Conklin Educational Perspectives

In a class I attended yesterday, we delved into the concept of Ultradian Rhythms. These are natural cycles in our bodies that follow a pattern of 90 minutes of intense focus and productivity, where we can engage, learn, and process information effectively. After this period, there's a "cool down" phase when it's important to take a break from receiving new information and give our brains and bodies some rest, movement, or a shift in activity.

I found this concept to be both reassuring and eye-opening! Throughout my 25 years of teaching, I've taught within various bell-schedule constraints, but I genuinely believe that the most successful approach for student-centered learning happened in a team-taught middle school model, where students learned for 90 minutes at a time.

Similarly, when it comes to providing professional development for adult learners, I've worked in so many different settings, and yet my favorite format has always been designing and organizing PD sessions in 90-minute chunks.

What do you think about ultradian rhythms; is this a new concept to you too?

And the impacts from the pandemic keep rolling in.

As I was reading this article, and silently agreeing with every impact mentioned - something dawned on me (again):

We are never, EVER going to improve outcomes in special education with the current, deficit based model.

While the resilience of special education teachers is commendable, it is crucial to acknowledge the inherent flaws in the existing system. We must reimagining the job description of special education teachers, recognizing that the immense workload and responsibilities placed upon them can and does lead to burnout.

Instead of relying on a few "super teachers," and trying to create more, I suggest systemic changes that prioritize collaboration, professional support, and adequate resources to create sustainable and inclusive learning environments for students with disabilities and for the educational professionals with whom they learn.

Impact of Missed Special Ed. Evaluations Could Echo for Years The onset of COVID-19 slowed special education identification. Four years later, a new study hints at the massive scale of the impact.

Dinali and I are delighted to share that we have been chosen as presenters at the 2024 Learning Forward Conference in Denver, Colorado this December.

Our session is called “Supporting Substitutes, Supporting Teachers: A Model PLC”. We will be teaching participants how to create intentional gathering spaces for substitute educators and sharing the success story of our SubCommunities, which are professional learning communities (PLCs) for substitute educators and paraprofessionals.

These PLCs provide ongoing support and community for substitutes and other marginalized groups in education. We will also be reviewing data from the past three years that shows how our PLCs for substitutes help retain and recruit full-time classroom teachers.

We are honored to have this opportunity to share our experiences as practitioners at the Learning Forward Conference! Educators can register for the conference at the link in our bio.

I am honored and excited to be chosen as one of twenty-five active practitioners within the United States to read, inform and contribute to the educational research briefs created by researchers at the The Annenberg Foundation at Brown University.

Practicing educators can and should play a critical role in shaping the direction and ensuring the usefulness of research based instructional practices and recommendations. However, our voices are often underrepresented in traditional research processes. That’s why this unique opportunity feels so promising and important. Advisory boards such as this one empower educators like myself to actively shape and refine education research, bridging the gap between theory and practice - I am thrilled to be a part of it.

As a substitute educator with Capital Region ESD 113 in the Olympia School District and Tumwater School District and teacher trainer, I love these research briefs. Not only are they genuinely useful and helpful when planning student interventions, instruction, remediation and modifications, they provide concrete and strategic insight about the most current and pressing challenges we are facing in education. My colleague Michelle Penrod and I recently used a research brief about strengthening student connectedness to increase school success at a Washington Education Association training we designed for substitute educators and paraprofessionals. It was definitely a favorite resource - educator friends, check them out!
https://lnkd.in/gCK33HUn

Sunday SubTips!

After almost 25 years of experience in education, I have discovered the two most powerful tools I can offer to students of any age are choice and voice.

Here are a few examples of how teachers can effectively incorporate choice and voice into their substitute teaching day. Give these a try - and witness the positive impact they can have on student engagement, challenging behaviors, and learning outcomes!

I am delighted to share my first article as a guest writer with Edutopia!

I am honored to provide my perspective as a substitute educator, former classroom teacher/instructional coach, and instructional trainer. It is crucial to amplify the voices of marginalized groups within our education system.

