The Right to Rest

Recently I made an important life decision. While I am at peace with the decision, I struggled with how to communicate it. 

I went for a quick stroll. Being out in nature always helps me think. Okay, maybe always is too strong a word because this time it didn't help. 

I binge watched an old season of one of my favorite television shows to clear my head. Does anyone else find watching strangers demolish houses and then renovate them relaxing? No? Ok, I guess it is just me! 😂 

Still, I couldn't capture the words to describe my decision.  

So, I searched for some inspirational podcasts. Maybe other women would have the right words. I listened to a few, but nothing resonated until I found one where one woman said to her friend, "You have earned the right to rest." And it hit me. Yes. That's it! The right to rest. 

Like so many of you reading this, I've lived my entire professional life in service to others, and throughout my 30-year career I've been a workaholic. That last trait I inherited from my hardworking Italian-American family. I come from a long line of hard workers! 

However, during the pandemic I had some much-needed time to pause, for the first time in my professional life, and while I was still working nonstop, I was in one place. 

I was able to remain still. 

In one spot. 

Surrounded, albeit virtually, by the people most precious in my life. 

I wasn't on the road four days per week. I could be outdoors more, which is very centering for me. I was able, if only virtually, to be present for joyous occasions, birthdays and holidays in a way that I couldn't be the last decade. Most importantly I had time with my husband to verbalize and envision our hopes and dreams. We had the gift of time to plan what we wanted the next phase of our lives to be.

As the state and nation started to emerge from the pandemic, my calendar started to fill up again. 

I was getting request after request to be in the field. 

I had to go back to figuring out when I was going to be able to see my family and friends, make basic appointments and keep up with my personal needs. Time outdoors began to dwindle. I even saw that I was going to be spending my 30th wedding anniversary* on the road for work. I realized in that moment, the drive that I once had to be everywhere and do everything for my job didn't feel the same way as it did prior to the pandemic. (*Side note: The NYSUT leaders I did spend my wedding anniversary with made my day extra special! 😊)

However, my work schedule felt like it was pulling me away from the people and places that bring me joy. Just thinking about all the work travel and time away made me want to lie down and take a nap with the covers over my head. I thought to myself, "It may be time to pivot."

I took many lessons with me as we emerged from the pandemic. One major lesson was about sustaining real relationships with my loved ones and staying connected to the people in my life that will be here once this work is done. Another was about being more present. A third focused on carving out more time to be in nature. 

That bubble of people we cultivated during the pandemic? Those were the people, and the many life experiences with them, that I craved more of in my life. 

My decision was made. I've earned the right to rest.

To that end, I will not be seeking re-election as NYSUT's Executive Vice President. After 30+ years in education and union life, I need to be in control of my own time and pivot onto a new path. 

The good news is I still have months ahead of me to keep doing the work NYSUT members, like you, have entrusted me to do. I will keep fighting for you in every way that I can at the state level, and I know NYSUT will remain as strong as ever because it is the "you" in NYSUT that has always mattered— the local presidents and members who are on the frontlines each day doing the work to serve New York's students and patients. It is you who leads and fights for what is right in your communities. People like me are just the lucky ones who get to represent you, but it is you who's the real backbone of this union.

This journey has been humbling, and I remain so honored to have earned your trust. It has been a privilege representing you as NYSUT's Executive Vice President.

My wish for all of you?

That one day you too realize when you've earned the right to rest and give yourself the space to do that without regret or apology. 

Until I see you again in person...stay well and most importantly stay true to yourself.

The Triumph of Trying

The Winter Olympic Games have concluded and athletes from across the globe have returned to their homes. 

Some with new hardware.

Some without.

All having tried their best!

In the last two Olympic games we saw two GOATs (Greatest Of All Time for you non-sports enthusiasts):  Simone Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin fall short of the public expectation for them as American athletes. 

Both dealing with different demons. 

Both competing during a global pandemic. 

In Mikaela's case, she is known as one of the most decorated American skiers in history. As a very versatile skier, she has the ability to ski in multiple events. At past Olympics, even after medaling, she withdrew from events and didn't ski them all. This Olympics, even after crashing twice, once in her favorite event and once in her best event, she just kept returning to the top of the mountain to try again. Each time without medaling as an individual competitor.

