Episode 113: Advocating for Educator Wellness with Dr. Jewel White Williams

Dr. Jewel White Williams has a doctorate in health sciences and certifications as a health education specialist, certified nursing assistant, and EMT. With over 22 years of experience as an English teacher and school administrator, Dr. Jewel has a passion for both education and wellness. She blends her expertise in health sciences and education to empower communities, fostering impactful wellness and self-advocacy strategies.

In this episode, Dr. Jewel emphasizes the importance of self-care and wellness for educators, advocating for a three-pronged approach: foundational wellness, community engagement, and luxury care. In our discussion, she highlights the need for educators to prioritize their well-being and encourages them to explore new opportunities within the field.

Get your free wellness check here:  https://bit.ly/EOYWellnessChecklist

 
 
 
 
 

Read the transcript for this episode:

Welcome to Educator Forever, where we empower teachers to innovate education. Join us each week to hear stories of teachers expanding their impacts beyond the classroom and explore ways to reimagine teaching and learning.

Episode 113

Lily Jones

Dr Jewel White Williams has a doctorate in health sciences and certifications as a health education specialist, certified nursing assistant and EMT with over 22 years of experience as an English teacher and school administrator, Dr Jewel has a passion for both education and wellness. She blends her expertise in health sciences and education to empower communities fostering impactful wellness and self advocacy strategies. Welcome jewel. So nice to have you here.

Dr Jewel White Williams

You know, Lily, I'm elated. I'm excited. Really am.

Lily Jones

Yay me too. Well, I always start with the same giant question, which you can take in whatever direction you'd like. But please tell us about your journey as an educator.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Wow. So when I first started just being in school, I realized that was like something I wanted to do. Just listen to the word wanted to do. Was it the true passion? Not necessarily that I did not realize until so much later, so much later. I did it because I love working with anyone who wants to learn, anyone who wants to evolve. And it started even before I went and got my bachelor's degree where I would work in special needs camps help students with babysitting. But it wasn't just the basic babysitting. It would be me, a whole bunch of other kids. Other kids, and the mom and dad would be in the back, and it'd be like 10 kids, and I would create activities over the weekend. And you know, that's just how I was. I just wanted to be there to teach something and and I reflect on my friend who was my roommate at the time. She was like, Oh my gosh, don't you want to go out and have a little fun? I said, No, I gotta do These lesson plans, right? You know, in college, so that means I really am going moving up in the world. Like, Well, why don't you use that car to get a little relaxation? I was like, no, no, I'm on a mission. And so and I had a very unique opportunity working in a rural setting where, and I say unique opportunity, she just threw me in there. Hey, I want you to teach, this is what you have. And it was just like, This is it. And I was like, Is this the way that teaching goes? No teaching the teacher at all. So I had to, kind of like create my own methods and stuff from my professors. And I ended up having, believe it or not, the vice the president's wife come down from my college. Yeah? I walked up to the president at the top, knocked up the door. I said, Hey, it's me. Um, yeah, we know you. I said, Okay, good. I think I've been thrown to the wolves teaching down here at the high school and and that's how it all started. And ever since then, I felt like I've been just thrown on in there and education left and right. And then I realized that I needed to take a step back. Mm, hmm, yes. Um, I was in it, like super in it. They were making changes. They wanted to make some changes of where I was I wasn't at that point mentally to do those changes that they wanted me to do, especially not the way that it was presented to me and and so the way it was presented and the way I where I was at the time, being that my dad was on hospice. He was still mobile and still doing his thing, I started to listen to some of the words that my mom had said to me over the course of me being an educator, and I just looked at my husband, I said, I've saved quite a bit of money and put it to the side. I said it was forced to be for our daughter to go overseas, to go to school. I said I'm going to have to put my faith in God. Right now. I think I'm going to resign, not retire, but resign. And I was like, What am I going to do with my love of teaching? And so that is where my love of teaching made a huge shift, and that's where I am today, helping educators realize a lot of information about being a teacher and sometimes we need to reflect on our own methods of how we are learning from our own mistakes, that that's where I am right now.

Lily Jones

Beautiful. Yeah. I mean, what a courageous move, too. Well done. You, you know, being at that crossroads and being able to take that courageous step forward, and I think so often, especially as educators, you know, we're asked to do all sorts of crazy things.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Because, you know, I was in it for 22 years in the pre K 12 setting, and I just recently, this summer, I took, you know, a little hiatus, because I was in school getting my doctorate, and in school getting my EMT, and in school doing my CNA, and then I did a couple other certificates in between. Um. Being in school, and I still had that love of teaching, but I knew I was ready to step outside of pre K 12 and hit higher education, and that's where I am now. So I assist people to attain their doctorates with the university. So I'm still in education, but I just do it differently.

