SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Teaching Through Grief: What Happens When Educators Need Help

Advertisement

By Britt Jungck

I was not prepared for Pam.

Teachers work with dozens of colleagues a day, from grade-level partners to school counsellors to social workers to speech therapists. We sometimes drift in and out of each other’s lives so often that we take for granted what we contribute to each other’s days.

In 2020, I had recently moved and left a district where my co-teacher and I had the kind of relationship that allowed us to read each other’s minds without saying a word. I didn’t think I would experience that kind of synergy again, but then I met Pam.

Pam was from California and now worked as an instructional strategist in Iowa. An expert in special education, Pam was respected by everyone. She had a fierce loyalty to her students and would stop at virtually nothing to ensure their educational needs were met.

Within seconds of meeting, we clicked. She became someone I counted on each day, someone I could laugh with about the absurdity of working in public education during a pandemic, someone I could sit in silence with and enjoy a cup of coffee, and someone I could cry to on really terrible days. Pam made me a better teacher.

Then one day last February, I was waiting in line at a coffee shop drive-thru on a crisp Saturday morning, scrolling through my Facebook, when I saw an odd story with Pam’s face and the words, “Heaven Gained Another Angel.” In disbelief, I looked up the number for the person who made the post and called her, skipping the hello, and shouting, “What does your post mean?!”

University training prepares educators for a lot of scenarios on the job: writing lesson plans, filling out evaluations, completing standardized testing administration, etc. But what it doesn’t prepare future teachers for is the inevitable grief that comes with the job.

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $15.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .
Avatar photo

Britt Jungck is a licensed Master Educator for the State of Iowa. She gets her joy out of inspiring students to read and find themselves in books. She has been working with K–12 students all over Iowa since 2003, and is currently earning her PhD in Education with an emphasis in Social and Cultural Studies & Public Policy from Iowa State University.

Education News

Supporting the Next Generation of AI-Native Learners

The question is no longer should students use AI, but rather: What skills do we equip students with to prepare them for a future where AI is a part of their life?

New Book Offers the First Comprehensive History of Sex Ed in America

Sex ed in schools is about much more than just health. It’s about reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equity—and it matters now more than ever.

American Lung Association Urges Schools to Test for Radon to Protect Students and Staff

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, tasteless, and colorless radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors, including in schools.

NASSP Launches New Online Course to Help Principals Build Career-Connected Learning 

Designed by and for school leaders, the course provides a step-by-step framework to help principals create career-connected learning experiences using their existing teams and resources.

Join Our Newsletter

Join now for a chance to win 1 of 2 $25 Indigo e-gift cards this month!

Britt Jungck
Britt Jungck
Britt Jungck is a licensed Master Educator for the State of Iowa. She gets her joy out of inspiring students to read and find themselves in books. She has been working with K–12 students all over Iowa since 2003, and is currently earning her PhD in Education with an emphasis in Social and Cultural Studies & Public Policy from Iowa State University.

Advertisement

Read More

Supporting the Next Generation of AI-Native Learners

The question is no longer should students use AI, but rather: What skills do we equip students with to prepare them for a future where AI is a part of their life?

Break the Ice: The Ultimate Back-to-School Toolkit

Here are six simple icebreaker activities, as recommended by K–12 educators, that are sure to help make this back-to-school season your best one yet.

How to Tame a Chaotic School Cafeteria: 7 Tips for Managing Lunchroom Behavior

Let’s face it—most staff don’t willingly volunteer for cafeteria duty. But with a few thoughtful tweaks, lunch doesn’t have to be the noisiest, most dreaded 30 minutes of the day.

New Book Offers the First Comprehensive History of Sex Ed in America

Sex ed in schools is about much more than just health. It’s about reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equity—and it matters now more than ever.

American Lung Association Urges Schools to Test for Radon to Protect Students and Staff

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, tasteless, and colorless radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors, including in schools.

Professional and Present: Creating Healthy Boundaries in Your First Year of Teaching

Early in your teaching career, there are many areas in which you should consider establishing boundaries. Here are three that should be at the top of your list.
póker Texas móviles | 13 ruleta rusa latino | ruleta rusa 2018 | free slots machines gratis | casino grand toreo | como ganar dinero con shein evaluando ropa | el casino del diablo leyenda | betway sports | live casino | jerarquia poker | paradise casino | taj mahal casino villahermosa tabasco | ganar dinero con poker online | la ruleta de la casa de los famosos | sheraton puerto rico hotel & casino | casino amigos con energia | juegos de azar | casino big bola santa fe | winning slots | slots of vegas casino | ganar dinero con criptomonedas | hipodromo caliente | booyah como ganar dinero | club casino bellavista | ruleta de dinero facebook como funciona | ganar dinero por andar | playcity casino oasis | yak casino | twin lions casino buffet precio | como jugar poker | los mejores casinos en línea de uruguay | caliente mx que es | betcris mexico | deposito bonanza | como ganar dinero en el internet | indonesia casino online | jackpot city casino download | royal panda | sportium sucursales |