Holding Space for Educators by Liz Kleinrock

Check Out

2022-05-26 00:52:22 UTC

I hope you recognize how meaningful your work is that you do day in and day out. You are brave, resilient, lovable, and you matter.

Thank you for your vulnerability.

2022-05-26 00:52:56 UTC

2022-05-26 00:53:07 UTC

You’re not alone. We all feel it. We have each other’s backs.

Thank you for sharing this space. I haven't really been able to grieve until now.

2022-05-26 00:53:08 UTC

2022-05-26 00:53:20 UTC

We are strong and we can make change. Thank you.

We deserve so much more than this. As Mariame Kaba says, "Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair." Much love to you all.

2022-05-26 00:53:21 UTC

You are incredibly strong.

2022-05-26 00:53:22 UTC

2022-05-26 00:53:25 UTC

Thank you for giving us the space to be together in this moment to know we are not alone.

Let's keep taking care of each other and let's not give up

2022-05-26 00:53:30 UTC

2022-05-26 00:53:31 UTC

I am so grateful for each and every one of you. I am forever thankful for this space.

Thank you for being honest

2022-05-26 00:53:32 UTC

2022-05-26 00:53:33 UTC

This was a meaningful time. Thank you for organizing. Peace and strength energy to you all. 💜

jjorge4 — 2022-05-26 00:53:34 UTC

Stay grounded in love!

2022-05-26 00:53:40 UTC

Thank you for sharing emotions. It's great to be in community with people who are facing the same overwhelming feelings.

2022-05-26 00:53:41 UTC

You are strong resilient and appreciated.

Thank you, thank you, thank you

2022-05-26 00:53:42 UTC

Tonight I'm going to make dinner and hug my dog

You are all loved

2022-05-26 00:53:42 UTC

Processing takes time and that’s okay

2022-05-26 00:53:47 UTC

Today, we grieve
Tomorrow, we make change
Thank you thank you thank you

2022-05-26 00:53:47 UTC

There’s no right answer for processing (whether that’s scrolling or tuning out or anything).

2022-05-26 00:53:49 UTC

The work you do matters. Wishing everyone healing.

2022-05-26 00:53:52 UTC

Grateful for this community!

This isn't normal.

2022-05-26 00:53:53 UTC

and we absolutely can't let it be normal.

2022-05-26 00:53:55 UTC

Thank you for validating that we are all feeling many of the same emotions room 18
and for the ideas that I might move forward to.

It's powerful to connect with other educators who care so much who are elsewhere. It helps shake the numb and replace it with healing.

2022-05-26 00:53:58 UTC

2022-05-26 00:53:59 UTC

Thank you for giving this space for us today.

Hold tight

2022-05-26 00:54:00 UTC

I am grateful for the wide arms of this virtual group, for the persistence of our colleagues every day, for the love of our kids that wells up collectively and overflows.

I love you all and am so proud to be your colleague.

It was great to simply breathe and remember we need to let the toxins out and take the good stuff in.

2022-05-26 00:54:04 UTC

Gratitude

2022-05-26 00:54:07 UTC

My deepest appreciation for the reflection questions. I already feel a bit lighter and clearer having been able to process my feelings and thoughts that have been swirling non-stop. Wishing you all safety, peace of mind, and rest this evening.

2022-05-26 00:54:08 UTC

Thank you for gathering and creating a brave space. I appreciate all of you.

We all do such important work. We are change makers

2022-05-26 00:54:10 UTC

Wishing everyone peace.

2022-05-26 00:54:12 UTC

Thankful

2022-05-26 00:54:16 UTC

I’m feeling more thankful to be part of the educator community. Thankful to room 11 for listening and sharing. It’s comforting to know I am not alone in my feelings to this event.

2022-05-26 00:54:21 UTC

Thank you for doing what you do every day. You are powerful and important and loved.