Lily Jones

Of course, right? I mean, going back to what you said at the beginning, too, of just like loving being around people who want to learn or evolve. I thought that was such a nice way to say it, because I think those people are all around us, right? It's not just children, it's adults, you know, in certain special types of adults who are really into learning and want to evolve and want to get better. And so I think there are so many ways, you know, to be an educator. Hence the name of our organization. Like it's still the same thing. It's still all about helping people evolve and helping people learn. So I love hearing about how that's kind of shape shifted a little bit for you, and I'd love to hear more about your work now.

Dr Jewel White Williams

So I'm on a mission of acquiring 500 educate educators within my my realm I have my business is called Black Tie legacy. It is focusing on the legacy that you leave as a an educator, a leader or community person within and right now, I'm focusing on the educators, because there are leaders there, and we are part of the community. So it hits all three. And the way I do it is that I want them to see that they can be valued. And I just finished doing an Instagram post in regards to, you know, oh my gosh, we only have three weeks left till the end of December before it's over for the calendar year. Or can I make it? Can I make it? Well, one thing that I remember is that those three weeks can be very, very tumultuous to some of us as educators, because it could be the end of the semester for many of the school systems. It could be a time where that is a safe space for some educators. Watch what I'm getting ready to tell you, the safe space for educators is just like our students. You know how we have students who their safe space is school, and they know that they can get fed, loved, cared for, and they have the attention there. There's some educators out there who are who have that lonely feeling, and so when they leave it, and then they have that feeling of wondering, okay, even though this is a safe space, I'm out on my own because I'm away from my parents, I'm away from my sister or family, and I feel kind of lost, believe it or not, once everything's gone and some people become even more anxious. So it goes from one extreme to the other. Become more extreme for anxiousness, because that means they're getting ready to go around family who someday, like some they don't, or they have to get ready for the next party, or something of that nature. So even in January, when we're getting ready into 2025 there is another anxious level that goes into it as well, because that's when you've already some of us have already had our standardized testing in the December time frame, but some of us have to come back to get prepared for the standardized testing in the month of January, which is 2025 and the Y I'm like, Oh my gosh, what am I going to do? So that's what I'm here for, for helping teachers navigate through that. And so I have a private Facebook setting, which I'm trying to build to 500 educators. And they do get something free, which I kind of help them with throughout that time frame. So for almost like every day, except for the weekend, I give you all a rest to catch up with all the stuff I give you. So just kind of have a chance to see where you are at that moment. Because I want you to build yourself. I want you to find your wellness and not use your vacation days as just caring for yourself. And sometimes, by the time you know it, all the days are gone, and then all of a sudden you're, you know. It just happens, you know?

Lily Jones

It does just happen Absolutely, especially this time of year, it's like not being conscious about it, putting in the extra effort to really think about like, what is happening. It just happens. And so I appreciate the invitations to, you know, think about these things and to focus on these things. And I know part of your focus is on teacher wellness. So I'd love to hear from you. You know, how do you define wellness and what your approach to wellness is?

Dr Jewel White Williams

Okay, so I have three areas of wellness I also have. The first part is dealing with the foundational part is allowing you to navigate and see where exactly you are. So it's kind of like a mini assessment of where you are. Do you have even the foundational information and the finding foundational areas in your life? Because any part of wellness has to become educated in who you are and what's happening. So there that's like a whole another gamut that's right there. Then I focus on the community part of wellness. So you're like, Okay, so you told me that you deal with community and leadership. Yes, I do. But how do you take yourself and put yourself in that community? Yeah, alright, so you finally figured out where you need to make some changes. So how can you go into, back into the community, or while you're working in that community, and not go back into where you went before? So that's what I want you to know, is learn how to blend the two. And then my third step is a luxury care. And people are like, luxury care.

Lily Jones

Yeah, tell me more.

Dr Jewel White Williams

When I talk of luxury care, I'm talking about taking to the next level, so you finally have a semi balance of what's going on there. And then we're going to take it up a notch, where you no longer just always going to the physician, or you always going to a specialist, or you're always just making sure you have certain things in your home, or you're doing certain things, you are actually taking initiative to be to yourself, alright, take an initiative to join a specific group, or take an initiative to go on an excursion. You're taking an initiative to make sure that you are focusing on you, and it presents such a it's like an upgrade experience of who you are, creating that Oasis, investing in the quality of the things that you do, making sure it's mindful of who you are, and making sure you're not doing it in a say, Oh, I apologize. I gotta do this for myself. No, do it unapologetically.