In this article, I explore simple yet transformative changes that school district leaders and building staff can implement to better support substitute educators and paraprofessionals. These subtle shifts have the potential to generate significant, positive outcomes for school buildings and districts. I invite you to give it a read!

You can find the article here:

How to Give Substitute Teachers Effective Support Administrators can be intentional in their approach to ensure that substitute educators feel acknowledged and valued.

Sunday SubTips!

The end of the year can be tricky. Emotions are high and schedules are different. Here are five tips for thriving as a substitute teacher, at the end of the school year.

Feel free to add your own tips and ideas in the comments!

I am grateful for the regular opportunity to engage with various groups of substitute educators (and paraprofessionals!) across the state of Washington, discussing common challenges and potential systemic improvements to enhance the substitute teaching experience.

Of the many tricky situations that subs face, the most common and looming challenge remains the dreaded “no sub plans.”

When confronted with a day of teaching and no plan to follow, my fellow substitutes and I employ some of the following strategic moves, in order to navigate this challenge with ease.

Today, I had the pleasure of facilitating sessions at the Washington Education Association Seattle Sub Academy. My colleague, Michelle Penrod, and I hosted professional development sessions specifically designed for substitute educators.

During these sessions, we encouraged substitutes to examine their current “Substitute Teacher Toolkit” and reflect on the strategies that have proven effective for them. We then identified the best practices from our own toolkits and categorized them into four separate domains, inspired by Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching.

Additionally, we provided our subs with the opportunity to delve into the latest research on effective classroom management and culturally responsive teaching. It is always a privilege to deliver meaningful professional development to substitutes and paraprofessionals!

Our Chinook SubCommunity gathering met last night in Lacey, WA and was focused on the many STRENGTHS of substitute teachers.

There is often a “single-story” told about substitutes. And sadly, it is usually a story filled with deficits and shortcomings. However, at our professional learning community for substitute educators last night, we gave subs a rare chance to reflect on their core values and share their favorite strength-based classroom instructional strategies.

It was amazing and energizing. As always, we are incredibly grateful to the Washington Education Association and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for supporting and funding this meaningful professional development for substitute educators.

I had such a great time chatting with Jon Moscow and Amy Halpern-Laff of the Ethical Schools Podcast about the exciting work we are doing to support substitute teachers, and other marginalized groups of educators, here in Washington State!

Elevating undervalued professionals: Support for substitute teachers - Ethical Schools We speak with Megan C. Conklin, who designs and implements professional development for substitutes in Washington state. Substitutes often don’t receive the support and compensation they deserve. Ms. Conklin's union-backed program teaches subs classroom survival skills and advocates for equity amo...

Sunday SubTips: Teacher Appreciation Week Edition (and a day late).

Happy teacher appreciation week! I subbed (choir!) at both an elementary and middle school today and I definitely felt the Teacher Appreciation Week love.

Despite feeling very welcomed and appreciated in both buildings today, I always feel a little funny participating in the Teacher Appreciation Week activities and gifts. As a sub, I definitely need to be asked, explicitly, to join in.

Therefore, my sub tips this week are suggestions for how schools and districts can be intentional about including substitute educators in their Teacher Appreciation Week activities. Feel free to add any additional ideas, tips or suggestions in the comments!

I was honored and thrilled to reunite *in person* with my Conklin Ed work partner (and dear friend!) Dinali Dhammapala this weekend in Pullman, WA to celebrate her son Kavi’s graduation from Washington State University.

Dinali currently resides in Eastvale, CA and is supporting students, substitutes and pre-service teachers in Southern California. We are so grateful for this chance to expand the meaningful work we have accomplished in Washington State to California.

We also realized that the two of us really enjoy wearing yellow and red clothing, respectively.

Congratulations Kavi! We are so proud of who you are and all of your amazing accomplishments. 🎓

My colleague Michelle Penrod and I are using this engaging mindfulness activity, A Sense of Belonging, on Saturday with substitute teachers at the Washington Education Association Spokane Sub Academy. So, I have been practicing while subbing this week - I used it with a 6th grade class and a first grade class (adapted) - and they both LOVED it. 😍

We are hosting a session at the Spokane Sub Academy entitled “Triggers and Glimmers: How Substitute Teachers Can Self-Regulate and De-Escalate.”

