Latest / Authentic Living / The Impact of Return to School with Charle Peck
Transcript
- 0:01Welcome to authentic living with Roxanne, a place where we have as conversations about
- 0:08things that really matter in our lives.
- 0:11And now here's your host, Roxanne Derhodge.
- 0:36Hi, everyone.
- 0:37It's Roxanne Derhodge.
- 0:38I'm authentically speaking with Roxanne.
- 0:40Thanks for tuning in again, this week.
- 0:43Today, I have a guest that's, you know, has been on once before and her expertise is quite
- 0:48timely.
- 0:49So I thought, I would have guide her back in.
- 0:52It's Charlie Peck.
- 0:53Hi, Charlie.
- 0:54How are you today?
- 0:56Thanks for having me, Roxanne.
- 0:57It's good to be here.
- 0:59Awesome.
- 1:00So Charlie, has a unique expertise and, she's a certified trauma educator.
- 1:06And what I thought was was important and kind of what I'm hearing out and about there in the
- 1:11community and just, in every publication, every news, show that I'm hearing it.
- 1:18We're talking about a return to school and the impact that it's having on, obviously, parents,
- 1:25the community and the and the that we're all having about the second wave.
- 1:29So, Charlie, we're gonna just chat about what your thoughts are on things in reference to a
- 1:36school and back to school.
- 1:38So what are your thoughts about the return to school?
- 1:43I think that there could be a no perfect plan.
- 1:46I don't think that anything that was presented could have suited the needs of everybody, of
- 1:51course.
- 1:52So that's really challenging.
- 1:54But I do come into this idea with the lens of a parent.
- 1:58I mean, I have 3 boys.
- 1:59I have 79 and 17.
- 2:02So I understand the uniqueness of the different age groups there.
- 2:06And I'm a high school teacher as well, animal health professionals.
- 2:08So I'm understanding the the difficulties people are having with this.
- 2:12I mean, truly, it's just uncertain, and we're uncomfortable with uncertainty.
- 2:16We like, you know, we're human beings.
- 2:18We like to have routine and structure, and we perform well.
- 2:21And best when we have that.
- 2:23So we don't have that now.
- 2:25So the plan so far for pea maybe people that don't know.
- 2:28Tell us what the plans are for We're talking, basically, Ontario at this point, which is
- 2:33where we live.
- 2:34What's the plan so far?
- 2:36And then let's talk a little bit about, your perspective, as a parent.
- 2:42Let's start there.
- 2:43Cause I think that's what I'm hearing is there's, over dinner tables and just,
- 2:47conversations you're hearing in the line that says you're in the grocery stores.
- 2:50People are petrified or having a different point of view, and and the government doesn't
- 2:54care.
- 2:55And, you know, the what what are we we're bringing on the second wave and things like
- 2:59that.
- 2:59So let's start.
- 3:00Tell us what you know about in your in the board that you're in or just in Ontario with
- 3:04the plans.
- 3:06Right.
- 3:06And I'm cautious because I'm not representing my board right now, so I do, I just wanna say
- 3:11that.
- 3:12And I think I know that all of the different school boards throughout on Ontario had
- 3:15different plans.
- 3:17So, again, nobody's gonna be happy, with every piece of the plan because everybody's lives are
- 3:24so unique.
- 3:25As a parent, I have 2 elementary kids, and we can opt to send them back 5 days a week, or we
- 3:31can opt to have them at home.
- 3:33And I decided to send my kids back because I think it's very important to their mental
- 3:39health and their socialization.
- 3:41I'm a seven and a nine year old.
- 3:42I mean, they need their friends.
- 3:43They need to learn outside of our home how to show up in the world as citizens.
- 3:48And so I think it's important to have that exposure.
- 3:50Of course, there are safety concerns in our particular area.
- 3:53Our numbers aren't jarring to me.
- 3:55I don't feel a a terrible threat there.
- 3:58Even though I am following the news, I'm from the states.
- 4:01All my family, extended family is there.
