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Access the Cards

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas: What are you hoping to learn today?
What are you hoping to share today?

Resources/Insights

Successes: What successes have you and/or your learners had related to this topic?

Challenges: What challenges have you and/or your learners encountered related to this topic?

Equity: What are some challenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to this topic?

Reflections  Is there a new tool or resource you want to explore? Or an idea you want to share with a colleague?

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Get the conversation started:

Who’s in the room?
(Ask participants to introduce themselves)

Why did you pick this topic?

What are you hoping to learn/share today?

What are some challenges or successes you have experienced related to this topic?

How does this topic intersect with issues of equity?

What resources, tools, or insight may help others dealing with this topic?

What additional questions do you have about this topic?

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

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Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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Ideas

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Make sure all voices are heard in the conversation.

Be mindful of your own unconscious biases in communicating.

Give ample wait time for people to respond to a question or comment.

Remind participants to stay muted when they are not speaking.

Use the chat feature or reactions (like a thumbs up icon) to share quick responses with the group.

The Edcamp Community are dedicated to a harassment-free experience for everyone. The Edcamp Community’s Anti-Harassment Policy can be found below:

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https://casel.org/   *SEL
Yoga for Students and Teachers.
The power of breathing: Insight Timer  https://insighttimer.com/sarahblondin/guided-meditations/loving-and-listening-to-yourself

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The Montessori method uses self-efficacy

have students be the directors of their own learning

Going back to what works for students

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Start with getting some basic information about the students so that you get to know them and their interests.

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It is important to let the students know that you are their teacher and that you will not abandon them.

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teach the content but give students the leadway to express their learning in their voice - choice of venues

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a way to let kids have a voice in what is happening and what they like and need

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Acknowledging first nations students. Stop using white-washed curriculum. Finding resources created by people who represent the subject topic. Own Voices.

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Every child should feel value, respected, and heard. The students will know that it is about them.

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create a choice board or a playlist so students can choose their modality of learning

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Don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help!

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Find ways for students to experience success

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Find ways for students to experience success

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Differentiate so as to create and celebrate small successes to help students build self-confidence

be sure to have achievable learning goals for the students

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Fostering Relationships in the Virtual Environment

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Fostering Relationships in the Virtual Environment

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Giving students al alternative way to share their interests through a Google Form is a great way to break the ice without getting too personal.

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Make sure to find things that interest you, remember to prioritize YOUR personal needs. As much as we are motivated by helping others, remember YOU!

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Using terms such as underserved, under-represented around students. Need to be mindful of our language.

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Remember to put yourself first. This is not selfish...it's necessary ❤️

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When subbing you have to bring a bag of tricks that will help them to connect to the students.

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Fun? Respect

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Imagine if a parent never heard about the positive things their children have done.

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Access to technology and learning materials. Students being able to see themselves and their culture reflected in the curriculum. It needs to be relatable to the student's culture. Integrate a child's cultural and social parts of their life in the classroom materials and culture.

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create environments for successful learning

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create environments for successful learning

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Bringing a working model back to the classroom:
EdCamp model:  we eat, we share, we laugh
EdCamp offers choices generated by the participants
with ground rules and assignment of basic roles.

we need to create the environments for successful learning

Give students the chance to be the teacher

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Positive phone calls home can make all the difference!

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Reward: getting to sit in the teacher's chair for the day

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Reward: getting to sit in the teacher's chair for the day

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students strive for achievement
reward: let students be "the teacher"
give students the opportunity to express what they want
give them a challenge that they can embrace

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You are there for them.
You value their input.
We belive in them.
You are going to catch them when they fail

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the one when you are born and the one when you figure out what to do with your life

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What motivates one student might not motivate another. We need to get to know our students home status, background, home life, physical and cognitive abilities and not make assumptions. Building relationships.

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Bring in a piece of artwork that you have created.
Share what you are reading.
Tell them about your family and your experience.

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We need to do some self-reflection on the limits we impose on students, whether conscientiously or not,  so that they can explore and reach their full potential.

Let's learn from them.

