Episode 4: Erin, Katie & Rick
Most of the Relate Then Educate team was able to get together in the same room to talk about why we’re doing what we’re doing. It was great to hear from Katie Kinder about what she’s seeing in the classroom and with her middle school teachers. Erin Patton & Rick Holmes also describe what they’re hearing from teachers from across the country.
You can hear the love for kids and teachers every time we end up talking about school…which is often. Join us!
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Erin
All right, welcome back to the Relate Then Educate podcast. Erin is here talking to you right now. I’m here with Rick and then Katie Kinder, Katie how are you doing?
Katie
Hi everyone. I’m good I’m done. Yeah, see here. I’m so happy to be here. You know we do a lot of stuff over the phone ’cause I’m in Oklahoma City and you guys are in Tulsa. I know I was, you know, born and raised in Tulsa and so so it’s nice to be here in person. That’s right.
Rick
Good to have you.
Katie
Yeah, Rick has like his office is fire.
Erin
I know it’s so cool.
Katie
He knows how to decorate this right?
It’s a home.
Rick
Away from home.
Katie
And then.
Erin
Well today we just want to talk to you guys.
Erin
About who we
Erin
Are what we’re doing, why we’re doing it?
Erin
Just kind of all of it.
Erin
We all have been educators for a long time.
Erin
Even though Rick and I have stepped out of the classroom and currently we are educators, educators, heart, have educators hearts, and we.
Erin
Love our teachers and what I’m really excited and a term that Katie has brought to my.
Erin
Vocabulary is baby teachers and loving on our baby teachers and how desperately this baby teacher needed.
Erin
These things that we’re talking about, and so.
Speaker 4
We got a new term by the way.
Speaker 4
We met with some lovely people, some new friends at Bixby Public schools and they call them Mentos.
Speaker 4
Is just so much better.
Katie
No, I just.
Katie
Saw this mean that a friend of mine sent so not only should our vet teachers have be mentors, but maybe some of our millennial new teachers should be mentoring some of our vet teachers.
Katie
You know what I mean?
Katie
Like it’s not even.
Erin
I never thought about the.
Katie
Like not even in a mentee.
Katie
I mean like they are the mentor and you are learning from them.
Katie
Then two because I mean they are the ones histotechnology you know if they.
Erin
Absolutely, and the current trends in education and where what direction we’re going.
Katie
And if you’re a vet teacher, you probably have mastered classroom management, so.
Katie
They could like.
Katie
Oh, you know, learn from each other and maybe even a different person.
Sleep good.
Katie
Like if your mentor is this person and your mentor mentoring somebody else like I don’t know, I just.
Katie
I thought that was a really good idea because we need our babies.
I like that yes.
Katie
We need our baby teachers.
Katie
I learn stuff from our baby.
Katie
Teachers all the.
Erin
Time and when I started teaching, I was the youngest.
Erin
Person by I mean 15 or 20 years for my first, like five years like there was no one that was, you know, in their 20s that was teaching with me.
Erin
And then they started Rick life came and got hired.
Erin
And then they started hiring.
Erin
Rather than soon I was just one.
Erin
Of the middle aged people.
Katie
I don’t say that.
2nd but I don’t know it was just.
It’s not marriage.
Erin
So interesting because I was the, uh, young teacher.
Erin
But then.
Erin
I was kind of.
Erin
I I felt I wasn’t like being viewed as I.
Erin
Was being taken.
Erin
Seriously, still by my coworkers by everything but.
Erin
There was a level of kind of.
Erin
I don’t know it what we, I don’t know if we were actively learning from from one another as much as we should have been, and that’s such a great that’s such a great idea.
Katie
Well, it’s it’s so I’m not understanding teaching.
Katie
It is the most noble, hardest job you’ll ever love and and.
Katie
You go into your room and you sit there for 30 years and then you retire.
Katie
No, we should be.
Katie
We should be shaking that up like we should be going and finding our innovators and watching us.
Katie
And it’s like sometimes it’s like a well if I have to go watch this master teacher in action and then that means I’m not doing the right thing like that.
Katie
And I’m like no, no, no.
Katie
I want to watch everybody teach I want to see what you’ve got going on.
Katie
I mean, I just had recently had about a year ago.
Katie
So one of my teachers taught me how to use GIMP kit, which **** it is like the kids love it, ’cause it’s like money.
Rick
OK.
Katie
It’s fake money, yeah?
Erin
But they’re like I just.
Got $500.
Katie
Like in my bank.
Katie
And I didn’t know how to use GIMP kit.
Katie
So I went and sat and I learned, and if we’re not learning from each other on a regular basis.
Katie
Just tend to break down those walls a little bit like nobody has it all figured out no bloom, not me, not you not anyone.
Katie
Yeah, because the kids were changing too rapidly.
Speaker 4
Yeah, they they continued to change. So before and after smartphones in 2007, there was a big shift.
Speaker 4
And and that, but I think the pandemic you’re going to have and we have heard this a little bit.
Speaker 4
The just the stunted maturity, possibly, or just the weird behavior that’s going on in the classroom.
Speaker 4
Because the kids were out of the classroom for so long.
Katie
Yeah, eight years.
Speaker 4
So that that’s a thing that’s.
Speaker 4
It’s something that we’re going to have to be like cognizant of for years to come.
Katie
Right no, and I sometimes I was.
Katie
I tweeted about this the other day, but I was teaching my students.
Katie
How to punctuate dialogue appropriately?
OK.
Katie
They’re 8th graders, the 14 so I’m I’m saying quotation Marks and they somebody raised their hand and they said, what is a quotation mark?
Erin
Oh dear.
Katie
And I’m like the these and I like point it to them.
Katie
Then they were like, oh, the Bunny ears.
Katie
’cause they’re probably the last time they learned to punctuate dialogue.
Katie
They waited, oh goodness, honey years and I was like, yeah.
Katie
They went fifth.
Katie
Bunny ears guys were like oh.
Katie
Yeah, I get it, so it’s like.
Katie
You you try to come at it like you did in 2019 or 2018 and you can’t because your babies are they. They definitely were seeing that stunted, maybe not.
Katie
All of them, but.
Katie
A lot.
Katie
Of them, yeah.
Erin
OK, so let’s talk about.
Erin
I’m OK, you haven’t gotten to hear your why.
Erin
Why are you a teacher?
Erin
Why did you start getting an education?
Katie
I did not go to college for.
Katie
This so I’m alternatively certified.
Erin
OK, tell us.
Speaker 4
What did you go to college?
Katie
For journalism
Katie
Public relations, and really it was like.
Katie
Me being kind of a punk teenager trying to get out of my mom shadow.
Katie
Here’s my mom, Cindy ham.
Katie
Hey, the one and only and a miracle on Southwest Blvd.
Erin
The one in outlaid trailing.
Katie
She’s just been a rock star is a rock star as she’s a principal forever.
Katie
She turned at school around she I mean she cooked gardens and people would.
Katie
If you had.
Katie
A wallet on you.
Katie
You were giving money to send to him in Eugene Field Elementary because she’s like my kids need your money right now.
Erin
She is a Tulsa legend.