- 4:03So I know that it's a real possibility that our can go up.
- 4:07So you mentioned a second wave, but what I'm hearing is coronavirus COVID 19 does not have a
- 4:13second wave.
- 4:14It is ongoing.
- 4:15The flu has a a second wave perhaps because it it goes away and comes back.
- 4:19It's seasonal.
- 4:21Or I should say in 1918 when we had the Spanish flu, that had a second wave.
- 4:26But coronavirus, apparently, and I'm not a medical expert that.
- 4:29That's not my expertise.
- 4:31But what I'm understanding is that's consistent.
- 4:33So at this point, it just feels like we need to live with it and consider the risk versus
- 4:39reward.
- 4:40So that's how I'm showing up to it as a parent.
- 4:42And my cooler.
- 4:44I mean, he wants to go back to school because he wants to speak with his friends.
- 4:47And so we're doing a hybrid approach on the high school level.
- 4:52It it's a little bit challenging.
- 4:54Right?
- 4:54So a lot of people are like, well, do I send my kid back and risk the safety?
- 4:59Because there is a I don't want my kids to get this virus.
- 5:01I don't want that.
- 5:02I don't wanna get it.
- 5:04So it's the risk versus reward.
- 5:06And I don't like, you know, it's so tough.
- 5:09There's no perfect answer.
- 5:11I understand it.
- 5:13And I think a a lot of people are saying that the government does not care.
- 5:16Right?
- 5:16That's that's kinda because and that's the fear.
- 5:18So let's talk a little bit about that And to your point, obviously, my sons in university
- 5:23and they're mostly online and those types of things.
- 5:25So I'm out of, you know, there's a part of me that's thinking, wow, you know, to graph what
- 5:30that decision's a hard decision to make, and you wanna make, like, to your point, you're
- 5:34looking at, obviously, academics, which we've been, you know, people at home have been doing
- 5:39their best so far.
- 5:42But the other part of this is the the mental well-being of the child.
- 5:45And and to your point, so, you know, your children are 7 and 9 and you're the teenager.
- 5:49There's there's such needs that as a parent, you can address and assist them with, but the
- 5:54element of connection and learning and, and the things that they need to learn from their
- 5:58peers, that's something us and parents can't teach them.
- 6:01They need to be able to experience it out there with their kind of their bonds.
- 6:05Right.
- 6:05And part of this, I mean, I get negative too.
- 6:09Don't get me wrong.
- 6:09I mean, I go back and forth and and I have negative thought this too, but as a mental
- 6:14health professional, what I always go back to is, look, this is a great time for us,
- 6:18teachers, and us adults to show up, as leaders for our kids and show them resiliency.
- 6:24This is a great opportunity for resiliency for our kids.
- 6:27Now there are safety concerns.
- 6:29I mean, health is number 1.
- 6:32The part of health is mental health.
- 6:34Someday, we will not separate the 2.
- 6:37And so mental health I'm even with isolation.
- 6:40As we've seen it in our own children, the other piece to that is the conflict within the home.
- 6:45Being among each other and each other's space and you know, there's a lot of difficulties.
- 6:50I get to sit in this room and talk to you, but not everybody be of the luxury of having their
- 6:55own space that way or getting away from their young children.
- 6:58I can tell you that as a teacher having to jump on to a hybrid approach very quickly and that
- 7:03was difficult.
- 7:05Helpful.
- 7:06And not everybody gets to have that support.
- 7:07So the the isolation piece is tough and the unique experiences is what we're gotta
- 7:12consider.
- 7:12Now you said something about how people are saying the government doesn't care.
- 7:16I disagree with that.
- 7:17I think everybody who is in a position of power has a really difficult job right now and
- 7:24whether whatever your politics are.
- 7:27I do think they are genuinely trying to do the best they can with the information they have.
- 7:32Much like parents are doing, you know, we're we're just trying to do the best we can with
- 7:35what we have in front of us.
- 7:37So, you know, I That's not a political stance for me.