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station rotation approach. one station with a teacher check in. Every student knows they will get a check in with their teacher. Helps get students what they need and build relationships.

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Help kids recover from failure by sharing own failures!

Scientists fail many, many times before a success!

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Give every student one on one time. Making sure to check in with students when they miss class and get them back to speed and make sure they feel comfortable coming back.

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Allow students to share gratitudes to get used to sharing!

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Teaching students how to process failure.  Where did you stop understanding? Test corrections, where is the problem? Tell me what you don't get so we can figure out where you went wrong.
Sentence corrections.

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Teachers are humans, too. We learn differently and we are in different circumstances. Normalize the idea that teachers are not machines, but appreciate that some might also be in different situations and might have to work later.

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We need to learn from young people who are naturally curious and are natural learners.

We need to allow "the organized chaos" in the classroom.

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"If I can't learn from my students, then I'm doing something wrong." - Martha Larkin

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40% off - free tools for educators

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Join 250,000+ teachers bringing mindfulness to the next generation.

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Affirm them as members of the learning community

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Affirm them as members of the learning community

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Don't underestimate what children are capable of doing.

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Free mindfulness app

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Improving the health and happiness of the world, one educator at a time.

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Having students create All about Me books at beginning of the year to learn about them. Have it be a check in point so you know what is going on in a students life and what they might need on certain days. Anonymous check in index cards where high school students can fill out what is going on in students life. Can then give the whole class resources rather than student needing to say who they are. example child abuse hotline resources, or tutoring in math resources.

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Creating Resilience for Educators, Administrators and TeachersThe goal of CREATE is to nurture healthy, caring school communities that support social and emotional learning and teacher and principal wellness.

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Advancing Social and Emotional Learning - CASEL

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CASEL is helping make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education, preschool through high school.

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Self-care for teachers

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Connect with us through the JabuMind mobile app for teachers to build, support, and nourish your personal social and emotional development. The meditations are based on the scientifically proven iRest® Method and are specifically designed to fit into a teacher's day and life.

Self-Care Tools
for Teachers

Reduce Stress
Overcome Anxiety & Depression
Improve Quality of Sleep
Increase Sense of Control

App with Premium Content
Remains Free During
the COVID-19 Pandemic

Self-Care Tools
for Teachers

Reduce Stress
Overcome Anxiety & Depression
Improve Quality of Sleep
Increase Sense of Control

App with Premium Content
Remains Free During
the COVID-19 Pandemic

Connect with us through the JabuMind mobile app for teachers to build, support, and nourish your personal social and emotional development. The meditations are based on the scientifically proven iRest® Method and are specifically designed to fit into a teacher's day and life.

Our App and COVID-19 Statement

Dear JabuMind family,

These are challenging times! Change is certain. We are constantly reminded that we are not in control. We hear and experience personal stories of loss daily. Two years ago, our team moved from creating SEL for children to focusing on adult SEL. The classroom teacher's wellness, mental health and self-care are the primary focus of our app. In March of 2020, we pushed to get our app out into the hands of teachers as schools moved to remote learning. We were supported by iRest®, a nonprofit who generously provided free meditations to teachers.

Fall of 2020 continues to ask teachers to remain flexible, be techno-wizards, and teach in a variety of settings. We are fortunate to have the support of iRest® and be able to offer iRest® meditations in our app for teacher wellness. We have narrators from over 4 continents working to create meditations for teachers. The method is secular and is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety and depression and improve sleep. Due to the tremendous stress and strain on teachers in this moment and the importance of teachers to our world's children, all of our premium content on the app remains free during the uncertain times of COVID.

I am also deeply grateful to the JabuMind team for their dedication and hard work to support teachers. We do see you, we do care about you, and we do love you. Follow us on social media, email us and please stay connected. Let us know how we can help and support you. We are grateful for your teaching, leadership and presence.

Sincerely,

Jill Apperson Manly, Co-Founder of JabuMind

of new teachers leave teaching within five years

-Richard Ingersoll

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education; National Teacher Principal Survey, 2018.

I appreciate that this app exists and that people took the time to create something like this. I'm glad to know that there are people out there looking out for our mental health.

