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When I hear crisis, I think of a time when there was a gun threat in our school in my second year of teaching. It was a scary situation, but a lot of changes about our school took place in order to up security, which was a positive. I remember feeling for the entire next month like I was on egg shells. Nervous to walk my kids to specials. Nervous about entering/leaving the building. It really made me not want to be there. A lot of changes came about because of it though. We added cameras to every hallway. The front doors were now locked at all times and you had to be let in by the secretary. A cop was now in the school almost every day. These were changes that had to be made any way but it took a threat for them to make them. After the changes were made, I felt much more comfortable going to school every day but it still felt just a little different for the rest of the year.

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When thinking about crisis and teaching, it's hard for me not to think about the current climate that we are experiencing in the education world. There has been much discussion on how this next school year should go and lot of input from people in general with it becoming a political nightmare. As educators, we want what is best for our kids. We are use to adapting and evolving in any situation we are put in. I think a great example of this ability to adapt was shown in those 8 days after school was determined to be distance learning. What I remember seeing in those 8 days was true teamwork and amazing creativity! It was truly amazing to see people come together to figure out how we can best help our students during this crisis. I think one thing I learned from all of this is that you can always find an opportunity to grow no matter what situation is presented to you if you maintain a positive attitude. It is amazing what people can do when they put aside their frustrations and focus on helping others.

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When facing a crisis, your vision seems to both narrow and widen at the same time.  You’re overwhelmed to see all that’s in front of you to deal with in the moment while seeing future challenges stretching long into the future.  A few years ago I was told that due to budget cuts I needed to continue with my regular EL teaching load while also taking on an extra social studies of 30 students.  I remember the challenge of just getting through the first week and needing to focus on addressing challenges one thing at a time so as not to get overwhelmed by thinking of an entire year.  While I was just surviving this new responsibility I felt myself feeling guilty about dropping some of the other balls I’d gotten used to juggling in past years.  The amazing thing is how a challenge can turn into an opportunity.  As the year went on, lesson planning and classroom management that were real challenges in the beginning became easier and I could broaden my focus to fostering relationships and providing quality feedback.  I also realized that it was OK to let go of some of the other balls I’d been juggling since my other students and classes did fine without them.  Although I was happy to be able to give up my extra class at the end of the year, I was also proud about what I’d been able to do with it.  That experience, and other crises I’ve faced in the past, have taught me the value in taking one step at a time and trusting myself to learn and grow throughout the process.

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When a crisis hits it sometimes gives you the opportunity to reflect and sift through what you feel is really important in your life. It may get you to realize that your friends and family are truly the most important and material things and money are not. I believe I would react the same way in my classroom. I would step back and make sure I connect and relate to my students. I wouldn't be so concern with grades or teaching the perfect lesson. I'm not so sure of the changes it would create but it would make me step back and reflect on what's truly important to me.

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I have learned over the years that in times of crisis things slow down for me and everything falls away except for my attention to take action or find a solution. This response was a surprise to me at first, but now I know I am good in a crisis or at least that has been my experience to date. In addition, at times of crisis, there is opportunity for creativity. When faced with imminent change, some people will shut down while others will find new and creative ideas to maneuver the change and come out perhaps better or stronger. I think in any crisis you can lament the things lost or what could have been. I choose to focus on the growth, benefits and opportunities a crisis can bring about.

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My first thought is that I am glad I have never run into a crisis like that or felt the need to make a big change.  There were the years that I received my Pink Slip in the spring like most new teachers.  It wasn’t unexpected those first years.  I have been very lucky to work in some great schools. They were great because of the staff and administrations and most of the students.  There have been the more challenging classes and students but I have always felt supported.  That is a good thing for me. I am not a big fan of change.  I like routine and structure. I think that is one of the reasons I have not pursued a position change even though I could probably get a full time position at a different school.  I am and have always had a part time contract.  The thought of going through the interview process and switching schools is a little nerve racking for me. So without a major reason to change I won’t put myself through that process. I am happy and comfortable where I am.