Katie
She’s she’s a queen, and so you know when she’s telling me I should be an educator.
Erin
I mean, she truly is.
Katie
I’m like, no new.
Katie
And so I went to the school and I got my PR degree and and I didn’t hate it.
Katie
I didn’t love it.
Katie
I just was kind of like and I worked for the Muscular Dystrophy association.
Katie
And I do credit MDA for bringing me to my calling, because the national deca the their national sponsor is India and they raise my.
Katie
And so once a month I got to.
Katie
Spend a day with the.
Katie
Deck of.
Katie
Kids all over the state and I just.
Katie
In heart would put her pad.
Katie
I’d be so excited.
Erin
Were you surprised at this reaction, like at 1st events?
It’s kind of.
I don’t want this.
Dang it.
Katie
I’m like this I didn’t want.
Katie
To tell my mom and.
Katie
Mommy, she’s my granny.
Katie
I’m 40.
Katie
She’s gonna be and yeah and so yeah it took Me 2 full years so fine.
Katie
Like call her.
Rick
And like you were right.
Rick
She’s like.
Katie
So I went.
Katie
Back I took all the tests I paid.
For all the.
Katie
Tests and I got thrown into a 9th grade English classroom with zero experience, none I.
Erin
Can’t even fathom this.
Katie
Well, and I was.
Katie
I mean I.
Katie
Didn’t know I did that.
Erin
Yeah, that’s true, you don’t know.
Katie
What you don’t know, I don’t know.
Katie
I didn’t know that, so I kind of was like I was.
Katie
Good with the kids.
Katie
As far as like rapport, but like I was just reading out of the book and answering the questions you.
Katie
Know the book and answering the.
Katie
Questions and like it was.
Katie
Boring, and so I really started.
Katie
Like learning on my own.
Katie
I would go watch the teacher.
Katie
For the year I would go find the innovators and.
Erin
I would listen to turn up.
Erin
What why did you?
Erin
Do that.
Erin
How did you have the?
Erin
Gumption to go and.
Erin
Do that ’cause I didn’t my first couple of years I.
Erin
Did was nowhere near having the gumption to either.
Katie
But did you do a teacher track or did you do student teaching and?
Erin
I that’s true.
Erin
OK, that’s true.
Erin
You didn’t have all.
Erin
That ’cause I did the traditional.
Katie
So you kind of felt more prepared than.
Katie
I did, that’s true you.
Erin
Just needed to see what classroom was supposed.
Erin
To even like.
Katie
Look like 100% and all I did.
Katie
I mean, I can only think of my 8th grade history teacher who sat on a filing cabinet every day.
Katie
Right?
Katie
And did he have the paper out?
Katie
He did the crossword and we all popcorn red popcorn.
Katie
Reading is horrible.
Katie
And and we just did the questions out of the.
Katie
Book and I.
Katie
So I just went and started.
Rick
Huh, huh?
Katie
I loved my kids the moment I saw them.
Katie
I loved them and I wanted what’s best.
Katie
For them and I knew.
Rick
That I wasn’t because I didn’t.
Katie
Didn’t know and so I started really.
Katie
Reaching now, I had a mentor teacher at the time who still mentors me to this day is precious.
Katie
She’s a principal now and.
Katie
I would.
Katie
I mean, I wouldn’t be here without those.
Katie
Those women who helped me, and so that’s why.
Katie
And I would use my plan.
Katie
I’ve used my plan.
Katie
I would go sit and watch and I was young enough that I.
Katie
Didn’t really realize how overwhelmed I was.
Erin
Isn’t that so true?
Katie
Yeah, and so yeah, that’s my journey into and I love it.
Erin
Oh my gosh.
Katie
It’s my calling I I know that if I’m not teaching then there’s a part of me that’s missing.
Erin
I feel that I feel like there is a part of me it’s missing this year.
My bad.
Erin
I mean, I don’t I I know that this was the best choice for me to step away from the.
Erin
Classroom, but I do feel like who in the heck am I?
Katie
I’m sorry.
Erin
I am a teacher.
Erin
You know, so this relate and educate.
Erin
Has been.
Erin
Such a good place for me to plug in and it gave me the break.
Erin
Personally that I was I was needing.
Erin
Just you know, there was a bunch of stuff and but I can still pour into teachers and you know.
I I feel.
Erin
Like even this little bit being out of education.
Erin
I see education more broadly or big picture maybe or something and.
Erin
I don’t know it just it’s a different fire that has been ignited in me in like doing this now for teachers and in being, you know, a support and a love and a cheerleader at the very least for teachers.
Erin
And so I know I want to talk to you guys.
Erin
You guys talk to.
Erin
Us what is?
Erin
It like for you guys now being able to.
Erin
Really focus your time.
Erin
To you know, being a support and.
Erin
A help for teachers.
Speaker 4
Well, you know Katie your.
Speaker 4
Your onramp to education was just kind of sudden and you’re thrown out there.
Speaker 4
Mine was the opposite like I.
Speaker 4
It was almost a foregone conclusion that I would become a teacher like my whole family teachers, and it’s hard to pull away from that like you’re.
Katie
100% yeah.
Speaker 4
You know, good evidence of.
Speaker 4
That but.
Speaker 4
I went to school, you know Oklahoma State got a degree in education. Did my student teaching I mean for God’s sake?
Speaker 4
I met Harry Wong like twice my mom was bringing him in and so at at her school and stuff and so.
Speaker 4
Like I thought, I knew everything but when I entered my classroom for the first time, it was probably no different than it was for you.
Speaker 4
Like, honestly speaking, I didn’t know what I was doing, like I thought it did, but it did.
Right?
Speaker 4
So I mean, I knew all of these things structures, but practically speaking it it.
Speaker 4
It didn’t help much.
Speaker 4
But anyway, Fast forward to what we’re doing now.
Speaker 4
I needed to get outside of the arena of education to get the perspective that I have now.
Speaker 4
Like I, I always felt when I was a teacher.
Speaker 4
I always felt like you know, there was just an innate disrespect for you know what we did, who we were now.
Speaker 4
Some schools.
Speaker 4
Are better or worse at that 100%, but I just never felt like the profession got the recognition.
Speaker 4
The honor that it deserved.
Speaker 4
But once I stepped out of education and I started, you know, living out this whole business thing.
Speaker 4
I I saw how extraordinary teachers were and how businesses are are really glad to get a teacher in and working there because they’re just they’re so great.
Speaker 4
They’re so great with people and they problem.
Speaker 4
Solve, they don’t freak out if something goes wrong and and all of this.
Rick
Good evening.
Speaker 4
It was kind of new to me, like it was.
Speaker 4
It was an illumination to.
Speaker 4
Me that oh wow.
Speaker 4
Teachers are extraordinarily valuable, but they.
Speaker 4
That doesn’t.
Speaker 4
That message doesn’t come through in the context of school, it’s just through their they’re supposed to be there.
Speaker 4
You know if there are any problems, it’s their fault.
Speaker 4
Yeah, and that that’s just old and it’s tired and I I want to push against that, not with the general public, because I honestly don’t care what they think, but it’s.
