Education Week

Take Care of Yourself*

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Thunderbolts* is the newest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and it’s a good one!

So good, in fact, that it got a brand NEW title right out of the gate (spoilers ahead, of course):

Beyond the clever name change (i.e. marketing ploy), the film itself is memorable for its meaningful look at mental health. Numerous news outlets have explored this key ingredient in the film, including interviews with the film’s creators and stars (such as this article from Entertainment Weekly).

Like the superheroes (super-spies? super-thieves?) in Thunderbolts*, educators also face challenges with stress and self-care.

In one survey, teachers and principals both fared worse than other working adults in multiple mental factors. Here’s a visual summary courtesy of the folks at Education Week.

Granted, this report is from 2022 as schools were crawling out of a pandemic shadow. Still, a more recent study finds similar issues, as indicated by its title, “The Teachers are Not All Right.“

In better news, things are improving with educators’ awareness and ability to find help. Another Education Week survey found that teachers are better at supporting one another in their work. Check out this nifty graphic summary:

In the linked Entertainment Weekly article above, actress Florence Pugh elaborates on the importance of collaboration and kindness:

“[T]he real message is we have to be together. We have to connect, we have to help each other. We have to be humans and actually care, and love, and look after each other. And that is the key.”

She’s talking about fictional superhero characters, but the same holds true for real teachers in real life. Amid a notoriously labeled “isolated profession,” educators must seek support from each other AND for each other.

Even so, don’t rely on colleagues to provide and receive all necessary assistance. There are numerous resources from health experts and professional organizations, some of which teachers can use with their students.

Don’t wait for a crisis or summer break. Find people and services that can help you now, and help others do the same.

*And each other.

Top Lists

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At the end of every year, you’ll find a smattering of “Top Ten” or “Best of . . .” lists. Do a quick web search and you’ll discover all kinds of countdowns for 2022.

Better yet, we’ve done some reading ourselves and provided a few hyperlinks, including Comic Book rankings by people at Polygon, Den of Geek, and Entertainment Weekly.

My favorite of 2022 was the new “Batman/Superman: World’s Finest” series by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, and Tamra Bonvillain. It’s a fresh take on the old-fashioned DC team-up title. The art is dynamic and colorful, with big action mixing up characters both well-known and unknown.

Comics aren’t just full of superheroes, of course, as you’ll notice many different kinds of tales in these “Best” Comic Books.

For more capes and cowls, you can also find “Top” lists ranking favorite superhero television series, such as one by the folks at IGN.

Again, my two-cents’ worth is that Ms. Marvel was the best choice in a very robust slate of superhero TV in 2022.

I’ve already talked about Ms. Marvel in a previous post. Simply put, it’s another fun teen title in the tone of Spider-Man.

Like Spidey, Ms. Marvel begins with our hero learning about their powers and living among family and friends. But “trial-and-error” adventures at the street level soon explode into a globe-hopping (and time-traveling) quest. Good stuff!

In addition to TV and Comics, there are even “Top” lists for Teachers!

Places like Education Week and Education Next highlight the most-read blog posts and articles in 2022. A lot of these deal with policy and trends in curriculum, as opposed to direct classroom practice. Still, it’s good to stay up to date with the latest. Keeping current is even more vital with RESEARCH in teaching and learning, as featured in Edutopia’s “10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2022.”

Here are a few of my favorite takeaways from their Top Ten:

#1 THERE’S NO CONFLICT BETWEEN RELATIONSHIPS AND RIGOR

“The researchers found that the most effective teachers build their classrooms by getting to know their students, being approachable, and showing that they enjoy the work—and then deftly translate emotional capital into academic capital.”

#10. AN AUTHORITATIVE STUDY OF TWO HIGH-IMPACT LEARNING STRATEGIES

“In the review, researchers explain that students who prefer techniques like reading and rereading material in intense cram sessions are bound to fail. Instead, students should think of learning as a kind of ‘fitness routine’ during which they practice recalling the material from memory and space out their learning sessions over time.”

Similar to “Top” rankings for the previous year, you’ll also find “Most Anticipated” lists previewing upcoming movies, comic books, and more.

Just as teachers can gain insight from reviewing the “best” of the past, they can also find inspiration in previewing the future.

What are you anticipating most in the next year? (Maybe a new book?)

Better yet, how can you help your students look forward to the future?