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In the face of a crisis we are given an opportunity to truly look deep within. We are called to look at life through a wider lens and gain a better perspective on what really matters and what we truly value. I feel as though many people are experiencing this as we face many fears of the unknown today.

I am reminded of a specific experience in my life where I felt as though I was in a crisis. When, my then fiancé at the time volunteered to serve over in Afghanistan as a flight medic I remember feeling strong emotions of fear. At first, I was frustrated and fearful but after a while I came to gain a better perspective of why he had chosen this route. This allowed me to accept my emotions toward my fiancé leaving to go overseas which allowed me to focus my energy in seeking out opportunities to help other military families from his company. Through this, I was able to see his volunteering as a brave and courageous endeavor. Instead of staying fearful I became proud to have the opportunity to be apart of his time in the service.

My husband and I are now happily married with a son who we adore. This experience has shown me how broadening my perspective, accepting my emotions, as well as looking deep within allows me to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves (as we are all doing today through distance learning).

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Crisis can help us to sort out priorities in life. For a good few years, I was not a full time teacher and was applying for a new job every year. The end of the school year before my daughter was born was a crisis mode, My wife and I had to think about what we valued. My entire pay check, and then some, could go to childcare or I could quit working and raise a child. Fortunately, my position was boosted to be considered full time and ultimately I decided to continue teaching. The crisis did cause my wife and I to sit down and think about what we valued, what are things we could do without and things we needed. There is always something positive that can come out of a crisis if we look for it.

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The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about a crisis that I have gone through is what we are going through at this exact moment in time. None of us could have ever imagined that this is how the 2019-2020 school year would have ended and have no idea how the 2020-2021 school year is going to start. I have already gained so much through this crisis that has been put in front of us. There are many opportunities for growth and development as a teacher that I never would have had if it weren't for this pandemic. This crisis has taught me that I am stronger than I thought and can get through stressful times like this. I continue to rely on those that are around me and lean on them when times get tough. We are a community of teachers that will support each other and get through this together!

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According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, a crisis is "an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person's life” When I think of a crisis, I think of what we are all going through right now as humans, whether you are a teacher, nurse, parent, administrator, spouse, doctor, etc. There is so much controversy in the world and it is a huge event that is tearing our world apart. As a first-year teacher last year, I ended the year with distance learning, as if the first year of teaching isn’t challenging already. When we started distance learning I remember telling myself this is going to be horrible and there is no way I will survive through the end of my first year of teaching. I truly felt like I was in a dream in the middle of this disaster. Well, fast forward a few months to mid-summer, and I am still wanting to wake up and hope this is all just a dream. This crisis has taught me to have a growth mindset with everything I do in life. As we wait to hear what our future plans will be for next school year, I keep telling myself to stay optimistic and that we are all going through the EXACT same thing. There are a lot of negative people on social media and it is hard to even go on those platforms right now due to all the hate. I have learned a lot about myself through this crisis and I am sure I will learn more as we continue to navigate through these difficult times. We are all in this together!

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A crisis is not what we want, ever. But, the thing about a crisis is it brings the things that are really important right into focus. It is like all the background noise is gone and our mind zooms in on the crisis. For me, at different times in my life, a crisis has actually resulted in more gratitude for what I have. When you come out the other side, you are stronger and more focused.  Over the course of the last 10 years, my husband has had 6 heart surgeries. He is fine, but each one was a crisis. The problems in between were definitely hard, at best. But, what we discovered is that we can handle anything life throws at us and that we stronger together. So for that, I am thankful for the crisis moments.