Speaker 4
All about teachers and how they see themselves, so I would not have been able to do this had I still been in the classroom number one, I wouldn’t have had the energy because I I would teach and I would coach and I was just always exhausted.
Speaker 4
I didn’t have the space for it, but I also didn’t have the.
Speaker 4
Frame of reference for it, and now it’s just like fuel like I want to do this I need to do this and it’s just it it it’s just so rewarding.
Speaker 4
Like every conversation we have, whether it’s together or if it’s a teacher or you know, administrators.
Speaker 4
All of it is just great.
Speaker 4
So that’s me.
Erin
And what about you, Katie?
Katie
Yeah, Rick is right.
Katie
When I was teaching 6 classes in a seven period day.
Katie
Oh man.
Katie
It’s really hard.
Katie
And you wonder why you go home.
Katie
And like stare at the wall.
Katie
And my kids are like what are we having for dinner?
Katie
I’m like.
Katie
You want dinner every night.
Katie
I already made your lunch this morning and.
Katie
Because I think research shows that teachers make more minute to minute decisions than ER doctors so of.
Erin
Oh my goodness, I haven’t heard that wow.
Katie
Course, you’re tired.
Katie
And so when I did start, it’s a different kind of busy for me.
Katie
I’ve got those two little classes in the morning.
Katie
That I love.
Katie
And it it has allowed me to really innovate.
Katie
In ways that I never allowed to really as an English teacher because of how many standards were around and not that you shouldn’t have standards.
Katie
You should but but.
Katie
Sometimes I would have to teach about prepositional phrases.
Katie
That’s not my jam.
Katie
Like I, I mean I yeah.
Katie
Right, and but you know, the gerund phrase is not my favorite, yes, so I’ve been able to do a lot of really cool things that I’ve always wanted to do, and then being able to be there for those baby teachers that pipe just rejuvenates me and all.
Katie
So like when they come to me and they’re like I’m struggling with classroom management.
Katie
I love that they can come.
Katie
And watch me first.
Katie
And then I can go teach their class later in the.
Katie
Day, yeah and.
Rick
That’s great.
Katie
And then they’re like OK, and they’re back.
Katie
There and especially.
Katie
The ones who.
Katie
Really care and they want to stay in it.
Katie
And they wanna get better that they’re.
Katie
They’re taking notes and and again.
Katie
I have it all figured out I.
Katie
Think I said that at the beginning, like I had a challenging kid.
That’s awesome.
Katie
Sister who gave me a run.
Katie
For my money, every day and I would.
Katie
You know that.
Speaker 4
Karen, just drop your phone everybody.
Erin
Second time it’s staying on the floor.
Katie
And so yeah, so he we we battled.
Katie
And I loved him and.
Katie
Then every day I had to say, OK, I love this kid and I’m going to try again tomorrow.
Katie
And he you could tell that he had like just this armor up.
Katie
That he was being mean to others so people wouldn’t be mean to him.
Katie
And hurt people hurt people and you know, and he could really hurt people and so we just like.
Speaker 4
Hurt people, hurt people.
Katie
Like I said, we just don’t have it all figured out and we need each other like sustainability in this career isn’t possible without each other.
Katie
Yeah, and you know, the faster new teachers.
Katie
Realize that I think the easier their time is going to be.
Erin
And I like.
Erin
That they’re getting some.
Erin
They’re getting this.
Erin
Uh, whatever thing being poured into them from the very beginning of their teaching career to like work with teachers and stuff because it is just weird with egos, you know, like new teachers are wanting to come in and prove.
Erin
That they’re competent.
Erin
And then you know, seasoned teachers are like who do you think you are like you, you know?
You don’t.
Erin
Get to come in here and change everything.
Erin
This is my second so it’s just there’s so many egos there because we’re all trying to prove ourselves and we’re trying to.
Katie
Really hard.
You know?
So if we.
Erin
See value or something in what we’re doing.
Erin
You know we want that to.
Erin
Be the thing and so it’s just so interesting.
Erin
And it’s so.
Erin
Good that we’re starting like to start that collaborative mindset as a teacher is 22, or she’s coming in, or he or she is.
Erin
Coming in at any kind of their.
Erin
Lives, but it I don’t know.
Erin
I just think that that is so great and I think.
Erin
That is so.
Erin
Beneficial and I just love the collaborative.
Katie
And we’ve got to keep them.
View of that.
Katie
We don’t sustain.
Katie
If our profession doesn’t.
Katie
Sustain unless we keep our babies and I don’t know why we eat our young stop.
Katie
And we can’t.
Erin
Talk more about that.
Katie
What do you mean?
Erin
Like, well, like what specifically what do, what are.
Erin
We doing what do we need to improve upon?
Erin
What does that look?
Erin
Like oh, I mean I.
Katie
Think it’s really checking on?
Katie
Them, yet their doors closed like.
Katie
Like you’re not alone in this and not to.
Katie
Be like, whoa.
Erin
Wisel dog.
Rick
Blue, blue, blue.
Katie
Like no, that’s not helpful at the time when a teacher is struggling, yeah, and to tell them my first year I cried every day.
Katie
Right now we just cry on Thursdays.
Katie
Second, I call it Terry Thursday, you know.
Katie
And I just, yeah, I think just being there and not thinking that you have it all figured out.
Katie
You know you teach for.
Katie
Four years and.
Katie
Like Oh well, I’m really good at those.
Katie
So I know everything well.
Katie
Guess what?
Katie
You don’t, yeah.
Katie
And we all have something to learn.
Katie
From each other, and so that’s why I think we eat our young.
Katie
And I also think are you guys watching Abbott Elementary?
Erin
No, I need to.
Erin
I’ve seen you post stuff about it and I’m dying.
Erin
To I just.
Erin
Haven’t had time to do what is.
Rick
I mean, it’s it’s.
Erin
It so good, so good.
I got.
Katie
It is extremely hyperbolic, yeah?
Past it.
Erin
Of course they.
Katie
Don’t have that much time to sit.
Katie
In the lounge.
Katie
They’re making you know when you get lunch or 20 minutes you’re eating your sandwich while you’re making copies and going back on this insights and you need a copy or in.
Erin
The bathroom.
Ooh, that’s a good idea.
Katie
Consistent and.
Rick
You know, yeah.
Rick
Teachers are like I quit.
Katie
Anyway, so it’s really good and I’ve been watching it, but one is the older teachers and she they they call her the old teacher and she’s like got classroom management.
Katie
It’s fire, she’s so.
Rick
Love it.
Katie
Good, it’s amazing, but then she gets this new tech and she doesn’t want.
Katie
Anybody to know she can’t do it?
Katie
Right and so.
Katie
Then and she has this moment where she kind of breaks down at the end and she’s like if I’m too old to do this technology.
Katie
And teach my kids to read on this program.
Katie
And what if I’m?
Katie
Too old for this job that.
Katie
I love so it’s like.
Katie
And it made me pause ’cause I was.
Katie
Like we gotta change we.
Katie
Gotta do all.
Katie
These things, yeah, and I’m like what about our our our vet teachers are far enough away I know and so maybe part of that flexing is.