Verified User

I had never meditated prior to using JabuMind, but it made it a simple task that I would like to consistently incorporate into my routine. I used to be a firm believer that meditation was pointless, but JabuMind has changed that. Thank you!

Verified User

The variety of exercises and times of day were awesome.

Verified User

Our Mission

We are a passionate group of teachers, coaches, artists, school principals, and mental health clinicians who share a common goal of creating a safer, stronger, and more supportive classroom experience for both teachers and students.

While we've always known that hand-washing was one of the most effective actions we could take to protect our health, what we may not have considered is how we can use the time spent with warm water rushing over our hands to soothe our souls. In this brief...

At this time when we are all experiencing the impact of an unexpected visitor in our lives, it's the perfect time to invite our feelings and emotions into our awareness to better understand what their messages are. Being in the present moment allows us to pay...

While we've always known that hand-washing was one of the most effective actions we could take to protect our health, what we may not have considered is how we can use the time spent with warm water rushing over our hands to soothe our souls. In this brief...

At this time when we are all experiencing the impact of an unexpected visitor in our lives, it's the perfect time to invite our feelings and emotions into our awareness to better understand what their messages are. Being in the present moment allows us to pay...

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Connect with us through the JabuMind mobile app for teachers to build, support, and nourish your personal social and emotional development. The meditations are based on the scientifically proven iRest® Method and are specifically designed to fit into a teacher's day and life.

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Self Determination:  Impress the teacher day

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Self Determination:  Impress the teacher day

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give students time to take what they have learned and create something to impress the teacher

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Free meditation for sleep, relax, and more

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Insight Timer - #1 Free Meditation App for Sleep, Relax & More

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The best meditation app with the world’s largest FREE library of more than 190k guided meditations, 17k teachers & the world’s most loved meditation Timer.

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As teachers I think it’s important to reflect on ourselves, our personal backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, and how to navigate around those things we have internalized as children. What do we bring to our classroom? How can we reconcile our own beliefs with our needs so that we can bring our best to the table, for our students?

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Learning centers give students self - determination

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Learning centers give students self - determination

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Learning centers does give students choice and self-determination.

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to create buy into the content.

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Be vulnerable and show the students you care. Make learning fun and engaging. Parents are our best asset.
One on one conference with students. Ask what motivates them internally and externally.
Listen to students find out who they are and what they like. Use show and tell.
Go to the events (sporting, etc.) Greet students in the Hallway.
Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen

Be consistent. Be there for your students.

"Kids Don't learn from people they don't like," Rita Pierson (Every kid needs a champion) talk
Onward Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators https://www.amazon.com/Onward-Cultivating-Emotional-Resilience-Educators/dp/1119364892/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Onward+Cultivating+Emotional+Resilience+in+Educators&qid=1633799917&sr=8-1

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Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators

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Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators [Aguilar, Elena] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators

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Offering tools and designing learning for ALL students. Offering and promoting student voice and choice. Catering to each student and giving them ownership of their learning.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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What are some ways that I can help you do this?

Instead of well, this is how you do this.

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Daily reflection app

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mental health training personalised for you.

every day, based on stoic philosophy, we will prepare a set of exercises that will teach you how to cope with stress, increase productivity, build resilience and confidence.

stoic. will learn what really works for you and how you feel after exercises and will improve your experience with time.

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live a happier and more tranquil life. stoic is a mobile application that will teach you stoicism and help you deal with daily obstacles and strong emotions like stress, anger, loneliness. build a perfect morning and evening routine from teachings of seneca, marcus aurelius, epictetus.

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face masks

massages

meditation music

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great framework for supporting English Language Learners

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Serving Multilingual Learners of All Ages

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If you are not using a structured conversation or talk technique regularly in your classroom yet, this is THE one to implement NOW. It's not only easy to implement right away, but it can also be used in every grade level and content area. There is practically no prep work need yet the benefits for students rock!

The benefits of academic talk are too great to avoid. If, as teachers, we do all the talking, then WE do all the learning. Talk makes learning stick. Students must verbalize to internalize.