Try she did! 

She even received encouragement from Simone on social media. Simone's a class act. 

In a recent interview Mikaela shared why she kept going. She said she wanted others to know, particularly young people, that one moment doesn't define you. You have to keep getting back up. You can't let the haters keep you down. 

As we approach Women's History Month, I thought about all the women who have been getting back up for thousands of years. 

Trying to break glass ceilings.

Trying to be heard.

Trying to be seen.

Trying to be valued.

Trying. Trying for this country and the world to see women as equal to men. 

Unfortunately, what sometimes happens, is women don't have the same margin for error as men. 

Women are expected to be capable and strong. But not too capable or too strong because then they will be seen as aggressive and overbearing. Perhaps even threatening. Men with these same qualities are looked upon as assertive and as leaders.

As women, we need to try and be liked. 

However, if women are liked too much or more than men, they are often penalized for that. That's called a likeability penalty. They pay a price. Women who seem too likable are not taken as seriously or are seen as weak. While a man is seen as someone to have a beer with and someone who is fun to be around. 

What if women tried to be their complete selves?

In. Their. Entirety. 

Scars and all. Strengths and all. What then? 

Would they be accepted? I would hope so, but research shows it's tougher to rebound as a woman. As humans, we are all imperfect. Women often pay a higher price for their humanity. 

Professionally, many have witnessed how one moment may define a woman in the eyes of her colleagues. With no way to recover, no way to try again. Just a label some arbitrary person smacks on her. This label may not match all the pieces of her as a complete person. 

The name of this blog is Still Learning. I took it from a quote I've had on my desk for my entire teaching career, and it still sits on my desk today. 

"I am still learning," Michelangelo.

Whether this quote is actually attributed to him is up for debate. I love the quote, because it is a reminder that we are all still striving and reaching (even Michelangelo!).

This Women's History Month I am going to reflect upon all the women who keep on keepin' on.

Trying to pass the Equal Rights Amendment and the Violence Against Women Act.

Trying to achieve equal pay for equal work.

Trying to remain in control of their health and their bodies.

There is a certain triumph in always trying. Here's to all the women who refuse to give up!

Why the word NO should be your mantra in 2022

Resolutions are stupid (IMHO). I gave them up years ago, as I know many of you have as well. I'm convinced someone evil came up with the idea to make everyone feel badly about themselves, so I've taken a hard pass approach on New Year's resolutions for over a decade.

Then, several years ago, my husband and I gathered at a friend's house on New Year's Eve. We don't live in the same state as our friend, but that year we were able to be together to ring in the new year. Our lovely hostess wanted us all to write down our word for the year to come. I hadn't ever done that before, but I was open to it. That night we shared our words and why we chose them. The best part for me was throughout the year we would check in on one another just to see how we were doing in general and inevitably we would end our conversation by reminding each other of our word. It kept us focused and inspired to keep moving forward.

Nowadays I see people choosing one word for the new year all over social media, but back then this act of picking a word to guide us through the next year was like our own little North Star. It felt special and intentional. Since then I've set a one word intention instead of some crummy resolution I am sure to break by the end of the week. 

This New Year's Day that same friend and I exchanged text messages, and we of course fell back into our pattern of sharing our one word. We each had selected HOPE. Obviously I don't need to explain why to any of you reading this. I'm staring at you Omicron! 

However, I added a second word this year. My real word is NO. Here's why it should be your mantra for 2022 as well.

The word NO gets a bad rap, but it shouldn't.

As educators, most of whom are women, we say yes all the time...to everything. We feel we must.

We say yes to more students, bigger class sizes, doing more with less. We say yes to unsafe working conditions and laws and policies we don't agree with because we feel like we have no choice, even though we know in our hearts and in our professional judgment that these asks are simply not good for students or for us. In our personal lives, we almost never say no. As a result we place ourselves at the back of the line for everything. I say we put an end to that right now in 2022.

