This episode offers the wisdom of a seasoned educator as Blaine welcomes Anna Halsey from Stanfield Secondary School as his guest. Anna brings a wealth of experience to this conversation, having begun her career as an elementary teacher and now, twenty-four years later, thoroughly enjoying her role as a math teacher for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (she admits to loving her days with quirky middle-schoolers). Anna discusses frankly how her life as a teacher has evolved as her own life circumstances have changed. In her decades as an educator, Anna has also seen the profession grow to include more than simply the classroom exchange of information from teacher to student. Educators value connections with students’ lives both in and outside of school, involving entire families and social/emotional learning. We realize that students need to trust us before they can learn anything from us. And they need to be convinced of the value of that knowledge. Anna’s advice to educators at all stages of their careers - we learn to educate by actually educating. Students teach us how to teach them. Don’t worry if some days, or even years, are not as successful as others. Remember that the career path you have chosen is difficult and so very important. And the most sobering realization - always assume that you will be the topic of someone’s dinner table conversation.  Resources -  Support for Early Career Educators OEA Professional Learning Opportunities to help educators grow in their professional practice  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Season 13 of OEA Grow examines the life of educators at every point in their careers, from aspiring educators to veterans nearing retirement. Our host this season is Blaine Ganvoa who earned his Master of Education degree from Eastern Oregon University and is currently a social studies teacher at Stanfield Secondary School with nineteen years of experience in that position. Blaine brings a depth of perspective as host for this season with his varied school and district roles as Head Volleyball Coach, District State Testing Coordinator, Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network board member, and the current Stanfield Education Association President.    For the next several weeks, Blaine will be talking with Oregon educators at all stages in their careers about their challenges and successes as they progress in the education field. We’ll hear why people choose this profession, how they feel about their preparation, what they have learned from colleagues and their own experiences, and advice they might offer to others. It will be an exciting season full of ideas and insights for all of us, no matter where we are in our own career path. OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

This episode originally aired October 26, 2022 in Season 5: Behavior.   To kick-off the Behavior season, member host Alexis Hennessey talks with educator Mary Michael about co-regulation, social emotional learning, and trauma informed behavior approaches. Mary has been an educator for over 30 years, has taught every grade level from Kindergarten to ninth grade, and is currently a certified trauma-informed mental health and behavior specialist. Mary and Alexis pack a wealth of helpful information into 30 minutes. Their conversation centers on the importance of regulation for both students and educators and how we can bring co-regulation into schools and classrooms. Many students enter school lacking the skills to co-regulate. Often, those students are impacted by trauma and/or the trauma experienced by their parents/caregivers. How can we support these students in managing their own behavior and give them agency in the process? Through teaching social emotional skills, including regulation, social skills, problem solving skills, and communication skills, academic outcomes are also increased. Alexis and Mary acknowledge how difficult it is for educators to be in school situations making decisions about behavior in the moment. Mary states, “We want everyone to walk away with their dignity”. Their conversation also demonstrates the value of behavior specialists to schools.    Resources:   OEA Becoming a Trauma Informed Education Series Permission to Feel - Mark Brackett Teachers Guide to Trauma: 20 Things Kids with Trauma Wish Their Teachers Knew - Dr. Melissa Sadin and Nathan Levy What Happened to You - Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing - Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey Co-Regulation video recording - (56 minutes; access for OEA members only) - https://tinyurl.com/OEArecordings  Zones of Regulation handouts The Neurobiology of Emotion Regulation Development and the Role of the Early Environment - UC Davis MIND Institute, Dr. Nim Tottenham Development of human amygdala-prefrontal cortex circuitry and the role of the caregiver - UC Davis MIND Institute, Dr. Nim Tottenham OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Our final episode of Season 12 focuses on a statewide program for teaching about Oregon agriculture, the environment, and natural resources. Toni’s guest is Jessica Jansen of the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, dedicated to helping K-12 educators use agriculture to add to their existing curriculum in science, math, history, and nutrition. This nonprofit organization, housed at Oregon State University and funded by Oregon’s agricultural community, offers resources at no cost through its lending library, educator workshops, and virtual field trips. Jessica suggests that educators visit the foundation’s website to access these resources, noting in particular the kits mailed by the lending library to Oregon schools. Each kit is intentionally user-friendly with materials and clear instructions for a class project. Educators can choose kits in such varied subjects as spinning wool or growing and tasting microgreens. Toni recounts her own success with the foundation’s resources, making mozzarella cheese with her students and taking a virtual field trip to Christmas tree farms. With 220 different agricultural commodities in Oregon, even rural students will be unfamiliar with products from other parts of the state. Oregon educators in both rural and urban areas are encouraged to take advantage of this resource.    Resources:   Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom    Monthly Subscription Boxes for grades 3-5 (only 20 subscriptions are available each year, so apply as soon as applications are accepted in August)  “Jessica Jansen: ‘I love agriculture, and I love teaching people about it’” July 6, 2023. Women in Ag 2023, a Capital Press annual special section highlighting the contributions women make in the agricultural sector

