Teacher Appreciation Week is normally a week in early May when families, administrators, and others come together to celebrate teachers for going above and beyond. The week long event is usually ripe with daily celebrations, gifts, luncheons, and other such fanfare. It serves as a reminder to say thank you to your favorite teacher for the incredible job that they do on a regular basis.
This year, some began to recognize and appreciate teachers much earlier. Sometime in mid-March, to be exact. This was the moment our world was turned upside down. Students and teachers were sent home, with the expectation that everyone would suddenly be able to accommodate this new learning environment. Teachers planned and prepped as they always do, figuring out quickly how to manage an emergency remote learning situation while helping to usher students through a global crisis. Teachers did this without hesitation because it was what their students needed. As they often do, teachers made the best of a bad situation and as always, came through.
This year, Teacher Appreciation Week has taken on a new meaning, as have many other things in our lives. We used to thank teachers for going above and beyond to assist students with their academic, social, and emotional needs. Today, appreciating teachers needs to go a little bit deeper.
Closing school suddenly, and sending everyone home to continue to learn remotely for the remainder of the year was always an impossible task.
It would never, ever work, but SOMEHOW it has.
Today, we thank teachers NOT for the effort that they put in for our students every day.
No, today, we thank teachers for being the one group of people who could make this work.
Teachers are an exceptional group of people. They have gone above and beyond during this crisis.
Home visits.
Food delivery.
A simple smile.
Emotional support.
Making sure kids are connected.
Assisting families.
Being the positive light.
Giving of themselves.
As they often do, teachers came through. It wasn’t because they sought glory or even appreciation, it was because their kids needed them.
And teachers answered, without hesitation.
So, today, we say THANK YOU.
Thank you for being a teacher.
Thank you for committing to our students.
Thank you for making a difference in our world.
Especially right now.
Rich (@RACzyz)