Newsletter Volume 6
Many of you know that I love to kayak. If there’s a week that I’m not on the water, I tend to feel uninspired and stuck in the doldrums of life. I get this “fish out of water” feeling from my father who grew up sailing the San Francisco Bay, and he got that feeling from his father who skippered some of the biggest ships into the Bay. Every time I’m on the water, the countless smiles, adventures, and pure love of the ocean from the generations before me, grounds me.
February was the first month since the pandemic began that I prioritized self-care. Kayaking, taking long walks, spending time with my adorable nieces, meditating, and cooking are a few of the things I’ve been doing to refuel myself. It’s worth a reminder that we've officially been dealing with a pandemic for an entire year. We’re all incredibly worn down. I hope that you will be able to take some time to reflect and prioritize your self-care this year.
It goes without saying that even prior to the pandemic most educators had a very hard time putting their own needs first. I have a dream that someday educators will consistently prioritize their own wellness and even take pride in doing so. Educator well-being is generally thought of as a means to an end for improved student performance (happy teachers = increased test scores) and frankly, that makes me angry. Educators need support now more than ever, and that's not just because it helps kids. Say it with me, "Teachers deserve care and support because they are humans who should feel safe, appreciated, and heard."
If we continue to do what we've always done, we're always going to get the same results: burned out teachers who feel unappreciated and unsupported. Is that good enough? Educator well-being needs to be at the top of our priorities. Supporting educators should not only be discussed regularly, action is necessary. Education leaders can take an active role to ensure all educators have the mental and physical support they need to navigate this extremely stressful time.
Please take care of yourself, and let's all work together to prioritize the well-being of educators.
Do you feel overwhelmed with the sheer amount of metrics available to track? You're not alone. We created this email series to walk you through what matters most and save you a ton of time. Sign up for the free series here.
As we get ready for Q2 (where has the time gone!?), use this planner to help create valuable, timely, and relevant content. It includes events, holidays, famous birthdays, and conferences aligned with education and learning for the rest of 2021.
Marketing + Education Must-Reads
Marketing
50+ Top Email Stats to Help You Improve Your Email Marketing (Lilach Bullock)
Nano Influencers: Who Are They and How to Work With Them (Social Media Today)
How MicroMarketing Can Take Your Strategy to the Next Level (Hubspot)
Photos with Links or Formatted Link Posts on Facebook? (Agorapulse)
What I Learned in Three Years Writing a Newsletter (Ann Handley)
Education
7 High-Impact, Evidence-Based Tips for Online Teaching (Edutopia)
How Educators are Using the Exclusive Social Media App Clubhouse (EdSurge)
Your Free Guide to Boosting Student Enrollment (Forthright Advising)
5 Things Students Should Do to Stay Safe and Secure Online (ISTE)
It’s Time to Give Classroom Jobs Another Try (Cult of Pedagogy)
Thanks for reading!
In case you didn’t hear, the Biden-Harris administration announced this week that the administration of federally-mandated accountability assessments will be required this year (read more here). We’ve gathered a few of our favorite tweets about “learning loss” and state-wide standardized testing during a pandemic. If you are a parent, you do have the right to opt your child out of these tests. You can learn more about how to opt out here.