend more time with the parents going through how to do and upload assignments. What should they expect from the students when they are completing their work? How much help they should offer and that kind of thing. Some of the children will be able to get the hang of this in a few months themselves but we cannot take for granted that the parents themselves know how to get the assignments done and how to get them to us.

5. Take Care of Myself

Screen fatigue is REAL. Exhaustion is REAL. Teacher burn out is REAL. And the numbers of people with failing health and marriages worldwide are increasing figures that I never want to be a part of. You may be wondering why I left this one for last. I actually think it’s what I need to go through last so that it STICKS! In this, my last week of preparation before school starts, I worked myself to the point of getting sick and it’s only when I was sick and looked back on my hellish week that I realised what I had done to my body. WHAT the WHAT? No no, Ma’am. That will not do! Let’s not talk about the trouble I got into with my husband.

So my first order of business is to make and write out – and post somewhere VISIBLE- my daily schedule – including exercise, lunch, beginning and ending times. I also have a couple days to finish up my work space. You see, I was really hoping to be back in school by now so I really was still working on temporary ideas of a work space. However now that this situation is in place for at least 3 more months, there needs to be some serious adjustment on my part. My husband is a priority. My health is a priority. My sanity is a priority. And I need to behave like they are and put things in place to back those words up.

So once the work schedule and work space are organised, next is the space for working out – including placing my clothes in an easily accessible place to cut down on my opportunities for excuses… I know myself!🤦‍♀️ The final most scary step, is then sharing all this with my husband so he can hold me accountable.

These are my steps. This is not by any means an exhaustive list. There are 579 other things to do as a teacher BUT, not prioritising only affects the quality of the product I’m able to offer my particular group of students and parents and I’m not willing to do that.

If I can offer my final thoughts to you: Please take it one day at a time. Do not look at anyone else’s steps and try to adopt them as your own. Their steps may not work for you. Look at your circumstances, look at your family, look at your students and their families and make the decisions that are best for you.

❤ Lots of luck and love to you.

TeeJay 🌺

Thrown into Blended Learning!… What did I learn and what can I do going forward?

Let me tell you! Last term is a blur.. 🥴 Many lessons learned and probably many missed too 🤦‍♀️. Teaching in the time of Covid 19 has been a serious challenge. Sometimes I feel completely up to it! Sometimes.. well.. you know.. 🤭

My school chose to introduce and maintain an official Blended Learning programme for our students. We worked in small groups doing live sessions online while we assigned independent activities (traditional and online) for the students to complete outside the live sessions. I found myself feeling like a YouTuber and a model all in one- recording myself for my kiddies and making all kinds of games and activities to support the process.

I’d like to take a few minutes to document what I learned from my 9 week experience. Here are 5 things that really stood out to me and things that I will bear in mind going forward uncertainly but bravely to September.

1. Planning is KEY.

Having taught the same level for the past 10 years, I have come to accept that my parallel teacher and I are pretty comfortable with our content. We can often finish each other’s thoughts and sentences- Really! We do. However, this made us really delve into the how and why of what we do. In the first few weeks we met every single day from 6pm to 10pm to plan.. We then went to planning on weekends and were often at it till 2am or 3am in the morning. Eventually we got into a groove, thank God, but it only reinforced the importance of planning.

Obviously, we were not with our students in the traditional sense so our planning had to hone in on what we needed them to get from each lesson and how we would ensure that that information was meaningful enough for them to connect with and remember, without having us there with them. This is not simply a case of transplanting the lessons from your classroom into the blended learning model.

Going Forward– Examine your topics carefully. Think about the specific skills you need to impart and practise with your students. Include meaningful experiences and fun but focussed games and activities. Busy work is a waste of time and effort. Do not try to reinvent the wheel- explore different resources to use, ask other teachers for help and do not be afraid to admit that you are stumped. Share your content as well as your questions, you will only improve your own skills and uplift those around you.

