After an incredibly difficult year dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, educators had a chance over the summer to reflect on their profession, strengthen their skills and consider what they need to care for themselves as schools reopen for in-person learning.
More than 1,500 members participated in the face-to-face and virtual events that were part of the 2021 MTA Summer Conference, which was held over several weeks in July and August.
Workshops and events largely followed three areas of focus: professional development, union skills and leadership development, and racial and social justice.
New features this summer included a statewide Listening Tour, in which MTA leaders made seven stops across Massachusetts to talk to members about their experiences. The tour was an opportunity for MTA President Merrie Najimy and Vice President Max Page to listen to members. Among the questions that were posed:
- "What was one of the most challenging things you faced during the pandemic?"
- "What have we learned about ourselves, our students and families, our practice and issues that were exposed more deeply?"
Professional development opportunities included training in teaching strategies to support students experiencing trauma, a program to encourage students to overcome their math anxiety, and a workshop that helped teachers to incorporate universal design for learning in classrooms.
A workshop on Islamophobia and Muslim students was part of the four-segment Brave Conversations series, reflecting the MTA’s commitment to addressing the structural racism that has hit communities of color so hard and advancing social justice. The workshop included a historical overview and current research on the targeting of Muslim students, along with strategies for educators. Each session attracted 36 to 48 MTA members.
Marguerite Foster Franklin, a kindergarten teacher and a member of the Springfield Education Association, was one of the presenters in the Family, Educator, Community series.
She spoke to fellow educators about how to connect with students’ families — and what assumptions to avoid — as they prepared for the new school year.
Many students, for example, live in multigenerational homes, or may have a parent who is not their biological parent.
Providing "strategies on how to meet parents in a way that is comfortable, not just for them as educators, but for the parents" was one of the goals, Foster Franklin said. Foster Franklin is a trainer in a Springfield school program in which teachers visit homes and meet with parents.
"Many of us, including myself, are always looking at different ways we can help the parents," she said.
The Summer Conference also continued a series of self-care workshops for educators that organizers said was one of the surprise hits of the past year.
Online sessions in yoga and tai chi that began in November 2020 as a temporary program took off among educators, who flocked to livestreamed classes. The MTA plans to resume the yoga program in September, said instructor Jessica Laudati.
"It really was a resource for people to take care of themselves," Laudati said. "Educating is this constant expelling of energy. You’re giving energy to help others learn. As educators, it really came full force: the importance of honing in some of your own energy and taking care of yourself so you can be of more service to your students."
