Pocket PD with Jess Mason
Our first Pocket PD episode! Jess is a wellness coach for teachers. She is a qualified coach and combines her teaching experience to bring out the best in teachers. She works with teachers 1:1 to support them by tapping into their beliefs and attitudes.
Does your non-teaching friend/partner/sibling not get it?In this episode, we touch on the difficulties associated with accessing support for teachers. Unless you’re in education, it can be challenging to understand and empathise with friends, family or partners who are teachers. This can make it tricky for that person who is trying to get that support and can be frustrating when your point of view is not truly understood.
This is where spaces like Pocket PD and Jess’ coaching can provide support. We’re teachers, so we get what it's like and we provide a non-judgemental space for you to listen, learn and also be heard. There’s no need to prove anything-we are ready to listen!
Teaching rurally and remotely.
We also touch on the barriers that can be broken down by delivering professional learning in a social media environment. Those that live in rural and remote locations are often going to extremes to access professional learning, travelling large distances or incurring significant financial costs. Rarely is there an opportunity to access experts and speakers close by. Jess highlights how services like Pocket PD break this down, providing bite-sized learning moments.
Support doesn’t come from fixing the problem.
Instead, Jess encourages us to just listen to the person talking. Be fully present in the conversation, giving the person space to share their story and experiences. Use open body language and actively listen by asking questions. By responding with empathy, rather than sympathy, we can help our person feel seen and heard.
Looking for more from this conversation? Download Jess’ One Pager here or listen to the full Instagram Live episode on @the.teacher.collection instagram page here.
So what's Pocket PD?
Pocket PD brings 10 minutes of knowledge sharing and insights into wellbeing from those within the field of education. Whether it’s from a professor or a pre-service teacher, we all have experiences and knowledge to share. We also believe access to professional learning shouldn’t be restricted by where you live - rural and remote teachers we see you!