Current Events

There have been a lot of recently overwhelming events within our community as well as internationally, and it's a lot to take in. As easy as it is to block out what is happening around the world, that isn't always the best thing to do - especially for teachers.

Educators walk the fine line between learning about all of the things happening in the world around us, and taking a step back and blocking out all of the negative things for our own mental health. When appropriate, I choose to show students clips of the news that are friendly for their age - such as CNN 10.

Sadly, students come to school hearing these news broadcasts - whether true or biased - and have questions. We need to be able to provide them unbiased, thoughtful answers that can be understood at their own comprehension levels. This is our responsibility as educators. We can't just ignore what's happening and expect the students to just know how to deal with these emotions when they learn about what's going on around them.

I take every opportunity to discuss with my students what is happening and turn it into a learning opportunity. We can respond a certain way, we can choose not to get involved, we can give our thoughts or resources in the capacity in which works for us, and we can learn the ways we would have done things differently if we were placed in these types of situations.

One of the things that has happened in our community was a severe loss of an entire family in the worst possible way. Though it is too difficult for me to type here, I feel the need to share my response on this blog. Many of my own students did not know the student our Spitalny family lost. However, that doesn't mean they don't have a multitude of emotions they are struggling to grapple with - being so close to home.

Our school counselor is offering ways to help, and once I can manage my own emotions over this situation I'll be able to talk with the students and we can have a social/emotional meeting time to be able to freely and openly talk about our emotions without judgement. This is a difficult time, especially during state testing, but if you are a parent of my student reading this - I want you to know how grateful I am to be able to come to Spitalny every day and greet each and every student. It is a gift to see their faces every single day. I am so glad they continue to arrive on time every day ready to learn. Thank you for sharing your children with me and allowing me to educate them. This life is too precious to take for granted and focus on the negative.