Texts. Phone calls. E-mails.
Social media. Updates. Endless alerts. It can all be too much. Lately, I’ve
been making a conscious effort to pull back on all the above. Sometimes, a break
is much needed. I don’t like a lot of noise or talking period, so I often find
that unplugging helps. Being plugged into so many different things everyday can
be draining and overwhelming, yet, so many people have made it part of their
everyday lives. I’ve found that I’m much happier, sleep better, and more at
peace when I’m not aimlessly scrolling through my iPhone or worried about what
any and everybody else is doing. Believe it or not, there was once a time when
there were no smart phones. People were present, everyone didn’t know everyone
else’s business, and didn’t over share as much. These days? People have way too
many ways to access each other, and while technology has improved our way of
life in some ways, it’s also become a hindrance in others. Unplugging is
beneficial because there’s great peace in silence, eliminating distractions,
disruptions, noise, and unnecessary pressure and stress. As you pull back some,
maybe you can experience the benefits, too. Perhaps less is more.
I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...