When I was an ESL specialty teacher, I would spend the day co-teaching in various classrooms on my campus. One thing I noticed about classrooms, is that some were like rainforests. Picture this: plants of all types, flowers blooming, creatures crawling around, brightly colored birds and butterflies flying through, monkeys swinging through branches, frogs hopping about, etc. The rainforest was vibrant and alive and all types of life thrives in the ecosystem. While other rooms were like desolate, deserted islands...no life, no sound, no energy.

What made the classrooms vibrant rainforests where children thrived while others were desolate, deserted islands? The answer was ample opportunities for structured academic TALK.

Classrooms where talk was scaffolded, taught and fostered with fidelity bred a natural sense of community. In these classrooms students felt safe to take risks and speak about the thoughts going on in their mind. They felt safe to change their mind when new information was learned. Students and the teacher recognized that it was more important to process thinking than to get the answer right.

is probably the best structured conversation technique that I have used. I first learned about it from the book 7 Steps to a Language-Rich Interactive Classroom written by John Seidlitz.

Begin by posing an open ended, essential . Thought provoking questions are the best for structured conversations. Crafting great questions takes practice and collaboration with other teachers can help. Post the question so students can see if and easily refer back to it during their conversation.

Next, provide students with a sentence for the answer to the question. As a class rehearse how to say the sentence stem. This rehearsal not only helps students understand that they will need to use the stem but also helps if students aren't quite sure of how to say some of the words.

Third, tell students to stand or give a thumbs up when they can complete the sentence. It can be any signal that you think of really. I like to use hands on hips and thinkers chin. This step is critical for 100% participation. When you begin to implement this step, it may take longer than you would like. BUT don't skip it. Kids will test you. If you stand your ground they will learn that you EXPECT EVERYONE to participate. Remember: It's not about getting the right answer. It's about thinking and learning. Gone are the days that we ask a question and call on one kid to answer it while everyone else zones out!

​Now that all kids are ready, we partner them up and let them their answers. Partnering can take the form that you see fit. It may be a group share or it could be A/B partners. The important part here is that students know how they will share with their peers. Explicit instructions on sharing need to be delivered so that students who are reluctant speaks will understand the expectations while those that dominate talk will also understand where to draw the line. ​ This share time gives the teacher an opportunity to listen in on conversations. The teacher can wonder the crowd and take notes that will guide the next steps in instruction. Note of caution: As you listen to conversations, be careful of your feedback. Often saying "Good job" can halt a discussion by making students feel they have completed the task. Perhaps feedback like, "You're on the right track. Can you say more?" or "What else can you tell us about that?"

The final step in Q Triple S A, is to . This simple means that the teacher will RANDOMLY call on a few students to share their answer with the whole group. Now remember, they've all been given the opportunity to share in small group (which helped to lower their affective filter). That opportunity also provided a listening experience for them, so they may build on their initial answer. The reason for randomly calling on students is that it helps us to avoid always calling on the same kids. It also keeps everyone on their toes. We hold our kids accountable to the learning.

Whether you are a kinder teacher or a high school algebra teacher, I challenge YOU to try this amazing technique with your kids! And let us know how it goes.

Resources:
​Seidlitz, J. & Perryman, B. (2011). 7 Steps to a language-rich interactive classroom: Research based strategies for engaging all learners. San Clemente: Canter Press. ​

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Q Triple S A--An Amazing Structured Conversation Technique

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If you are not using a structured conversation or talk technique regularly in your classroom yet, this is THE one to implement NOW. It's not only easy to implement right away, but it can also be used in every grade level and content area.

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You are the TEACHER, not the prescribed curriculum. You are the one who needs to determine the best way to deliver the material to your students. They are our students.

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From John Hattie
We have so much power with our BELIEF in student ability!

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Affordable and flexible therapy option

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"Wendy is very respectful, understanding and gives good advice. She responds well and in a timely manner. I would recommend her to anyone. "

- Written 1 day ago by R.E. for Wendy Durant (LPC-S,RPT-S)

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"Deborah has been an absolute pleasure to talk to and our weekly chats have become a highlight of my day. She's a great listener and provides good advice. Highly recommend!"

