T
eaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. Teachers fill students’ eager minds with information they’ll need for their future, prepare them to be respectable human beings, and inspire them to set goals for a fulfilling and successful life. Many of us can recall a favorite teacher or one who made an impact on our lives. We’re the lucky ones.
be still by Jean Eisenmann | photos courtesy of Lighthouse Creative
Jamie Harrison and Jill Miller are close friends, in part because they have so much in common. Both embrace a strong Christian faith. Jamie lives in Flower Mound, and Jill lives in Highland Village. They’re also teachers for Lewisville ISD, though Jamie taught high school in Lewisville, and Jill was an elementary school teacher in Flower Mound.
“We created the event without having a reserved venue, no speakers lined up, and no plan other than the conviction that teachers really needed this,” Jamie recalled. “From one single Facebook post, we sold out to 400 teachers in three days!”
“Having nearly 20 years of combined teaching experience within several types of schools and grade levels, we’ve definitely met a lot of teachers,” Jamie explained. “Common threads among teachers seem to be that they’re tired, stressed, and overwhelmed. The list of requirements and expectations for teachers increases every year.”
“Our conferences have been held there ever since,” Jamie mentioned.
At the eleventh hour, Lantana Community Church stepped in, and the conference was a tremendous success.
That kind of support was incentive enough for Harrison and Miller to launch Teacher, Be Still, an organization founded by teachers for teachers. It is solely dedicated
to providing encouragement and promoting personal wellness for all types of teachers. “Actually, all educators, such as principals and administration, are included in that group with teachers,” Jill clarified. The hugely popular organization focuses on the teacher as a person, apart from the classroom, students, and curriculum, and equips them to put themselves first. Reflecting their faith, the organization’s name was inspired from the Book of Exodus (14:13-14), as Moses said, “…The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Harrison and Miller felt that someone needed to help teachers and to remind them how valuable they are. “Teachers are such a vital asset to society, but they’re deficient in the self-care department,” Jill added. Teachers best support teachers, so Jamie and Jill took the initiative. It all began in 2018. Motivated by a need to create change and develop something strictly for teachers, the longtime friends decided on a live summer conference focused on teacher wellness.
10 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | JULY 2021
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