This week Toni discusses the community college experience in rural areas with her guest Jessica Breidinger, a Social Science instructor at Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) in Ontario, Oregon. Rural community colleges offer the interpersonal benefits of most community colleges with their small class sizes (usually 13-25 students at TVCC) and instructors with advanced degrees leading courses. TVCC’s location in a small town offers an additional advantage because interactions between students and educators extend beyond the classroom. Toni and Jessica laugh about seeing students in the grocery store and around town on a regular basis. Students profit from this extra level of empathy and connection, having what amounts to a team of cheerleaders for their entire academic journey. Adding to this community spirit at TVCC is its on-campus housing, a rarity among community colleges. Students have a sense of belonging and know that they have continuing support as individuals with the encouragement to test their limits in their road to success.    Resources Treasure Valley Community College OEA supports Community College Faculty and Staff Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Hachette Books, 2005  Maggie Berg and Barbara Seeber, Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy. University of Toronto Press, 2013.  James M. Lang, Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons From the Science of Learning. Jossey-Bass, 2016  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

How does an educator find support in a school so small that there might be few colleagues or administrators available to form a sense of community? This episode offers suggestions to overcome this challenge, common to many rural Oregon educators, with a conversation between our host Toni Myers and her guest Cindy Dougharity-Spencer, the teacher of History and Economics at the Grant Union Junior/Senior High School in John Day. Cindy assures rural educators in Oregon that they are not alone, even in small schools, because they have access to Regional Educator Networks (RENs). Cindy works with the Eastern Oregon REN (EOREN), serving Harney, Grant, Malheur, Lake, and Wallowa Counties. EOREN reaches out to educators through common-interest teams, lesson plan banks, tutorials, and regularly scheduled professional development events. Especially useful for new educators in rural schools is the mentorship program in which an experienced educator offers support for each of these newer educators as they navigate the often unique experience of teaching in a small school in a small town. Both Cindy and Toni encourage listeners to contact their school’s REN to find their community. No teacher in Oregon should ever feel alone. As Cindy says, “You are not an island.” Resources -    Find your Regional Educator Network  Eastern Oregon Regional Educator Network (EOREN) Ayla Olson, the guest for last week’s Episode 3 of Season 12, works with the Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network (OTREN) OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Networ