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When I read the above statement my mind went back to 2017. I was about the finish my 5th year teaching in Brookings, South Dakota. This is where I grew up as a kid and in my mind where I'd teach for the rest of my life. That summer my wife graduated and she could not find a job in Brookings. Crisis mode was activated for us. Although we wanted Brookings to be where we lived forever, we needed to find a place we could both work. We ended up moving to Marshall, Minnesota and have just finished up our third year in town. We love the community here and it has been fun to be off on our own away from our families yet still an hour away so we can see them fairly frequently. I remember being awfully sad and angry about having to move in 2017, but if I'd have known then how much I'd love Marshall my attitude would have been much better. This is just another reminder not to pre judge a situation and that positives can come from times of crisis.

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Personally, a crisis helps me evaluate my priorities and values quickly and clearly. My mom had a health scare last year (she’s doing great now), and that crisis helped bring me clarity about how important it is to be with family. I didn’t sit and list out pros and cons about taking time off from work. Instead I talked to my principal and was approved to take two weeks off to go back to Idaho. Having that moment of “drop everything because my family comes first” was a realization that I’d always known but not necessarily experienced firsthand. I knew my student teacher would do a good job while I was gone, so that helped ease some of my worries too.

Shortly after I came back to Minnesota, people were starting to talk about COVID. I was back in Minnesota for 10 days before they closed the schools and we went to distance learning. Again, I decided that I needed to be back with my family so I could run errands and limit my parents’ potential exposure. Luckily, I got permission to teach remotely from Idaho. The start of this health crisis was another reminder of how I need to take care of my family.

The COVID crisis has forced teachers to get out of their comfort zones and try a new way of teaching. Yes, it wasn’t ideal, but it allowed us to continue to develop our growth mindset. Each week recording lessons and videos got easier. Students and parents become more comfortable with the routine and joining Google Meets.

The unknown aspects of this future school year can be a crisis for some people (myself included). The unknown is scary, especially with health concerns added to an uncertain school year. However, this is an opportunity to take a step back, name emotions that I’m feeling, meditate, and then focus on things I can control. My big breakthrough from the COVID crisis is how important it is to take care of each other and how important it is to be supportive for parents and students. I look forward to hearing MDE’s recommendation, and my district’s plan, so I can start preparing for the upcoming year (something I can control).

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In my 9 year career, there have been two rounds of reduced staffing in my math department.  When I started, there were 8 math teachers.  A few years ago, we had 7 math teachers, and now we have 6 math teachers.  Thinking about crisis and opportunity brings back memories of the feelings I had during those uncertain times.  As stressful as it was to be unsure if I was going to have a job the next year, I did have a peace knowing that the best thing I can do is to focus on the current year that I was teaching.  I have always had an incredibly supportive math department team and their encouragement helped me in my time of crisis.  A supportive family is another factor that is so impactful when going through a time of crisis.  My wife and children have helped me keep a healthy balance of work and family time where I can forget about work.

During this time of concern of COVID-19, this is also a time of crisis that is providing lots of opportunities. It has brought teachers together to collectively discover some of the best strategies to teach our students. It can be difficult when going through crisis to see the benefits of going through them, but when you look back in the past on different crisis, you can clearly see how much stronger you are because of them.

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As I think about learning through a crisis or growing in less than ideal circumstances, there are many that come to mind for me to talk about.  Of course, the current pandemic and the unknowns of this past school year and the upcoming unknowns, but this question resonated more intensely on a personal level. I am the sister of an injured soldier. A soldier who experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury at the tender age of 19 fighting to protect our country. If you want to talk crisis there it is. I don't share it for accolades or condolences, I share it because his injury and subsequent rehab are defining moments in my lifetime. Not only is he my brother and a soldier who was injured, he was the first Minnesotan injured in Iraq. With that comes a lot of publicity and focus from strangers. When I think of the growth and development that had to happen for me in that moment and the many years to come it is hard to make a list. It has been a challenge to my social emotional growth, my spiritual growth, any my relational intelligence. I was 21 when my brother was injured, I was a senior in college and in my student teaching at a middle school. In the moment time stood still and suddenly everything else didn't seem important anymore. I grew in my ability to manage emotional stress while continuing to be a teacher. I also grew to understand more that emotional reactions are a communication tool when words don't work , this served me greatly as I progressed in my career as an EBD teacher. As I watched my brother battle back from an injury that nearly cost him his life, twice and a TBI that took his vision in one eye, his sense of smell, his short term memory, and changed his personality I learned the true meaning of grit and a growth mindset. If he can battle back from and continue to battle with the extent of his injuries to live the fulfilling life that he does, then I can move through my ups and downs with a little less whining and bit more perseverance. It surely isn't a growing process that is complete yet, and probably never will be but this crisis and the person at the center of the crisis has help define and personify my meaning of the word "yet."