Let us never forget, we are a part of a union and the collective is always stronger than the individual. So while we are leveraging our collective union power to say NO, let's also harness our individual power to say NO to situations that aren't good for us personally or spiritually. That's where our NYSUT Women sisterhood circle comes into play. Let's lean on one another. Take these situations below:

• Taking on one more thing and putting your own wellbeing last. N-O
• Suffering in silence instead of asking for help. N-O
• Worrying about what others will think of you if you set a healthy boundary. N-O
• Trying to prove your worth at the expense of what is best for you. N-O
• Ignoring that voice in your head when a situation feels unsafe in any way. N-O
• Allowing someone to gaslight you. N-O
• Staying when you should leave. N-O
• Leaving when you should stay. N-O
• Working to the point of exhaustion. N-O
• Making no time to move your body or quiet your mind. N-O
• Doubting yourself or your worth. N-O
• Hiding your authentic self. N-O
• Shrinking yourself instead of asserting your strength. N-O
• Apologizing for your opinions, thoughts, or concerns. N-O

As educators you have been through years of trauma professionally and personally, and I'm also talking about the decade prior to this horrific pandemic. You've earned the right to say NO once and awhile.

You have been asked to do extraordinary things, and you've always said YES. This has come at a great cost. 

Now is the time to start taking some of that power and decision making back both at work and at home. 

At work, leverage that collective power and bargain changes that help put a stop to bad policies and practices.

At home, practice saying NO in small ways and in safe spaces, especially if at first saying NO feels too foreign to you. 

Need a kick starter? Shout a big, healthy HELL NO loudly and proudly to propel you on your new path.

In a world that can sometimes feel out of control, take some control back.

Who knows? 

You may find yourself saying YES to empowerment, fulfillment, and happiness by the end of 2022.

Creating circles of support for girls in schools and on campuses

The women of NYSUT have built a safe space to gather and create, plan and advocate for women's equity and equality through the NYSUT Women's Committee, which was established for the first time in NYSUT's 50 year history at the 2017 NYSUT Representative Assembly. 

As grown women, we know what this circle of support has meant to us. 

The question, how do we replicate this model for our students both in P-12 and in higher education? 

For the answer we needed to look no further than our own NYSUT women leaders who had already started this work in communities, locals, and districts across New York state. Young girls ages six to early adulthood shared their experiences with us. What we found was how profoundly these clubs have impacted these girls. Their words were the inspiration to spread this message in every space and place that needs to hear it.

Women Empowerment Clubs should be everywhere, particularly for girls of color!

Why? 

Just listen to what students had to say about these clubs:

• It's incredibly important for women to know they have a safe space to be accepted just as they are.
• This club offers a space where competition and comparison among women doesn't exist and doesn't matter.
• Knowing that other girls are going through the same things you are is really comforting.
• We've created a community that is constantly adapting and changing to meet our needs.
• This group has fueled a desire to be curious about things, engage in dialogue with an open mind, and seek out education on topics of interest.
• Being surrounded by my fellow students in this way made me confident and comfortable in my own skin.

The young women who participated in these clubs continually used the word empowered to describe how they felt about the work they accomplished. They all referenced the clubs as a starting point for their leadership development. 

These women referenced the roles they played in their club like secretary, vice president, or president. They saw these roles as essential to their personal growth. 

Another common thread was wanting to pay it forward to other girls and women. Even at their young ages they saw the value in giving back. These clubs helped these women see themselves as service leaders in their communities. What more could we ask of the students we teach? 

We want our students to see themselves as having a voice in our communities and society. These clubs did that for these girls.

Growing up, my school and community certainly did not offer anything like this, and I would have benefited from it so much. I was painfully shy, extremely introverted, and certainly never saw myself as a leader. These young people already have a strong idea of who they are as women and who they want to be as they continue to evolve. What. A. Gift! 

Sure, these clubs benefit the students who make up the fabric of the club, but it should be said that ALL students, not just girls, are welcome in these clubs and do attend and participate in the meetings, and these clubs get things done!

Clubs like these change the school climate for the better. Members...

• ensure the bathrooms are stocked with free period products.
• lobby for gender neutral bathrooms, so all students feel safe and comfortable. 
• speak up so dress codes are equitably enforced.
• model the language students should use toward one another to create a respectful environment. 
• rally for causes they care about in their communities by attending marches or by collecting items or money to assist others in need.  

