Preparing for the New School Year

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: Hello and welcome to the August webinar for the Equip for New Teachers course here at the Teaching Channel. I’m Dr. Elizabeth Contreras and I am joined by Master Teacher Malaya Ryberg who’s going to help us today to understand how to prepare for the school year. So without further ado, take it away.

Myleah Rydberg: Hello everyone. Yes I, that that introduction, Dr. Contreras is pretty pretty flattering. I I was thinking about this morning and it, I am like heading into my 15th year of teaching, which is crazy. I don’t know if like long longevity in the field makes you a master, but there we have it.

Yeah, no, I discovered teaching in kind of a strange way. I. was on the fast track to getting my PhD in interdisciplinary between English and history and needed to take a little bit of time off between master’s and PhD. And then I discovered teaching and that’s when I went and got my master’s in the art of teaching and I haven’t left since.

So it was an unexpected discovery, but I love it and I wouldn’t do anything differently.

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: That is so cool.

Myleah Rydberg: All right, so one of the things that I thought I would share today is just I think as we prepare for this school year, especially if you are in that like early part of your career, sometimes there are some things that slip through the cracks, right?

We all know about getting your bulletin board ready to go, and we all know about crafting those early welcome emails to parents and students, and maybe even setting up your classroom in the style that you want to have it. I think that there are some things that I certainly missed in my early years of teaching, and I don’t know that anyone ever told me about these, and I had, I think I would want people to know, if I were going to just bring in my my cousin, who is quite a bit younger than me, just started teaching a couple of years ago, and I remember pulling her aside and giving her these tips, so I thought those was, that’s what I would share this morning as as I think about my, uh, fellow teachers in the craft going into the school year.

Awesome. I like

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: that you’re doing things that aren’t necessarily student centered, but more teacher facing, because I think we forget about ourselves a lot as teachers, especially when you’re new. So

Myleah Rydberg: I actually would argue, I would agree except that I would push back, especially when you’re new.

I think it’s just. One of the hazards of the field is that many of us are drawn to teaching because of the students and because of the opportunity to have those relationships and that sort of cause and calling can sometimes interfere with the Person behind the screen. Which is us, right? Like we are, like, we’re still a physical being and that’s what I wanna focus on today is this idea that while you are an amazing machine of learning and advancement for your students and this catalyst for like lifelong amazingness, you are still physical and you still require maintenance.

Just like any, anything physical requires upkeep. So that’s what I wanna focus on today and I try to be very teachery and break it down into. Three parts, but my thought for today is that you can, you you care for your students best when you care for yourself, and that’s like the, and I don’t want it to be like cheesy, like self care, go light yourself some candles and take a bubble bath, although that’s fine.

I’m trying to think of like practical daily things that you can do that will be a part of your craft, a part of your teaching, that will also be mindful of yourself as a physical being. So that’s where I’m going with this. But the images of oxygen masks in the airplane because they always tell you right if you’re with a child put your own oxygen on mask first and as a teacher that’s what I want that’s what I want people to think about when they are listening to my three tips today is this is like your oxygen mask put it on first otherwise you’re not going to be able to care for the students as well as you would like to so that’s the thinking

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: that’s very important if we’re a mess then we can’t be there to deal with whatever students need from us so

Myleah Rydberg: And sometimes you might have enough reserve oxygen that you’re not a mess for a while, but you’ll run out and then again, you probably won’t be able to be quite as effective.

At least this is this. These are the tips I wish I would have heard. Couple of things. The first one is, I want you to think about doing something preemptive, something that’s like ongoing and then anticipate a big pitfall that I think hits a lot of us upside the head. Okay. When we’re not expecting it.

So that’s the three categories that we’re looking at today. And I wanted to make it super practical. So I’m going to say like something very basic, like the shoes that you wear. And then I want, I know water is something your mom probably talked to you about, but that’s, I’m going to be your mom today after this many years in the field, I feel like I can maybe be your mom.

And then the last one is something no one talked to me about, but. So every teacher I talk to says, Oh yeah, that’s normal. And I’m like, why don’t we tell people about this? Like, why don’t we talk about it? So that’s, these are the categories we’re going into today. All right, so the first one is just anticipate that you are going to be on your feet all the time.