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Blessed Are The Flexible, For They Shall Not Be Bent Out of Shape

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Blessed Are The Flexible, For They Shall Not Be Bent Out of Shape

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I remember when a school administrator first uttered this saying to me early in my career. It was certainly great advice back then, but how relevant is it in our COVID world as we gear back up this fall for... what? We don't know. Even when we get the "go ahead" from the MDE folks, we still won't really know what the fall will bring. And so, crisis and opportunity and flexibility are the words that define 2020 for us. As I reflect back on what I learned from Distance Learning this spring there are many things that that particular crisis helped teach me. Opportunities to improve my skills in formative assessment, in my ability to give meaningful, immediate feedback on a regular basis, in prioritizing standards, in creating interactive and constructivist lessons that were also digital and asynchronous. As educators, we must be adaptable. Adaptable to our students, and adaptable to the situations we find ourselves in. So much has changed over the past 26 years of my teaching career. Some things remain. Strong relationships with students build trust and enhance learning, mistakes and failure are opportunities to learn - indeed are THE pathway to learning, and how much kids crave relevancy in what they're learning. All these universals are true no matter the changing times. And what happens if we don't change? A shortened career as an educator, and missed opportunities for growth and learning.

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As reflecting on the crises in my own life, I recognized how we are all experiencing a crisis. The pandemic. This pandemic is causing many of us to change our ideas of what teaching and what school looks like. This is a huge opportunity to completely change how education is formatted. We had to continuoisly readjust our ideas of how to be a successful teacher in an unknown format. We were given the opportunity to try distance learning. While there were negatives and positives of the whole situation, it gave many teachers the opportunity to try online teaching. Along with the professional crises,  I have had a few personal ones. One was my summer job at the zoo was cancelled due to the pandemic, therefore I have extra time on my hands. With the extra time, I decided to start graduate school and take some summer classes! I would not have thought of this option, if I was working this summer. Another personal crisis, I had was my health. I looked in the mirror and I wasn't happy with how I let my health deteriorate. I was not happy and my mental health was suffering. I was able to  make a change. I have been eating healthier and working out. I made  a change, and I have to continue working on it everyday. In the end, it is absolutely worth it.

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The thing that immediately came to mind was the pandemic. At the beginning of Distance Learning I had the mentalility that I was going to make this work for all of my students and we would make the best of it. As Distance Learning went on, more and more families became distant, they were no longer communicating with me, and I had no idea whether or not my stuedents were getting any form of education. This kind of sunk me in a state of helplessness, and sadness. I didn' t really have the motivation to find a positive opportunitly in all of this. Then I decided that I should start working towards a Masters degree! Try to better my education, build more tools to handle tough situations and be an educator that continues to learn. I was worried that it might be intense, and stress me out even more, and maybe that will be somewhat true since this is a summer course and this is my top priority at the moment, but I have already gained so much from the two courses I am taking. It has revitalized my joy for teaching that was diminishing during the lack of interaction I was having during Distance Learining. I know that I am not the only one to experience some rough times in my teaching career during this pandemic, and I hope these courses were also a light for others in this community.

