Re-centering Who We Are To Be the Educators We Want To Be

After a year of disruptions due to COVID-19 it is important to reflect and focus on who we are as educators. We’ve had a year that has been like no other so how do we rebuild ourselves in order to make the most impact in our lives both at home and at work? During this session, we’ll explore the notion of finding a balance in life between work and home. Does this really exist? Can you fully separate your work life and your home life? Or, do the two influence one another? Everything we do influences who we are—the decisions we make at home and the decisions we make in the workplace. It influences the decisions we make at the grocery store, when we go to the park or the gym, and when we spend time with friends. Brene Brown discusses bringing your “whole self” to the table and isn’t your whole self what you do both at home and at work? Therefore, it is less about finding balance and more about how the different aspects of life and your identity integrate to create the experiences around you. 

Part of that integration is taking care of you so you can take care of others. Self-care is a buzz term that is popular but is also very focused on the individual. And yes, this is necessary but only a part of the puzzle.

At the end of the session, we’ll briefly introduce the four follow-up sessions we’ll  offer this summer to continue helping educators think about what it means to take care of your whole self, how we can use the summer to prepare us for a year of renewal and rejuvenation, and how to support each other in the process!

Dr. Jennifer Wheat Townsend is the Director of Learning in Noblesville Schools and the Learning Officer of the Noblesville Diversity Coalition Board. Jennifer has also served as a Literacy Specialist, worked at Butler and Indiana University, and taught a multi-age K-1 classroom. Jennifer’s focus is on literacy, instructional coaching, and equity. She graduated from Butler University with her Bachelor and Master’s degree and completed her doctoral work at Indiana University. She believes that the heart of our work in education centers around humanity—creating spaces for children and adults to learn, be heard, be seen and valued. Jennifer has a passion for education, reading, writing, and fitness.

This free workshop will kick off a four-session series focused on self-care and wellness. Attend all four follow-up sessions for $40. See event listings for details.