How can we support the emotional well-being of teachers? | Sydney Jensen

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Like many teachers,

和許多老師一樣， 每年在開學的第一天，

every year on the first day of school,

I lead a sort of icebreaker activity with my students.

我都要帶我的學生 做一種破冰的活動。

I teach at Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Nebraska,

我在內布拉斯加州 林肯市的林肯高中教書，

and we are one of the oldest and most diverse high schools

我們是這個州中最古老

且最多元化的高中之一。

in our state.

Also, to our knowledge,

此外，就我們所知，全世界只有

we're the only high school in the world whose mascot is the Links.

我們這所高中的吉祥物是鏈環。

Like, a chain.

就像一條鎖鏈。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And with that being our mascot,

因為吉祥物是鏈環，

we have a statue out front of our building

我們在學校建物前有個雕像，

of four links connected like a chain.

是四個鏈環相扣成一條鎖鏈。

And each link means something.

每一個鏈環都有意義。

Our links stand for tradition,

我們的鏈環代表傳統、

excellence, unity and diversity.

卓越、團結、多元。

So on the first day of school,

所以，開學第一天， 我都會教新的九年級生

I teach my new ninth-graders about the meaning behind those links,

這些鏈環的意義，

and I give them each a slip of paper.

我會給他們每人一張紙條。

On that paper, I ask them to write something about themselves.

我請他們在紙條上 寫下關於自己的某些事，

It can be something that they love,

可以寫他們喜歡什麼，

something that they hope for --

寫他們的希望——

anything that describes their identity.

寫什麼都行，只要能 用來說明他們的身份。

And then I go around the room with a stapler,

接著，我拿著釘書機 在教室中走動，

and I staple each of those slips together

把那些紙條都釘在一起， 做成一條鎖鏈。

to make a chain.

And we hang that chain up in our classroom as a decoration, sure,

我們把那條鎖鏈吊在教室裡， 當然，它是種裝飾，

but also as a reminder that we are all connected.

但它也是用來提醒我們， 我們都連結在一起。

We are all links.

我們都是鏈環。

So what happens when one of those links feels weak?

所以，當其中一個鏈環 感覺很脆弱時會怎麼樣？

And what happens when that weakness

如果脆弱的剛好是 拿著釘書機的那個人，

is in the person holding the stapler?

會怎麼樣？

The person who's supposed to make those connections.

也就是應該要負責建立連結的人。

The teacher.

老師。

As teachers, we work every day

身為老師，我們每天努力

to provide support socially, emotionally and academically

提供社交上、情緒上， 及學術上的支持

to our students who come to us with diverse and tough circumstances.

給那些帶著各種困難狀況

來找我們的學生。

Like most teachers,

和多數老師一樣， 我也有些學生每天回家

I have students who go home every day,

and they sit around the kitchen table

會坐在餐桌邊，

while one or both parents makes a healthy, well-rounded meal for them.

等其中一位或兩位家長

為他烹煮健康豐富的餐。

They spend suppertime summarizing the story they read

他們在晚餐時間會把 那天在九年級英文課中

in ninth-grade English that day,

讀到的故事做個總整，

or explaining how Newton's laws of motion work.

或者解釋牛頓運動定律是什麼。

But I also have students who go to the homeless shelter

但我也有些學生，放學後

是回到街友的庇護所， 或者團體住宅。

or to the group home.

They go to the car that their family is sleeping in right now.

他們回家是回到一台車上， 他們的家人都睡在裡面。

They come to school with trauma,

他們帶著創傷去上學，

and when I go home every day, that goes home with me.

每天我回家時，這些都揮之不去。

And see, that's the hard part about teaching.

那是教書工作中困難的部分。

It's not the grading, the lesson-planning, the meetings,

難的不是評分、規劃課程、開會，

though sure, those things do occupy a great deal of teachers' time and energy.

當然，那些事確實會用掉 老師很多的時間和能量。

The tough part about teaching

教書工作中困難的部分是

is all the things you can't control for your kids,

所有那些你無法 為你的孩子控制的事，

all the things you can't change for them once they walk out your door.

所有那些一旦他們走出教室之後 你就無法為他們改變的事。

And so I wonder if it's always been this way.

所以，我很納悶， 是否一直都是如此。

I think back to my undergraduate training at the University of Georgia,

我回想我在喬治亞大學 讀大學部時的訓練，

where we were taught in our methods classes

在方法課中，我們學到

that the concept of good teaching has changed.

「好的教學」的概念已經改變了。

We're not developing learners

我們所培育的學習者並不是 要進入職場成為勞動力之後

who are going to go out into a workforce

where they'll stand on a line in a factory.

去在工廠的生產線上。

Rather, we're sending our kids out into a workforce

我們要把我們的孩子 送去的工作場所

where they need to be able to communicate,

會需要他們能夠溝通、

collaborate and problem-solve.

合作、解決問題。

And that has caused teacher-student relationships

這就會讓師生關係

to morph into something stronger

漸漸變得更強固，

than the giver of content and the receiver of knowledge.

而不只是一方給予內容， 另一方接收知識。

Lectures and sitting in silent rows just doesn't cut it anymore.

學生安靜排排坐聽老師講課，

這種方式已經行不通了。

We have to be able to build relationships with and among our students

我們要能和學生建立關係， 並在學生之中建立關係，

to help them feel connected

來協助他們在這個需要連結的世界上

in a world that depends on it.

感到自己有所連結。

I think back to my second year teaching.

我回想我教書的第二年。

I had a student who I'll call "David."

我有一位學生，就稱他為「大衛」。

And I remember feeling like I'd done a pretty good job

我記得，我當時覺得 我那年的教書表現非常好：

at teaching that year:

"Hey, I ain't no first-year teacher.

「嘿，我不是第一年的菜鳥老師。

I know what I'm doing."

我知道我在幹什麼。」

And it was on the last day of school,

那天是學期的最後一天，

I told David to have a great summer.

我跟大衛說，好好享受夏天。

And I watched him walk down the hall,

我看著他穿過大廳，

and I thought to myself,

我心想，

I don't even know what his voice sounds like.

我甚至不知道他的聲音 聽起來是怎樣的。

And that's when I realized I wasn't doing it right.

那時，我才了解到我沒有做對。

So I changed almost everything about my teaching.

所以，我幾乎完全 改掉了我的教學方式。

I built in plenty of opportunities for my students to talk to me

我安排了很多讓我的學生 能跟我說話的機會，

and to talk to each other,

及和彼此說話的機會，

to share their writing and to verbalize their learning.

來分享他們的作品， 將他們的學習說出來。

And it was through those conversations I began not only to know their voice

透過那些對談，

我不僅開始認識了他們的聲音，

but to know their pain.

也開始知道他們的痛苦。

I had David in class again that next year,

隔年，大衛還是在我的班上，

and I learned that his father was undocumented

我得知他的爸爸沒有正式文件，

and had been deported.

因而被驅逐出境了。

He started acting out in school

他開始在學校裡發洩，

because all he wanted was for his family to be together again.

因為他只希望他能 跟家人重聚在一起。

In so many ways, I felt his pain.

在許多層面上，我能感受他的痛苦。

And I needed someone to listen,

我需要有人能傾聽，

somebody to provide support for me

有人能提供支持給我，

so that I could support him in this thing that I could not even comprehend.

讓我能夠在這件我甚至 無法理解的事情上去支持他。

And we recognize that need

我們知道有人有這樣的需求，

for police officers who've witnessed a gruesome crime scene

比如目擊了可怕犯罪現場的警察，

and nurses who have lost a patient.

以及失去了病人的護士。

But when it comes to teaching professionals,

但對於教學相關的職業，

that urgency is lagging.

這方面的急迫性就很低。

I believe it's paramount

我相信，至關重要的是

that students and teachers,

學生和老師、

administrators, paraprofessionals and all other support staff

行政人員、輔助性專業人員，

及所有其他支持性的人員，

have convenient and affordable access to mental wellness supports.

都要能夠很方便取得他們

負擔得起的心理健康支持。

When we are constantly serving others,

我們經常在服務他人，

often between 25 and 125 students each day,

通常一天要服務二十五 到一百二十五名學生，

our emotional piggy banks are constantly being drawn upon.

我們的情緒撲滿經常會被動用到。

After a while, it can become so depleted,

一陣子之後，它就會被耗盡，

that we just can't bear it anymore.

我們就無法再忍耐了。

They call it "secondary trauma" and "compassion fatigue,"

這被稱為「次級創傷」 以及「同情心疲勞」，

the concept that we absorb the traumas our students share with us each day.

這個概念就是我們每天都在吸收 學生和我們分享的創傷。

And after a while,

一陣子之後，

our souls become weighed down by the heaviness of it all.

這沉重的負擔壓到 我們的靈魂都喘不過氣。

The Buffett Institute at the University of Nebraska

內布拉斯加大學的巴菲特研究所

recently found that most teachers --

近期發現大部分的老師——

86 percent across early childhood settings --

在幼兒的情境中，是 86% ——

experienced some depressive symptoms during the prior week.

都會在先前一週出現憂鬱的症狀。

They found that approximately one in 10

他們發現，大約有十分之一的老師

reported clinically significant depressive symptoms.

回報會出現臨床顯著的憂鬱症狀。

My interactions with colleagues and my own experiences

我和同事的互動以及我自己的經驗

make me feel like this is a universal struggle

讓我覺得這是各年級

都普遍會遇到的困難。

across all grade levels.

So what are we missing?

所以，我們漏掉了什麼？

What are we allowing to break the chain and how do we repair it?

我們讓什麼破壞了鎖鏈？ 我們要如何修復它？

In my career,

在我的職涯中，我經歷過 兩個學生自殺身亡，

I've experienced the death by suicide of two students

and one amazing teacher

還有一名深愛自己孩子的優秀老師

who loved his kids;

也自殺身亡；

countless students experiencing homelessness;

還有無數的學生無家可歸；

and kids entering and exiting the justice system.

有些孩子則是進進出出司法體制。

When these events happen,

當這種事發生時，標準程序就是：

protocol is to say, "If you need someone to talk to, then ..."

「若你需要找人談談，那麼……」

And I say that's not enough.

我說，那並不足夠。

I am so lucky.

我很幸運。

I work in an amazing school with great leadership.

我在一間很棒的學校工作， 有很了不起的領導階層。

I serve a large district

我為一個很大的地區服務，

with so many healthy partnerships with community agencies.

和許多社區機構之間 有健康的合作關係。

They have provided steadily increasing numbers

它們很穩定地不斷增援

of school counselors and therapists

學校諮商師和治療師

and support staff to help our students.

及支持人員，來協助我們的學生。

They even provide staff members with access to free counseling

他們甚至提供免費諮詢給教職員，

as part of our employment plan.

做為我們的聘僱方案的內容。

But many small districts and even some large ones

但，許多小地區， 甚至有些大地區，

simply cannot foot the bill without aid.

若沒有協助，根本負擔不起費用。

(Exhales)

（嘆氣）

Not only does every school need social and emotional support staff,

每個學校都需要

社交及情緒支持人員，

trained professionals who can navigate the needs of the building --

受過訓練的專業人士 來引導需求——

not just the students, not just the teachers, but both --

不僅是學生，

不僅是老師，而是兩者——

we also need these trained professionals

我們也需要這些 受過訓練的專業人士

to intentionally seek out those closest to the trauma

刻意去尋找最接近創傷的人，

and check in with them.

看看他們好不好。

Many schools are doing what they can

許多學校在盡全力

to fill in the gaps,

去填補這些不足，

starting with acknowledging that the work that we do

始於認可我們所做的工作

is downright hard.

非常困難。

Another school in Lincoln, Schoo Middle School,

在林肯有另一間學校，斯高中學，

has what they call "Wellness Wednesdays."

有他們所謂的「健康星期三」。

They invite in community yoga teachers,

他們會邀請社區中的瑜伽老師，

they sponsor walks around the neighborhood during lunch

他們會贊助午餐時間 在鄰坊的散步活動，

and organize social events

並安排社交活動， 目的都是要讓大家聚在一起。

that are all meant to bring people together.

Zachary Elementary School in Zachary, Louisiana,

路易斯安那州扎卡里的扎卡里小學

has something they call a "Midweek Meetup,"

有他們所謂的「週中聚會」，

where they invite teachers to share lunch

他們會邀請老師來共享午餐，

and to talk about the things that are going well

談論進行順利的事情

and the things that are weighing heavy on their hearts.

以及他們心頭的煩惱。

These schools are making space for conversations that matter.

這些學校在努力騰出 一些空間給重要的談話。

Finally, my friend and colleague Jen Highstreet

最後，我的朋友及同事珍海斯崔特

takes five minutes out of each day

每天會花五分鐘時間

to write an encouraging note to a colleague,

寫下鼓勵性質的小紙條給同事，

letting them know that she sees their hard work

讓他們知道她有看見他們的努力，

and the heart that they share with others.

以及他們和別人分享的心。

She knows that those five minutes

她知道那五分鐘時間

can have an invaluable and powerful ripple effect

具有無價且強大的漣漪效應，

across our school.

能影響我們全校。

The chain that hangs in my classroom is more than just a decoration.

我教室裡掛著的鎖鏈

不只是一個裝飾品。

Those links hang over our heads

整整四年，當我們的 學生走過大廳時，

for the entire four years that our students walk our halls.

那些鏈環都會一直掛在我們頭上。

And every year,

毎年，

I have seniors come back to my classroom, room 340,

都會有高年級生回到我的教室，

#340 教室，

and they can still point out where their link hangs.

他們都還能指出 他們的鏈環掛在哪裡。

They remember what they wrote on it.

他們還記得在上面寫了什麼。

They feel connected and supported.

他們感到有所連結且有人支持。

And they have hope.

他們有希望。

Isn't that what we all need?

那不是我們所有人都需要的嗎？

Somebody to reach out and make sure that we're OK.

需要有人能伸出援手， 確保我們沒事。

To check in with us

來看看我們好不好，

and remind us that we are a link.

並提醒我們，我們是一個鏈環。

Every now and then, we all just need a little help

偶爾，我們只是需要一點協助，

holding the stapler.

幫我們握住釘書機。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）