Lily Jones

Mm, hmm. I love that invitation too. Of like, luxury, because it makes you think a little bit higher, right? Like, it makes you expand your idea of like, okay, I could say I'm gonna get a massage, but like, Yeah, that's great, right? But like, what would it really look like?

Dr Jewel White Williams

Yeah, and I like, what you brought up massage. I'm glad you brought up up Lily, because, you know, I know some of some educators that I do know, they get massages, but as soon as they finish the massage, they go back and start grading papers, or they care for their family. Yeah, it needs to be intentional. You know, we create those luxury experiences, and I'm not saying it happens all the time, or it needs to happen all the time, but be intentional about how you do it and where you can create that luxury experience.

Lily Jones

Mm, hmm. Yeah, I think that intention piece is so huge too, because if it just becomes a to do, right? If it's just like, alright, grade the papers, pick the kids up at school, get a massage, make dinner, go to the grocery store. You know, it's like, nailed it. Yeah, different right in the moment. But how do you infuse this feeling, or even the I mean, I think it comes down to boundaries too. Of like, creating this like, peaceful luxury time for yourself. But it's much more about like, it comes from inside, right? It comes from that intention.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Yeah, and it's a form of prioritization, making sure you are the priority.

Lily Jones

Yes. So what advice do you have for teachers who are in that mode, right? Of being like, I'm going, going, going, I'm trying to get through to the end of the year. How could they build in some luxury self care, even when they feel or maybe especially when they feel overwhelmed?

Dr Jewel White Williams

So I would just be real honest, you can impart and go into the luxury self care, but if you don't have the basics in you're not going to value the luxury part. So that's the only reason why I always like to look at the foundation first. You can invoke and have that and make yourself a priority. But are you doing it well? And so that's where I come in. There's so many other pieces that go along with it that I'm not saying what people are doing is wrong. I'm not, and I'm saying the things that I do are right all the time, but I realized that when I left my position to care for my family, it I thought I was being intentional. I was not being intentional, and it actually didn't start after I left. It actually started kind of like two years before I left, I for some reason, I was sitting in my car, and I was caring for my dad, but I was sitting in the parking lot of where he was, and he wasn't on hospice at the time, and I just was thinking. I was like, You know what? I'm not really doing some things I need to be doing. And one thing that I realized is that I needed to stop where I was in my tracks, because I would get off of work at six or seven, drive out to where he was, which is an hour away, then go see him, and then drive back. And one night, my husband was like, where are you? I said I stopped, and instead of me rushing, I said, you get your dinner. Instead of me rushing, I literally stopped and ate by myself. Flipped that phone over and just looked at the landscape. So that's one thing that they can do. And some people. Do not want to eat by themselves, or they don't want to go to a restaurant by themselves, but there can be peace. So that's one little nugget I can give to them, but it that's where it comes into the foundational because it allows you to literally rest your body being in that flight or fight response all the time, which I think teachers are in often.

Lily Jones

mm hmm.

Dr Jewel White Williams

It’s not good for our bodies, and you don't realize it. And I was the beautiful woman who decided to go from fight or flight to, I don't know what you would call it now, being an EMT, but it allowed me to realize that during this holiday season, I want you to know that there's someone out there who understands the rush and the hustle and bustle, and that even if you join this group, it will give you an opportunity to see some of the things I make you stop and think about Mm hmm. And I give them a little message once a week. I'm doing that for them, just to kind of give them a message of, there is hope. There are some things you can say to yourself. There's some things I want you to think about. So I'll put something up there and say, don't need you to think about this. And it's in reference to teaching, or in reference to being in the school or a reference, and then it's to make them pause and think, did I really do that today? And that's exactly that's the purpose of the group, to make them think of, are they pushing themselves too much? Mm, hmm, yeah, yeah. It's only for the month of December too. So that's it.

Lily Jones

Yeah, that's great. Those are beautiful invitations, too. And if it's just to think about it's not that much pressure, right? Like, it's like, Let me think about it. Let me consider it. Let me start thinking about it. Rather than, like, I'm gonna build all these things into my day. You know? I like that. It starts micro.

Dr Jewel White Williams

And I'm not doing that. I'm not having them build anything during this time, I literally am asking them to think all I'm asking them to do once, and then, like, oh, that's No, I'm talking about you think for yourself, about yourself, and that's what I'm doing. Even give an end of year checklist of, like, do you have these things in order? If you don't, then maybe we can discuss how you can get these things in order. So you can start off 2025 on a good note.