- 7:41I really just think that they're trying to do the best they can, and we have so many
- 7:45uncertainties.
- 7:46So Yeah.
- 7:47It's hard.
- 7:47So let's let's talk a little bit about, you know, the the importance of us looking at the
- 7:53overhaul struck of things.
- 7:55Right?
- 7:55Obviously, physically, we all have to keep physically, safe and and do take all those
- 8:01steps.
- 8:01Absolutely.
- 8:02But the the perspective that you and I come from, with our backgrounds is that mental
- 8:07health is equally as important as physical health.
- 8:10So let's talk a little bit about that.
- 8:11And I've talked a lot about that through my, you know, my, podcast with different guests is
- 8:16that we we focus so much on, you know, physical health, which in this case we need to with
- 8:23COVID, without a doubt, but the mental health and, perspective is equally as important
- 8:28because seeing, in our, I know with my coaching and my practicing and people returning to work,
- 8:34there's so many people that are suffering with anxiety, about going back to work and dealing
- 8:41with the public.
- 8:41So we we're seeing our numbers, go through the roof.
- 8:45So let's talk a little bit about how we need to look at health overall.
- 8:49And I think the part that we're remissing is we're not including the mental off as much.
- 8:55I know I know we know we need to, but I I don't know that it's been been done very well.
- 9:00Yeah.
- 9:00I know that there there aren't boards that have a did have initiatives, for example, a trauma
- 9:06informed training approach, which every single structure of society now with the information
- 9:13we have, the evidence based data we have on the a lens is vital.
- 9:19It's vital to a successful future, especially when you work with kids, but we know, I mean,
- 9:23as mental health professionals, we do we do know that that shows up everywhere.
- 9:26Even with teenagers.
- 9:27So if if trauma wasn't dealt within the past, then it's showing up in different ways.
- 9:31And so everybody needs to have that lens.
- 9:34I think we keep talking about the kids and I'm in the business of kids here.
- 9:38I love kids.
- 9:39I want the best for kids.
- 9:41But mental health has to start with teachers and staff.
- 9:46Administrators.
- 9:47Anybody that's going back who's putting themselves in jeopardy.
- 9:51I mean, we heard about this for health care workers, and then that kind pushed aside
- 9:55because they they had to show up and they had to rechallenging, but I think the communication
- 10:01piece is huge and the validation of There's a lot of teachers going back, by the way, who
- 10:06have kids, who have to scramble, and you have to think of, oh my goodness, I have to go back
- 10:11to a classroom where there's gonna be 30 kids, there's no way to distance myself, and they
- 10:16don't have to wear masks because there's no way you're gonna you're gonna be able to mitigate
- 10:20that with little kids, of course.
- 10:22So I think that there's some information in the news right now.
- 10:26Oh, I think there's a lot of people that are, you know, throwing their hands up.
- 10:29Like, what am I supposed to do with that?
- 10:31So I think we need to address the mental health concerns of teachers and and parents, by the
- 10:36way, too.
- 10:38It's affecting everybody in a lot of different ways.
- 10:40And I'd say to your point, right, if we don't, educates the people in power, your
- 10:47administrators, all the way to your teachers, your, your EAs, everybody in in the system,
- 10:53what we're doing is we're doing a disturbed service to the children because kids are gonna
- 10:57be kids.
- 10:58They need guidance.
- 10:59They need to be taught in a certain way.
- 11:01And if you're able to come from frame where you're understanding, how this may be affecting
- 11:07the children, because if parents aren't, for instance, coping well, at home about, returning
- 11:13to school?
- 11:14What are the how are they impacting their children is my big question?
- 11:18Cause if they're not settled and aware about their reaction in reference to what they're
- 11:23perceiving this return to school as, they're gonna put those on to their children.
- 11:28And then that in turn, how does that impact mental health.
- 11:31That's, I think, a very, very important thing.
- 11:34Right.
- 11:34So what, so what, let's jump into what can people do?