You’re going to be up and down, moving around. I don’t care if you’re teaching like seniors in mathematics or you’re in kindergarten, like you are going to be on your feet all the time and you will spend more time than you anticipate. your feet are going to hurt. And so my first recommendation is folks are going to ask you things like, Oh, how can I help?

Oh, we’re so excited. You’re starting a new job. Or we’re so excited. You’re getting into a new school or, Oh, this is so exciting. They will ask to be a part of this journey, and I don’t think there is any shame in saying yes, I have this fund towards these really good walking, nice, work appropriate walking shoes, or these nice, whatever, high arches, ergonomic, whatever you want to call them.

I am not being sponsored by anyone, but I found that there were certain brands that really worked for me. Clark’s were one of the ones. Huh. They’re expensive and I think when you’re getting ready you, you’re thinking about so many other things. And it just feels like sometimes footwear gets shimmy to the back.

And I know as a female teacher in the field, it feels like the stereotype is that you should have lots of different, for different outfits and that sort of thing. But I would just recommend investing in a quality pair or two, and then being aware that is something that is going to be kind of part of your I don’t know, uniform.

Think of it more as a uniform.

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: And would you suggest that female teachers wear heels? Or supportive, comfortable Nurse type shoes.

Myleah Rydberg: It’s, it makes me sound more and more like your mom, doesn’t it? I’m going to say, I do know that they do have supportive shoes that have some platform or some heel on it.

And so especially I’m five two. So when I stand up at the front of the room, sometimes, especially early on in my teaching, when there wasn’t that big of a, cause I’m high school too. So there wasn’t that big of an age gap between me and my students. I’m much less conscious about that now, but when I wanted to have a little bit of height, I wanted to feel a little bit, but I made the bad decision of wearing heels for, and I ended up with a lot of I had plantar fasciitis my first year teaching and that takes you off your feet.

That’s like where the, there’s like all the muscles in your legs are too tight and it pulls against the tendons and the arch of your foot. It’s terribly painful. And so that’s what I’m trying. I think I’m trying to get at that. It, this is one of those, and it’s, it affects my my, my male colleagues, as well as my female colleagues that I think investing in a good quality pair of shoes, and then just letting that be your wardrobe and recognizing that.

more than likely your students aren’t even going to notice what shoes you are wearing and they’re going to care much more that you’re not in pain and that you’re able to move efficiently. And more importantly, you’re going to care about the fact that you’re not just hobbling around by the end of the school day.

So that’s my first recommendation. And it’s not a very flashy one, but that’s what I would say. I

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: like the idea of getting a fund going. Like asking friends and family, can you give me 5, 10, because yeah, a good pair of Clarks or those other really you know, ergonomic supportive shoes. They can be in the 100 to 200 range, but they’re necessary.

That was what I did with my first paycheck. I went out and bought myself two pairs of Mary Jane supportive shoes. Yeah, I had,

Myleah Rydberg: I always had a brown pair and a black pair. And then that way I felt like they would go with pretty much Anything that I wore and yes, you’re a grandma and that yeah, and I think that’s that was the hard thing for me coming out of coming right out of college you want it to feel I don’t know just that was my one that honestly as your and you will probably if you’re the kind of practical person you probably already have invested in good footwear and if you’re not you might have to have a few achy weekends before you go there but that’s why this is me Giving you, not that you needed it, but permission to go and either spend money or make that request to people who are offering to help.

And so that would be my my thing. Footwear and no plant is fast yet. It was very uncomfortable. It’s very painful, but it’s more common It’s more common because people are not used to being on their feet that much and it’s like you’re getting you go from getting 5, 000 to getting 15, 000 steps a day and yeah, and you’re up and down like you’re kneeling

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: down you’re squatting You’re sitting you’re getting up like you’re always moving in these weird positions Kneeling like bending over and yeah,

Myleah Rydberg: all right So my second thing is another mom suggestion, but this is going to actually directly link to my third point so it’s more but I think I just remember my first year of teaching being petrified about having to use the bathroom because you’re in front of students and You’re the parentus locus, right?

Like you are the person that is in You know That has custody of these children. And and different schools have different expectations about that, but this is a priority. And I would definitely figure out, I wouldn’t cut the hydration. I would figure out how to make the other part work. I know one school that I taught in, I was like, we were wall to wall with another teacher and we just had an agreement that if at some point in time.

I, one of us needed to that. The other one could just like watch both classrooms at the same time. But I think that this is a mistake that I see even better in teachers making is to say, because the, because it’s a, an inconvenience. to use the facilities because you are actually a a caregiver of children.

As a result, we’ll have our cup of coffee in the morning, and then we won’t worry really about hydrating until lunch. And it is such a mistake for the long term, keeping in mind that image of Put your own oxygen mask on first before you can help because it leads to, you’re going to get sick more often.

You’re likely to get more headaches. You’re likely to develop other issues with your feet, right? That’s one of the things that will happen if you’re dehydrated, you’re more likely to find like muscle and tendons and all that stuff. So just staying hydrated, it’s going to be awkward. Embrace the fact that until you figure out how this system is going to work for you.

It will be awkward, but it is not worth avoiding the short term awkwardness for the long term health ramifications of not hydrating. I have my like water bottle that has the little open straw and I found I like those better than anything that had a pop top or a screw top because it allowed me to just stay hydrated.

It allows me to stay hydrated. without having to really stop. Yeah. So I can be in motion, I can be doing something, and it also doesn’t look like a clunky water bottle on my desk. It doesn’t work so well for field day. Don’t take those things out for field day. But recognize that is normal, and none of your colleagues should have anything.

No one should judge you for needing to use the facilities, and that is not something that your principal will have a problem with. You will figure out, it can feel embarrassing, it’s not. So that was something that I wanted to just make a point of. This is me, your mom, telling you. Don’t let that be something that stands in your way.

Am I getting too

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: personal, Dr. Contreras? No, I think it’s great. What I did is I like mapped where the bathroom was because I didn’t ever want to use the student bathroom because I didn’t want to be in there because I had, I knew colleagues that got into trouble like going around with student So I found where the teacher’s facilities were and I was like, how many steps is it from my room to there?

How long does it take me? I can do this in passing periods, yeah, I can get there and I can get back So that’s one thing I did and I drink all the time. I’m always thirsty. Yep.

Myleah Rydberg: Yeah, but it just there’s so many knock on effects with choosing to not hydrate, which is unfortunately a mistake.

Like I said, I think even veteran teachers make all the time. It’s where they decide it’s just too much hassle. There’s too many other things happening. But the truth is that it’s a, it’s like a Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It’s a fundamental function. So don’t let that be something that you sacrifice because it’s not worth it.

So that’s, that was my, that, that’s my little, for me, the teacher’s facility was actually right around the corner from us. And so it was very it became a part of my habit. So then when we moved classrooms and it was a long haul walk, I was already in the habit of it. And you’re right. I just found passing periods that I need to do.

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: And the kids understand that you’re and it also makes you human. So it helps them relate to you better.

Myleah Rydberg: And like I said, I know with elementary school teachers, it’s different than with high school teachers, but a cousin of mine who teaches a different cousin, I have lots of cousins that teach in school, but they had a thing worked out with the, with her like co teacher and they, so that they got like a teacher bathroom break.

in addition to stuff that was already built into the schedule. So you’ll find that people are human and that they will want to work with you on these sorts of things. Yes, and

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: I found that the more you hydrate your body like balances And you don’t go to the bathroom as much because, I don’t know, your body balances,

Myleah Rydberg: and you’ll actually be able to, I know we’re talking a lot about bodily function, I promise there’s a point to, a greater point to all this. But I do think you, one of the things that I love about teaching is that there’s a rhythm to everything, right? The year has a rhythm, the week has a rhythm, the day has a rhythm, and I think this is the kind of thing I’m talking about, is that you will find that you feel, you start to work into a rhythm.

And actually being hydrated will help with that. It will help you get into that rhythm. All right. Enough, enough about, about, about this. This is the big one that I, no one told me about, no one told me about. And yet when I talk to teachers, everyone is like, Oh yeah. And that’s that most of us have experienced as educators.

If you talked about like veteran teacher ed educators, they will tell you that. About November. We lose our voice and that is standard, especially when you’re new in the craft, right? When you’re new in the craft. And I actually looked this up in anticipation of our chat today, Dr. Contreras, and Teachers are twice as likely as the general public to develop like vocal cord conditions.

Really? As the general public. There are obviously other professions that are also, but as the general public. And that surprised me because I thought, oh my goodness, it doesn’t seem like we are doing that much more talking than say, for instance, I don’t know, a lecturer or a manager of a company or something like that.

And the reason is because we use our voice to get a large crowd of attention on a regular basis every day. So it’s not the talking.

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: Yeah, it’s the volume.

Myleah Rydberg: It’s the volume. It’s the fact that it’s the fact that you get into the habit of trying to call your class’s attention. With your vocal cards.

And so one of the recommendations that I have when I say rest your voice, what I mean is right away, decide how you are going to get your classes attention without it being your voice. I know obviously. There’s always the like, clap and get the kids to learn to clap back at you, and you just keep doing that until everyone has their attention.

I had a teacher friend who had one of those really old fashioned school bells that she would like, ring once. If the students responded, there was like, something that they got, right? If everyone quieted down, and then she would ring it twice, and then if she had to just like, ring it until, and it was so loud that it was like, oh my gosh, stop, please.

But I would just strongly, this is the thing that no one warned me about, and the number one way that you can protect your vocal cords is to refuse to use your voice as the thing that calls the class to attention, whatever class that is. And that’s high school all the way down to preschool, right?

So don’t fall into the trap because you are going to have to use your voice unexpectedly for things. So for the routine part of it, for the expected part of it. find some other strategies. There are all kinds of them out there. Teachers we have such an amazing community of folks that want to share.

YouTube is a great place to go look at strategies. This is one of those things that I did not start doing until later on in my career. And it has been so important in terms of helping with that November laryngitis.

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: So the other part, I’m sorry, of hydration, I used to drink, I used to take three things of hot tea, like those huge thermoses, and they would stay hot all day.

So I was hydrating, but drinking hot stuff, and that helped.

Myleah Rydberg: Yes, although not too hot. You don’t want to hurt, you don’t want to hurt your throat with too hot water. But then the other thing that I wanted to say is that even if you’re doing all of those steps, you’re hydrating, you’re making sure to rest your voice, there’s a likely, there’s a likely possibility that in that first year of teaching or in the early years of teaching, you’re still gonna wind up with laryngitis.

You’re gonna feel fine. You’re going to be fully functional, but you will have next to no voice. And that’s one of those where I recommend just thinking about crafting, like if you already know that you’ve got some kind of an activity that is not voice intensive for you, doesn’t require maybe having that ear marked for some time, it’s like fluid sometime before Christmas because it does seem like it. Just right around that second week in November feels like that’s when everyone winds up starting to get laryngitis. That, that is my PSA about saving your voice, but the biggest thing you can do is drink water, so C.

2, and then finding a way to call your class to attention. Other than using your voice, and it is so tempting to be like, okay, everyone okay, everyone, let’s tie it down. It’s the easy way. , but not in the long run, right? No. Put your own oxygen mask on first before you help anyone else. That’s very cool.

I like it. So that’s just, this is my like road map for you as you think about like your start of the school year is just being that preemptive thing that you’re going to do, which is you’re going to go out and you’re going to get yourself a really good pair of shoes. And it’s, you’re not, it’s not going to be the most stylish thing in the world, but that’s okay.

And then your water is your ongoing, every day, this is going to be something you’re going to prioritize. And then anticipate that your voice is going to go through an absolute thrashing. So be mindful about those steps that you can take to protect that. Keeping in mind that we abuse our voices as teachers, we really do.

So be mindful of it. Anyway. All right. That was my, that’s my little PSA, Dr. Contreras.

Dr. Elizabeth Contreras: I love it. I think it’s easy to implement. And I think I like the, preemptive, ongoing, and anticipating. That’s really good tips, and thank you so much for joining us today. Try out these three things, and I bet you’ll have a very good whole school year, not just starts of the school year, entire school year, and then entire career.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you joining me today.

Myleah Rydberg: Thanks, guys. Have a great day.