Skip to main content

Tag: Professional Growth

Taking Time for Self-Care Helps Everyone

Written by HES Marketing on . Posted in Professional Development & School Culture.

If you feel tired, irritable, apathetic, or forgetful, you may be showing signs of burning out. You are not alone; this year exhausted many teachers and administrators. Be aware that the negative feelings can create a downward spiral making it hard to motivate yourself to do activities that will help you feel better. Educators give a lot of themselves, sometimes to such a degree that they forget to schedule time for themselves.  At Harris Education Solution, we support educators doing amazing work to support students. We hope this list of self-care ideas inspires you to do something for yourself today.

This next part is for you if you are saying to yourself, “Sure, I would love some ‘me-time,’ but I don’t have time for it.” Set boundaries and sometimes say “no” to requests and invitations so you can say “yes” to more free time and less stress. A daily routine with positive habits can make a big difference in your mental, physical, and emotional health. You can start small and add a few habits that make you feel better. Below is a list of ideas to get you started. The list is organized by time commitment so that you can work up from your current routine.

Less than a Minute
  • Examine your thoughts and reframe any negative self-talk with a more positive perspective. Turn “I failed at something” into “I challenged myself and gave myself a learning opportunity.”
  • Give someone a long hug.
  • Breathe deeply.
  • Drink a glass of water.
  • Energize yourself with some quick exercises like running up the stairs or doing a few push-ups.
  • Adjust your posture and relax any tense muscles.
  • Smile or laugh to trick your brain into feeling happier.
  • Give someone a sincere compliment.
  • Light a candle or use an essential oil diffuser with a scent that you enjoy. Be aware that not everyone takes pleasure from the same fragrances, and oils can cause reactions for some people. Many schools have rules against using them in the school building.
  • Give yourself a hand massage while putting lotion on. 
Less than Twenty Minutes
  • Meditate.
  • Connect with your spiritual side.
  • Start or write in a gratitude journal.
  • Eat a healthy snack.
  • Take a power nap.
  • Organize a small area that has been bugging you. The space you inhabit affects your mood and improving it will bring a smile to your face.
  • Sit outside.
  • Buy or cut a bouquet of flowers for your home.
  • Replace a burnt-out lightbulb or do some other neglected chore to feel a sense of accomplishment.
  • Look at pictures from a happy time.
  • Dream about what you will do when you have more time and take one step towards making that happen.
  • Listen to your favorite music.
  • Cuddle with your pet or a loved one.
  • Write out and prioritize a to-do list. Look for responsibilities that you can delegate or eliminate. Remember to add and prioritize a self-care item to your list. 
An Hour or Two
  • Immerse yourself into singing, dancing, coloring, drawing, playing a musical instrument, or whatever creative activity calms you and induces a relaxed mental flow.
  • Enjoy a long bath or shower.
  • Get a massage.
  • Catch up on sleep by taking a nap, going to bed early, or sleeping in late. Getting enough sleep is critical to cognitive function, emotional regulation, and overall health.
  • Put away your cell phone and computer, or at least turn off notifications. These interruptions cause unnecessary stress.
  • Escape into a good story with a book or movie.
  • Moving your body has excellent health and mental benefits. Starting to exercise when you are out of the habit is hard, but the reward is worth it. Choose the workout routine that you enjoy most. It can be as simple as going for a walk. Consider asking a friend to be your workout partner to help keep you motivated.
  • Visit with a friend or family member who has a positive outlook and makes you laugh. If your relationships have withered from working too much, this is a great time to meet new people. Perhaps try volunteering, joining a club, or attending a place of worship. A good support network will help you through the toughest of times.
  • Get rid of excess clutter. Donate, sell, or throw away items that you have not used recently. Look to Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix for inspiration.
  • Plant a garden.
  • Go for a hike or bike ride away from the hustle of cars and people. Nature has restorative powers.
  • Do a hobby. If you don’t have a hobby, think of an activity you once enjoyed and or one that has sparked your curiosity. You can connect with enthusiasts on social media to help you get started.
  • Eat a special meal.
More than a Day
  • Take a vacation. Ideally, you can escape to your favorite place in the world. However, you don’t have to go anywhere to take a break. Just decide that for a few days you will postpone all possible responsibilities. Try to do some fun activities to make positive memories.
  • Some wounds are more profound and require more work to overcome. You might consider therapy to guide you through the healing process.
Make Self-Care a Habit

We hope you find encouragement in one or more of these suggestions and that you commit to doing one thing just for yourself every day. Taking time to nurture your mental, physical, and emotional health goes a long way toward rejuvenating your energy. You deserve to take time to de-stress for your own well-being. It is not an indulgent luxury; it is a basic human need. It has the bonus of benefiting everyone around you too. When you feel better, you will have more patience, laugh more, and connect better.

At Harris Education Solutions, we care about educators and hope to support them so they can enjoy long careers.

Important “Look-Fors” when Choosing an Observational Instrument

Written by HES Marketing on . Posted in Professional Development & School Culture.

You have high expectations. You recognize that teacher observations have the potential to be much more than a step in the Annual Professional Performance Review, APPR (3012-c and 3012-d). All teachers, not just those on Teacher Improvement Plans (TIPs), deserve professional growth feedback. You are searching for the best observational instrument because it is an investment in student learning. Moving the needle on teacher effectiveness improves student learning.  

