- Downloading the app is optional. If you do not use it, you will need to communicate with office staff about which students are with you and where you are located (the app does this).
- On Monday, October 24, you will receive an email from Missy Walter with some directions to accessing the app.
- During that week, you will receive a "test drill" message. I am not sure if this is through the app or through a text. This is simply to ensure that you received the communication.
- After the process is done, we will be asking for feedback on how this went.
Staff Wellness Room Repurposed:
The office wellness room is different from the staff lounge or other space you might visit during your work day. The staff wellness room offers a private quiet space specifically designed to help staff reset or briefly escape from the noise and other work-related stressors of the day. This room can be used as:
A private space for pumping or nursing moms
For medical care through the Virtual Care Clinic provided by the district Mayo Clinic Virtual Express Care Guide
Meditation
Stretching and relaxing
A place to rest and relax, get grounded, and to “reset”
A space to use the Learn to Live Program offered through the district. The access code “isd761”
Where: Across from the Learning Studio in the employee wellness room
When: At your discretion - connect with Annette or the office if you need someone to fill in for you while you use this space.
Why: We give our students time to rest, relax and reset when needed. This is your space to do the same.
How: Make sure the room is not being used by checking the “unoccupied” sign on the door. When using the room, feel free to lock the door and put up the “occupied” sign to ensure your privacy. Be cognizant of your time in this space - it is meant for a brief “reset” similar to what we offer our students during the day.How do you respond? How do you let the student who is struggling know that they are seen and heard without bringing too much attention to the display? On the flip side… How do you let the rest of the class know that you “have this” and that they are safe when unexpected things happen? As they say, the struggle is real!! While things are chaotic and disruptive at times, it's important to remember that YOU are the manager of your classroom space. You can keep the space calm and positive despite the disruptions that will inevitably occur.
Remember! Your presence has an impact. Your facial expressions, your body language, your voice tone. Everything you do impacts the environment and communicates something to those around you. Stay calm (even when you have no clue what to do…. It happens to all of us!). Acknowledge that you hear the sound or see the movement (“I can hear the noise” or “I see there is more movement right now”), remind the class that they are safe, and thank those who are doing their job. If the display continues, remind the class that they are safe (again) and that sometimes we need different things to help regulate our bodies and emotions. Feelings are big and sometimes unexpected things happen. Normalize it as much as you can. It helps build empathy and keep things calm. Everyone (kids and adults included) experience big emotions and it's important to work through that. It looks and sounds different for everyone… and that is ok. When we respond in this way, we are communicating that everything is ok, that we are managing what is happening, and that when big feelings happen- it’s ok. We work through it together.
A great example of this comes from the first week of school last year. A student was seeking attention any way that she could get it. The display included blurting out frequently and jumping off her desk and around the room like a frog. The teacher reached out for support, and we talked through the different scenarios and ways to approach it in a positive way, knowing she would have another opportunity (or several) to redirect the behavior. When the class came back, the student picked up right where she left off. The behavior was acknowledged, the positive behaviors were reinforced, the attention was removed from the unexpected behaviors and the class moved forward. While this doesn’t always “end” the behavior immediately, the teacher reinforced the idea that she is the manager of the space and that the class is ok and safe- even when there are unexpected sounds and movements happening.
In the heat of the moment, we can easily be overcome with our own emotions, especially if the display is something that has been repeated multiple times. We may feel unsure of where to go first, what to say, and how to juggle it all. Just remember… Your presence has an impact. How you respond will impact the rest of your class. You are the manager of your space and students will learn to trust that in watching how you respond to a behavior display.
Here is a reminder image that may help in those big moments! It takes practice! Just like everything that we teach! This is something that takes time to build. Students will give you many opportunities to practice. Use each display as an opportunity to validate feelings, meet students where they are at, and most importantly, manage the classroom space.
Please reach out with any questions or if you are looking for support!
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