OP-ED
The importance of ovarian cancer awareness
New York can’t abandon its teachers now
COURIER LIFE, JULY 10-16, 2020 15
BY ERIC HAND
My commute is different
than it used to be. Before the
pandemic, I would go to schools
all over the fi ve boroughs to
lead teacher professional development.
Some days I would
drive to Staten Island, other
days I would take the subway
to Bensonhurst in Brooklyn.
Wherever my teachers were,
that’s where I went.
But now, my commute
doesn’t change.
The pandemic has turned
every aspect of education — including
professional development
— on its head.
What hasn’t changed is the
importance of investing in our
teachers so they can develop
rich, challenging lesson plans
that engage and inspire students.
And as New York faces steep
cuts to education, we cannot afford
to put professional development
on the chopping block.
With remote learning extended
through the fall, we must double
down to give our teachers —
and in turn, our students — the
tools they need to succeed in remote
learning.
My job as a lead staff developer
with the Teachers College
Reading and Writing Project at
Columbia University has transformed
over the course of the
pandemic. Whereas before, my
role was primarily to help elementary
school teachers engage
young students in reading
and writing in the classroom,
my work has now taken on an
unexpected dimension: tech
support.
When I say tech support, I
don’t mean that teachers need
me to show them how to share
a GoogleDoc. I mean they need
help thinking through how to
provide literacy instruction in
a way that they never have before.
The instruction I plan draws
on the collective knowledge of
the Teachers College Reading
and Writing Project, the result
of almost 40 years of leading professional
development, conducting
research in classrooms, and
developing curriculum. Before
coronavirus, the group of staff
developers I work with would
meet weekly at Teacher College
to learn from one another. Now,
we reach across the internet to
become smarter about education
by combining our knowledge
with fi rst-hand teaching
experiences.
Our goal has always been
to help our teachers provide
outstanding literacy instruction.
But through all of this, our
work has evolved. In addition to
tech support, we are also a support
system.
And in this world where isolation
and social distancing are
part of our everyday vocabulary,
teachers need community
and connection more than ever
before.
Every time I meet with my
teachers I ask them, “What
have you learned?” I leave it
purposefully vague and openended.
Their responses are insightful:
“I’ve learned that I have to
step away from the computer.”
“I have to be more proactive
about connecting.”
My teachers know that I’m
there for them. I’ve worked hard
for almost seven years now to
build relationships where they
feel safe being honest and getting
messy.
This connection feels more
important than ever today.
When I log into a Zoom meeting
with my teachers I check
in on them fi rst; Are you okay?
Is your family okay? How have
you been taking care of yourself?
One day the other week, I
was discussing guided reading
with a teacher and she ended by
asking, “Am I doing enough?”
At that moment, I knew that it
wasn’t pedagogy she needed, it
wasn’t educational research,
but rather a simple answer,
“Yes. You ARE doing enough.”
Teachers need professional
development now more than
ever because they need support
navigating digital literacy.
Teachers need professional development
now more than ever
before because they must support
not only children but their
families. Teachers need professional
development now more
than ever because they need to
collaborate with a community
of educators that are in this
with them.
With education budgets in
New York and across the country
on the line, we must take a
step back and think about what
this will really mean for a generation
of students. As remote
learning stretches into the fall,
now is the time to double down
on resources for our teachers,
not take them away.
I couldn’t imagine abandoning
my teachers now. New York
shouldn’t either.
Eric Hand is a lead staff developer
with the Teachers College
Reading and Writing Project
at Columbia University.
BY TELL EVERY AMAZING LADY
When you think about
cancer, what comes to mind?
Breast cancer? Leukemia?
Lung cancer?
What about ovarian cancer?
Many people are unaware
of the risks posed by ovarian
cancer, or what this condition
even looks like. Because
this disease is so vague and
so little recognized, it’s important
to understand how
it presents, as well as the effects
that it can have on your
community, your family, and
your life.
Ovarian cancer signs
and symptoms often resemble
those of other conditions,
making it diffi cult to
recognize. Individuals with
ovarian cancer often experience
gastrointestinal issues,
shortness of breath, unexplained
postmenopausal
bleeding, unexplained weight
gain or loss, bloating, and pelvic
and/or abdominal pain.
There is currently no accurate
screening test for
ovarian cancer. The pap
smear does not test for ovarian
cancer.
Further, ovarian cancer
is the leading cause of death
from gynecologic cancers in
the United States and is the
fi fth leading cause of cancer
death among U.S. women.
It’s important to be able to
discuss the presentation and
impact of ovarian cancer because
it touches so many of
our lives. One in 75 women
will be diagnosed with this
condition in their lifetime —
that’s nearly 200,000 women
in the U.S. with a current
diagnosis! This means that
there’s a good chance that
someone you know, whether
an acquaintance or a loved
one, will be or has been diagnosed
with this disease.
We believe in empowering
women and their families
with the knowledge
that could save their lives.
We want to spread the message
that we as a community
are stronger than ovarian
cancer, and will support
each other through diffi cult
times.
If you experience any of
the symptoms mentioned
above for two weeks, contact
a medical professional for
their opinion. And next time
you see an amazing lady in
your life, tell her about ovarian
cancer. You might be saving
her life.
Tell Every Amazing Lady
About Ovarian Cancer is a
nonprofi t based in Park Slope
that educates about ovarian
cancer, supports patients and
survivors, and raises funds
for research.
For more information,
visit www.TellEveryAmazingLady.
org.
Runners pose in their superhero getup at the 2019 Teal Walk and Run at Prospect Park — an annual event that
helps raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer. Photo by Trey Pentecost
/www.TellEveryAmaz-ingLady.org
/www.TellEveryAmaz-ingLady.org
/www.TellEveryAmaz-ingLady.org