Triggers are events that cause someone to feel upset and frightened because they prompt a memory of something bad that has happened in the past. Glimmers are small moments that spark joy or peace, which can help cue our nervous system to feel safe or calm. Understanding your triggers and glimmers, as a teacher, can help you to self-regulate while working in a sometimes chaotic classroom environment. It can also help educators uncover our own implicit biases. Our session will use the SubCommunity model of gathering to explore what happens to our nervous systems when we get triggered and how we can use glimmers as well as other regulation strategies for ourselves and with students. Our substitute participants will walk away with their own classroom ‘I Calm’ plan!

If you are (or know) a substitute educator in the Spokane area, there is still time to register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SubAcademy2024

We are in a season where I hear the terms “teacher retention” and “teacher recruitment” used frequently.

As a substitute educator, and a person who supports subs and paraprofessionals, I have a lot to say about teacher recruitment and teacher retention.

Most school districts I work with have an UNTAPPED, skilled, educated, excited, diverse, funny, and smart potential teacher pool in their substitutes and paraprofessionals - they simply have to recognize it.

Similarly, there are subtle shifts and low cost changes districts can make to how they support their substitutes and ESTs that will simultaneously support their classroom teachers. Classroom teachers who are able to take breaks when they need it, do not burn out and *remain* classroom teachers.

Here are my four top tips for considering your support staff, when thinking about teacher recruitment and retention.

My colleague Michelle Penrod and I held our very first Spokane, Washington SubCommunity gathering (55 subs registered!) last night - and it was absolutely delightful. As a Spokane native, I especially enjoyed gathering in my hometown with my fellow substitutes and paraprofessionals, to learn, grow, and connect.

During our gathering, we delved into the topic of navigating challenging behaviors in the classroom, a subject that resonates deeply with substitute teachers. We explored various strategies, such as using proximity, avoiding power struggles, and offering choices, in order to create a more positive learning environment. The notion that behavior is communication was a key focus, reminding us all of the importance of understanding our students' needs.

We, as sub facilitators, modeled movement and mindfulness brain breaks, attention signals, and cooperative learning strategies. It was a wonderful opportunity to treat substitute educators as the valued professionals they are. We are so grateful for the organizational support of the Washington Education Association through grant from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

I will leave you with some of the “One Word Takeaways” (also a completely replicable strategy that subs can use in the classroom!) our Spokane educators shared at the end of our SubCommunity:

⚪️Empowered
⚪️Appreciated
⚪️Valued
⚪️Seen
⚪️United
⚪️Informed
⚪️Connected
⚪️Choice
⚪️Understood
⚪️Grateful

Sunday SubTips: Names are so important!

I am convinced that one of the reasons substitute teachers struggle to connect with students is because they often begin the day by cold calling unfamiliar names. I tried cold calling unfamiliar names as a strategy for taking attendance exactly ONE time as a substitute teacher. It was a disaster - and I immediately realized that I needed new, more effective strategies.

Taking accurate attendance is critical for student safety AND it can be positive and non-embararassing for everyone involved. Maybe...even fun?

Traditional “roll call,” with a sub in the front, calling out unfamiliar names off a sheet, is often tricky. Here are a few alternative ways I have taken attendance as a substitute.

How do you take roll as a substitute teacher?

Substitute teachers drop into unknown work situations almost daily. This means we need to navigate new adult work relationships and power differentials constantly. Registration is open for our Rainier SubCommunity in Tukwila, Washington on May 8th and we will be discussing how we, as subs, can collaborate with school staff effectively.

Join us for an exciting and informative SubCommunity gathering where we will delve into the topic of Collaboration in Schools: How Substitute Teachers Can Partner Effectively with School Staff.

🗓️ Date: May 8, 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm (Dinner served!)
📍 Location: 635 Andover Park West, Suite 105, Tukwila, WA 98188

At this gathering, we'll explore how we can use the power of collaboration, as substitute educators. We will discuss how subs can work effectively with front office professionals, paraprofessionals, classroom teachers, resource teachers, interventionists and other school staff. Subs will have the opportunity to connect with each other, share experiences, and learn valuable insights from seasoned professionals.

