EDUCATION As School Year Winds Down, Teachers Maintain Mutual Support Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer With the end of the school year just weeks away, many District teachers continue to reflect on an academic year that has tested their resolve and intensified conversation about the institutional support needed for those entering the classroom in a post-pandemic world. At Barnard Elementary School in Northwest, teachers with less than five years of experience received mentorship and classroom supplies from members of the District of Columbia State Organization, Alpha Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International – an organization dedicated to fostering the professional growth of female educators. Sharon McCrea, a teacher at Barnard a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society who died in January, played an integral role in connecting the two entities. During a recent award ceremony, Delta Kappa Gamma Society honored McCrea’s memory and highlighted the achievements of several early career educators. Natasha Swinson, a Pre-K4 teacher who’s been teaching for four years, counted among those recognized on May 6 during the culmination of Teacher Appreciation Week. After spending half of her career in a pandemic, Swinson said she has developed a deeper appreciation for her students. “Delta Kappa Gamma has helped a lot as a support system and DC Public Schools is helping in the way they can but there’s still a lot on teachers’ plates,” Swinson said. “It’s hard to navigate the moving parts when we haven’t been through this before. In September, we were losing our minds. Teachers are dropping like flies, so making it to the end of the school year feels great.”
ADDRESSING TEACHER BURNOUT WITH A NEW MINDSET
Teacher Appreciation Week, which took place between May 2 and May 6, afforded teachers, administrators and staff members at District public and public charter schools the opportunity to celebrate colleagues who navigated COVID safety protocols, tackled learning loss and wrestled with sentiments that their voices had not been heard. On the evening of May 3, while the Office of the State Superintendent of Education honored 27 teachers at Gallaudet University’s Kellogg Conference Center in Northeast, District educator Teresa Lasley hosted an event at My Cake Theory in Southeast. During the event, she uplifted teachers and fostered discussion about how they could move forward in a career field that hasn’t adjusted to meet their evolving needs. As the founder of Instructional Gym, Lasley has spent three years creating spaces for teachers to collaborate, highlight their experiences and develop effective instructional models. Lasley has also focused on teacher burnout by supporting teachers so they can better understand their purpose. She plans to launch a program in the fall that will assist teachers in choosing an academic environment that can suit their needs and help them thrive in their profession. She said it reflects a change in the tide where many teachers are prioritizing their wellbeing. “A lot of teachers are in buildings that don’t align to their values and it becomes toxic when you’re at odds with the culture of the building and the structure of how things are
5 Pech Chhun, Pealine Humbles, Shaynita Blanchard, Dr. Judith Kelly and Geraldine Meredith at Barnard Elementary School in Northwest on May 6. (Photo courtesy Griselda Rutherford)
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