2022-05-26 00:54:23 UTC

Sending you all love!!!! ❤️

2022-05-26 00:54:33 UTC

Sending you all love, healing, strength, and gratitude. I am so thankful for the space we shared tonight.

You Matter

2022-05-26 00:54:36 UTC

The work you are doing day in and day out in your classrooms with your kiddos matters. Keep at it.

Thank you for being intentional and purposeful. Today mattered. This time and space mattered. Needed this. I feel supported.

2022-05-26 00:54:36 UTC

Thank You

2022-05-26 00:54:39 UTC

Thank you for choosing to teach. You deserve rest and time. And I hope you all find peace.

Thank you all so much. Sending so much love.

mfeighery — 2022-05-26 00:54:42 UTC

Thank You. Your work is so incredibly important. 🖤

kaylafatula — 2022-05-26 00:54:45 UTC

Thank you for working the front lines for the sake of children. You are so brave. You are not alone.

2022-05-26 00:54:51 UTC

Thank you for providing this type of space! I wish everyone a warm
Hug!

2022-05-26 00:54:55 UTC

Teachers are some of the bravest and most precious people, take care of yourself and retain that humanity in teaching. Show up for yourself and your kids.

Thank you for sharing this space. This matters.

2022-05-26 00:54:57 UTC

This is heavy but we don’t have to carry this alone. Lean on and support your fellow educators. We have to show up for our kids and to do this we need to show up for each other. Love you all.

Thank you for this space!

2022-05-26 00:55:02 UTC

In almost any other country, today would have been a Day of Mourning, but we had to go to work. There was no time to process or grieve, so thank you for this space tonight!

gratitude

2022-05-26 00:55:04 UTC

This space makes me feel hopeful for more gatherings like this. Awareness of potential is hope. Sending big love out to all educators in this space who show up for kids.

In 22 years, this has been one of the hardest years in my career. But I remind myself that I am a great teacher, that my students and their families appreciate me, and that I am lucky to have a loving family to support me.

2022-05-26 00:55:25 UTC

2022-05-26 00:56:11 UTC

Community is truly everything. Thank you for sharing. Love on 💕

You are wonderful

2022-05-26 00:56:15 UTC

To all educators: you are valuable. You make so much of an impact on our kids’ lives, even when others don’t see it. You’re not alone. You’re worthy. You’re enough, even when you feel your lowest. We can continue to show up for our kids and create beautiful humans.

I wanted to find possible ways to heal. This was an unapologetic start.

2022-05-26 00:56:36 UTC

Continue to be the light and joy in a world that desperately needs positive connection.

2022-05-26 00:56:45 UTC

2022-05-26 00:56:51 UTC

Thank you so much for this space and for providing a quiet space for writing. I thought I was ready to share and talk with others and realized I wasn’t, and it meant so much to have a space to write and grieve in community alongside others, even silently. Thank you for your thoughtfulness in providing that. Wishing you all love and rest tonight.

Grateful for the organizers and for this community. Holding everyone tight.💙

susanstern — 2022-05-26 00:57:06 UTC

2022-05-26 00:57:07 UTC

Not surprised to have found awesome people in just a few minutes in this space! Thanks so much the time and space David and Liz!

2022-05-26 00:57:14 UTC

I appreciate us all for waking up and going in today. For being there for our students. They needed us today just as much as we needed them.

Remember to take care of yourself as you are taking care of your students. You matter. They matter.

2022-05-26 00:57:53 UTC

We are amazing… and we are human

2022-05-26 00:58:28 UTC

Thank you for giving us this space to process. As educators we deal with so much and it’s important to take time to process, grieve, heal, and recharge. We need to make time for ourselves because we deserve it just like we give our best to our students.

thank you thank you for being here, together. for breathing, for feeling and for talking/listening together.

2022-05-26 00:59:02 UTC

Sometimes I forget how many like-minded people there are out there. So grateful for educators because we can always connect right off the bat. Even if it's on a computer and it's in tragic circumstances. Community and love always win.