Observing for Teacher Growth and Teacher Evaluation 

Professional growth and teacher evaluation are not the same. The Regent’s Teacher Evaluation System demonstrates minimal educational standards. Professional growth focuses on effective teaching to maximize student learning. New York State mandates two annual observations by trained observers, often the principal.  Most district leaders agree that teacher growth requires more than two observations per year and that the act of focused observation is itself a teacher growth opportunity.  Using the same observational tool for both purposes provides improved data reliability and trust in the system. 

Observational Instrument “Look-Fors” 

1. Practical and Easy to Use  

Administrators are more likely to observe teachers frequently with an observational instrument that is easy to use. Frequent observations give administrators and teachers a richer body of knowledge about teacher needs. Each observation and the accompanying feedback provide a snapshot. With regular observations, patterns emerge that help administrators distinguish between an anomaly and an ongoing opportunity for growth.  

Frequent observations also lower the stakes for teachers for individual observations. The difference between regular informal observations and only two formal ones is similar to the difference between formative and summative assessments for students. In addition, frequently observing and identifying evidence of learning promotes a growth mindset culture. 

Ease of use is also essential for districts using observation for peer learning and growth opportunities. It should be so intuitive that teachers learn to use it with a short tutorial.  

Look for these practical and ease-of-use features in an observational instrument:   

  • Evidence of learning and instruction such as pictures, notes, responses, and timestamps all in one place. 
  • Drafts are auto-shared until the observer finalizes the observation 
  • Automatically shares the completed rubric after observer takes it out of draft mode  
  • Pre-created “quick sentences” in the scripting area 
  • Can upload pictures and activate the camera from within the rubric 
  • Has video tutorials on the website 
  • Great customer support  
  • Web-based interface 
  • All elements have an intuitive design for quick learning

2. Based on Best Instructional Practices 

Observational data and feedback must align with state and district expectations. New York State uses various editions of the Danielson Framework for Teachers (FFT) and other well-known rubrics. One observational tool used to have exclusive rights to the 2013 edition, but that is no longer true. All education partners, including eDoctrina and eWalk, now have access to all editions, including the 2013 FFT.  

Look for this foundational feature in your observational instrument:  

  • It complies with the framework edition that your district uses.  
  • Time and date stamps included in scripting area to gauge lesson pace 
  • The script is easy to add as evidence to the observable components section 
  • Embedded descriptions of rubric ratings   

3. Enhances Collaboration 

You want an observational tool that integrates the collaborative process into its platform. Collaboration promotes trust between the observer and the teacher and in the system itself. Immediate feedback allows everyone to respond when everything is fresh in their memories. The tool should use the common language of your district culture to foster in-depth conversations about research-based practices.  

Look for these collaborative features in your observational instrument:  

  • Automatic email delivery when the observer is ready to share 
  • Embedded response section 
  • Ability to control the level of access for specific observations to allow for conversations and protect privacy 
  • Ability to choose which observation events count towards the evaluation. 
  • Includes a streamlined electronic signature capability

4. Reflects District Values and Priorities 

Just as every student and teacher is unique, so is your district. Your district’s leadership and accountability team have carefully crafted priorities based on specific demographics. Your observational rubrics should reflect this hard work.   

Look for these differentiated features in your observational instrument: 

  • Administrators able to add customized quick sentences for scripting 
  • Fully customizable rubrics and calculation methods 
  • Ability to have multiple rubrics 
  • Ability to integrate with assessment tools and data  
  • Back-end calculations made according to your district’s specifications 

5. Helpful for Making Data-Driven Professional Development Decisions 

Perhaps the most appreciated use of a superior observational instrument is feeling confident that you can provide teachers with proper support. You will have easily accessible data supporting which teachers would make great mentors and who would benefit most from having a mentor. You want to choose professional development that moves the needle in student engagement and learning.  

Accurate data is critical to the APPR. Automating the calculations improves trust in the evaluation system because it removes the possibility for human error. It means you provide an accurate end of year report with your district specific calculation to NYSDOE.  

Look for these data features in your observational instrument: 

  • Automatic back-end calculations 
  • Links with SLO tools 
  • Evaluation dashboard where all components are managed on a single screen  
  • Ability to see individual teacher growth 
  • High-level data reports about groups of teachers 
  • The ability to quickly drill down for more detailed information  
  • Data presented visually for straightforward interpretation 
  • High inter-rater reliability with built in calibration instrument 

Making the Final Decision 

If you are looking for the best teacher observation instrument, take a moment to watch a video about using OBSeRVE. It is part of the eDoctrina Accountability Suite that you can take for a test drive. OBSeRVE checks all the boxes for a quality instrument and integrates seamlessly with eDoctrina’s other great products. We built OBSeRVE because we believe that the best observational instrument makes implementing MTSS with fidelity feasible.  

Data tells us that district leaders agree. Among districts that use eDoctrina for multiple education solutions, we have a renewal rate of almost 100 percent because principals and teachers love being able to access all information from one cohesive system. As one satisfied user put it, “The power of the data is incredible. eDoctina satisfies our needs and goes above and beyond.