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"Kristina has been wonderful! This is my first time seeking counselling and she has made it not scary and very inviting. "

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"Wendy is very respectful, understanding and gives good advice. She responds well and in a timely manner. I would recommend her to anyone. " - Written 1 day ago by R.E. for Wendy Durant (LPC-S,RPT-S) "Candace is really nice and easy to talk with.

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from Myisha Hutchinson

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Our attitude is contagious in the classroom

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Our attitude is contagious in the classroom

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Gratitude at the start of the day helps to put us in the right emotional place to be the classroom leader.

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There are other genres: Lofi Hip-Hop, Jazz, etc. :)

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Focus Music for Work and Studying, Background Music for Concentration, Study Music

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Using food and music to create connections and commonalities between students of various cultures.

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Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson

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Amy Biscombe shared that there are grants for teachers and that she has been able to purchase diffusers, etc. for teachers' self-care.

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Teaching should not be one of the most stressful jobs in the US. But it is. "The only other profession that comes close to us for stress is nursing-and we still have the numbers ... by a lot. The data is insane, and no one is really paying attention."

These are the words of Jamy Brice-Hyde, a veteran teacher in New York who is part of the national group Badass Teachers Association (BAT). A few years ago, three different teachers within the BAT network each took their own life just a few weeks apart, bringing to light just how stressful the job of education can be.

"Nobody realizes how horrific working conditions are for teachers throughout the country," Brice-Hyde says. BAT wanted to take action, so they created a Quality of Worklife Steering Committee and named Brice-Hyde the codirector. Then they partnered with the American Federation of Teachers to do a national study of teacher working conditions around issues like stress, work-life balance, respect, and more.

The results are both surprising-and not. (Check out the results of the entire study or search for results by state, using the interactive map.) If you've been seeing the stories about teacher walkouts and pay disputes, you probably aren't all that shocked to see these things like:

61 percent of educators find work "always" or "often" stressful.

27 percent of educators said they've been threatened, bullied, or harassed.

86 percent of educators feel disrespected by US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Teachers are stressed out, and turnover is high. No wonder we're seeing more stories about the importance of self-care, classroom burnout, and mental health days for teachers.

Yet, self-care doesn't seem to come easily for people, and this is definitely true for teachers. By nature, educators are taught to give care and support others-not themselves.

We think it's time to change that, though. So in honor of World Mental Health Day, WeAreTeachers is working to change the dialogue about teacher mental health. Below are some of the top challenges people give for not seeking therapy, or even basic self-care, along with possible solutions and workarounds for each one.

We hope you share this article widely, giving support and love to your fellow educators. After all, self-care, good mental health, positive well-being-whatever you want to call it-is one of the single best things you can do for yourself. And it's pretty much guaranteed to help you do what you set out to in the first place-be a good teacher.

Solution: Try on-the-go therapy instead.

It seems like everyone is fighting this battle these days. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day. There are alternatives, though.

Talkspace is one of the best-known companies in this market. They offer on-demand therapy that you can do via text or messaging. To start, you'll fill out some basic info, and then they'll match you with a licensed therapist. Best of all, there's no scheduling needed. You can write your therapist early in the morning, late at night, or anytime in between.

Solution: Look into support groups or ask about sliding scale fees.

Whether you have no insurance, bad insurance, or you're choosing not to use your insurance, therapy is expensive. Even a good insurance program will likely have co-pays, and those add up quickly.

If you're low on funds, there are a few options to try. First of all, you can look into support groups. For instance, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America has this online resource. Another option is to look for group therapy, which can be cheaper than one-on-one options. Finally, seek out providers that have sliding scale fees. Be upfront that you're a teacher on a budget. Not everyone will offer sliding scale, but it's worth asking.

Finally, check with your union or insurance program about mental health benefits. Many programs will offer limited amounts of free services or consultations to help you explore different options and get on the right path. These benefits could exist, and you just have to ask about them.

Solution: Try someone new.