Katie
Like I’m still relevant, like look at me, I’m still relevant around.
Erin
Absolutely, absolutely.
Katie
Did it go off?
Speaker 4
No, no, we’re good to go.
Speaker 4
Well, there there is.
Speaker 4
An environment of scarcity in schools, and because even if it’s your classroom, I was always reminded that it’s it’s pretty much my classroom, but the state would want to get in there.
Speaker 4
The principal would want to get in there.
Speaker 4
There you know the constant change of just how we do things.
Speaker 4
How do we do grades?
Speaker 4
Well, if we’re going to do it this way and this is the best way.
Speaker 4
And then three years later it changes.
Speaker 4
And then three years after that it changes again.
Speaker 4
And so they’re.
Speaker 4
Well, you know I came in right at the beginning at the advent of like email and and.
Speaker 4
Putting your grades online like that was my third year ended up or not even put it online, but had like we had a computer program.
Erin
OK.
Speaker 4
You know so and then, midway through this dates me PowerPoint came in and our point was like, oh, I’ve got to put everything that I’ve taught for at that point it was probably 8 to 10 years.
Speaker 4
Now you got to put it all on PowerPoint because no one teaches like that.
Speaker 4
Anymore and it’s just this constant evolution.
Speaker 4
Because we’re living in a time of constant development and technology, but.
Speaker 4
To come back to the.
Speaker 4
Teacher, it’s like this is you want to feel like it is your classroom.
Speaker 4
And you do it.
Speaker 4
You do and it is right for you and it’s right for your kids.
Speaker 4
But for a young teacher to come in and to challenge the way that you do things as whether it be implied or not outdated.
Speaker 4
Not effective. Not best practice.
Rick
Right?
Speaker 4
You know I would have.
Speaker 4
I would still balk at that.
Speaker 4
Like now.
Speaker 4
This is how I do it and I do it really well and.
Speaker 4
It doesn’t look like you, but that’s OK.
Speaker 4
But you know a lot.
Speaker 4
Of people that don’t respond like that, you.
Know, but they’re.
Speaker 4
Just like get out of my room or I’m not into that or whatever, but one thing that I.
Speaker 4
And this is a hard task, but to to stay for everybody to stay.
Speaker 4
In a learners mind.
Speaker 4
I do what I do, but.
Speaker 4
There’s always room to do it.
Speaker 4
Better to do different and if you have a learners mind, that means that your mind is just open to new possibilities.
Speaker 4
And if you do that you know you do it.
Speaker 4
Stay young.
Speaker 4
You stay pliable and the like, but I would say that there are a number of teachers that have stopped learning.
Speaker 4
They teach, but they don’t learn, which you know.
Speaker 4
A lot of.
Speaker 4
People fall into that for whatever reason that is, but I would just encourage teachers to continue reading books that you love, not about teaching, but books that you love because it will open up your world and you’ll be able to see different perspectives and.
Katie
Laugh at me.
Speaker 4
Maybe you just something comes to mind when you’re reading this novel, but something comes to mind that’s really applicable to your classroom.
You know?
Speaker 4
And it may change.
Speaker 4
Is it?
Katie
Yeah, I mean I, I think we need to be constantly looking.
Katie
At our practices.
Katie
Just because you did it 10 years ago doesn’t mean you need to do it today just because it.
Katie
Was a piece of literature that you loved when you were 15.
Katie
Doesn’t mean you.
Katie
Should be continuing to teach it.
Katie
And because our.
Katie
Our kids are paying attention to our kids.
Katie
I call them our social justice warriors.
Katie
Because they they do they want to change the world, they just need to be able to harness some of their passion.
Katie
And they are learning how to do that.
Katie
I mean, when I was their age, I just wanted, you know the guy across.
The hall of.
Katie
Fame. That outfit was cute.
Oh yeah.
Erin
I’m just concerned about.
Katie
Breasts, but I thought I mean, I’ve got kids.
I know.
Katie
That are like.
Katie
We’re going, we’re going.
Katie
To March or we’re going to do this and.
Katie
So I am of the.
Katie
You know mine.
Katie
Said that the the youth will save us I.
Katie
Know and but they need like.
Katie
Yeah we are looking at some trauma.
Katie
We’re looking at some some major, some deficits, and everybody is in the same boat, but I do think there’s two types of kids from the pandemic.
Katie
I think there’s we take.
Katie
Marcus Marcus has a two parent family.
Katie
And they had his siblings, and both his parents have corporate jobs and the pandemic hits and Marcus is going to have a little bit of trauma because he doesn’t get to see his friends.
Katie
Basketballs cancel.
Katie
Soccer is cancelled.
Katie
He’s just always been stuck at home with his sister that he fights with and his parents are there, but they take a family walk every day and they.
Katie
Cook together and he’s still kind of learning.
Katie
And so Marcus is going.
Katie
To have a little bit of trauma.
Katie
But he’s OK.
Katie
And then you.
Katie
Got Jocelyn, Jocelyn is the oldest of five.
Katie
Lives in low income housing.
Katie
Single Mama who doesn’t speak English.
Katie
Mom, that works two jobs so.
Katie
Who’s in charge of the babies?
Katie
Jocelyn is in.
Katie
Charge of the babies.
Erin
And not jobs that during the pandemic she’s staying home.
Katie
They didn’t stop right she.
Erin
From that she’s she’s still has.
Erin
To go to work.
Katie
She cleans the motel you know 5 miles away that she biked too.
Katie
’cause she’s smart and she does the night shift at Arby’s.
Katie
OK, so Josh was in charge of feeding, diapering all the things.
Katie
Well, there’s free food at the school, right?
Katie
But the school is 2 miles away now and she would have to take her one year old.
Katie
Her three year.
Katie
Old and try to walk.
Katie
To the school for free food and it’s.
Katie
And she can’t do that.
That’s fine.
Katie
And she’s trying to cross busy streets and so online school.
Katie
Jocelyn is not picking up her iPad and trying to write an essay.
Katie
She’s just happy it’s 10:00 o’clock and all.
Katie
The kids are asleep, yeah?
Katie
Those are the two types of.
Katie
Kids at the panda.
Speaker 4
Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 4
The inequities before the pandemic or just made clear and.
Speaker 4
Worse, yeah, absolutely well.
Erin
And further separated, yes.
Speaker 4
The summer slide.
Speaker 4
You know, in at risk schools was was the problem and then you extend that to.
Speaker 4
It could have lasted for two years for some because do they have?
Speaker 4
Wi-Fi at home.
Speaker 4
There are all sorts of inequities that would keep a kid from learning for a good two years in some circumstances.
Katie
We had my districts last year for the very first nine weeks was virtual.
Katie
100% virtual and it was also the first year I was an instructional coach. I’m like walking around.
Rick
Right?
Katie
An empty building.
Rick
Room hey good news.
Rick
So let yeah.
Katie
Teachers only had to be there on certain days like the English.
Katie
Teachers came on.
Katie
Monday and the history teachers came on Tuesday.
Katie
Electives came in saying and.
Katie
So, but I had to.
Katie
Be there all the time and.
Katie
So I just feel like hey guys.