- 11:40Cause I think that's important, from a parenting perspective, and also if you're, in
- 11:45the school system or, affiliated with the school system, what are some things that people
- 11:50can some things that they can do to kind of prep themselves to get ready to return to
- 11:56school?
- 11:56What are some things that you would suggest, Charlie?
- 11:59Well, the good news is is we had to go through this already in the spring.
- 12:03I mean, people had to be thrown into a situation.
- 12:06They were not ready for anyway.
- 12:08So we have a little bit of understanding that if you're gonna stay at home, if you're gonna
- 12:12make that choice, and that's up to you.
- 12:14At least there's they're giving us a up opportunity there.
- 12:18So there's no ramifications for deciding I'm keeping my kids home, then understand the
- 12:23environment.
- 12:23Think about what didn't go well for your family and what did.
- 12:27And then a course, set up an environment that you can have your own space to work within if
- 12:32you're gonna work from home if that works.
- 12:34The other thing I would say is the communication piece with whoever your employer
- 12:38is is huge.
- 12:39I mean, there's adjustments that everybody has to make.
- 12:42And if your employer can make that, it's really important that you can succuate your family
- 12:49well so that everybody's feeling okay about what's going on.
- 12:52I mean, the worst thing you can do is send your kid to school every day and worry about that.
- 12:55And not feel okay.
- 12:56And I think schools are trying to do a really great job with the physical, aspects of it, and
- 13:01their hands are tied too, by the way.
- 13:03I mean, they're getting information from, you know, higher ups and what they have to do.
- 13:06So I think everyone's intention is good.
- 13:08I think we have to believe in that, and we have to stay So the check ins with your employees,
- 13:13the check ins with parents, check ins with, like, kids and students and grace, I think we
- 13:19have to just give people grace and understand that your situation's not theirs.
- 13:24So, you know, everybody's gonna have a different situation and think about what you
- 13:29need and communicate that need and and do regular check ins and self care.
- 13:34And, you know, another thing I I think of, and that makes so much sense is to not judge if one
- 13:39parent is is making a decision that's different from yours, try to understand and not, not, you
- 13:46know, go to space where you're judging because, you know, each person, you don't know how what
- 13:51people are dealing with.
- 13:52You don't know what's in their family.
- 13:54You don't know what's happening with their to your point, how they're having to work from
- 13:57home.
- 13:58You don't know, you know, who's immune compromised in their system.
- 14:02It may be something that you're aware of.
- 14:04So I think it's, like, to your point, Grace is a a really good word because, you know, I may
- 14:09have a child, you know, that's not returning to school, And that's my child's friend.
- 14:15And I'm, you know, I'm, I'm, we're getting together, and maybe the parents are going to,
- 14:19you know, do social distance, get togethers, and stuff like that.
- 14:22So I would say just try respect other people's choices and know that they're making the best
- 14:26decisions for their families as well.
- 14:30Absolutely.
- 14:31I'd love that because the judgment piece is important.
- 14:34The survival of our future, really.
- 14:37But I also wanna say too, when you're looking at your friends or your kids or or students, if
- 14:44you're an educator, you have to notice any shifts and patterns.
- 14:47And that's why we use a trauma lens.
- 14:48So paying attention and getting curious about what's going on or what's happening with that
- 14:53child and and not being too judgmental about the child.
- 14:56I mean, it's important there too.
- 14:58We we kids this is new for kids too, and we have to be careful about the language we're
- 15:02using and the judgment or the way we're we're framing things for them because we're teaching
- 15:08them.
- 15:08I mean, this is a a major a major issue, a major social issue, a pandemic for crying out
- 15:13loud, The way we're handling it is not gonna be perfect, but we do have to cautious about how
- 15:18we we're showing up for them and how we're framing it for them.
- 15:21It's a great opportunity again for resilience, but for lessons to help them learn how to get
- 15:26through tough challenges in life.
