Reeling from the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Tex., literacy specialist Kylene Beers emailed four friends to help process the devastating situation, and they swiftly coordinated a free panel in support of heartbroken teachers, “Words Can Help Heal: Helping You and Students Through Trauma,” scheduled to air tonight.
Teaching in 2021 means navigating layers of disaster.
As I write this, many schools are closed in Texas . And the closures aren’t pandemic related. They’re closed because of a storm that led to a massive utilities failure. One Texas teacher shared on the WeAreTeacher’s Facebook page that her school’s pipes froze and then burst. Another teacher posted that her school’s library caught on fire. Yet another said she is trying to teach students online through rolling blackouts. We are two months into the year, and the winter storm in Texas is just the latest challenge facing America’s teachers. In 2021, it seems every day means confronting new problems and their impacts on our kids.