Lily Jones

And it starts with thinking, right? Like, it's like the thinking is what starts it all. So I like that as the foundation, too. It's just like, hey, an assessment, where am I at? Let me try and consider these things, rather than, again, the giant To Do List, which I think as teachers we’re drawn to in some ways, right?

Dr Jewel White Williams

You know, I had this one person, I'll leave their name out, because if I say what I said, they don't know who I'm talking about. But, um, you like checklists? I said there's nothing wrong with a checklist, but there can be some issues with checklists. I understand that. But being a checklist person, I think, is a person who is kind of like a teacher, not intentionally, but it's just who we are, you know, cuz they give us a curriculum, they tell us what we have to have, and you need to make sure you check all those things off and make sure you taught them, you know, yep, but loving yourself does not mean it has to be a checklist. It needs to be something that you do daily, in some shape or form.

Lily Jones

So done too, right? Like, you're not like and then I loved myself, done. Never again.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Yes, yes, and, and I think that's one of the things I want educators to know. I'm here. I know what it's like. I know what it's like to create papers endlessly, because I was an English teacher, and I did also AP English, and I did, you know, honors English. So that's like, what was I thinking? And then now I'm reading dissertations, which are, of course, are 120 plus, close to 200 pages. But the ultimate thing is that it's a pace, and it's about understanding where you can be and how you can be a better human to yourself, and that's what I want educators to do. I just see a lot of educators tired. Mm, hmm, I was there, I was exhausted, and didn't realize it. And the the issues that came up after I resigned, well, actually, it started before I resigned. I knew some other issues were happening, but I didn't understand it. And then I went to the doctor, and we sat down and we talked, and he was like, Well, you got this, this, this, are you doing this, this, and this, I'm like, I thought I was, Is it maybe you need to, like, take a breather for a second? You know, teachers have a tendency to hold before they go to the bathroom. You catch my drift? Teachers have a tendency to eat their lunch on the way home, or just don't have it at all. Teachers have. Have a tendency to get to work exactly at the last minute. That's an indicator of something else, though, y'all.

Lily Jones

What is it?

Dr Jewel White Williams

Is the indicator of whether you want to really be there or not? Is that environment healthy for you?

Lily Jones

Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. I mean, I think teachers are the, like, ultimate self sacrificers, you know, which is like, not great. I mean, a lot of like, helping professions too are have an element of self sacrifice to them, and then you see the flip side of it, right? Like we're helpers. We want to help people, but when it comes at the expense of yourself, and it's not helping anyone.

Dr Jewel White Williams

You know, there's so much mental health issues that go on that I think teachers ignore, and I think it's because we think it's just a part of something else, um, you know, you taking on so much, or you're becoming so tired. You just say, I just want to make it another day, or I just have three weeks left. That's a mental thing. That's intellectual wellness, of having the education of understanding what's going on, um, social wellness. Are you actually seeing some friends or going out with your family. This what you're talking what we're talking about today, can be one of two things, career wellness or occupational wellness. It could be one of the two, whichever, which makes you feel comfortable. Is that environment healthy for you?

Lily Jones

Mm, hmm, yes. And I think that there are also so many school environments that are not healthy for teachers and students, and so many systemic issues that make teachers feel like they're never doing enough, even when they're doing more than enough, and like just can't solve everything. And so I think realizing that too, that like many, teachers are not set up for success, and then we end up taking it out on ourselves in whatever way that might look, and realizing the role of like this system that tells teachers they're not enough, too.

Dr Jewel White Williams

You know, I, and I want to preface something being that you brought that up, it could be the building you're in.

Lily Jones

Mm, hmm. Yes.

Dr Jewel White Williams

I'm not saying I was the best one. I'm just saying some people had a tendency to thrive in my building, and some people wanted to transfer to a different building because it was closer to home, or because they understood that rhythm, and that was their environment, that environment, those parents that they were there, the students that were there that was more attuned to who they were and they felt that environment would be better for them. So sometimes, when we're we may enjoy what we're doing, it may not be the right environment. Remember, every school has a culture, and I and we learned that when we are teachers, let's focus on a culture of our school that's part of our mission, our vision, that's part of our strategic plan.

