SAINT PAUL, Minn — Educators said they're dealing with the fallout of the pandemic and have more on their plate than ever.
Thursday's MEA conference at St. Paul's RiverCentre is addressing those issues and a number of others.
"I think burnout is more and more of a term you're hearing used," said Katie Larson, a Goodhue County Education District instructional coach attending the conference. "We're still living in our post-pandemic world. And so we're trying to make up some of those gaps."
Larson said that while the teachers she partners with have been dealing with compensation, pension and class-size issues for years. The pandemic has added to their list of worries.
"You don't have the ability to meet all the needs of your kids, which are ever-changing," said Larson. "Resources aren't always there. I think it's stressful."
She said it's a game of catch-up, which involves more than reading and math.
"Now more than ever, we're focused on social-emotional learning across Minnesota," said Steven Forsythe, a special education teacher for Northeast Metro 916. "Which is great, but it's a really heavy toll."
Monica Byron is Education Minnesota's vice president. She says the conference emphasizes courses around our licensure, but there is professional development around mental health and support.
"That's really impacted our educators across the state," said Byron. "That's reflected in our course selection."
Educators say they're thankful there's an emphasis on students' emotional well-being.
"A lot of confusion, a lot of sadness, misunderstandings, trying to find their place because I often most of the students that I work with are students of color," said Valarie McWilliams Jones, an achievement specialist at Wayzata High School. "When they're not feeling okay, they're not learning okay."
McWilliams Jones said her role wouldn't exist without
"I believe that what we put in upfront we get on the back end," said McWilliams Jones. "I think that's something that we have to remind ourselves."
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.