2. Your team needs to be as solid as a rock.

You cannot do this alone. I would have been completely lost without my Parallel Teacher and the rest of my Lower School Curriculum Team. We discussed issues, thrashed out problems, shared ideas and commiserated together about our misery. Mind you, depending on your personality this is NOT easy. I know I have a lot of difficulty admitting I need help, accepting help and admitting that I can’t do it all. Accepting my vulnerability is a constant work in progress. However, I love my team and we work really well together! I would not trade them for the world.

Going Forward– Empower and uplift your colleagues when you can but do not be afraid to lean on them too. Many times they are as poised to catch you as you are to catch them. If each one reach one and each one teach one we will all get through. If your team belittles or degrades you, and you’ve tried your best to improve the situation- don’t walk, run away! Find a new team.

3. Schedule. Schedule. Schedule.

If there was some small part of me that didn’t see the importance of a schedule, that small part of me is now totally convinced. Whew! A schedule is extremely important. However, let’s be honest- creating the schedule is the easiest part! Implementing and maintaining it? Now we get into the meat of the issue.

Working from home is a rabbit hole if I ever saw one. It’s very easy to just work ALL DAY and then realise 10-12 hours later that you really should stop. Now, when I say create a schedule I mean include everything- work, play, tv, spiritual time, family, eating, workouts, reading, drinking water. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

Going Forward– Create a schedule. Try it out for a few days. Adjust as needed. Implement and hold yourself accountable to follow it. Yeah, I know.. easy as that. 🤭

4. Remember SELFCARE.

Listen to your body. I often send the graphic to my team that says “You can’t pour from an empty cup”. It’s the truth. And as educators we are experts at putting everyone else first and making sure they are well taken care of. We need to take it one day at a time. We must give ourselves time to recover, heal and rejuvenate DURING the term.

Going Forward– Find the little or big things that bring you comfort and peace. Whether it’s a hike, manicure, journalling, cooking or some other activity. Do it. Do it often and use it keep yourself balanced and whole.

5. Your partner is a part of your team.

I would imagine that being the spouse of a teacher is a very interesting thing. Teaching is an all encompassing, whole body, 24/7 commitment kinda job and our partners are often unsung heroes. My husband, fed and watered me throughout this experience and I am so grateful. He continues to be a blessing. He would not allow me to work myself into oblivion and ensured that I found time to take a minute off every now and then. It is really easy to think you can work in a vacuum and not affect your spouse but isn’t that unfair to them and to your relationship.

Going Forward- Make time for the people you love! They (and you) are worth it.

Believe me when I say that this list is hardly exhaustive. The more I think about it, is the more I remember. This was a uniquely dynamic learning experience for me and I hope to remember it and to be able to use it for my own growth and development for years to come.

If I may leave one final Going Forward– Remember that you are the expert and you have many charges who are looking to you for comfort, direction and stability. We can make it through. Take it one day at a time.

You are enough. ❤

Tee

Happy Father’s Day!

So, I’ve been involved in this wild ride over the past 9 weeks. Blended learning is NOT for the faint of heart! …. and I’ve been teaching now for 17 years! (Happy 17th to me! LOL)

Anyway… Usually Val and I have an entire week of celebrations for our Daddies! We invite them to come read for us during the week and on Friday they come in for the whole day and share with us about their jobs, life lessons and anything else they want to share about. It’s a fantastic experience! I LOVE it every year.

This year, of course, that was not possible but we decided to still give something as we think the connection is important. We assigned a Daddies Project a couple weeks ago and the kiddies to present it to us last Thursday. I felt a little guilty that we didn’t arrange to do a craft thing instead but once they started presenting I quickly realised that THAT was what we needed. The love, admiration and sheer JOY came straight through the computer screen and settled over me like a blanket! Even my big burly boys were grinning talking about their daddies – maybe I should say especially them…

They interviewed their daddies and had to ask about their jobs, how they felt being a daddy and any lessons they wanted to share and, of course, the kiddies had to include how they felt chatting with their daddies and carrying out the projects.