Lily Jones

Mm, hmm, yes, absolutely. And I think thinking that way too, like, I mean, there's always options, right? Like, no matter how like, going back to even you making the decision to leave, right? And any option that we have, even if it seems like we're stuck, there are always so many options, whether it's move a school, whether it's leave the classroom, you know, whether it's change grade levels or whatever it might be, right? Allowing yourself to see that there are other ways.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Yeah, and it can be. I left because I knew I needed to focus on so many other things at the time, and I knew it was time to make a change. I just didn't know where, and so I had to do some self seeking to find out, how can I still be an educator and still work with other people. You know, when I went to Boston, I want to say thank you to m, A, S, C, D, they allowed me to focus on their wellness and their and looking at it from those three angles of wellness, and some of the things that I talked about, like the foundational aspects. I'll just give you a simple one. Do you go to the doctor?

Lily Jones

Sure. Yes.

Dr Jewel White Williams

You know how many teachers say, Oh, I'll do that later. Or how many teachers I've met said, Oh, I haven't had my mammogram. I will get one eventually. And I'm like…

Lily Jones

Get one now.

Dr Jewel White Williams

I'll pick your classroom. Yes, I'll take your classroom that day. I want you to get it. Mm, hmm, well, the kids, I said, well, that you're not going to be any good if you ain't here.

Lily Jones

Yeah, you know, absolutely, I mean, that's the whole, you know, not-healthy teacher mindset that I absolutely, absolutely see.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Yeah, and that happens often, and so I gave them that's just one of several things that I talked to them about, and then I talk about their mindset, and then the environment, is it a healthy environment for you? And I'm not getting people to leave. I'm just want them to find out what part of education works best for them. You know, I had some teachers who said, You know what, I think I need to go to the primary school. Then all of a sudden they found their love. Great. You know, some people wanted to go to the high school level. They went, and they were like, Oh my gosh, this is what I've been looking for. So you have to go where you find your passion, your love, your idiot your idiosyncrasies may work in one environment where it may not work in another.

Lily Jones

And going back to the learning and evolving too. You know, teachers, ideally, are learning and evolving too. So even if they're evolving, but trying a different grade level or going to a different school like I think those are all opportunities that should be encouraged and play a big role in wellness, you know, being able to have these professional journeys and challenge yourself and try new things.

Dr Jewel White Williams

I'm glad you said that, Lily, I say that because I was questioned. You're having people, you're allowing people to leave, or you are making a change. You know, you have some people, they're leaving, yeah, I want them. I want them to feel comfortable happy where they're going. Yes, some people can't resist to go because their family is moving, but we have to. You have to as a leader, you have to be encouraging, yes, yes. And you have to go where that person's love may be, encourage them. I've had several of them call me back. I'm so glad you wrote me that letter. I'm like, I'm glad. Are you enjoying it? Yes, I am. So don't forget, I'm here if you need me again. Alright.

Lily Jones

Absolutely. I mean, I truly believe that we should treat teachers the same way we ideally treat kids, right? We tell kids that we can explore all these options, that we can try new things. You know that we're always lifelong learners, that we can have a growth mindset like all these things that we don't do for ourselves. And I think that teachers deserve that chance to be able to go after whatever it is that they want to try. And I think we need teachers in literally any spot ever. It's good to have a teacher in. So whatever you're going to try is great, but I think we we feel so limited sometimes. So I appreciate that,

Dr Jewel White Williams

yeah, and I'm glad we do feel limited. It's almost we feel shameful.

Lily Jones

Yes, totally, because it goes back to the self sacrificing too, I think, where it's like, oh, but I'm not putting all these kids before me. You know, it's not service to these kids, and it's like, but it's going to be some other great, brilliant work that you're going to do, work as a teacher that informs you going forward.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Yeah, it is. And then sometimes, and that's one thing I really love. If I found a gift that that felt they they had, I'm like, You should really go for being a gifted teacher sometime soon. Go ahead. Well, I don't want to leave classroom. I said you don't have to. But just consider being a consider being a gifted teacher. Your methods in the classroom are astounding. I need someone to have that in my in my school, you know. So you're still doing what you love, but you just changed. You did a shift. And that's what I'm here for as Black Tie Legacy, to allow them to dig within and see where the shifts can be, and that's how you build your luxury.

Lily Jones

Wonderful. I love that. Well, thank you so much for sharing with us. Can you tell folks how they can connect with you?

Dr Jewel White Williams

Sure I am at J white, W, h, i, t, e williams.com, and if you're interested in becoming one of 500 educators, you just go bit, dot L y forward slash 500 educators. And that way you can just go ahead and join in.

Lily Jones

Wonderful we'll put all the links in the show notes as well. Thanks again.

Dr Jewel White Williams

Much. Take care. Lily.

Dr Jewel White Williams

You too.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Lily Jones