Katie
We had kids sitting outside of the school around the school trying to get into the school Wi-Fi just so they could get some of their assignments done.
Speaker 4
Oh Michael.
Katie
And can we put them in the gym?
Katie
Can we put them in the cafeteria?
Katie
But we weren’t allowed?
Katie
And so we have those, and then those are the kids who really wanted to get.
Katie
So on the Wi-Fi, do her assignment and you’ve got the kids who you’ve got Jocelyn and she’s at home and she’s Skyping children.
Speaker 4
Up by now.
Erin
That’s the least of her worries.
Speaker 4
I think.
Speaker 4
What affects both of those kids and both of those kinds of kids?
Speaker 4
Is what the pandemic offered to them was the world is not.
Speaker 4
What you thought it was?
Speaker 4
And then I think that’s what we’re all dealing with.
Speaker 4
Like, you’re not invulnerable to something you can’t see.
Speaker 4
And and in some ways like it’s going to be really hard to protect yourself from.
Speaker 4
You know?
Katie
And there was that meeting that had like.
Speaker 4
So I think.
Katie
Romanticizing the pandemic is.
Katie
A privilege.
Erin
Yes, that’s what I.
Katie
There’s like people that were like.
Erin
Yeah, and I admit like I don’t have children.
Erin
It was me and my husband and for me the pandemic was like we got their marriage grew and all that kind.
Erin
Of stuff.
Erin
But I fully see that that was coming at such a place of privilege.
Erin
I mean, I, there’s just so many factors.
Erin
That we simply did not have to deal with in our life, just.
Erin
4,000,000 myriad of reasons.
Erin
But yeah.
Katie
I’ll send you the meme.
Katie
It’s got like it’s like an apartment building.
Katie
It’s almost like a cartoon and the person at the top has money, OK?
Katie
And then the people at the bottom are the people at the bottom, and they’re like trying to find food, and they’re trying to.
Katie
And it’s a really heartbreaking.
Katie
Meme that I just stuck with me.
Katie
Absolutely gracious.
Erin
And then teachers now.
Katie
Or right, and they’re they’re traumatized too.
Katie
Yeah, because some of them come from a place of have you guys taken?
Katie
Your aces Oh yes.
Katie
Yes, OK and so.
Erin
After the first childhood experiences seen.
Katie
And we see.
Katie
Cases no.
Katie
Rick’s gonna take.
Katie
His aces he’s going to come.
Katie
Back on the podcast and just get to her.
Erin
Do it, yes.
OK.
Erin
It is it. It’s 10.
Katie
It’s yeah, it’s.
Erin
10 and like things that you could experience there.
Erin
I think they’re not.
Erin
They don’t go into socioeconomic things they don’t go.
Erin
Into racial and.
Katie
That is true.
Erin
So I think there’s a lot of gaps there.
Erin
But yes, you should look at the.
Katie
X axis and we know about aces.
Katie
It’s it’s something that happened to you before you turned 18.
Katie
OK, so then you get a point for everyone that.
Katie
You experience so one of them is like, I think, an incarcerated parent.
Katie
One of them had was a divorce and and I was I was a zero death.
Erin
A huh?
Erin
Doubt that same positive.
Katie
Yeah, so some of them are just like.
Katie
There’s nothing you can do about it.
Katie
Yeah my guy last night.
Katie
It’s actually.
Katie
Going to be 5.
Katie
Years on Sunday I lost my very best friend.
Katie
My maid of honor.
Katie
OK to the flu.
Katie
And Mandy and she left behind a devastated husband and three small girls.
Katie
And it happened in 2017. I mean, that’s not.
Katie
Their full yeah.
Katie
It was devastating.
Katie
And the 30th of January 2017. Yeah and anyway, like so some of your races will be.
Rick
So sorry.
Erin
Yeah, you have no.
Katie
So you don’t have any control over it if.
Katie
Your parents are divorced or something.
Speaker 4
Right?
Katie
So based on your Asus score is like how much trauma you endured as a child and like it’s directly correlated with.
Katie
If you’re going to be a.
Katie
Successful adult or if you’re going to have addiction yourself or like all of.
He’s saying.
Erin
These things it’s a huge indicator of.
Erin
Like predicting most likely what your life could we possibly look.
Katie
Like and my thing like teachers we we know that.
Katie
These kids come with trauma or try.
Erin
Yes, but then.
Katie
Our teachers have been dramatized to our teachers and some of our teachers have a really high ACE score and they’re also trying to teach kids who are really high.
Katie
And so I mean, how do we get into those teachers and like help them?
Katie
Because like like you said, right?
Katie
Like it’s it’s their fault if there’s.
Katie
A kid through a deck.
Katie
That could have nothing to do with you as the teacher in the room.
Katie
Yes, they missed the bus.
Katie
They their parents screaming out of them had to bring them to school and they come into your first hour or you’re right at the beginning and they’re and they’re gonna blow up your lesson.
Katie
It has nothing.
Katie
To do with, you know.
Katie
How that’s not her fault, that’s not his fault.
Katie
It’s not their fault.
Katie
So how do we make sure that teachers know that?
Katie
And not beat themselves.
Katie
Up about it true.
Speaker 4
Dealing just the nuts and bolts of how to deal with that kind of a situation is a is a particular skill set.
Speaker 4
You know your deescalating?
Speaker 4
You’re also removing.
Speaker 4
You’re doing that while you like you’re removing one out of the classroom to manage that person.
Speaker 4
But you’re going to make sure or try to make sure that the 29 that are left aren’t going to do their own damage when you walk out into the hallway or take them to the office or whatever it is. And all of these, like you mentioned, all of these decisions.
Speaker 4
Happen within seconds because if you hesitate to remove an aggressive kid it can escalate greatly from there and then how do you remove them?
Speaker 4
That could escalate it.
Speaker 4
So just that alone is incredibly difficult, but then layer onto that.
Speaker 4
What happens to the teacher?
Speaker 4
After she gets off work or after he gets off work right because you may just automate good get through the day.
Speaker 4
And then not even think about it.
Speaker 4
And then when you’re on your way home or.
Speaker 4
You get in your car and it’s quiet.
Speaker 4
You start to cry or you start to shake because you just like aloud what happened to like sink in you know.
Speaker 4
What I?
Speaker 4
Mean so it’s.
Speaker 4
People don’t think of that.
Speaker 4
I never think about the ramifications of being a teacher day-to-day like what it does to you.
Speaker 4
You know what I mean?
Speaker 4
Because most.
Speaker 4
Teachers have had a moment.
Katie
Oh, if you’re if you’ve done.
So now.
Katie
It more than two years.
Katie
You’ve got a moment, yeah?
Speaker 4
You’ve got a moment like you know desk thrown, you know, or threatened by a kid.
Speaker 4
Or a fight in the classroom.
Speaker 4
Just all sorts of different stuff that could happen.
Speaker 4
And then how do?
Speaker 4
You process that information long term.
Speaker 4
Because if you ignore it, it’s just.
Speaker 4
Going to get weird.
Speaker 4
It’s going to be weird for.
Speaker 4
You, you know, but it’s.
