Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1400485
helps us with our vision, reminds us of our core values, and helps us prioritize. It helps us be better educators because it helps us as human beings." Educators attend online ses- sions about identifying and using their strengths, crafting goals, reflecting and integrating core values, practicing mindfulness, and prioritizing what is important. They attend asynchronous lessons narrated by Hester but are joined in real time by a small group of colleagues and STA "fellows" who facilitate discussions. Between sessions, they apply strategies to improve well-being and reflect on their actions. They receive continu- ing education credits, too. So far, 84 percent of ET participants report the program has made them feel teaching is "more sustainable." Teacher retention has increased; 97 percent of teachers in the pro- gram returned, compared with 90 percent of another group. "We've had amazing feedback from our members," says Felice Bryson-Perez, president of STA and a teacher at Taft Montessori School. Roxanna Ayala, a teacher at Taft, embraced mindfulness to help deal with the stress of losing a loved one to COVID- 19 and getting a pink slip, which was rescinded. "It's a very powerful tool and helps me keep my sanity and stay grounded every day." ET began as a collaboration between Hester and the Boston Teachers Union, where it is still available. It is also offered to Kern County educators through the county department of education. His inspiration for the program goes back to his first year as a teacher in another California district in 2008. While having breakfast with his mother at an IHOP, she asked, "How are you?" Hester ended up crying into his pancakes. Moments like that strengthened his conviction to focus on the wellness of educators. Hester reminds participants that wellness is a journey and not a destination, and that he is continuing to try research- based strategies for his own well-being. The program is not therapy; the goal is helping educators thrive and cre- ating community. He comments that 20 years ago, very few people were providing SEL supports for students, and today SEL is a criti- cal component of all instruction. "I'm hoping that 20 years from now, it will be common- place for educators, too." CTA chapters interested in Educators Thriving can contact Tyler Hester at Tyler@educatorsthriving.org. "We are here for our well-being and to build connections with each other. This is not professional development. It's personal development." —TYLER HESTER, Stockton Teachers Association and founder of Educators Thriving PACIFICA: Restorative circles E D U C A T O R S U S E restorative circles in their classrooms to develop relationships, build communities, and respond to conflicts and problems — where all students have an equal opportunity to speak and be listened to. In the Pacifica School District this past year, online, voluntary restorative circles were held every other week to help employees process the many challenges of a difficult time. " The idea sprang from a return-to-school planning session [in summer 2020] when we discussed how important it was to support our staff as well as students," says Natalie Abinante, a special education teacher who is vice president of Laguna Salada Education Association (LSEA). In addition to the circles, all staff have access to SEL-related resources for themselves and for students through Google Classroom. They proved extremely helpful for those grieving the death of a beloved staff member. " The circles put my mind at ease and put me in a better place," says LSEA member Debby Lyttle, a fifth grade teacher at Sunset Ridge Elementary School. "We discovered we were experiencing the same things early last year: depression because we weren't with the kids in person; isolation from being at home; and anxiety because Stockton Teachers Association members clockwise from top left: Felice Bryson-Perez, Tyler Hester, Delores Hastings, Roxanna Ayala, Carolyn Snyder, Lindsay Kent. 24 cta.org Debby Lyttle Feature