Y’all! I NEVER thought I would have been SO emotional. Those children LOVE their daddies SO MUCH! I don’t know if the Daddies even know how powerful they are. It was an absolutely fantastic experience hearing them speak of their daddies – BEAMING all the way through the presentations. They spoke of how much they loved their daddies, how much they enjoyed spending time with them to ask the questions and how they enjoyed learning new things about them. They spoke of how strong their daddies were and how well they take care of them. Some daddies even shared their weaknesses and what they see as their downfalls being a daddy! Y’all! Many never even knew what their daddies did for a living. They also shared the cutest Daddy and Me selfies and Video snippets of some of the interviews.

I’m getting emotional thinking about it now.

My own experience with Fathers has been up and down.

I finally disconnected myself from my biological father 3 years ago or should I say I released myself from a toxic relationship/non-relationship and forgave myself for failing to make him love me. I had spent the better part of the previous 19 years trying to establish a relationship. Making dates, suggesting outings, reconnecting with the WHOLE rest of his family! My siblings and I have a much better relationship because of our efforts… We even went so far as to say we were not interested in the drama he had with our mothers. We were begging him to see us as the wonderful individuals we were and love us just like that. Well, that proved difficult, and when his entire family showed up at my wedding, without him, I had had enough.

The funny thing is my mother never bad talked him. The snarky and sarcastic comments I heard about him were as an adult, from other adults who knew he was my father, or from my siblings and I (LOL). My mother never diminished him in my eyes, though he’d left her while she was pregnant and Lord knows, that could have brought a WHOLE lot of bitter feelings.

I can recognise now that I deal with serious feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt as a result of my failed relationship with him. I also have a serious fear of rejection and not being enough… (my poor husband..LOL). I am actively working through these things, and have been for the past several years. My husband is actively building my belief in myself – without my prompting. He thinks I’m invincible y’all and can conquer the world. Yes, I know, I’m lucky!

My journey with Daddies is NOT all bad though, as I believe I was blessed with one of the best step-daddies in the world. Many people don’t even know he’s not my biological dad. Seriously.. I posted about him this week on fb and people were still messaging me in surprise! He has been great. We had a short rough-ish patch in my twenties – navigating our way after the divorce I think – but we’re LONG past that and we are better than ever now. I’m so proud of how he continues to grow and be who he is and I hope I can make him proud as well. He’s so cool, calm and collected. I really am blessed to have him to bounce ideas off of and as someone in my corner.

Did I mention that I’m lucky. I’m also blessed. Thank you Daddy! I love you.

Daddies, your power is LIMITLESS! Use it for good.

You are our HEROES. Never doubt your influence. We love you.

Happy Father’s Day!

Some re-purposed thoughts… #movingforward

Bracing for the next few months…

Educators are you ready? Ready for the next few months of unpredictability and uncertainty? I’m looking on and taking note and trying to use the time to learn, write and create when and what I can. Maintaining the balance is difficult. The temptation to get sucked into the financial frustration and stress and any other number of negative feelings is very much there and it takes serious navigation and effort to stay grateful and focussed on the positive. Here are some thoughts I shared with my Curriculum Team as we prepare for the next phase.

PUT YOUR OXYGEN MASK ON FIRST…

As we know, these are potentially stressful and distressing times. It is important to take time for yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup!

Everyone is juggling quite a lot. Some people are taking care of families – including young children or older relatives. Some people are managing serious financial challenges. Some people are alone and managing the loneliness and deafening silence. Some of us have anxiety and depression threatening to engulf us. Some people are dealing with things that we can neither name nor imagine. Some people are trying to stay positive and upbeat through it all.

Every one has their struggle and it is important, especially at a time like this, to find an outlet for stress and negative feelings. We must explore and find ways to engage in some #selfcare. It may or may not be what you used to do before. You may have to find other ways because of your new circumstances. Or you may find that what worked before no longer works and you need to explore some new methods of release and relief.