- 15:28So looking for going back to their behavior patterns, noticing any shifts in in their
- 15:35behaviors, their their moods, if they were attending before and they're not attending or
- 15:40if they're motivated or not, I mean, you know your kid and teachers are gonna have a little
- 15:44bit more challenge to get to know their students.
- 15:47Especially with this hybrid approach in the high school level because they're only back 50%
- 15:50of the time in some of the boards.
- 15:52We're gonna have to just be more aware, but also adjust our expectations.
- 15:57I mean, that doesn't mean we just let people avoid because we know, again, that's not good
- 16:02therapeutically.
- 16:03That's not the best way to help people learn and grow and move forward.
- 16:06But noticing and just validating people's situations without that judgment is so
- 16:12important.
- 16:13Really, really good information.
- 16:14Let's let's talk a little bit, and let's talk about, principles and vice principles on what
- 16:20they can do.
- 16:20Right?
- 16:21So we're talking about what the teachers need to do and, well, how they because, of course,
- 16:25the teachers have to are the ones that are at their front line and, and kind of, therefore,
- 16:29the kids all the time.
- 16:30And they're interfacing with mostly with the parents.
- 16:33But what is it that principles at that level can do to assist or prep their teachers to come
- 16:40back?
- 16:41What kind of things, you know, would be helpful?
- 16:45Communication is key.
- 16:46I mean, you if anyone knows a teacher, they need to plan.
- 16:51They need to look ahead.
- 16:52There are a lot of reasons for that.
- 16:55And if we have information, then we're able to move on.
- 16:59Now sometimes you don't have information to share, but just saying that sometimes makes you
- 17:03feel valued and saying, look, I understand that you might be concerned about this, and I'm
- 17:08working on it for you.
- 17:09That's really big.
- 17:10The check ins are big too about, hey, how you doing with this?
- 17:13And not throwing a bunch of stuff on because teachers take on so much throughout the school
- 17:17year.
- 17:18I don't know how much like the general public appreciates that.
- 17:23And I think this is a time where they just need to let them just learn how to be online
- 17:28teachers because not only are we going into a a whole another system of of like the scheduling,
- 17:34we are now becoming hybrid teachers and nobody's trained us for that.
- 17:38That is not within our our expectation of our our job.
- 17:41Now having said that, we are teachers and that means we need to be flexible and leaders in our
- 17:47classrooms for our kids.
- 17:48So it's a great time for administrators to look at their staff and use their strengths and seek
- 17:54those teachers out who can benefit the rest of the school and say, look, you would be great at
- 17:59doing this.
- 18:00Would you mind, or what are your thoughts?
- 18:02Asking teachers what their thoughts are are as huge for an administrator to do.
- 18:07It shows that you value what they bring to the school.
- 18:09And by the way, many times the staff has been there way longer than administrators.
- 18:14So if they could at least bring them in to the thought process, the not even maybe the
- 18:19decision making, but valuing their judgment on what would be best for their school
- 18:24environment.
- 18:25It's crucial.
- 18:26It's really crucial to show that you trust them and you value them.
- 18:31So One last thing I I I think is important.
- 18:34Again, go back to the parents and mental health and prepping people.
- 18:39So we have about, what, two and a half weeks or so.
- 18:41Before we go back, it's approximate.
- 18:44What are what can people start to do now for the kids that are going back?
- 18:49What what can small of the things that they can start to do for the little ones and kind, you
- 18:54know, and, you know, the the teenagers, what kind of because oftentimes, we can forget our
- 18:59teenagers, right, because we think they're gonna be all good, but they they need need us
- 19:02equally as much.
- 19:04And, you know, and what is it that we can do for the kids are just staying home.
- 19:10That may not be in agreement with what their parents are choosing.
- 19:14So that know that's a Yeah.
- 19:17Sorry.
- 19:17Yeah.
- 19:18It depends on your kid.
- 19:19I mean, yeah, we're sending, some thirteen year olds and fourteen 15, 6.
- 19:24All these kids are going to be home alone 50% of the time.