2022-05-26 00:59:15 UTC

You are loved.

2022-05-26 00:59:17 UTC

You are changing the world. Every. Single. Day. Thank you for the work you do, for showing up with your whole heart, for teaching other humans how to be human. Keep shining your light for all to see.

2022-05-26 00:59:28 UTC

This tragedy pushed me towards talking to and sharing with strangers, which is completely against my nature. But I am glad I did it. Much needed and appreciated.

2022-05-26 00:59:37 UTC

Continue to empower young people to have a voice. Use their strength and passion to drive your work. They are worth it.

2022-05-26 00:59:38 UTC

Self care is honorable work. Do it daily.

2022-05-26 01:00:09 UTC

2022-05-26 01:00:16 UTC

I am really grateful for this space. I was also grateful to hear from Emily from Room 8 expressing her admiration for CPS teachers and CTU (I'm a CPS teacher and CTU delegate). Something I have learned from our collective action over the years in Chicago that I want everyone here to know is that when they try to disrespect, control, and punish teachers--when they come after us (and our unions)--it is because they are afraid of our power. They know--and they don't want us to know--how much power educators have. Don't forget that. It's so exhausting and so unfair that everything has to be on teachers/educators to "fix," but for real, we have so much collective power when we act together and especially when we build with our students and their families. Love and gratitude to all <3

Thanks

2022-05-26 01:01:13 UTC

This was a serendipitous evening. I was in an Equity training before this and your book was shared to us as a resource! And then I got a chance to have a space to breathe, cry, and talk through my feelings with other educators. I will continue to strive to be available and present for all I encounter, live, and work with.

Grateful for all of you and your fierce love for and dedication to your students. Wishing you all support, safety, connection, and community <3

lisaoneill3 — 2022-05-26 01:01:15 UTC

Are you ready to dismantle systems of hate? Education is the first step.

2022-05-26 01:01:52 UTC

gratitude and take aways

ProfSzeto — 2022-05-26 01:01:56 UTC

Thankful for compassionate and empathetic fellow educators. We are all grieving, and we are processing. We are not alone in our befuddlement, confusion, anger, terror, and sadness.
When doing this process with children, take cues from them. Meet them where they are at. It's okay if we allow them moments of sunshine even if we feel the rain.

Stronger Together

2022-05-26 01:02:30 UTC

Thank you for the space to just BE with people who "get it" rather than having to justify anything or sanitize our words.

Please remember that even when it feels like, we are not the only person our students have in their life that cares about them and can help them process these things. We do the best we can and we love them, but when they leave our doors I know it can be hard to trust. But we don't have to carry it all. We're not the only ones. It's ok to set it down and take care of ourselves before we pick it all back up again.

On that note, I'm going to do my favorite trick of putting on a super sad video and allowing myself to cry. Be well fellow teachers. <3

2022-05-26 01:05:13 UTC

As a future teacher I am grateful for all of you . This was a great way to share our thoughts with other educators. Let's continue to check on our teacher friends. Thank you for all that you do.

Feeling so grateful for this space and the work that all of the organizers did to provide it. This experience of having space provided and being so generously and thoughtfully taken care of felt like a huge relief. The relief I'm feeling is making me realize that as I take care of my students, I really need some more spaces in which others take care of me, too.

2022-05-26 01:06:25 UTC

continue

msbarr21 — 2022-05-26 01:06:46 UTC

This is my 33rd year, and I can honestly say it is the hardest one of my career. The heaviness of everything is just so much. I am appreciative of everyone who shows up and reaches out and shares. This space tonight helped me find community. It helped me know that as I continue, I do it with gratitude and appreciation for all of you who help me feel connected and not alone.

Support Outreach

2022-05-26 01:07:00 UTC

Please keep the grief space contact list and use it. My email and social media are always open to listen and hold space for the grief we’re all feeling. I’m the first name on the list. Please reach out to me if you would like another safe space.