READY OR NOT….DIGITAL LEARNING HERE WE COME!

Here are some tips for you as we move forward!

1. Create a WORKSPACE – As much as possible, have a designated area for your work, preferably out of your bedroom. This will allow you to engage while in the space and more importantly disengage once you leave the space. Put things into the space that make you happy AND productive. Whatever YOU need, get it and keep it in your area – scented candles, your planners/notebooks, stationery, water bottle, chargers, diffuser and essential oils… Don’t forget your laptop and speakers/head set of course.

2. Establish ROUTINES – Create morning and evening routines that you can follow daily. It is important to start on the right foot and we often have a series of steps we can take to ensure that we start on the right foot. Do you need your morning coffee or tea or morning prayer and journal time? Do you need to do some household chores? What do you need in the evening? Is it a special bath time? Afternoon snack with your kiddies or hubby? Is it changing into your PJs? Whatever you need – set t it up and maintain it as best you can to start and end your day.

3. Follow a DAILY SCHEDULE – This is very important. Have an idea of what your day looks like. Put in your meals and breaks as well. Some other things you may want to include are marking time, planning time, phone calls or personal check-in time. It doesn’t all have to be on the same day. This will also ensure that you stay on task. Believe me, I know it is very easy to get sucked into one activity intensely OR get distracted by every activity. If you don’t have an app for that – check out TimeBloc. It is FANTASTIC! Interactive and graphic and allows you to set up your daily routines. It’s similar to most calendar apps – and I do use Google Calendar quite often – but it just has a little something extra – feel free to check it out.

4. Have a WINDING DOWN Routine – Well, let’s chat about this for a minute. If you listen to nothing else on this list, please listen to this. Have a winding down routine. How do you relax your brain and body after a long day? Decide on a few steps you follow that end with the switching off and putting away of your laptop and walking away from your work space.

Seriously guys – find a way to wind down and walk away.

5. Set Your DAILY INTENTIONS – What do you want to accomplish today? What attitude do you need to accomplish those goals? Setting your intentions will let your body, mind and spirit know what’s what for the day. Give yourself a mini-pep talk, write 2 or 3 intentions, have a wonderfully productive day.

6. Dress POSITIVELY – Dress to impress…. yourself.. What makes you feel good? This isn’t school so there isn’t a need for shirts, skirts and pants and shoes but it IS school so there is a need for decency. Don’t just throw it on though, wear the polo, top, shirt or dress in a way that makes you glow. Makeup? Sure. Lips and mascara change your whole face. Do you need to do your brows? Do them… Or are you a natural face, throw on a head wrap and earring kinda teacher? It all works…

You feel good, the kiddies feel good.

We know our energy affect theirs, lets make sure they only get the best stuff from us.

REMEMBER..

Use these tips as a guide and I hope they help but I cannot say this enough – if these aren’t quite your vibe, YOU need to adapt them for YOU. Edit them, tweak them, use what you will and discard the rest. Each of us is dealing with a unique set of circumstances and no one can tell you what’s best for you like you can.

YOU ARE ENOUGH. Remember that and take it one day at a time.

RESOURCES, RESOURCES, RESOURCES

Are you experiencing Resource overload? We sure are. There are hundreds – if not thousands – of possible resources available with more coming out weekly. Do not explore, explore and explore some more till you frustrate yourself. Choose a few – use the ones we’ve already used or choose a few of your own and perfect those. Practise with them and get familiar with them. The trick here is to be as comfortable as possible with any resource that you plan to use before using it in your class.

Included below is the link to the YouTube playlist with videos tutorials, tips and tricks for Digital Learning. The videos are not mine but the content created by some educators I really admire and respect, who share relevant and engaging material. Check it out!

