Believies, Teacher Sustainability, and the Need to TeachOn

TeachOn
TeachOn
Jul 30, 2017 · 5 min read

Stephany and I first met at New Teacher Training Week for a charter school network to which we had both transferred. We first interacted while standing in numerical order in the pre-boarding section for a Southwest Airlines flight…awkward. She thought my pink, button-up shirt was dorky. I found her confident posture intimidating (which she finds absolutely hilarious). But over the course of our week in training we bonded over shared stories of our experiences in education, many glasses of wine, and — most importantly — a shared dislike of “believies.” Let me elaborate…

The kickoff event of our first year teaching together! (Stephany is on the left and I’m on the right joined by our friend and fellow teacher, Grace)

At the end of the first day of training, the principal of one of the district schools gave a heartfelt speech about the importance of our work as teachers of an underserved student population. After, some of the teachers in the audience spontaneously decided to stand up and share their experiences and beliefs that brought them to teach in such a school. After one very long and drawn out touchy-feely speech by a new teacher in the district, we immediately locked knowing eyes and I said, “If I have to hear one more person go on and on about her believies, I’m going to lose my mind.” We broke into hysteric laughter, and in this moment, our long-lasting friendship was sealed.

It’s important to note here that we are not terrible people. You see, Stephany and I were entering our 4th- and 5th- years of teaching (respectively) at this point. We both understood the challenges and realities that we (and our fellow teachers around the nation) face every day. Needless to say, the rose colored glasses were a little more transparent now, and there was just no room in our life for believies.

“Believies”

“Believies” are those teacher-inspired cliches we all have heard, that are used to justify our insane work load and daily struggle. For example, phrases like “a teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.” Or, “to the world you might just be a teacher, but to your students you are a hero!” You know, the kinds of sticky sweet platitudes you might find on a ceramic mug sold at the Hallmark store.

“Believies” Exhibit A

“Believies” sound really nice, and in a lot of ways speak to some of the reasons each of us got into teaching in the first place — the “heart” of the matter, if you will. But they are not enough to keep us going through the daily challenges of the stressful, important work we do.

Our work is challenging, and too often the wellbeing of teachers is overlooked. Stephany and I both often question if we chose the right path. We love the act of teaching and working with students, but all the other negative and stressful noise surrounding what we do everyday — data tracking, behavior management, parent communication, differentiation, keeping up with the newest trends and fads in the field — often overshadows the positives. And we know we are not alone in these feelings.

We had an “a-ha moment,” wherein we recognized the need to connect and empower educators at the grassroots level, with no other agenda than to keep great teachers teaching.

Our most recent picture of us from our Napa adventure. The birth place of TeachOn! (I’m on the left and Stephany is on the right)

The Birth of TeachOn

This year, during our 7th and 8th years of teaching (respectively), we took a much-needed girls’ trip to Napa. After complaining about education, we came up with the idea to build TeachOn. (What can we say? We do our best work when wine is in the mix.) We envisioned creating a space where we could generate and curate resources that speak to teacher well-being, to build a network of mutually supportive educators. TeachOn is not a place to find cute classroom decorations, or activity ideas for teaching inferences; it is a place to help teachers find their voice, build teachers as professionals, and support teacher well-being. We want to help combat burn-out. We do not claim to have all the answers, or even half of them. But we do believe in the power of teachers — past and present — coming together in mutual support, and in the power of opening up a conversation about career sustainability for the betterment of all teachers (and as a result, students).

So we welcome you — all teachers, in all contents, grades, and levels of experience — to TeachOn! TeachOn is for teachers, by teachers. We need your help to build our community in support of each other. After all, no one understands what teachers are up against better than teachers themselves. Join us as we work to give all teachers the resources and support they need to continue to TeachOn. #teamteachon

Like this post? Follow TeachOn on Facebook, Instagram, and Medium to learn more about teacher growth and sustainability. #teamteachon


Tracey Farris Wiesenfeld currently lives and teaches in Tokyo, Japan. Over the past seven years, she has taught elementary and middle school students in public and private school settings in Chicago, Illinois and Austin, Texas. Tracey also co-founded TeachOn, a network and resource hub that strives to connect and empower teachers, in support of their personal well-being and professional growth. In her free time, Tracey enjoys running, writing, and laughing with friends.

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Creating resources and connecting educators, in order to combat burn-out and provide support in the areas of personal well-being and professional growth.

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