Speaker 4
It’s hot, that’s.
Erin
And it’ll twist and turn and manifest.
Erin
And like you have to deal with it, you have.
Erin
You you must.
Speaker 4
But that’s a high level.
Speaker 4
Social emotional skill?
Speaker 4
I mean, it’s that’s that’s up there.
Katie
And I think it takes years to.
Speaker 4
Has 2.
Katie
To craft into, you know, well gosh, I didn’t do.
Katie
It right the first time, or.
Katie
The second time or or you know?
Katie
And I am a passionate person.
Katie
I’m using my hands and I’m teaching and my mum and sometimes my passion will leak out in anger because I’m like and I know that that’s you’re talking to.
Katie
That’s one of my weaknesses, and because I see red I’m like OK.
Katie
You need to step outside now.
Katie
Like you know.
Katie
And I know that like I said, I’ve been like working on that like walking over to the desk and being various then and but that’s something I still work on.
Katie
I’m 40 years old.
Katie
I’ve been doing this for a long time and so I think teachers knowing that and.
Katie
I think they’re scared to.
Katie
Talk, I think teachers.
Katie
They’re being evaluated what?
Rick
Once every quarter.
Katie
And the principle comes in and sends an hour and writes a son.
Katie
And this is how you’re doing in an hour and a snapshot, and so also there’s gossip in a school who.
Katie
It’s like a small town, you know, and there this is going around and and you don’t want to be the source of gossip, so you don’t want to admit that I sat under my desk and cried and.
So is it?
Rick
Yeah, so we’re not really.
Katie
Ate chocolate this.
Katie
And and I think we have to like.
Katie
Normalize saying it’s saying the things.
Erin
Absolutely the ugly, though all of it because like in now talking, you know, doing relate and educate for this last couple of months.
Erin
I have had people that I’ve worked with that have private message mean like.
Erin
Oh my God, what you said that’s
Erin
Exactly, I have gone through that.
Erin
I didn’t know.
Erin
That I had no idea that this person was doing that and like.
Erin
What we could have?
Erin
Avoided together had we like commiserated or has we had we just talked or something?
Erin
You know it’s just.
Erin
Yeah, we’re not.
Erin
Talking about it, it doesn’t feel safe to.
Erin
Talk about it.
Katie
Right and there.
Katie
And there are buildings that are safe and there are.
Katie
Completely I can walk into a building and I.
Katie
Can feel the buzz of that’s like.
Katie
It’s just we’re all in this mission.
Katie
Together like you can feel it.
Katie
It’s top down and then you can walk into a building and it’ll hit.
Katie
You in the face that.
Katie
It’s toxic, gets the environment the teachers feel unsafe and like, and I can tell within the 1st 5 minutes.
Katie
I know lean and so I mean.
Katie
That’s tricky too.
Speaker 4
And teachers need to know.
Speaker 4
And I think I have the permission honestly, because I I needed it, they need to know that if they’re building if they’re principal, if they’re coworkers.
Speaker 4
If their school is not feeding them.
Speaker 4
The good vibes that they need to do what they do.
Speaker 4
Leave, go through another school and again teachers talk like I keep coming back to principals in this environment.
Katie
There’s some there are still.
Speaker 4
And even before the pandemic.
Speaker 4
Should be recruiting, actively, actively, proactively, you know, go in and recruit the best teachers that you know of because there’s a teacher network and teachers know who is good, who loves their kids.
Yeah no.
Speaker 4
We love them back and all that stuff.
Speaker 4
And if you’re a good, you have to be a good principal, though, like if you’re a good principal and you take care of your.
Speaker 4
People and it.
Speaker 4
It is that vibe of we can do this like it’s just this electric.
Speaker 4
What was the term they used the other day?
Erin
Effervescent, effervescent, something immunity.
Speaker 4
It fixed being.
Speaker 4
Community provisions or something like that shared of.
Speaker 4
Sounds fancy so.
Erin
That yeah, it was an Adam Grant quote.
Speaker 4
Second, you can feel that and if you have that environment and you’ve made that and you’re a good leader and and you allow space for people to make mistakes and to grow, and that kind of stuff, go and find the best teachers you can, UN apologetically because.
Katie
Well, I run out of grants.
Speaker 4
You don’t have.
Speaker 4
You can’t entice with salary more than likely.
You should be.
Speaker 4
Or benefits or benefits and stuff like that.
Katie
Able to yeah yeah.
Speaker 4
But you can sell your the chemistry of.
Speaker 4
Where you work.
Speaker 4
You know, and manly.
Katie
Absolutely I.
Katie
I mean, I completely agree and I think that if you’re good you can step into any classroom and you could teach that class.
Katie
And if the teachers can see that you admin superintendents everyone, I actually think it should.
Katie
Be like jury duty.
Katie
Guys like I, I think you should get your summons.
Katie
And you you give five days a year, and you go in and you you can’t get out of its jury duty.
Katie
This if you’re giving back to the students and the teachers because we don’t have Subs we don’t have.
Erin
Like and doing what subbing what?
Katie
Studying, studying so like every single day.
Erin
Do you say other?
Katie
My teachers cover every single day so they don’t get a plan.
Katie
No plan you get this blue.
Katie
Slip of doom.
Katie
That’s what they call it.
Katie
And you have to go cover somebody class and you have to because.
Katie
Your colleague has, yeah, COVID or your colleagues.
Katie
Mops died or your colleague needs you and there’s no sub.
Katie
And so it, you’re up, yeah?
Katie
And if we could alleviate that, and I have a sweet, precious, innovative teacher that I’m mentoring right now.
Katie
And she says, if.
Katie
I could just come and do my job.
Katie
Every day I would love it.
Katie
It would be the best job like Disney World.
Katie
Every day I could love my kids.
Katie
I can do my lesson.
Katie
Or poor Internet, but when I know I.
Katie
Have to do other people job.
Katie
It makes me want to.
Katie
Quit and so if we could jury duty.
Katie
I like this idea.
Katie
Yeah, and but I mean if your admin if you’re Superintendent, if you’re if you’re making laws about education, you need to be, you know, be covering classes you need.
Katie
To come and.
Katie
Get you.
Katie
Something like, yeah.
Katie
That’s what I think and it.
Katie
Is a public service.
Erin
Coming and.
Erin
It’s been.
Erin
You know weird messaging and stuff, but I mean our schools are important and people are seeing that.
Erin
I mean, it’s kind of being seen as like babysitters and stuff like that, which I couldn’t disagree more.
Erin
With but of.
Erin
Course, I mean schools are important, it is.
Erin
Kind of a weird time where at.
Erin
Least people are.
Erin
We’re seeing that for the first time, like what we need to have schools not just for childcare, but like there’s also it.
Erin
I don’t know we’re.
Erin
In a interesting place in society where, like lots of things are happening and new ideas and also wanting to like shut down ideas and wanting to preserve at all cost of.
Erin
Where we are.
So I don’t.
Erin
Know it’s just.
Erin
Things are weird.
Katie
It’s tumultuous for sure it is.
Speaker 4
Yeah, well, I think that.
Speaker 4
We are, or schools have been, they’ve institutionalized burnout.
