This year has been incredibly hard on students, parents, and educators alike, but when times are tough, Intervention Specialist Chris Williams draws on his "jar moments" to continue giving his best for his students every day. He shares a few of his favorite memories and his advice for remaining passionate while facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice head-on.
Show Notes
"I just thought to myself, if I could just bottle this moment up, just to pull out on a rainy day to remember that joy -- [My students] have a way of inviting all of us into something really, really special."
Featured guest:
- Chris Williams, MEDL, Intervention Specialist, Columbus City Schools
- Check out Chris' blog
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- "This is my 6th year as an Intervention Specialist in Columbus City Schools. I am passionate about students and the issues that impact them most. They teach me so much about joy, resiliency, and how to live wholeheartedly. I am especially proud of the job they have done learning through a pandemic, and their families have been the unsung heroes throughout this past year! I am also a Member Ambassador for Ohio's New Educators (ONE), a statewide network within the Ohio Education Association that supports early career educators."
In this episode:
"The students are always the equalizer. They have a way of grounding me... It's been a crazy year for everybody, but they have persevered and I'm proud of them."
- 1:35 - Hanging in there
- 2:15 - Leaning on families as educators navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and appreciating the value of the parent-teacher partnership
- 3:40 - Working with students with orthopedic impairments and complex communication needs and seeing them continue to learn even through the challenges of remote instruction
- 6:15 - Using the "jar moments" to maintain passion as an educator
- 7:20 - Keeping a journal to remember the moments that sustain you
- 8:15 - Creating a jar moment: The collective joy of one student's birthday party as a full family affair
"I just couldn't believe how lucky I was to be in that space and say I am his teacher."
- 10:40 - Sharing the story of one student, who is a refugee from Somalia, with the State Board of Education to advocate for students and public education
- 12:45 - Owing students your best every day
- 13:20 - Learning lessons from students and forming impactful connections
- 14:30 - Advice for staying present in the jar moments: "What do we get to do today"
- 15:45 - Working through a year filled with grief and loss while staying present to what is here right here and right now
- 16:30 - Continuing to fight for racial and social justice
- 18:30 - Finding inspiration in other educators - "Even when we're feeling burnt out or tired, there are always people to pick you back up."
- 19:15 - Passion is contagious
"School buildings are such sacred places, and so many stories are colliding and so many experiences are coming in, and they really should be places where we give students everything they need and more."
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About us:
- The Ohio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in March, 2021.
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Ohio's public schools serve 1.6 million children - 90 percent of students in the state! What happens in the classroom has impacts far beyond the walls of the K-12 school building or higher ed lecture hall. So, on behalf of the 120,000 members of the Ohio Education Association, we're taking a deeper dive into some of the many education issues facing our students, educators, and communities. Originally launched in 2021 as Education Matters, Public Education Matters is your source for insightful conversations with the people who shape the education landscape in Ohio. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on Public Education Matters? Email us at educationmatters@ohea.org