Do Me a Favor

Talk to me.

I have read about teachers, schools, parents, and the coronavirus. What is the fall going to look like? How can schools keep teachers — and their loved ones at home — safe? How do parents view the coming school year?

But I find myself wondering about individual teachers and their unique personal feelings — their anxieties, their overwhelmedness, their fear maybe? their dread? — as the fall draws near.

And I worry that these natural, normal emotions might be making adjustment difficult for some teachers.

If you are one of these teachers, or if you know one of these teachers, please. Talk to me.

I might be able to help.

I can listen, empathize, and, importantly, reframe situations into actionable plans. And, until the academic year begins, I’m happy to do this free of charge.

But if you’re not willing to contact me for your own sake, please do it for my sake.

(Note the reverse psychology here. Is that what it’s called? I mean, I’m pretty sure a lot of teachers out there are hurting but will never ask for help because they are not the ones who get help. They are the ones who give help. This latter is very true, and thank goodness for it. But caregivers need care, too. Get it! It’s free! I’m here! I know I can help! If you don’t believe me, ask these teachers!)

I mean, I need help!!!

Please help me!!!

I need to know how teachers are feeling so I can at least try to write useful blogs. (I mean this. This is true.)

Think of it this way: What emotion is really dragging you down right now? Tell me about it. Just email me the story of that emotion. It will help me understand how COVID is affecting teachers and how this blog can be more effective in these unprecedented times.

And, if you want to, we can email back and forth about your pesky emotion, figuring out what that emotion is teaching you (usually about what you already know, sometimes unconsciously). Or we can talk on the phone. This is not about you. It’s about your emotion.

Let’s get at it, understand it, and make it go away. To make room for other emotions. Like confidence or excitement. Or a feeling of agency and control. Or calm and competence in the face of a coming storm.

Talk to me. What have you got to lose?

Answer: your debilitating emotions.

This week’s mantra: Help Betsy!!