"Change your actions to change your trajectory. Nothing shifts if nothing is changed."
Educator, author, and international public speaker, Jen Rafferty started as a middle school music teacher for 15 years in Central New York. Jen is a certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology.
As the CEO of Empowered Educator, Jen’s insatiable curiosity continues to make the Empowered Educator programs relevant and reflective of the most up-to-date research in mindset, leadership, and cognitive neuroscience. She is committed to inspiring teachers and school leaders to discover their voice and maintain a healthy longevity throughout their careers.
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Table of Contents
Your career began as a Middle School Educator before shifting into your role as CEO of Empowered Educator. What led you to pursue a career in education?
Jen Rafferty: Since I was a kid, I always wanted to be a music teacher. Honestly, I considered it more like a calling instead of a choice. I loved music, particularly singing, and wanted to inspire others to discover their voice. I taught middle school choir for 15 years in the public schools.
It was a lot of fun, and it felt important to provide students with a safe space to express themselves and be creative. Eventually, I started conducting honors choirs across New York State, presenting at national conferences, and published a book.
You shifted and founded Empowered Educator with a mission to take care of the adults in the school space, so that our children are better cared for and supported. By taking care of the emotional wellness of the teachers and administrators in schools, you believe that students can then model that emotional wellness in their own lives. Was there a specific moment in time which you realized this was your mission or was it a gradual realization of your purpose?
Jen Rafferty: Honestly, it was the experience of the Covid pandemic that helped me make the shift. It wasn’t new to experience stress as a teacher. But, Covid underscored really how bad it was.
There was a large gap between what teachers needed and the support they were getting and I wanted to build a bridge. The well-being of a school is dependent on the well-being of its educators, so I wanted to help take care of the people who take care of our kids.
I decided to take off a semester (or so I thought) during the fall of 2020 to homeschool my own children. During that time I started my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, and dove into the research of mindset, emotional intelligence and cognitive neuroscience.
I even got a certification as an emotional intelligence practitioner. When it came time to decide whether or not I should go back to teaching, I decided to take a leap and build my company, Empowered Educator, which focuses on the social and emotional needs of the adults in schools. I still inspire people to discover their voice, but I do it now in a different way.
How does emotional intelligence play a role in your work at Empowered Educator?
Jen Rafferty: Empowered Educator leverages concepts from mindset, cognitive neuroscience, and emotional intelligence to give educators the tools they need to make sustainable and healthy changes in their life both at work and at home.
When teachers are emotionally intelligent, they are more self aware, have better communication and decision making skills, have better relationships and can more easily manage their stress. Students thrive when they are surrounded by thriving adults, so I want to give the adults in schools every tool they need to thrive.
How do you see Empowered Educator changing the face of teacher wellness and teacher appreciation?
Jen Rafferty: Teachers are leaving the profession in droves and something drastic needs to happen. Empowered Educator exists to change the story by focusing on teacher wellness and teacher appreciation. Appreciate quite literally means “increase in value,” so what we appreciate, appreciates.
Empowered Educator teaches educators how to value themselves so they can show up as their favorite-self for our kids. Teachers don’t need another mug or the opportunity to wear jeans on Fridays. Teachers need to be valued as they support and guide our next generation.
Are you able to share a notable moment where one of your clients or audience members experienced a breakthrough as a result of your teachings?
Jen Rafferty: Absolutely! One of my favorite stories has been an “ah-hah” moment for many of the educators I work with. For example, Denise, a third-grade teacher, was feeling pretty stressed out in her class. During a lull that afternoon she put her hand on her heart and took a few deep breaths.
A student walked up to her and asked what she was doing. Denise explained that sometimes when she feels overwhelmed it helps to calm her body and brain if she pauses for a few moments to breathe. The student asked if she could join in. So the two of them took 3 deep breaths and the student felt better too.
The next day, the student raised her hand and asked if the class could do the “breathing thing” they did yesterday. Denise, obviously said yes, and she led all the students in a short, mindful breathing exercise. This became something the kids asked for often when they had a test, or after recess when they were feeling a little stress.
I love this story (and stories like these) because while Empowered Educator puts the focus on the adults, the impact can be seen with the kids. It’s in the adult’s embodiment of wellness practices that truly make a difference in social and emotional learning for students.
Your viral TEDx Talk touches on the theme that teachers need to take care of themselves so that they can better serve their students. Why do you believe this message resonated so deeply that it went viral on Instagram?
Jen Rafferty: Teachers are often referred to as superheroes. While this sounds like a good thing, it can be a dangerous narrative. Teachers are heroes, yes; and they are very much human. When we compare teachers to these immortal and indestructible superheroes, we create a story that perpetuates the idea that needing anything is selfish.
So as not to be seen as selfish, teachers often struggle with taking a much-needed sick day, asking for help and support, or even prioritizing a bathroom break. This is not sustainable, and it is certainly not the type of modeling we want for our students.
The truth is, the most generous thing you can do for your students is take care of yourself. If we want our students to know their self-worth, then we need to know ours. I think this message went viral because we don’t often talk about it openly in this way.
You are launching THRIVE– a self-pace course, as well as individual coaching programs in January 2024. Share about those programs!
Jen Rafferty: Yes! I am so excited about THRIVE. This course will give you concrete strategies to sustainably put on your own oxygen mask first. If you’re consistently feeling stress, exhaustion and frustration and as if just have to push through each day, it’s important to ask yourself, “how are you showing up for your students and the other people in your life?”
It’s time to do things differently because nothing changes if nothing changes. THRIVE will guide you through renewing a connection with your role as an education, creating clear and confident goals, and the tools to feel peace and calm throughout your day.
THRIVE also comes an opportunity to join a large community of other Empowered Educators who are thriving and 3 live group coaching sessions with me!
What is next for Empowered Educator and you as a Leader?
Jen Rafferty: I am always learning and consistently pursuing my own personal growth and development which is then reflected in my company. So our next big adventure is an Empowered Educator retreat in May 2024.
It’s going to be a beautifully potent experience of learning, healing and growing so educators can continue to move into alignment with their favorite version of themselves for their students. That’s how we make transformational generational change.
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Jen Rafferty for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Jen Rafferty or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
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