The State Education Department has created a workgroup entitled The Girls of Color Interagency Workgroup with the goal of creating equitable learning spaces and addressing inequality in our educational system. Seems to me that Women Empowerment Clubs might be one small way to address this goal. A link to their work can be found here: Girls of Color Interagency Workgroup

The point is this. 

Achieving equity and equality for everyone and building a world where we all belong, are seen, and respected will take many forms. 

A club like this in your community, school, or on your campus can be anything you want it to be and can start with students as young as elementary school and continue into college. There are no rules except to say if you build it, they will come. 

The women of NYSUT have designed a tool to help you get started with your club. It is found here at NYSUT Women. We even have a grant to help you get your club started. Learn more about our grant: Mosaics of Sisterhood Grant

It took nearly 50 years for NYSUT to create a standing committee for women to find their voices, share their experiences, and support and empower one another. Let's not make our girls, particularly our girls of color, wait 50 years to have this same deep connection. Start a club in your community, school, or campus today and watch these circles of support grow! 

 

And how are the teachers?

The traditional greeting of the Maasai people in Africa asks, "And how are the children?" The response, "The children are well." 

As educators, we spend countless years of our life ensuring that in fact the children are well. However, right now, during this pandemic there is a second question to ask, "And how are the teachers?" Unfortunately, the response right now from most teachers is, "We are not well." 

If we do not take care of our teachers, right now, we will not have anyone left to take care of the children in our public schools. It is just that simple. 

I spent the morning of October 19th listening to the International Summit on the Teaching Profession (#ISTP21). It was an important conversation that included education and labor leaders from countries around the world including the United States. 

What struck me was the overwhelming focus on teachers and their wellbeing.  

As an advocate for teachers and their wellbeing, I was heartened to hear so many discuss the reality that teacher wellbeing and student achievement are linked — something we all know but seldom hear acknowledged so openly. 

Much of the discussion was focused on a cultural shift within education. I could not agree more with that! However, what needs to happen, in my humble opinion, is to rebuild trust. Teachers have lost trust in those making educational decisions to utilize their expertise. Even when we have good leadership at the state and federal levels, teachers are weary. They wonder how long it will last and whether any good initiatives or thoughts will be able to sustain once those leaders are no longer in those seats. That is why we need a complete and utter cultural shift within education.  

We are in a pivotal moment for education. One where we must think transformatively about the culture we want to create in our schools. However, we cannot get to where we need to be without valuing, honoring, and listening to teachers. For far too long we have talked at them, to them and around them. Policies have been top/down and test/punish. Teachers and their schools have been placed on lists without any rhyme or reason and without the necessary supports to help them achieve and grow. 

Here are some straightforward steps we can take to help rebuild the trust that has been eroded: 

• Listen to teachers and value and respond to what they have to say. Ask what they need and then give it to them. Check in with them without punishment to see how it is going, monitor, and adjust as needed. 
• Fund public education in P12 and higher education. Invest in education. Provide the funding promised so teachers can innovate, create, and imagine a culture of education that supports the whole child and the whole teacher. 
• Fund and provide high-quality embedded professional learning for our teachers like the type we provide through NYSUT's Education and Learning Trust. We must ensure our teachers are supported as they navigate the challenges they face.  
• Do away with systems that test, punish and sort teachers, schools, and children into inequitable categories they cannot shake.  

NYSUT has just put out our Future Forward report with five pillars to keep our public schools as the center of every community. You can read it here: NYSUT's Future Forward Report And, as I shared earlier, NYSUT has professional learning to help all educators attend to their wellness and the wellness of their students. Go to www.ELT.nysut.org to learn more. Don’t consider ELT PD; consider it time for yourself, because until each and every teacher can answer the proverb with the answer, "Yes, the teachers are well," we are not doing enough to support our schools, colleges, educators, and of course, the children. 

Post pandemic, we must put our well-being first

Like you, the pandemic has taught me many lessons. The primary one -- it’s time to stop being so hard on myself and instead start focusing on my overall health and wellness. 

Prior to the pandemic, like many women, I spent the better part of my adult life worrying about my body image.  

Is society to blame? A little.  

Am I to blame? You bet. 