Speaker 4
Because teachers come in and they have to.
Speaker 4
You know, they have to prop up this system and teachers can do it like they’re amazing, they’ll do.
Speaker 4
Anything to help the kids, but when they do not have a plan but yet they still have to do grades and they still have to do duty and they still have to do all of these various different things.
Let’s go.
Speaker 4
There are literally not enough hours in the day, literally.
Speaker 4
So is that the teachers fault?
Speaker 4
No, like if if someone came to me.
Speaker 4
And said OK, you have 8 hours to do.
Speaker 4
16 hours of work.
Speaker 4
Well guy, that’s not.
Speaker 4
That’s not going to happen.
Speaker 4
You know it’s not possible, but at school it happened.
Erin
It’s physically not virgin.
Speaker 4
It’s not even a thought anymore.
Speaker 4
It’s going, this is how it works and I’m going to draw principles into this too.
Speaker 4
They are swamped, they they are underwater, and I think that they have a.
Katie
I know are right now.
Speaker 4
A difficult time.
Speaker 4
Managing what they do and then trying to take care.
Speaker 4
You know, trying to hear what teachers are going through because they’re you know when you’re trying to swim and you’re drowning.
Speaker 4
You’re not going to try to help someone else.
Speaker 4
You know what I mean so.
Speaker 4
I think that the whole institution has been turned to 11.
Speaker 4
And just left there like there’s never been any. We got to back this up to A6 in order for it to be good any good at all.
Rick
That’s so true.
Speaker 4
But that at some point it will have to ’cause the system you mentioned it earlier Katy.
Speaker 4
Our educational system is at risk now.
Speaker 4
The whole thing.
Speaker 4
So what do we want out of our educational system ’cause we can’t have everything?
Speaker 4
It can’t go like this.
Speaker 4
Like right now it cannot go indefinitely, the.
Speaker 4
Wheels will fall off.
Speaker 4
And we’ll be left with something.
Katie
Well, just our emergency certifications in Oklahoma, like what was it? 30 people in 2012 had to be emergency service and in 2020 it was like almost 4000.
Rick
That’s how much it’s grown.
Katie
And so we’re emergencies serving all kinds of people trying to get him in the.
Speaker 4
Classroom which, which means that they were.
Speaker 4
Doing something else.
Speaker 4
And then they had to be brought in and gone through like it’s pretty quick.
Katie
Oh, it’s quick.
Speaker 4
It’s a quick process.
Speaker 4
Is the paperwork to the FBI.
Speaker 4
Background check and all this stuff.
Speaker 4
And then you have.
Speaker 4
The keys to your.
Katie
Room yeah yeah.
Katie
And I mean we had.
Katie
Three teachers quitting earlier.
Katie
And so you know they’re trying to come in these three brand new teachers.
Katie
One of them is emergencies are and she’s like I don’t know how to work the grape.
Rick
I’m like.
Rick
Oh my God.
Katie
I have failed you like.
Katie
So I sat with her.
Katie
For a long time, yesterday afternoon and just.
Katie
Was like OK step by step and.
Katie
She’s like taking notes and then.
Katie
Kind of things that you figure people had gotten by the time it was January and and she didn’t, and it’s what we’re like in the last week of January.
Katie
I’m like girlfriend.
Katie
Why didn’t you?
Katie
Reach out before now and she knows.
Katie
I was embarrassed.
Erin
I’ve been there.
Erin
Oh Lord, I’ve been there.
Speaker 4
You don’t want to be judged.
Katie
And I have to say I don’t talk to admin.
Katie
I don’t write on your evaluation.
Katie
I don’t like that is, I’m very suffered.
Katie
I’m like a separate entity.
Erin
So they’re safe to.
Katie
Yeah, and so I I mean I a lot of my job in the last few years has been to like give therapy to.
Katie
New teachers, we don’t know if.
Katie
I’m cold I got.
Katie
But I do love on them and I hug them and I, you know, I’ll go weeks without seeing my principals weeks.
Katie
Yeah, and I’m.
Katie
All over the building and.
Katie
Yeah, they know they can come to me, but I think it too.
Katie
It’s scary like instructions, yeah.
Rick
Flannel, oh, what does that mean, absolutely?
Katie
She’s an admin.
Katie
She’s a spy for that.
Erin
A spy.
Katie
Or know?
Erin
That’s what you are.
Admin, she’s a spy for the.
Katie
Teachers or she’s like and this will really.
Katie
It’s tough. It’s tough.
Katie
And but I really love it because I love being able to pour into those baby teachers and I love that they eventually come to trust me.
Katie
And know that I will just bend over backwards.
Katie
To help them.
Erin
I thought that I had the other day, it just kind of hit me like a ton.
Erin
Of bricks is dumb.
Erin
I taught elementary, so I’ve taught them. Yeah, my oldest group of kids are just in their early 20s like 2223 and ’cause I taught them when they were in second grade, but.
Erin
Like there’s one girl that I.
Erin
Talked to recently that’s still in high school and she told.
Erin
Me that she’s.
Erin
Going to go into early childhood education and I was so thrilled.
Erin
And so excited.
Erin
And it just kind of got me wondering and like ’cause I have a lot of former students in college right now.
Erin
And I just started thinking of like.
Erin
Oh my gosh.
Erin
My babies who I love and I hope they.
Erin
Know I love them.
Erin
I think they.
Erin
Do you know at least have spent time for those kids?
Erin
We’ve stayed in contact with.
Erin
Over the years and if.
Erin
Those kids are going to be walking in a classroom and I want them to be.
Erin
So taking care of and so confident and filled so poured into like.
Erin
Like I.
Erin
Like I want to view.
Erin
Teachers as if they’re all my former students that are going to be teachers, ’cause that’s the.
Katie
’cause once ’cause I could tell once.
Erin
Most important thing in.
Katie
You’re your baby.
Katie
There’s your baby forever and we need you to come back.
Erin
I don’t think that’s out of the possibility, but yeah.
Katie
OK OK OK just you know and and.
Katie
You do, you’ll come to my.
Katie
School, it’s yeah.
Rick
Out here.
Katie
In the city every day, it’s not big.
Erin
But I just I.
Erin
Love the thought.
Erin
But I know you said this already.
Erin
But the thought of.
Erin
20 something year old people getting the support that I feel like I’m starting to receive it and then just the self care that I know is you know how you’re supposed to take care of yourself and how to kind of balance things a little bit.
Erin
I just so desperately.
Erin
Want to make this an easier transition for kit for teachers.
Erin
I’m sorry and then in doing so by just letting things be an easier transition.
Erin
You think of the students that are going to be touched.
Erin
In the lives there, I mean, it’s just it’s just.
Erin
It goes on.
Erin
It’s a chain reaction and it’s.
Erin
I just want to take care.
And I I.
Erin
Want to be a safe place for teachers?
Erin
I want teachers to be able to be ugly and complain and say the **** that they’re seeing because more than likely other people are seeing similar things too.
Katie
Save the things.
Katie
Oh 100% I seduce every building needs an instructional coach who is safe. Who can teach a model classroom who can tell you. I don’t have it all figured out. Why would you have it all figured out?
