The "Mental Health" Work of Teachers

In this episode we connect with Rachel Parker, an Assistant Principal from Colorado. She dives into the vulnerabilities that exist for students and teachers by working within a system that has siloed the SEL and academic world. Rachel reminds us that the inequity that exists in education is trauma, and so many families have been without a voice for years. She shares so many stories with us from her experiences and encourages all of us to use our authentic self in our area of practice.

Rachel Parker is currently an Assistant Principal in Littleton, Colorado, where she is carrying the lessons she learned from her 14 years spent at Prairie View High School, a diverse comprehensive high school outside of Denver, CO. Rachel taught for nine years at Prairie View High School before moving into an Assistant Principal role for two years. In 2011, Rachel received the Hispanic Advisory Award from School District 27J for her work with the community. Through all of her roles, students’ social-emotional needs have always been the focus of her work.

Intro Song: Poet's Row, Young Bones