I worried about the lack of curves in some places on my body — and too many curves in others. I stressed about dimples on my thighs and veins on my legs. I would fret about my tummy not being flat enough, but my chest being too flat. I was anxious about maintaining society’s version of an “ideal weight.” 

Was I focused on overall health and wellness? No. 

Mind you. Never was I unhealthy. I was just programmed to compare myself to others. To judge myself. I focused too much on appearances and cultural expectations. I equated overextending myself with proving my worth. Placing my own health and wellness last. 

Unfortunately, placing yourself last is quite common for women. According to a CDC study shared by The 19th News: 

• “Breast and cervical cancer screening tests declined by 87% and 84%, respectively, in April 2020 compared with the previous five-year averages.  
• Breast cancer screenings were down 84% for Latinas, and 98% for Native American women.  
• Cervical cancer screenings dropped 82% for Black women, and 92% for Asian American and Pacific Islander women. 
• Last August, The 19th reported that women’s wellness visits — where mammograms often happen — had fallen by as much as 86% during initial COVID-19 lockdowns.” 

Many women were unable to obtain their screenings due to a lack of access or because they were too busy taking care of other family members, lacked childcare or elder care assistance. I am one of the lucky ones and was able to keep my annual medical appointments.  

In May 2021, I was scheduled for a routine mammogram and ultrasound. I went feeling the best I had in years because the pandemic had afforded me the time to focus on my well-being, and I was slowly changing my mindset about myself. So, this new-found outlook made the subsequent call to come back for a needle biopsy an even greater shock. I could not believe what I was hearing. In that moment, all the worries I had held onto for decades about my figure and my appearance came rushing back to me. I had wasted a chunk of my adult life wishing my body were different and now all I cared about was staying healthy. I wanted my body to be exactly as it was. What a gift that realization was! 

A second call came, and I was told the irregularity would require a surgical biopsy. The good news is the lump turned out to be benign.  

I write this very personal blog to say this to you, my fellow NYSUT women: 

• Get screened yearly.  
• Do not miss routine appointments. 
• Stop judging yourself and your body. 
• Focus on physical and mental well-being and reclaiming balance in your life. 

Summer is the perfect time for educators to schedule appointments and prioritize physical and mental health and well-being. 

Learn from my mistakes and embrace your body now, do not wait for a scare to snap you into it. Take charge of your health.  

Remember, you survived a pandemic, and you are strong! However, if you still need a nudge to prioritize yourself, look no further than your fellow NYSUT women who are here to remind you. 

In sisterhood, solidarity, and strength,

Jolene

 

An Accidental Celebration

Wednesday, while driving home from work, I could see in the distance a police vehicle on the side of the road with its lights on and traffic lined up along the road. I was kicking myself for taking what I thought was a short cut to beat the traffic. I assumed there must be a car accident up ahead. 

To my surprise there was not.

Ahead was a celebration. 

A parade...in front of Forts Ferry Elementary School in Latham, NY. 

Ahead of me was a line of cars covered in balloons and streamers congratulating students.

Normally, anything preventing me from getting home expeditiously would be seen as an annoyance, but I relished witnessing this joyful moment. I went to take out my phone to capture the scene from my car but then realized the police officer directing traffic may not look upon that action with approval.

What I saw were children popping their heads out of sunroofs, parents and grandparents packed into cars, and educators outside, singing, clapping, and dancing.  

They had made it. Together.

I found myself quite emotional, and my breath caught in the back of my throat. This end-of-the-year celebration, something quite typical, although not in this exact form, was almost bringing me to tears.

Behind the music, dancing, clapping and socially distanced jubilance was the hardest year ever.  

It was brutal.  

Unimaginable. 

Yet this school community, like so many others, was celebrating.

As this school year ends, people will continue to write about learning loss. They will write about future standardized test scores. They will write about what divides us. They will not write about the pure unadulterated relief, support, care, and love that was being exuded from each and every educator that was out in that parking lot, each car filled with supportive, grateful families and each little face that was beaming with pride for having survived a global pandemic with their teachers by their side each and every day.

The police officer eventually motioned for me to pass and make my way home, but I hated leaving that sweet gathering behind. 