Digital Learning – www.youtube.com Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

We have to keep on keeping on. This too shall pass and we will emerge on the other side. Take it one day at a time. #stayhome #staysafe #flattenthecurve

How are you coping? What is your current situation? Are you at work? Working from home? How are things going with you? Let me know..

TJP

Thoughts on the complications of COVID-19 and Digital Learning

It is funny to me how everyone becomes an expert all of a sudden when situations arise. Everyone can weigh in and make pronouncements that make them sound official and definitive. Social Media has given the confidence to everyone who has an opinion to state that opinion in a way that makes them an Authority and someone will run with their opinions as LAW…

I look around at people making pronouncements about our Digital Learning thrust… 1. Don’t give children any more worksheets 2. Don’t expect them to work at home 3. Let them rest and have free time 4. Home is for family time 5. It was the end of the term anyway. 6. Keep routine the same as school 7. This is the perfect opportunity to offer work we would usually in school 8. Give them more worksheets..The list goes on and on with the directives coming from other educators, education ‘experts’ with no education training, parents, radio and tv personalities (Why??) And whomever else..

I suppose someone could say the same about me offering my thoughts here (go figure).. but hopefully my thoughts are read as just that… my thoughts about teacher things as its meant to be.

This whole thing is too complex for any ONE pronouncement or piece of advice to fit everyone… our families each have their own unique set of circumstances within which to work and it is my responsibility to try to strike a balance that works for most of the families in my care. I understand that not every educator feels this way and that’s ok. Yuh see this is the crux of the matter. We are all allowed an opinion, a strong one at that.. what should not be allowed is the belittling, scolding and general high handedness that seems to come with expressing that opinion especially in the face of those who may have a different opinion. Accept that none of us can say anything or offer any advice that covers all families in all schools and what we say should not make anyone feel less than they are. We are all enough and we’re doing the best we can.

Looking at the 54 families in my immediate care there are so many things to consider.

🌺 Some parents are still working full time- online even- and cannot devote time to the children. They need worksheets and other work to keep them quiet for certain periods of time. These parents cannot devise plans to keep their children occupied while trying to keep up their own productivity.

🌻 Some parents are at home and craving worksheets and guidance..While they are willing and able to try to implement it is not so easy for them to come up with activities and schedules for their child or even more so their children. This is what we were trained to do not them.

🌸 Still some parents are willing to try the scheduling and choosing of work but need minimal guidance and some direction where work is concerned. They need some structure, some content to use to create their schedules.

🌼Some families have 1 device to share among them and issues with their Internet connection. What if in these families there is also a general lack of knowledge about technology and the ability to troubleshoot?

🌹Some families have children who are advanced, ready to move ahead. They need teacher guidance to facilitate this. What of the struggling students? The ones we show extra love and affection to because we are trained to do so.

⚘Let’s not forget the parents who are feeling a sense of shame and regret. A sense of overwhelming inadequacy because they aren’t able to jump in head first to digital learning and home schooling. They can’t just garden and do craft and partake in every online tour, concert and facility. They don’t have the time to teach the children how to cook and have this illusive family time that everyone says the time is ripe for. They don’t know how to sign into the online platform. They don’t have the time to allocate to their children. They don’t have the resources to buy the device and maintain the internet bill.

There are a host of other considerations.. come on peeps, this is difficult for everyone. There’s no reason to try to exert your superiority over other teachers, parents and guardians alike. Don’t let your frustration at the situation make you become someone you’re not and say things you’ll regret. We’re all in this together.

If I could offer some tips of my own that I’ve accumulated from other educators and my own observations. Teachers, we need to take care of ourselves.. think of this as the Oxygen mask warning on the plane: ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup’. Consider putting some of these or versions of these in place to tend to your own sanity.

❤ Set your hours and stick to them. Write out a schedule.

💚 Include planning time, online time, marking time, break and lunch time, family time, ‘me’ time. Be as specific as you need to be and if you can’t keep yourself accountable here is where your #tribe comes in.

