Having feelings isn’t a sign of weakness — they mean we’re human, says producer and activist Nikki Webber Allen. Even after being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, Webber Allen felt too ashamed to tell anybody, keeping her condition a secret until a family tragedy revealed how others close to her were also suffering. In this important talk about mental health, she speaks openly about her struggle — and why communities of color must undo the stigma that misreads depression as a weakness and keeps sufferers from getting help.
Author Archives: Pei-Hsuan Lin
8 Signs You’re a Teacher in August
1. The teacher dreams have revved back up.
Once I dreamed that my appraiser at my first school was my dentist and they pulled out all my teeth with no anesthesia. I’ll let you interpret that one.
2. Your cart moves on its own toward bargain and office supply sections of stores.
Magnetic field, probably.
3. You lie right to your own face to justify your back-to-school purchases.
If I just buy this really nice travel mug, I won’t forget it at school or in the back of my car like I’ve done with 22 other food and beverage containers! If I get matching houndstooth office supplies for my desk, I won’t even need classroom management!
4. You’re already being asked to do stuff.
Sound familiar? “Teachers, please have the following quick tasks done BEFORE Monday’s staff development: Create teacher profiles for yourself on ZinkZonk, BeepSchool, and Swisheroo, read these two articles and have share points ready for each, register for these four PD sessions, and fill out this Google Slide at this link with the attached information about you for new teachers.”
5. Like an Olympian returning to earn their 20th gold medal, you’re ready to rattle off the universal precautions for handling blood-borne pathogens.
Sometimes I imagine the online program being impressed with my accuracy, like, “Wow, ma’am, we’ve never had three consecutive perfect scores!”
6. You’re doing your own form of preparation before the marathon of this school year.
Teachers prepare differently for the beginning-of-the-year onslaught. Some pack in the relaxation by fitting in one more camping trip or scheduling one last massage. Others try to clear the remaining to-do list items they’ve been putting off, like cleaning out the garage or getting the tires rotated. Some brave souls even plan lessons.
7. Everyone in your home (including you) is ready for you to clear the “teacher corner” out of the living room.
Your cat LOVED it, though.
8. Despite a lot of external forces making teaching a tough gig right now, you can’t wait to meet this year’s group of kids.
(We all know they’re the best part.)
Reference: https://www.weareteachers.com/signs-you-teach-back-to-school-anxiety/?fbclid=IwAR1vTNOOp99_uRjG4TuPaaSGoSBxJwqHAV0RLBIGakBiYGAhYZnTgJJfK0Y
Grace & me
As I was working on creating the Line stickers, I started finding the resources between Grace and me. I found a picture of us taken 11 years ago. I suddenly thought of the letters Grace wrote me with her works and her self-portraits. I read through the letters and was so touched by the treasures I received. I also put the Cross of Jesus Christ made by Grace’s mom on my desk. I regained so much energy by doing all these just like a recharged battery.
Here are some highlights of the words Grace wrote to me.
- “I kept your card on my desk. It gave me a lot of strength to carry on. The core value of education is something I have been thinking recently. You know your support and encouragement to me, keep me going too.”
- “It has been so nice to have you in my life as student & friend too.”
- “I just had one operation and still haven’t got the courage to see the doctor again. Life goes on God’s control. Please don’t laugh at me.”—My reply: I totally understand, but please go see the doctor. Prioritizing your health and self-care! I do CARE about you and your health. It’s been 15 years since we met, and I would like to see how we can go together still. Please do keep healthy!!!
- ” Yes, from N. Y. to Taipei, things were changed a lot. But you are still you, that little girl who would never give up. I really miss you and our good old days. It’s me who should say “thank you” to you. You really really made me feel honored and happy to be a teacher. Your attitude and work are still impressive. Good quality of work & good quality of memory would last longer, that’s what I experienced.”
Reconstruct my Rabbit
After visiting Grace for a few days, I was being a couch potato and watching Peppa Pig. My mom walked by and said, “Hey why are you always watching cartoons? The Rabbit you created is as cute as the Peppa Pig. Why not try to make it upload to the Internet?” Sure, let me work on the characters again! I will make them as Line stickers! Let’s wait and see!
Follow-up of the reflection about the conversation with Grace
After a few days of considering, I decided to keep my reflection in my blog.
Although things are changing; people are different due to the reality, I am glad that Grace is still a devoted teacher who loves to help students and always being supportive and caring. She is still a person with integrity and justice as same as I met her 15 years ago. When I tried to express my apologies, her feedback was,” It’s teacher dedication”. Then, I have faith and confidence in her that she is not going to change negatively like most of the teachers in AE.
In addition, I am grateful that although time is fleeing, after 15 years, there is still a campus where I can visit, a private and safe space I can sit and talk, and a beloved teacher I can chat with.
I am thankful for the two points that I stated above. I wanna give Grace a big HUG with love and gratitude.
The memories constantly popped up in my brain. The sentences that appeared in my brain were “thank you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself. You went far and beyond the call of a teacher’s duty. Your influence on me has been profound. I’ll always keep in mind that how much you mean to me.”
As I collected my thoughts and organized my stuff, I was so touched by the words Grace texted me, ” To have taught you is the best present God gave me in life.” I can’t promise how much effort I will cast on teaching and my students, but I am sure that I did not and will not choose to be like Ula who discouraged students by putting teacher benefit as a priority. I will try my best as always to become a good teacher like you.
***Never put teachers’ benefits prior to students’ rights and wellbeing.