Public, charter, and private school teachers working to slash turnover and burnout

A friend sent me this meme, as she headed into the breach of Thanksgiving, with extended family that voted against the health and safety of her daughter and millions of others in the recent election.

Wearing incendiary earrings and, likely, a glittery sport jacket, she will make her way into dinner with a clear plan of action: speak her mind freely and carry on with turkey, wine, and sweet potato pie.

She will not be silenced — or excluded.

As I've spoken with friends and clients in the past few weeks, I've noticed a theme of people zeroing in on what I'm calling their "sphere of influence" — their zone of impact, if you will.

I don't mean the "influence" of changing minds in the political arena, though my friend would certainly love to do that!

I mean the influence of stabilizing themselves and contributing something positive in this wildly unstable times.

I've been feeling that impulse, too, and am finding my way by reporting on people who are working on solutions to entrenched problems.

A few weeks ago, I reported on the mayor of Nashville and his proposed transit bill that would increase access to jobs, medical care, and entertainment throughout the city. (The bill passed, by the way! 🎉)

And this week, for the Nashville Banner, I covered, EdCo, a Tennessee organization created "for teachers, by teachers" that is cutting teacher turnover rates, pooling wisdom from educators at all phases of their careers, and improving classroom experiences for kids.

Their cross-sector model is unique in the United States, according to Xiu Cravens, a professor at Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

They are stepping into their sphere of influence, putting teachers at ease by building support systems in their community and setting an example for what could be possible nationwide.

As we head into Thanksgiving, I wonder if it might be worth considering:

What is your immediate sphere of influence, where you feel grounded, productive, or safe?

My clients are turning their attention to their work, schools, churches, kids, partners, friends, or simply their own mental or physical health.

All are finding peace in narrowing in on what they can do, directly, to feel better or contribute to the greater good.

Wishing you time, this week, to rest and do the holiday your way, whatever that means for you.

I'm grateful for you, as always.

Sarah

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