Hello
I'm glad you're here! Read on to find more information about my background, my mission, and my approach to professional development.
My Background
I’m a North Dakota girl, but I started my teaching experience in a small town in South Dakota and later switched to a larger school district. I taught high school English for 22 years. For the last sixteen of those years, I taught in an alternative program, and I loved it! Until I didn’t. It takes a lot of emotional energy to connect with students who need so much more than English every.single.day. It was exhausting, the behaviors got to be too much, and I burned out.
After completing a one-year expedited MA program in English, I decided to keep going and completed another expedited program for MA in Communication with the goal of teaching speech at the college level. While in grad school, I worked as a substitute teacher, where I gained a whole new perspective on today’s classrooms, particularly elementary and middle school classrooms which I had not experienced in my career. I also started a Facebook group called Otherduties2infinity. Check it out if you're interested!
Since 2020, I’ve been teaching Communication Studies at a local university on three campuses plus online. Since 2019, I have also taught online professional development classes for teachers on top of my full-time job at the college. Is it a lot? Sometimes. But I love it! So much so that I decided it was time to create my own business, and that’s how Teacher Heart came into existence. Welcome! I’m glad you’re here!
My Mission
I started teaching professional development classes to offer the kind of classes I wish were available when I was teaching in K-12 education. I didn't need pedagogy. I needed support. The first class I created was over a book I read that I just couldn’t keep to myself: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown. I knew a LOT of teachers who were perfectionists, and I just knew this book could help them the way it helped me. I don’t exaggerate when I say the book changed my life.
Soon after, I read another book I needed to share and then another and another. I focus on books that help teachers learn how to better manage their stress and how to take better care of themselves. I know what some of you are thinking: that the terms mindfulness and self-care have become weaponized against us, like it's one more thing we've been doing all wrong. But it isn't like that. These books and activities will ask you to get out of your comfort zone, sure, but the feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. I've had teachers tell me they are thrilled to be required to go for a walk (active meditation) or try some focusing techniques (like stretching) all in the name of homework!
I'm sure you are as tired as I was of taking uninteresting classes just to stay certified. These are books you actually want to read! Take a look at the current course offerings and the potential course offerings and reach out with any questions you may have. And thanks for stopping by!
My Approach
I want to offer classes created around books that people actually want to read! I don’t teach pedagogy. Teachers know how to teach. My classes focus on the educators. I help people learn how to take better care of themselves in a profession they love, so they can remain in the profession until retirement. For many people, that process starts with one of these books. Teachers need to hear that this REALLY IS hard, and it’s not surprising that they’re physically and emotionally exhausted! These classes are designed to support educators in creating and maintaining boundaries and in learning strategies to help them be gentler with themselves and the self-criticism which seems to be present in every teacher’s life.
Recently, I have also created a couple classes designed to help teachers better understand their students. These are still not pedagogy. (See: Teachers know how to teach;) These are books written to help adults understand today’s young people and what to do to help them reconnect to their education and the world around them. The cool side effect? Teachers learn a lot about themselves, as well.
My classes bring together educators from all grade levels, disciplines, and years of service to share their experiences in the classroom. And we're online, so it's convenient. We learn better together, and teachers help each other through online discussion and sharing their stories, and it’s all tied together with prompts related to the reading for the week. This is the PD you’ve been waiting for!
Contact
Are you a district or an administrator interested in bringing this to your teachers? Let's connect!
Are you a teacher interested in learning more about a class or two? Let's connect!