Maybe you did couple's counseling once with your college significant other, and it was too new age for your taste. Or maybe you had to do counseling as a kid, and it brings back bad memories. Whatever the case may be, do not let a bad therapy experience put you off of therapy completely.

Try someone new. And if you don't like them, even after the first visit, try another person. At the end of the day, it's your time and money. Don't be afraid to keep looking until you find the right fit.

Solution: Don't wait for it to get there.

"If you are telling yourself that you are not to that point yet, it means that you recognize that there is an issue and that it is worsening," says GinaMarie Guarino, a licensed counselor with PsychPoint Mental Health Center. "Waiting until you cannot take it anymore is detrimental to your health and the well-being of your students."

She recommends having a general conversation with a mental health professional, so they can help you assess. Yes, it can be hard to get to the point of asking for help. But it really is an important part of self-care.

Solution: Have a back-up plan for support.

"There's a big disconnect between higher education and what happens in a K-12 classroom," says Kristin Bertolero, an inclusion facilitator who worked for years as a special ed teacher and then as a college professor. She says education can be especially difficult for new teachers because it's such a hard job to prepare for.

"There's a lot of stress about what you're taught to teach and then what actually happens in the classroom," she says. She says it's important for teachers to remember they're learning, and it's perfectly okay to seek help from a colleague, admin, or mentor. Even reaching out to a counselor is a good option to help bring perspective and navigate through the emotional field of teaching.

"It's a difficult profession because you're constantly being bombarded with more information and more demands," she says. "A good counselor will be able to help give you perspective and possible solutions that are actionable."

Solution: Explore all of your options.

"As teachers, we would do everything in our power to help our students," writes an elementary school teacher from our WeAreTeachers community. "Yet, when it's for our own health, we resist."

This teacher talked about her battle with depression, and how she put off going to see someone because she thought they'd put her on medication. Once she finally gave in, she talked to her therapist about her concerns. Together, they came up with a plan to try diet, exercise, and natural remedies first. She did eventually end up on a low dosage of medicine for about a year, but above all, she says her fear of meds far outweighed the reality.

Guarino adds, "In most cases, medication is not necessary for mental health. Just learning skills to cope and keeping in touch with a mental health professional is enough to maintain mental health and prevent a condition or issue from worsening."

Solution: Get creative with online options.

For anyone in a small town or rural area, this is definitely a concern. Not only can resources be limited, but there's a good chance your therapist might also be your best friend's cousin ... or the pianist from your wedding. "I don't want everyone knowing my business," a middle school teacher in our WeAreTeachers community writes. "I prefer to keep to myself."

Even if this isn't your top concern, just having enough resources in some communities is a real struggle. Instead, try online resources or providers who will do a therapy session over the phone or even Skype. Better Help is an online-therapy option. You can also do a search for therapists that offer Skype as an option. Finally, try finding a therapist in the big city nearest to you and see if they'd be open to a combination of in-person and Skype sessions. You can always call or email someone first to see if they're open to it.

Solution: Don't give up.

No one can make you be ready to look into therapy or mental health options. It's something you have to figure out on your own.

However, think about the love, support, and advice you'd give a friend, student, colleague, sibling, or parent-and then try to apply that same kindness and wisdom to yourself. Maybe you aren't ready to call a therapist and make an appointment. Or maybe you're still figuring it out, one day at a time.

Teaching shouldn't be one of the most stressful jobs in the US, but it is. So you can't forget to take care of yourself along the way.
What tips do you have for addressing teacher mental health? Come share your ideas on our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE Plus, why teacher depression and anxiety are so common and a look at whether or not teachers should take mental health days. on Facebook.

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We Need to Do More for Teachers Who Are Exhausted, Stressed, and Burned Out

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Teaching should not be one of the most stressful jobs in the US. But it is. "The only other profession that comes close to us for stress is nursing-and we still have the numbers ... by a lot. The data is insane, and no one is really paying attention."

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Remember to laugh :)

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It was a pleasure to be the scribe for this sessions.
Nanette Fandino-Diaz
MrsNFDiaz@aol.com
Twitter @nanettediaz