💙 Consider the circumstances of the families in your class. No one knows this better than you do. Don’t let any administrator or pushy parent tell you otherwise. Do what you know is best for your people.

❤ Consistency is key, YES but the children are not at school and neither are you. Adapt and adjust to suit. Do not try to maintain the same rigour, unless you know for sure that you can (and your whole class can) without stressing them and yourself out.

💚 Trust your instincts. Some children will do no work. Some will do all and the parents will pressure you for more. Give what you believe is age appropriate. Do what you think is right and know that you can only do your best.

💙 Plan ahead. Nothing is worse (to me) than being thrust into a world of uncertainty like we’ve been over the past couple weeks. Try to include time to think ahead. How will you structure classes next term or next year? How will you address the children who’ve not had a wonderful time at home and have been craving school? How will you reintroduce your routines? Seems to me that it will never be ‘business as usual’ again.

❤ Lean on your #teachertribe. Ask questions, read, look around, explore, investigate. All the information you need is available to you. All the help and support is there. We are here. Just reach out.

💚 Self care is not to be abandoned. Nor is it meant to be the loose term that just bandied about these days and something to do. Disconnecting from the world and reconnecting with yourself, taking care of your spiritual, psychological, physical needs are never to be forgotten and as teachers, we are good and forgetting ourselves.

🤗 Parents, do your best. You were not trained for this – most of you at least- we were. Use the guidelines we set, do the work we send but if you’re struggling reach out to us. We are here to support you. You may not be perfect but you are enough.

Stay indoors everyone. Follow the guidelines and let’s #flattenthecurve.

Lots of Love,

TJP ❤

#teachingisaworkofheart

I looked at this video earlier today of a teacher in DC who hosted a Pampering Day for his students.. and I can’t help but think of us in Trinidad and Tobago here trying to make these spectacular Carnival Costumes out of no money- trying to stretch every piece of braid and elastic and fabric, wringing every last drop of spray paint out of the can… and that leads me to think of the bigger picture.

We give so much of ourselves.
I give so much of myself.

I lean heavily on every resource, friend and family for sponsorship and help with any and every project that I could possibly organise for my children. I message friends with no connection to my school to ask for donations, I reach out to musicians, artists and other experts in various fields to share with my children, give them experiences.. I will spend the money I do not have and cannot afford to spend to ensure my classroom is welcoming and equipped with, not only my needs, but my wants as well…

Education is about building families. It’s about giving opportunities for everyone to learn and grow. Families must enjoy their time in my care. The whooooooole family. 😂😂

Y’all, this teaching thing is HARD and getting harder. We are overwhelmingly overworked and grossly underpaid, and at times disrespected because all you do is teach the “babies”..

We don’t all reach on Ellen but sheesh it makes you think sometimes about what we give, what our families sacrifice for us to do this thing that we love. #poorinmoney #richinspirit? 🤷‍♀️

P.S. I’m not comparing to any other profession, I don’t know any other so that’s not where I’m coming from. As an educator, I would never compare one to the other anyway. Yuh feel mih?

endrant #didnotknowitwouldbearant 🤦‍♀️

teachingisaworkofheart #teacherlife #teachertribe #teacherinspiration #teacherthoughts #teesteacherthoughtstidbitsandtips #iteach #iteachfirstandsecond #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #beginnerblogger

Lots of continued love,

TJP

…And 2020 is OFF!!! 💥

💥 What a beginning to the year! 2020 is off with a bang and I’m only now getting a chance to check in with myself. I’ve been caught in a whirlwind of ideas and goals and plans and events and things and as February is now barreling ahead I need to stop and regroup. So this is me… stopping.. and regrouping.. 🤯

📘📔📗📕I’M into planners this year! How do YOU feel about planners?!? This year, there are definitely my thing. I’ve been using my Teacher planner from @itsprettyproductive (find them on Instagram) since September and I love it. It has the space for planning lessons, school events, PTA events, ideas for class etc. I’m a pretty organised person generally but I have enjoyed the added edge I get with this planner. It will definitely be a yearly investment.