Katie
I don’t know just that space and I have worked.
Katie
I worked at a building years ago that we were all just like on the same mission.
Katie
Ah, we are family and we are.
Raising these babies.
Katie
Together and my husband is an accountant.
Katie
He doesn’t understand really like crunches numbers all day.
Katie
I’m like that’s boring.
Katie
But like he’s like, well, you can’t say that at your job, your place.
Katie
Of business I’m like.
Katie
We are raising babies together.
Katie
We’re fan like we are in this together and a lot of those people have now moved on to different buildings.
Katie
But I remember that, you know.
Katie
The four or five years I was together with this family that was just like and the kids like.
Katie
They get it too.
Yes and yes.
He got some.
Katie
Glue one year we got to loop so we had.
Katie
His 7th graders and all lose.
Erin
I’ve always wanted to do that.
Katie
Out put them to 8th grade this year and because that’s powerful.
Erin
I would love that.
Rick
Absolutely so well and.
Erin
I even think of.
Erin
My sweet spot of teaching was my when I taught 5th grade and some of the ladies that I was teaching went.
Erin
I mean, we were a team.
Erin
We were well ordered or like, well, oiled, mechanical.
Erin
Machine just like.
Erin
Doing this stuff and.
Erin
You know, I was also in like a really weird place mentally and with my.
Erin
But when I think about like how we operated, that was good and it was safe and.
Erin
We would go.
Erin
Out and get drinks every you know quarter or something.
Erin
We tried to like schedule just like a personal like let’s just not do school.
Erin
Let’s get out of here and not do school for a little bit and so.
Erin
I don’t know.
Erin
I guess that’s a thing to encourage people.
Erin
I like being social with my teacher with the teachers that I worked with.
Erin
I mean that has been invaluable to me.
Erin
I mean, I’m still close with my teachers.
Erin
Still, as long I’ve been out of the classroom for that.
Erin
Long but.
Erin
I, I think of those years.
Erin
That were like that my school was on.
Erin
It was the years that the teachers were we were together.
Erin
We were clicking.
Erin
We were making time for one another and we were connecting and stuff.
Erin
I mean it really.
Erin
Do stuff with your teacher, friends, guys.
Speaker 4
Yeah, and you know that feeling of you know we’re.
Speaker 4
All all in this together and that.
Speaker 4
Kind of thing with I went as a high school teacher.
Speaker 4
I never really felt that it was.
Speaker 4
It was less like, you know we’re on the same mission and it was more like, hey, man, you’re doing a great job.
Speaker 4
I’m doing a great job.
Speaker 4
Great, you know.
Speaker 4
Like just be.
Speaker 4
Cool with people that were you know like in the history department or in the hallway or whatever.
Speaker 4
And that’s an interesting.
Speaker 4
I think that may be an interesting difference.
Speaker 4
I don’t know high school teachers, just from my observation.
Speaker 4
High school teachers, middle school teachers and elementary teachers are different.
Erin
That’s what, yeah?
Speaker 4
And they’re different, like in you know at at Jenks very big district we had, you know everybody together for PD before the year and we would be in this huge auditorium.
Erin
Then later.
Speaker 4
All not all but most of the high school teachers were in the.
Speaker 4
They’re upstairs, you know, in in the balcony, in the dark, like you couldn’t see them.
Katie
My back.
Speaker 4
The elementary teachers were carrying around.
Speaker 4
These Longhorns and these.
Speaker 4
They’re all in camo or they’re all in pink and they’re all dancing and they’ve got you know, just.
Katie
They were laminating things instead now.
Speaker 4
Second, they’re just you know it.
Speaker 4
Was electric and you could.
Speaker 4
Tell they they’re a team like the the whole elementary staff was stressed the same and the middle school.
Speaker 4
They were kind of on.
Speaker 4
The main floor, but they were in the back and on the sides and they were less so.
Speaker 4
But they were downstairs.
Speaker 4
You know, so it’s just this whole different vibe and you know for me as a high school teacher there’s I would not sit downstairs.
Speaker 4
I don’t want to, you know, and maybe it’s.
Speaker 4
The independence of the people we.
Speaker 4
Teach I don’t know, you know?
That’s true, that’s.
Speaker 4
What I’m saying, but.
Erin
True, I was an elementary teacher who is all like that with my students and with my class.
Erin
But any time it was with teachers, I was even further on the back back, back row behind the high school teachers.
Erin
So there’s some elementary teachers that.
Erin
Are weird like me.
Rick
But for the most part.
Stuff like that.
Speaker 4
But I I wonder if there is, you know, a high school atmosphere where everybody feels like they, you know they’re heading in the same direction.
Speaker 4
They’re all in the same.
Speaker 4
Mission because I worked.
Speaker 4
At four different high schools and I never got that vibe, it was never like you know, like weird.
Speaker 4
Or anything.
Speaker 4
It just wasn’t like mission mission oriented.
Rick
Very good.
Katie
It gets more like it’s in pockets in high school, ’cause high school is bigger, so it’s like.
Katie
You know the English department all has classrooms right there or the history part, so you’re more on like a mission with your English friends and and you know your freshman kids go to the sophomore English teacher and you guys are like collaborating like that.
Katie
And because it’s hard to.
Katie
Walk, you know a mile across.
Katie
The campus for the Science department and they’re like.
Katie
Growing plants.
Katie
And then you know middle school teams.
Katie
So like those same kids go to history.
Katie
They go to English.
Katie
They go to science, you know, they go to math and they right, right.
Speaker 4
So there’s a commonality.
Katie
And so they’re your babies.
Katie
They’re your kids and you’re like you know what little Johnny?
Katie
He he lost his mind in my class.
Katie
Like oh, it’s because this happened at home and like middle School teaming is really powerful.
Katie
I really like it.
Erin
That sounds like it.
Speaker 4
Interesting yeah yeah.
Erin
I love that.
Erin
It is great.
Speaker 4
Well, this this has been a good conversation.
Katie
Have fun.
It is.
Erin
So real.
I better get my aces.
Speaker 4
Oh yeah.
Speaker 4
And not that it’s going to be exciting.
Speaker 4
It’s probably going to be.
Speaker 4
Obviously speaking, I know, I know, but
Erin
Yeah, same were boring.
Speaker 4
Well, it’s great to have everybody in the same room so and we’ll do it again.
Erin
Yes, I love y’all.
Erin
I got.
Katie
To go play that Nintendo out.
Katie
There there is an in.
Katie
Rick’s office there’s.
Katie
An old
Katie
School Nintendo with Mario and Duck Hunt and like.
Erin
How are you?
Katie
I mean the.
Katie
Old school or you had to like blow on the yellow on it to make me all the dust out of it and then you put it in and you push play.
Erin
Yes, yes.
Speaker 4
Arsis yeah.
Katie
You just hope that it works and.
Katie
I am about to go.
Rick
To town over there in Mario and Mario Land.
I love.
Speaker 4
That all right?
Speaker 4
Yeah, well we we love you.
Erin
Teachers yes alright talk to you guys.
Katie
Soon speech on warriors, yes