I did not know anyone in the parade, but I can tell you this with certainty, there is nothing like the "family" created within a school community. 

Nothing. 

In a typical year, educators, students, and families go through so many ups and downs. But in a pandemic? They have survived a Category 5 hurricane...one that kept going and going and seemed like it would never end.  

Yet through it all they had each other to lean on and to confide in even when they did not think they had anything left in the tank to keep going. The bonds made, even distanced ones, will last a lifetime.  

And the exhaustion these educators feel? Well, there are not adequate words to describe how mentally and physically taxing this work has been for them. (Let's hope we all focus on their social and emotional needs as we move forward!) 

Those educators in the parking lot? 

They will be there again come September, with those big smiles, open arms and huge hearts. Maybe I'll accidentally find myself driving by there to witness that too.

They will welcome another class of students, and they will continue being the backbone of our communities because that, my friends, is what teachers do!

Making the Case for Women in History Year-round

When I began teaching 6th grade social studies in 2006, just two women were cited as significant figures in our ancient civilizations textbook: Cleopatra and Queen Hatshepsut. Those two subchapters were the only places that the materials accompanying my lessons, in any subject, noted the significant contributions of women.  

When I left that classroom in 2017, even with the growth of the women’s movement in the interceding 11 years, the lessons still were the same. 

 

March, Women’s History Month, is always a time of reflection for me. It’s anecdotes like this lack of women cited in history textbooks that highlight for me the need to address the gender gap early in education in order to make strides for women’s equality long term.  

 

And don’t get me wrong, the gender gap in school curricula is changing. Where often math classes focus on numerals and equations, films like 2016’s “Hidden Figures” unlock the potential for educators to build lessons on the accomplishments that women — and specifically Black women like Katherine Johnson — have made in mathematics. Where for years English classes focused on Shakespearean or American classics predominantly written by white men, I know there are many educators who have placed a new focus on literature written by women and women of color.   

 

One AP English teacher recently told me she has created a unit specifically on the oppression of women throughout history. Yet she acknowledged that there is still a gap when it comes to teaching women’s contributions to society. 

 

Exposure to strong female role models — both those with whom children personally connect and those they learn about in their studies — is essential for all students. From an early age, it helps break gender stereotypes and shows young girls in particular that they can be changemakers, not just aspire to make change.  

 

It’s hard to downplay the dividends this could pay for the next generation of women when they reach their career fields, particularly when considering the disproportionate impact that the pandemic has had on women in the workplace — the SHEcession, if you will. 

 

In 2020, women accounted for more than half of all net job losses, according to analysis of federal labor data by the National Women’s Law Center. In December, all of the 140,000 total jobs lost were held by women. Black and Latina women have been the hardest hit in the past year, with 8.4 percent of Black women and 9.1 percent of Latina women remaining unemployed, compared to 6.3 percent of white women and 6.3 percent of women overall.  

  

As a 27-year educator and teachers union official, job losses in education are a particular gut punch for me. During a recent conversation with a Rochester-area union leader, she relayed the story of a paraprofessional who lost both her school job and her retail job due to the pandemic. To make matters worse, she contracted COVID-19 in December. Sick and without work, she has had to navigate a backlogged unemployment system while maintaining her role as primary caregiver for her children.  

And that’s to say nothing of the ongoing inequality faced by women still in the workforce. White women make about 80 cents on the dollar compared to white men. The gap is much greater for women of color.  

 

Women are significantly underrepresented in senior leadership positions as well. Even in education, where 77 percent of New York educators are women, just 27 percent of superintendents are women, according to a New York State School Boards Association study.   

 

Providing a well-rounded, diverse education will brighten the economic futures of girls who grow up assured they will make ground-breaking professional contributions, rather than seeing how only a select few make it to the top. We should start by taking a hard look at national and state learning standards to identify where exactly the current gaps in our curricula are. Acknowledging the lack of emphasis on studying women, especially women of color, and the implicit or explicit biases that create and perpetuate that pattern is critical. 

 

Giving all children an opportunity to learn from the wisdom and experiences of trailblazers of all genders and races, from this country and from around the globe, has to be a concerted effort. I know many make a special effort to do so during Women’s History Month, but we need to make it a year-round endeavor.