I decided to get a personal planner for 2020 from them as well and it has been GREAT! ❤ What I especially love is that I’m forced to focus on the things I want to do for myself. I have to think about what I’m going to read, post about, eat, write about and try for the month…Make a life, not a living!.. It makes me think of what I am grateful for, keep track of my vitamins and comtemplate my sweetest memories. I will admit it’s been a challenge at times to get time to write in it but I enjoy writing in it and taking the moment to myself so I FIND THE TIME.

My Spiritual journey has been on going for some time. I’m a practising Anglican and don’t see myself changing that. I have, however, been making strides to deepen my personal spirituality. I have always been open to the facets of other religions and I love learning about religions and religious practices. I’ve found it all comes down to LOVE at the end of the day, anyway. To assist with this, I bought a prayer journal for women and it is intense. I honestly don’t have the time to do it daily or even weekly but when I get into it, it’s… intense. The entries span a number of topics and each comes with a bible verse and psalm. I use it as an opportunity to listen to the whole chapter of the verse and the whole psalm- killing several birds with one stone. 😉

I have to say that the planning and journalling has put me on edge and at ease at the same time. I’m thinking of the things I need to do, want to do in the future. I’m considering what needs to done to ensure the sustainability of my family. They say that if God is preparing you for growth he first makes you uncomfortable right? Well… I’m uncomfortable as hell and scared and excited about what is to come. 😯🤞🤔

Let’s see what this year holds. I have lots going on in my head and in my heart and can’t wait to translate it all to my life. ❤🥰 Stay tuned.. 😉

#teesteacherthoughtstidbitsandtips

TJP

#TeeSquared17 – What I’ve learned so far..

When I started this blog I did say it would be about thoughts tidbits and tips for and from all aspects of like right?? If I didn’t, I’m saying it now…

Yesterday was my second wedding anniversary – YAAAAY!! and Yup! We are the terrible twos… only toddlers in the marriage business and just primary school aged in the relationship. Today, while chatting with one of my sister’s friends, she asked me what I’d learned over the past two years of marriage. And going against everything I tell my students, I just jumped into the answer with little thought to what I really wanted to say. I think my first brief thought was “OMG! I know nothing, I now start, I’m not the one to ask”, followed by “Sheesh Tee doh say nothing stupid to the girl eh!” ….. So now in true virgo style, having overthunk it for the past hour I now have what I think is something more sensible to offer.

Let me start by repeating that this was my SECOND wedding anniversary and I am NOW starting in this thing so I really know VERY LITTLE. However, I read a lot and I have a supportive web of ladies and couples that catch me, prop me up and keep me positioned right where I need to be. I see no harm in sharing what’s stuck with me the most of the past 3 odd years as I prepped for marriage and have navigated these first 2 years. Much of what I share now I got from my fantastic network. Here are my 4 main things.

Be Honest and Open about your FINANCES – Let me tell you something, I never thought that finances could break your relationship BUT….! One month into the marriage and two months into a new job my husband had some serious health issues that had him out of work for 3 weeks. Soon after that he left that job and was not working for almost a year. IF we were not honest, and open we would be a memory and this would be a ‘what could have been’ reflection. Financial issues hit you HARD. Bills come fast and furious and ON TIME. Money does not stretch any further than it can and no matter how much you wish, your wallet does NOT produce extra money because you ask it to. The funny thing is it’s mostly NOT about the money (though I imagine there is another side to this too where lost money and dishonesty are concerned). It is about the feeling that men have about being providers and being the bread winners of the family. It is about you tempering your own frustration at the situation – not him – and understanding that sometimes you – in your secure job – will NEVER understand what he is going through and you just need to tuck your tail in and SUPPORT and be there for him. It is knowing your husband and understanding that sometime supporting him will mean NOT understanding.

