OEA Grow

As we get ready for the launch of season two next week on Safe, Welcoming, and Inclusive Schools, season one concludes with a wellness discussion focused on students. Sara Roadman, first grade teacher in Eugene, has been practicing mindfulness with students since 2019. She uses many different mindfulness strategies including eyebreaks, noticing what’s around you, yoga, one-minute guided meditation...

Episode 9 Is a connection to nature important? What’s the value of that connection? OEA member guest Jacob Patterson (Benson High School) talks with Jesse about his connection to nature and its ability to be restorative. Spending time in nature can help us disconnect from our phones, email, and worrying about the past or the future by helping us connect to the now. For example, noticing the wind,...

Work-life balance, is it possible? Does it exist for educators? Eighth grade language arts teacher Ryan Roach talks with OEA Grow host Jesse about what work-life balance means to him. For Ryan, it’s not only the traditional sense of work-life balance, but more about making a decision about what to attend to in each moment. For example, staying in the present moment whether you’re in the classroom,...

Episode 7 In this episode about mental health and suicide awareness*, middle school teacher Katherine Baggett shares her personal and professional story as a trauma informed educator. Katherine teaches students in a social emotional behavioral classroom. Most of her students have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and have also experienced significant trauma including houselessness. She...

School counselor Sakura Hamada shares her story of immigration to the United States as a fourth-grade student and explains how she applies her resilience to her life as an educator in our sixth episode. Sakura moved from Japan to the U.S. as a nine year-old. She only knew a few words in English. Through both her childhood and adult experiences, she believes the key to resilience is staying true to...

Episode 5 This week on Oregon Grow, Mental Health Therapist Talia Akre (Multnomah Education Service District) talks about the compassion fatigue many educators experience. Talia explains the difference between compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. Compassion fatigue is particularly labeled for the helping fields, which includes educators. Many educators of all kinds are dealing with s...

OEA Choice Trust’s Colleen Sump (Engagement and Outreach Officer) and Jon Archer (David Douglas Educator) talk with Jesse about grant opportunities and programs to increase education employee well-being. Through its grant programs, conferences, and free online resources, OEA Choice Trust strives to improve the health, well-being, and resilience of district, ESD, and community college staff across...

Elementary school teacher Gillian Murr explains racial affinity groups in this third episode as we continue to discuss educator wellness. Murr talks about her experiences both leading and participating in affinity groups, including OEA’s grant-funded Equity Sparks program. Affinity groups can be a healing space to process the unique experiences of educators who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Pe...

In our second episode, Jesse Bray talks with Dr. B. Grace Bullock, Senior Mental Health Officer at the Oregon Department of Education and mindfulness author. Dr. Bullock shares her thoughts about the difference between mindlessness and mindfulness and the research-proven benefits of mindfulness, including its ability to reduce the harmful impacts of stress. Dr. Bullock also talks about mindfulness...

In our first episode, season one host Jesse Bray talks with Colin Stapp, Learning Technology Facilitator and Tech Hub Faculty at Chemeketa Community College. This is an episode about rejuvenating with nature. An avid hiker, Colin has been an educator for thirty years with a focus on all things tech while also having a long history of using nature to unplug from technology. Jesse and Colin discuss...

Welcome to the OEA Grow Podcast, a production of the Oregon Education Association.  In the next ten weeks we will focus on a range of Wellness and Resilience strategies that you can try at home to reduce your stress and improve the work you do every day. We’ll cover topics such as Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, an introduction to Mindfulness, Work/Life Balance, and Connecting with Nature. Episode...