This week’s episode addresses some of the concerns of educators who seek resources not available at their own schools. Our host, Toni Myers, discusses the support offered to rural educators by Education Service Districts (ESDs) with her guest, Ayla Olson. Ayla is an Instruction Coach with the InterMountain ESD, serving twenty-one school districts in Morrow, Umatilla, Union, and Baker counties. Through ESDs, educators have access to support in four areas: programs for children with special needs, school improvement, technology support, and administrative services.  ESDs are especially designed to meet the needs of educators in rural areas who may have difficulty traveling to distant meetings and workshops. Instruction Coaches in the different areas travel regularly to each school and reach out to educators through newsletters, virtual meetings, and professional development summits. Listeners are encouraged to contact their region’s ESD for support (find your school’s ESD on the map linked below). The website for each ESD will include a calendar for professional development events and lists of free educator resources. Ayla assures us that all ESDs are open to questions and suggestions for future trainings   Resources: Education Service District  map (Find which ESD serves your school)     InterMountain ESD Instructional Coaches website   InterMountain ESD Calendar of Events    OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Season 12, focusing on Rural Education, begins with a close look at the recent surge of interest in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and its benefits for students in urban and rural areas. Host Toni Myers welcomes Nicole Merchant and Bibiana Gifft, longtime teachers of Agricultural Sciences and Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisors at Baker High School, who explain what CTE can offer all students, not just those planning to enter the work force immediately after high school. They describe the breadth of CTE courses, extending far beyond the four walls of a classroom, into greenhouses, welding shops, construction shops, whatever fits the needs of the surrounding community.  The two educators view CTE courses as a balance for the entire curriculum, showing students the practical applications of what they learn in other classes. The skills and habits they acquire in the CTE curriculum, such as learning how to be good employees, will transfer to any career path they follow. These courses are ideal for students who may not feel comfortable in a traditional classroom by giving them a purpose and building a community of learners. As all three educators this week agree, CTE courses create a sense of family that endures: “You never get rid of your Ag teacher.”    Resources Nicole Merchant and Bibiana Gifft awarded 2021 Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Award  Baker FFA Greenhouse Plant Sale will take place on May 10th this year (it sold out in one day last year, so come early!)   The National FFA Organization OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Season 12 of the OEA Grow podcast takes us to the less populated regions of our state, focusing on the Rural School Experience for Oregon students and educators. Our host, Toni Myers, teaches third through sixth grades at Keating Elementary, a rural two-room school in Baker City. Drawing on her eighteen years of experience in education, Toni will speak with educators around the state who work in rural communities. What are the particular concerns of these rural schools and the families they serve? How can educators state-wide support all our schools?  You may recognize this season’s host, Toni Myers, for her work as president of the Baker Education Association in making Baker School District one of the highest paying districts in the state, raising the salary floor for certified teachers from $38,000 to $60,000. Listeners from both rural and urban school settings will definitely want to hear the ideas and suggestions posed by this long-time advocate for educators and students. She and the other educators of this season have helped change the landscape for the rural school experience.

Joe Burns, “Reviving the Strike” Conference for Bargaining and Organizing, October 27-28, 2023 Newport, Oregon In his talk, “Reviving the Strike,” labor lawyer Joe Burns traces the history of union strikes in the U.S. and discusses their impact on current labor negotiations. Based on his thirty years of bargaining experience, Burns feels that today’s public employees are just now rediscovering the power of the strike that was evident in the 1960s and 1970s when strikes played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement as powerful acts of civil disobedience (witness the Memphis Garbage Strike of 1968).    Burns argues that public sector strikes are fundamentally political in nature and therefore must be based on a concern for the public good. If a union is transparent with its demands and concerns, Burns promises that members will support the efforts and show up when needed.    Books by Joe Burns Joe Burns. Class Struggle Unionism. Haymarket Books, 2022.   Joe Burns. Reviving the Strike: How Working People Can Regain Power and Transform America. Lg Publishing, 2011.    Joe Burns. Strike Back: Using the Militant Tactics of Labor’s Past to Reignite Public Sector Unionism Today. Lg Publishing, 2019.

Keynote Address - Alex Caputo-Pearl Conference for Bargaining and Organizing, October 27-28, 2023 Newport, Oregon Alex Caputo-Pearl, practitioner-in-residence at the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center, delivered the keynote address at the Oregon Conference for Bargaining and Organizing. Drawing on his twenty-two years of experience as a teacher and nine years as a full-time elected union leader, Caputo-Pearl traces the hard work and subsequent victories of the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) during his presidency of the organization. His question now - what comes next for the Educator Upsurge and Red for Ed? In his talk, Caputo-Pearl explains five efforts that he feels are necessary to overcome the adversaries of the labor movement:     1) Broaden involvement in the effort by including parents and students;     2) Ensure lasting ideologies through campaigning, training, and actually doing;     3) Increase the role of rank and file caucuses;     4) Leverage key compression points, such as campaigns and elections; and     5) Build power and expand resources.   Caputo-Pearl applauds his audience for the union accomplishments in Oregon and expresses his confidence for continued success.

Our host Dr. Amy Yillik ends this season’s discussion of Culture of Care with a close look at Tier 3 needs and services. Her guest is Ryan Harding, Behavior Specialist with the Redmond School District, who explains that the Tier 3 program is more long-term and individualized than Tier 2, with a focus on providing students with whatever each one needs for success. Continuing repercussions from the pandemic have made these services even more critical with students’ increased difficulties in socializing and self-regulating, often most evident on the playground, according to Ryan. He stresses the importance of including parents to achieve the goal of integration back into the classroom. This is an episode promoting empathy, trying to understand the needs and perceptions of others engaged in the efforts to support our students.    Resources -  Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) - sometimes called a Behavior Plan or a Behavior Support Plan (BSP) Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) Oregon Senate Bill 819 concerning abbreviated school days OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Our season on Culture of Care continues this week with a discussion of academic and social/emotional support for students, specifically the Tier Two level of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) rubric. Tier Two is a particularly difficult level to address, coming between Tier One, which all students receive, and Tier Three, which requires one-on-one help. Host Dr. Amy Yillik’s guest for this conversation is Jamie Gunter, a counselor for LaPine High School and Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the entire Bend/LaPine district, who suggests various approaches for Tier Two support when adequate staffing and funding are lacking.  This episode offers many options for schools who struggle to support these Tier Two students in terms of substance usage, suicide prevention, and other social/emotional and academic needs. Suggestions range from a Graduation Coach who works with students beginning in their freshman year, to a designated Focus Room for any student who needs space and time to self-regulate, learn skills, or talk to a counselor. Schools without these resources could still utilize Youth Truth Surveys and host social/emotional campaigns throughout the year. Individual educators can help students with calming and self-regulating measures, such as grounding and breathing exercises.  Oregon was one of the first states to mandate programs of suicide prevention in schools, but funding is insufficient to implement these programs. This episode is vital listening for educators wanting to support students in need.  Resources -  Jamie Gunter named 2017 Outstanding Support Staff Person of the Year Sources of Strength Teen Intervene Upshift  Youth Truth Surveys Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Oregon Dept. of Education: Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Postvention (Adi’s Act)

This week, Dr. Amy Yillik welcomes Julie Patton, Student Success Coordinator at Elton Gregory Middle School in Redmond and a member of the Family Engagement Team with Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT). Their conversation centers around family engagement and the importance of educators establishing solid lines of communication with the families of their students. Children are more successful in school when their teachers work in partnership with their parents or guardians.  In order to develop this relationship, Julie recommends that educators reach out to parents or guardians as soon as possible so that positive connections are already in place if more serious communication is needed in the future. She stresses the need to find the form of communication that each family finds most comfortable and to realize that parents may have varying experience and views of the educational system. The key is to withhold judgment and offer any needed resources. Parenting can be acutely isolating, and educators can help families find support. Julie also offers information about the BRYT program, designed to partner with schools and families to promote healing, wellness, and academic success for students. The program is currently available in Oregon only in Redmond, Portland, and Bend/LaPine. She suggests that listeners consult the program’s websites for more support in engaging families in their students’ success.  Resources: BRYT Program in the Redmond School District  BRYT Program for Students in Transition  BRYT Caregiver Events

Dr. Amy Yillik continues Season 11, Culture of Care, with a discussion of the concept of equity. Her guest, Steve Wetherald of Bend High School, defines the term as the assurance that all students have whatever they need to succeed. As a Graduation Coach, Steve works to encourage students, whatever their needs, to graduate and attend college, and as the faculty advisor of the school’s Cross Cultural Club, he supports students in their efforts to build a mutually supportive and inclusive community. Much of the conversation centers around this Cross Cultural Club at Bend High School that grew out of students’ request for a place where they feel absolutely safe and know that they belong. Steve affirms that all high schools might benefit from similar clubs, just as many colleges do. He offers suggestions for finding allies in this work of empowering students, whatever their needs.    Resources -  Steve Wetherald named 2022 Central Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year  OEA Commitment to Equity Center for Equity and Inclusion OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Confused about the concept of restorative justice? This week, host Dr. Amy Yillik talks with Sorahi Harati, Program Director of the Restorative Justice and Equity Group (RJE) in Bend. The two educators agree that restorative justice is often mislabeled as a misguided approach to discipline, “giving everyone a lollipop” to solve problems. Sorahi explains that, in reality, efforts of this kind involve peaceful problem-solving techniques to fit each situation. Also helpful are proactive restorative practices that preclude harmful interactions in the first place by building community and a sense of belonging.  This episode offers simple suggestions for building circles of communication and teaching students of all ages how they might handle contentious situations. The message to educators: this is a practice that you’ve probably already begun as a thoughtful, reflective educator. Reach out for support and more information through Culture of Care and the Restorative Justice and Equity Group.    Resources Restorative Justice & Equity Group  OEA Restorative Practices Solution Circle Culture of Care recommended reading on Restorative Justice Katherine Evans and Dorothy Vaandering. The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education. Good Books, 2016.  Howard Zehr. The Little Book of Restorative Justice. Good Books, 2015.  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Each of the episodes so far in Season 11 has centered on how educators might support the wellness of students. And in each week’s discussion, our host Dr. Amy Yillik and her guests have acknowledged that the suggested strategies for students work best when educators are themselves calm and mindful. This week, Dr. Yillik turns her focus to ways that educators can achieve this level of wellness with her guest Sandi Washburn, Behavior Specialist with the Greater Albany Public Schools and author of two books on resilience and mindfulness. In their conversation, the two educators discuss how to deal with stress and avoid burnout, describing several exercises suggested in the two books.  Educators might include in their schedules a daily activity that is simple, yet calming to combat the stress inherent in education careers. These activities would ideally include movement, expressions of gratitude, and/or positive connections. If educators take the time, however limited, for self-care, they will in turn have the resources to model self-regulation and mindfulness for their students.    Resources “Self-Care, Wellness, and Joy”  Sandi Washburn, Better by the Letter: Educator Edition. BookBaby, 2020 Sandi Washburn. Better by the Letter: Family Edition. BookBaby, 2022.  Kelly McGonical. The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage. Avery, 2021. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. Flatiron Books, 2021.   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

This week, Dr. Amy Yillik discusses trauma-responsive practices in education with Jessica Reamon, Autism Consultant for the Northwest Regional Education Service District. The two educators emphasize the importance of creating an environment where students feel safe and connected, a necessity for any learning to take place. They suggest achieving this goal through co-regulation, the process of modeling and teaching self-regulation skills with supportive responses and a warm, calming presence. Co-regulation, of course, cannot be effective if educators don’t also feel safe and in control, an ideal that is often difficult to achieve with the stress that is endemic to the field of education. This episode suggests a variety of strategies to maintain your equilibrium and sense of calm (have you ever heard of dance church?). The benefits for yourself and your students are within reach.    Resources Autism Resource Site, compiled by Jessica Reamon Trauma-Informed Education Dance Church   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Do you know the term “interoception,” the perception of the internal state of one’s body? Tune into this episode for ways to help students refine their sense of interoception and gain awareness and self-control over their emotions and behavior. Dr. Amy Yillik’s guest this week is Katie Diez, an occupational therapist in the High Desert Education Service District who explains the importance of students becoming mindful of their body sensations and how these sensations are linked to emotions in particular. She suggests that educators encourage students to recognize physical sensations without judgment, link them to specific emotions, and develop strategies to deal with them.  Educators can use these same methods, even as simple as deep breathing, to handle their own stress. This episode offers an array of helpful suggestions for achieving mindfulness and self-control as we help students self-regulate their behavior.      Resources -  The Significance of Interoception Mindfulness in the Classroom Resources for Educators  Katie Diez demonstrates a mindfulness exercise, bead breathing Katie Diez’s “Katie Calm Time” - working with students on turn taking, impulse control, and social skills  Using Body Wisdom to Calm the Stressed Brain - OEA self-paced module Applied Educational Neuroscience Program OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Dr. Amy Yillik continues her conversation this week with her Culture of Care colleagues, Amber McGill and Erin Taylor. In this episode they explain in detail how the program, focusing on trauma-responsive, restorative, and equitable practices, supports schools in the High Desert Education Service District with workshops, coaching, and other pedagogical services that individual educators often have neither time nor resources to provide for their students. This episode offers simple, yet practical suggestions for helping students feel secure and empowered. The three coaches also discuss ways for educators to focus on their own wellness and avoid burnout. The conversation is overall an optimistic one - despite overworked educators and understaffed schools, there is an upsurge of commitment to these areas of restorative and equitable practices in Oregon, and listeners are encouraged to reach out to make connections and find support.  Resources  Tim Feeney Script Guides to simplify restorative practices    Michael Grinder, ”Master the Science of Nonverbal Communication” with ENVoY Coaches and Trainers   Katharine Manning. The Empathetic Workplace: 5 Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job. HarperCollins Leadership, 2021.  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network