California Educator

April/May 2021

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Backlash hurts morale When the pandemic first hit, teachers were hailed as heroes. Parents declared they never knew teachers worked so hard and called them miracle workers. But over time admiration has waned, say teachers. Parents have become frustrated with online learning — as well as with hybrid scheduling where students are in the classroom on a part-time basis — because it interferes with parents' schedules. Some teachers feel as though they are working under a microscope, with parents listening to them and interrupting to ask questions or make comments. Mary Garrison, resource specialist at Cooley Ranch Elementary School and a member of the Association of Colton Educators executive board, has seen community members blast educators on social media. As a parent of a child in the school district, she is part of the parent Facebook group, but is now taking a break from it for the sake of her mental health. "It's not safe for me to have 10 people from different households over, but they think I should be in a classroom with 30 kids from different households," she observes. " They are angry because they want their kids back in school and for things to go back to the way they were before the pandemic." Garrison copes with the stress of the political divide — and her greatly increased workload — by focusing on what she can control: her health. "When the pandemic started, I was 30 pounds heavier and on blood pressure medication. I started exercising on my stationary bike and making better food choices. I joined a movie club where a group of friends watch movies over Zoom every week and then socialize. I cre- ated a group chat on an app where teachers can help each other and be a team. New habits and new friends have helped me to get through this — as well as not responding to parents and administrators 24/7." Putting things in perspective Byron Greenberg, a clinical psychologist who works with CTA's Survive and rive program to help educators experiencing burnout, advises teachers not to take things personally. "Anger is precipitated by frustrations. COVID has undone a lot of expectations and produced a significant amount of anger. As teachers, you know your goals are positive and you are not perfect but doing your best. Parents aren't really angry at teachers; they're just angry. It's not a personal thing or a slight on you personally. Don't let this impact your self-esteem." CTA's New Wellness Center! W I T H Y O U R W E L L - B E I N G and mental health in mind, CTA has just launched a new Wellness Center. Multiple resources and tips espe- cially for educators can help you cope with the mental and physical stresses of both the classroom/school and life during a pandemic. Check it out at cta.org/wellnesscenter. Greenberg also suggests that educators w ho are e xp er i en c i n g a n xi e ty, stre ss , d e pre ssi on or o th er mental health issues take advantage of their district's Employee Assistance Program and seek professional help from a therapist. "There is a tremendous amount of self-sacrifice in teaching, but I implore teachers to take care of them- selves," he says. "You cannot pour from an empty cup, so please make sure to invest some of your energy in your mental, physical and spiritual well-being." "New habits and new friends have helped me to get through this — as well as not responding to parents and administrators 24/7." —Mary Garrison, Association of Colton Educators During the pandemic Mary Garrison has lost 30 pounds by exercising and making better food choices. 31 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 21

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