As aspiring teachers we have all been diving in head first into our respective certification programs. We are learning about pedagogy, UDL, Lesson Plans, Developmental Theories, and Technology in the classroom. The instruction we haven't received yet is how to leave our work at work and unplug when were at home. This statement is not meant to claim that we quit working once we leave to building for the day, but it is meant to start the conversation about mental health for us as teachers.
This class has been exceptional for showing us a wide range of tool and technology we can use to create a more interactive and inclusive learning environment for our students. What wasn't discussed as in detail was turning it off. Yes we talked about responsible social media use for ethical purposes, but what about mental health reason. For example, the article below discusses the general benefits of taking time to "unplug" from ever connected and immersive world of the internet age. As a disclaimer, I do not
agree with everything in this article, nor the "faith" that the website prescribes to, but I do think that it raises important questions that need to be considered.
https://www.unbrokenself.com/the-power-of-unplugging/
Below are two additional, educator specific, articles about "unplugging". Again, I think the first article is better than the second, and I don't completely agree with everything in each of the articles, but this topic needs to be something we as educators talk about and help each other with.
https://creativetechteacher.com/unplug/
https://www.edutopia.org/article/defending-teachers-right-disconnect
Please comment. I would love to discuss this topic further or discuss the topic of mental health in general.
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