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When crisis arises, it is often accompanied with reflection and revelations about what was not previously working effectively. This allows for change in order to produce a better outcome moving forward. During this process, it is important to remember that we can only impact what is within our own control. Considering a crisis makes me think about the start of a new school year and the annual opportunity we have to start fresh as teachers. New students walk into our classroom and perhaps even the content we are teaching switches up. There is a lot of anticipation during the final week of summer before the school year. I often wake up with a pit in my stomach considering my goals and intentions related to how I can do better this time around. This summer presents us with additional challenges, considering the inequities in education that have been brought to the forefront due to COVID. Additionally, it is clear that we must do better to represent and include BIPOC students in our classrooms. While crisis often leads to an immediate and emotional response, it also provides an opportunity for lasting change. I am hopeful that this fall we will continue the difficult work of reflection in order to determine actionable items that make our schools a better place for all students. 

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In reflecting on crisis in my own life, I am reminded that I have a wonderful support system of friends and family to help during difficult times. In general, it definitely does make sense to look at a crisis as a catalyst for change or growth. In the moment it might not feel like there’s any choice in the matter, but looking back one can recognize small decisions that were made to move towards growth or something better. Currently the COVID crisis is dictating our lives, and I have chosen to take the much less busy summer I’m having to grow as an educator by taking 10 credits. I have loved grappling with new ways of thinking and also feel affirmed in many of the things I already practice in my classroom. I’m also spending a ton more time with my family and really appreciating the time I have with my parents when we get to see them. I feel lucky to say that I haven’t had to live through any recent career crises, but feel supported and confident enough that if I did, I’d be able to turn it into something better.

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Just reading this brough back memories of struggles during my teaching career and one thing that never changed through all of the emotions that I have gone through during a crisis is my faith that God's in control, so I need to look at what He is doing and how he is using it to speak to me. That doesn't mean I don't have moments of uncertaintly, fear and anger but I also have peace and joy to go along with it.  The Bible says;
" Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble on its own. -Mathew 6:34
I don't know what tomorrow holds but God does so I want to look for the opportunites to serve him in the way he wants me to, even if it freaks me out.

If you had asked me three years ago what I would do if I wasn't teaching, I wouldn't have an answer, other then " I don't want to do anyting else" but then I meet this lady who still  teaches but in a different way. She has her own small baking company and the first time I met her I thought, " this is what I want to do when I grow up"  It would be a huge step of faith and security from leaving teaching at a school but I know I would love it. The things I love about teaching would also happen in a small cooking school; small groups of people to connect with, only my own lesson plans for that class, no grading to do, no testing.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?
Baking is my passion so this would allow me to focus more on that outlet the teaching 7 different classes. My students also tell me I should start my own cooking show..... not so sure about that one :)

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Crisis + Opportunity:

After taking some time to reflect about what it means to cultivate opportunities from a crisis, I went back to Aguilar’s chapter on ‘Riding the Waves of Change.’ Aguilar tells us four concrete, manageable steps that I think can apply to any situation. The four steps are as follows:

First: slow down
Second: evaluate and analyze the situation
Third: Use your energy where it counts
Lastly: Be open to outcomes

Being open to change ultimately allows us to grow and become more resilient. Today’s topic of crisis and opportunity comes at a perfect time: the world pandemic of COVID-19. Because we are all educators, we play an essential role in children’s social-emotional development. As a leader in and outside of the classroom, I think it is important to model Aguilar’s four steps in order to grow. This upcoming week, we will find out the reality of what school will look like in the fall. I am going to walk through the steps in order to evaluate the circumstance.

I’ll begin with Aguilar’s first step in managing change: slow down. When we are able to stop, think, and be with our thoughts about this upcoming school year, we will be able to really reflect on how we can react to the situation. Secondly, Aguilar tells us to evaluate and analyze the situation. There are three possibilities for what 2020-2021 will look like; when we take the time to think about all of the possible scenarios, we are able to gain clarity on multiple ideas. Next, I will use my energy where it counts: creating effective, meaningful, and hands-on activities for my students. Complaining about how it might be difficult at first will get no one anywhere. Productivity yields results. Lastly, Aguilar tells us to be open to outcomes; who knows, maybe we will gain skills and ideas that we never thought possible.