All of our SubCommunity events are sponsored by the Washington Education Association through a grant from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and are completely FREE for all attendees.

To reserve your spot, register for the Rainier SubCommunity here: https://tinyurl.com/SubComMay8

See you there! 🎉

Sunday SubTips: How to deal with (or, better yet, avoid!) the substitute teacher shuffle.

Has it happened to you? It happened to me last week! You accept a substitute teaching job and when you arrive at the building, you are shifted into a new and more urgent position.

I completely understand why this happens and it usually doesn’t work very well. Substitute teachers accept jobs that they feel equipped to do. When we are shifted into a new role at the last minute, it can be very uncomfortable and, honestly, it’s not great for students.

Here are a few tips for how to deal with it as a sub. And a couple about how to potentially avoid it, or make it more manageable, as building staff.

Happy Sunday!

Sunday SubTips!

I was just talking with a friend about how, as substitute teachers, we need to recognize that sometimes *we are* the dysregulation in the room.

Having your teacher gone, depending on your age and developmental ability is a mini or major crisis.

Therefore, we subs need to be incredibly adept at self regulation. When we know how to manage our own emotions, we can share our calm with the students in class. Here are some strategies for dealing with your own emotional regulation when behaviors and feelings get big and complicated in the classroom.

We are thrilled to be hosting a Washington Education Association SubCommunity gathering in Spokane, WA (my home town!) on April 23rd from 5:30pm - 7:00pm at the WEA Eastern Washington Uniserv office at 230 E Montgomery Ave, Spokane, WA 99207.

Our focus topic will be, “Navigating Challenging Behaviors, as a Sub.”

What can you expect from a SubCommunity gathering?

• SubCommunities are facilitated by current practitioners (both subs and full time classroom educators). I look forward to facilitating the Spokane SubCommunity with my colleague Michelle Penrod.
• We connect first. Expect to eat a meal with your colleagues, and connect as human beings, before we dive into common substitute educator strengths and challenges.
• Experience high yield “sub strategies” modeled by facilitators that you can take back into the classroom and use tomorrow (think-pair-share anyone??).
• Learn from one another. One of our core intentions is to treat substitute educators as the valued professionals they are, and learn from our own collective wisdom.

Find the registration link here (https://lnkd.in/g3ipu438) and in my bio and be sure to share this FREE professional learning opportunity with all the Eastern Washington substitute educators you know.

While everyone at Conklin Ed is an active practitioner and in classrooms, teaching students weekly, we also design and deliver professional development for a variety adult learners.

Here are what we consider to be the seven essential conditions for effective adult (and adolescent) learning. What did we miss??

Because it’s over fast.

I was YEARS into my teaching career before I learned this lesson.

Students have big feelings and behaviors before extended school breaks for so many reasons!

Expect it. And remember that it's most likely NOT about you.

Our Lower Columbia SubCommunity met at Lexi‘s Pizza Pub in Longview, Washington last night to discuss what to do when faced with no sub plans and other subbing emergencies.

It was rowdy, fun and we discussed a myriad of high leverage instructional and social emotional strategies. Check out some of our thought boards.

Our Federal Way SubCommunity meets tonight!

It was wonderful to discuss substitute teaching and sub support with John Schembari, Ed.D.

I am so grateful whenever I get a chance to share the innovative and amazing systems of support that the Washington Education Association, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and Substantial Classrooms are all cultivating for guest and relief teachers- take a listen!

How to Support Substitute Teachers (Megan Conklin) In this episode, Megan Conklin - founder of Conklin Educational Perspectives and Trainer at the Washington Education Association - discusses her work in designing a…

Our Federal Way and Lower Columbia SubCommunity gatherings this week are focused on what substitutes can do when faced with missing or inadequate sub plans. If you live near Longview or Federal Way, Washington, there is still space to register (for free!) at the link in my bio.

Here are some of my favorite strategies to use when I am faced with no sub plans: