Dec 2021-Jan 2022_Advisor

REFLECTING

6 CEA ADVISOR DECEMBER 2021 - JANUARY 2022

included and consulted, they feel valued, which in turn boosts morale. We need teachers to feel that now more than ever. I also learned that teachers often do heroic work, but we are not actually superheroes. We are human beings. We cannot save the world all on our own, nor can we be expected to. The pandemic revealed how essential the work of educators really is, how much we do for students and communities, and how powerfully we impact lives every day. Therefore, we have to support the very people who teach, nurture, nourish, and protect our most valuable resource—our children. What were some highlights of being Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year? Rochelle Brown: The best part was advocating for the students and teachers of our state. While I was always an advocate as a union representative, my voice went from a quiet rumble to a mighty roar. I was able to lend my voice to issues such as the importance of vaccinations for educators, and teacher salaries. Most important, I was able to voice the concerns of teachers across the state as I testified virtually at a meeting of the Connecticut General Assembly in regard to dual remote and in-person teaching and how detrimental it was for students and their learning. Speaking to current and future educators about how teaching is a privilege and a gift was also an amazing experience. I met some of the most dynamic, amazing people both here and throughout the country. Being able to finally meet my fellow State Teachers of the Year at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, was an experience to remember. It allowed me to become a student again and appreciate the learning process in a more profound way. Throughout my year of service, I was able to collaborate with my fellow Connecticut Teachers of the Year, including Meghan Hatch-Geary, Sheena Graham (2019), Kristin Record (2011), and David Bosso (2012). Meeting and working with U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona, sharing a stage with Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, and helping to communicate with Governor Ned Lamont the importance of access to the Internet were also experiences I will carry with me for a lifetime. My latest experience, a trip to Washington, D.C., allowed me and Meghan to have candid conversations with Senator Chris Murphy as well as representatives from the offices of Senator Richard Blumenthal and State Representatives John Larson and Rosa DeLauro. We talked about the importance of universal pre-K, school safety, how President Biden’s Build Back Better plan impacts education, and the need to continue some of the important initiatives that have been established since the pandemic. Finally, meeting First Lady Dr. Jill Biden still has me in awe. She has been such an inspiration to me, and her words—“Never stop ringing your bell. Never forget that the lives you change go on to change the

with 2020, 2021 Teachers of the Year ROCHELLE BROWN AND MEGHAN HATCH-GEARY REFLECTIONS ON TEACHING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC W hen Woodland Regional High School English teacher Meghan Hatch-Geary was named Connecticut’s 2020 Teacher of the Year, she could hardly have imagined that in a few short months, she would be looking at her students’ faces as little squares on a screen. The following year, 2021 Teacher of the Year Rochelle Brown, who teaches at Windsor’s Poquonock Elementary School, became the first educator to appear on the cover of the CEA Advisor receiving a vaccine. While the pandemic upended everyone’s expectations, it also provided opportunities for growth and reflection. Here, Brown and Hatch-Geary—who were featured in CEA’s Vaccinate Educators Now campaign—share insights gained during a time of uncertainty and loss, and adventures that included an epic trip to Washington, D.C., where they met with fellow teacher and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden (pictured, next page) and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (pictured above, center). QA

What are some lessons you learned, as an educator, from the pandemic? Rochelle Brown: We truly need each other as educators. We need to be in full support of each other, because not one of us could have made it through this pandemic alone. I have come to rely on my fellow educators for support, and I also want to continue to be a source of inspiration for others. This past December, the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council hosted A Celebration of Teaching and Learning, where other Teachers of the Year and I were able to present and facilitate activities regarding

where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going as a profession. To hear the response from our colleagues from across the state was truly uplifting. I’ve also learned that while these years have been difficult, some silver linings have emerged. Learning never stopped. Teachers found new and innovative ways to educate their students. We collaborated to ensure that students, whether they were at home or in person, received quality instruction. Students were able to gain new skills, especially technology skills, that they may not have developed to the same extent in a typical year.

Teachers also came together and used their voices to advocate for their students and their profession. The pandemic made it very clear that many inequities exist for our students and families, but we stood united to ensure that we did our best on behalf of the people who matter most: our kids! Meghan Hatch-Geary: I’ve personally witnessed how powerfully positive and effective it is when teachers are a part of the decision- making process. Some of the most successful decisions that were made by schools and districts since March 2020 involved teacher input and action. And when teachers are