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I am a Hamilton fan, and the other day I saw a meme that had a photo of the Angelica character with her lyrics, "I will never be satisfied!" but the meme inferred that she was the year 2020, which will never be satisfied and will keep wreaking havoc....it made me snort-laugh because it feels so true! I would consider 2020 to have been a crisis situation for me that did afford me a few opportunities. When we transitioned to distance learning, I had the opportunity to work more regularly with my specialist team as we sorted through the plan and our role in it. As our district implemented a book bus to deliver reading materials to elementary students each Friday, I had the opportunity to work with a talented group of people who figured out a tricky situation and came up with a solution. Did I still feel my typical anxiety? Of course. But I think we did a great job of feeling empathy and letting that fuel our compassionate work for fourth quarter.

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There have been many things in my career in the last couple years that could fit into the category of crisis although it seems a bit harsh to call it that. Our district built a new High School resulting in a lot of change for everyone. I have been reassigned to a position at a new school that houses grades one and two. This is a major change for me. I went through many feelings, ups and downs, throughout this journey that still is not complete (this coming school year is when I start at the new school). Normally this would have hit me much harder than it actually did. Emotionally and mentally affecting my job and in my personal life. But somehow I think deep inside my body & brain knew I needed to do something to avoid this in order to keep functioning. Without truly having a deep understanding of what it looked like to have a growth mindset, I think my brain went into autopilot and steered me into a growth mindset in order to deal with this change in a healthy way. I credit my positive attitude and even excitement for this new adventure to having a growth mindset throughout the whole process. I am so excited about this class and book to learn more about myself and the ways my growth mindset helped me to get through this, even without really knowing that's what was happening.

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When I think of crisis my mind immediately goes to COVID-19 and the political unrest we are all currently facing.
Though when I think of a personal crisis related to my teaching, I think of a situation that I dealt with 9 years ago. At that time I was teaching first grade and was association president. It was a rough year to say the least. There were issues with the superintendent. By spring I was debating if I even wanted to stay in teaching. I decided to make a change. There was an opening in Kindergarten so I took it. This ended up being a good move for me.

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A crisis I'm dealing with is how the school year will be for next year. I have so many concerns and just want what's safest and best. I've been anxiously waiting until our governor decides what to do and what my school district wants to do. I'm trying to enjoy summer but I feel like no matter what I do I'm seeing, hearing, reading about it. What I've decided to do is turn off the news and not read about it until the governor and school district has decided. I don't need to be worrying about something I have no control over. I only have control over how I'm reacting to something in the future..... I'll just figure it out later when it is time to, and enjoy living in the moment with my family now.

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The day before our school district went into Distance Learning there were 38 probationary teachers that were told they were laid off due to budget cuts. As overwhelming this was, I eventually began looking for jobs. A few months down the road I was offered my original position that I had been laid off from because there was movement in the district. I was also offered a position in a 5th grade classroom in a completely different school and district. As amazing as my experience had been at my other school, I used this overwhelming time to make a positive change where I am going to learn so many new things. This time showed me that we initially react to a crisis but we then can choose how we handle that situation. In my case, I chose to use the crises to embrace a new opportunity.

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Well, not necessarily an education crisis, but..... my connection to crisis would be that my son was just diagnosed Mon. with Covid, so we did have a "little" crisis in our household this week.  (He is fine, just felt like he had strep throat, which he usually gets once a year.)  Now we are all quarantined for 14 days so the crisis is letting all the employers know, and contacting all the people our family of 5 have been in contact  with over the last few days and getting things in place for the next two weeks. So yes, we will have a big change in our house for the next two weeks.