- 19:28And if you think they're gonna wake up or 8 at 8 or 9 o'clock in the morning and be motivated
- 19:33to school on their own, you don't know teenagers very well.
- 19:37And of course, we all have teenagers who will do those things and who are very independent
- 19:42but we know that developmentally, they don't have it the capacity to necessarily do that
- 19:49generally.
- 19:49Some do summer shining stars and can do that.
- 19:52And even if they they don't do that, that doesn't mean they're kids.
- 19:55It just means they're not adults yet.
- 19:58And so I do worry about the 50 percent of the time there for that reason.
- 20:02And by the way, that's also an opportunity for some kids who are already further isolated.
- 20:08Or to seek out, you know, taking behavior because they are so alone a lot of the time.
- 20:14So that to me that makes me a little nervous So what parents can do is you you're just gonna
- 20:19have to shift your, the way that you're in your household.
- 20:22I mean, again, if you can work that out to be home, even just having a presence, kind of like
- 20:27always at school.
- 20:28We see less bullying in the classrooms.
- 20:29I mean, having a present having a presence or calming, but they're worried too.
- 20:3599% of the time, these kids really wanna strive to do a great job.
- 20:38They wanna be the best they can.
- 20:40They show for you.
- 20:41I think we Do it's the service for teenagers.
- 20:44They that there's so many negative things about them because that's on so much to consider.
- 20:48So just the expectation and being able to roll with some of the punches is gonna be so crucial
- 20:54to us feeling okay about this going back.
- 20:57Awesome.
- 20:58So with yourself, do you have any fears about going back?
- 21:02What what what what are you thinking as a teacher?
- 21:05I mean, obviously, and you have a full house load, you know, of things to consider as you
- 21:12prep, what what kind of things are on your mind about going back?
- 21:15My fear.
- 21:16So I feel okay about that because I trust that the schools are gonna do everything they
- 21:20possibly can, but tremendous It's fear about that.
- 21:24My fear is that we're gonna go at some point because I love those kids.
- 21:28I wanna be there.
- 21:29I want to interact with them.
- 21:31I know they need us teachers as much as we need them.
- 21:34And my biggest fear is going back completely online and not being able to engage with them.
- 21:40And don't forget some kids are going back to very undesirable households and very high
- 21:46conflict households.
- 21:48So School believe it or not as an escape for a lot of these kids.
- 21:51And when we develop those relationships, we give them a chance.
- 21:55Even one adult can be one caring adult can make a huge difference in a kid's life who has tons
- 22:02of adversity.
- 22:03So that is my biggest fear to be very honest.
- 22:07Well, Charlie, you know, this has, been so helpful.
- 22:10I'm sure a lot of parents listening and also other teachers or principals will gain
- 22:16something from it.
- 22:17If people are wanting to reach out and, you know, connect with you prior to this, what what
- 22:23where can they reach you?
- 22:25So right now I have a podcast.
- 22:27So if you'd like to listen to I have some of these episodes that would like to hear more
- 22:31about it.
- 22:32It's advancing humanity.
- 22:33Find it anywhere you listen to podcasts.
- 22:36If people want to reach out to me directly and see more about what I'm trying to do to educate
- 22:41schools, I have a website called humanity speaker.com, and there's a contact page, you
- 22:46can just reach out to there.
- 22:47Okay.
- 22:48Thank you.
- 22:48Well, you stay safe and, best of luck to you and the kids and the entire family, and I'm
- 22:53sure we'll connect soon.
- 22:55So for everyone listening, if, you're needing anything related to mental health and wellness
- 23:00around authentic leadership, please reach out to me at Rock sand garage dog.
- 23:05Thanks for tuning in to authentic living with Roxanne, creating the space for positive health
- 23:11change.
- 23:12Roxanne is a keynote speaker, psychotherapist, and coach to work with Roxanne.
- 23:18Visit Roxanne Durgesh dotcom/blueprint.
- 23:22We'll see you next time on authentic living with Roxanne.