Teachers are weighing how much longer they can stay if conditions don’t change. It feels like hanging from a precipice at times. Shoutouts like “Doing great!” “Self-care!” or “More grit!” while well-intentioned, are useless when what I need is a handhold. (1/

I’ve been trying to imagine what real support looks like to help teachers back away from that ledge. Sometimes we all feel helpless offering support (even to other teachers and students), so let’s share ideas. What does real support look like for you? (2/

I'll go first: Protecting my time, especially planning and work time/ days. Allowing autonomy and choice.
Asking thoughtful questions: what’s been hardest today? This week? And then listening— really listening. Not always to solve, but to acknowledge the difficulty. SEE me. (3/

Avoid blanket statements when addressing problems. They demoralize those who are actually working hard (“they don’t see my contribution”) while validating those who aren’t (“everyone’s doing this”). Have targeted conversations led by compassionate questions. For Ss too! (4/4)

Also- I need to say: I'm so grateful for an admin team that does so much to create handholds for me. I've called a couple of my admins this week about different issues, and they have been such a source of encouragement.