In this fourth episode of The Summer Self-Care Series, teachers from The Burned-In Teacher Facebook Community Jennifer Werry, Jennifer Miller, and Kinsey Zellerhoff tell their stories of teacher burnout and how their triumph over it came down to this fact: You can’t take care of others, if you don’t take care of yourself first. They share what works for them and how they make time for self-care even with careers, families, and all there is to do in day-to-day life.
Jennifer Miller is a sixth-grade teacher in Seymour, Indiana. She’s been teaching for 21 years, and was named the 2019 Seymour Chamber of Commerce middle school teacher of the year! She’s also the regional manager for Indiana for International Student Exchange, a non-profit organization that brings high school students to the U.S. from all over the world. She has a husband and three children ages 18-25, and are getting ready to host their fifth exchange student, this time from Italy.
FIND JENNIFER
Instagram: jmiller.iseusa
JENNIFER'S RESOURCES
Resource: Http://hoosierhills.iseusa.org
Jennifer Werry teaches second grade in a small, rural Title 1 school. She’s taught for 16 years in the same district where she previously taught kindergarten, special needs preschool, and served as an enrichment teacher. Teaching is a second career for her as she decided that working in corporate marketing just wasn’t the best fit.
FIND JENNIFER
Instagram: jejwerry
Kinsey Zellerhoff has been in special education for almost 14 years and recently completed her Masters of Education in Special Education. She’s currently the assistant principal and lead special education teacher at a private special education day school for behaviorally challenged and traumatized youth. She’s been married for nearly 8 years and has a son and two bonus daughters. She’s been a Zumba instructor for 7 years and a Strong by Zumba Instructor since March and uses both as a part of her own self-care.
FIND KINSEY
Instagram: kinseyzellerhoff
KINSEY'S RESOURCES
Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura Van Dermoot Lipsky
Trauma-Informed Education Podcast
Paper Tigers Documentary (available on Amazon Video)
CALL TO ACTION: THINGS YOU CAN DO TOMORROW
Jennifer M., Jennifer W., and Kinsey suggest the following practices, if you’re a teacher dealing with teacher burnout, due to lack of self-care and/or vicarious trauma:
- Get involved in something that matters to you
- Travel
- Find a Natural Medicinal practice, rather than traditional medication
- Have a morning or evening routine just for yourself.
- Start a Gratitude Journal, starting with three things a day - then moving to as many as you want
- Get your nails done or a massage - something that relaxes you and makes you feel special
- Sneak in little things that you enjoy
- Find something that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning and do more of that thing
- Find a tribe of people who you can trust - those you can vent to, yet also seek support (Check out THIS BLOG POST all about finding your tribe and may I also suggest joining The Burned-In Teacher Facebook Group)
- Do what works for YOU. (If you don’t enjoy journaling, don’t, but find something else that can help you release rather than numb)
- Find positive people to bring into your life and someone to be real with
- Ask for true and honest help with your situation from your teacher tribe - get a different perspective
- Assess your brain state - Green, yellow, or red
BRING ME TO YOUR SCHOOL
BIT Keynote Speaker Information
JOIN THE BURNED-IN TEACHER COMMUNITY
The Burned-In Teacher Facebook Community