Communicate Clearly, Unreservedly and Unashamedly – I had NEVER spoken so much to someone I was NOT in a relationship with before. Entering into our ‘boyfriend/girlfriend’ stage we spoke endlessly. We touched on pasts, futures, presents, things we did wrong, things we did right, things we never should have done. FYI – I hate to be wrong and embarrassed so some of these conversations were a step WAY outside the box for me but so worth it. At the age and stage we were, neither of us was interested in pussy-footing around any situation. There are many days that the insight from those conversations serve us well and I do not regret them at all.

Surround Yourself with a Bess Tribe – I was a little skeptical about this one at first. I read a post that spoke about surrounding yourself with other married couples and people in relationships and I thought but I have some awesome single friends too. However, just considering the valuable info and advice I’ve received from other married people, I am a believer! I’m not talking only people your own age either: older/more mature couple have the most meaningful and real advice to offer. They don’t make joke and the reality is that they’ve been in it to win it since long time. My girls, who I call my women, are honest about the realities of marriage in a way that most articles and books are not and I will forever appreciate that about them.

Always Have An Immovable Support System – This support system is slightly different to the married couples above. Have people you can vent to and with, without fear of judgement. I agree with those who say that you shouldn’t bash or complain too much or in too much detail with your friends and family because you will forgive your significant other and move on and they will NOT. However, I DO see the need for a group of friends that you trust, who can listen and give you the space and appropriate responses while not judging you or your situation. Sometimes what you need, is a good evening with your girls, some wine, good ole gossip and vent space. Seriously though, this sometimes helps to calm you down, gives you better perspective and allows you a moment, to stop and think before you act or speak rashly.

Last thing – Have you read the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz??? No?? Go do it now. Really! Go now and read it. It is magic. I read it recently and it has brought me peace in so many ways I am recommending it to EVERYONE.

Y’all, this marriage thing is WORK. Every day, every night, every weekend…. WORK. It is making the decision every, damn, day to wake up and love this person, forgive them, support them, promote them, console them, feed them, water them. It is not for the faint of heart but my goodness it’s wonderful. It feels so good and I can’t picture my life without my miserable, maddening, contradictory, talented, articulate, spectacular husband. I look forward to learning more lessons, falling down and getting up again, charting our course and continuing to discover the ins and outs of this dynamic #fullserviceman of mine.

Lots of Love

TeeJay

Share with me…What are your top tips? – discovered or received from others…

#ClearTheLists 2019

I often wonder where all of my (little) money goes… this job is difficult enough as it is- Do I really have to be broke too?? I know where a lot of it goes, of course, but I can’t seem to help myself..😆😆

We get a room that is sparsely furnished. Certainly it usually includes the essentials and there really is no NEED for more. But in education is the bare minimum ever enough??

We buy everything from paper to ink to borders and posters, laminators, cricuts, stationery etc to ensure that our rooms are warm and welcoming. The students are our customers and we have to see to them first. The reality is that to keep up with the changes in education we need things.. paper, markers, tape, photocopies printers etc.. Everything we buy can certainly also be made or created but who has the time? With curriculum demands and tests always looming on the horizon we need a few more hours every day for teaching, planning and prep and correcting..

It was a liberating day for me when I stumbled upon the #clearthelists movement on Instagram aaand decided then and there to join. Up till then I had often doubted my knowledge and experience, wondering if I am enough. Something quite distinctively clicked for me and I embraced the educator that I am and have the power to become… I am enough, and I have all the tools I need to be #awesomesauce. I do NOT have the resources though and I have come to realise that if I need help all I have to do is ask. #fingerscrossed

😉🤔 All that to say, here is my Amazon wishlist. Feel free to glance through and help me get something for me and my kiddies. #shamelessplug

Thank you! 😚🤗

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1DZVVTL0WZC6D?ref_=wl_share

Lots of love!

TJP