A New Twist for Teachers’ Day

It’s Teachers’ Appreciation Week but since school closures in March, many of us as teachers have felt that we aren’t amazing. We have felt exhausted with getting in sync with virtual education the best way we can, maintaining a healthy mental space and safeguarding ourselves and our families during this pandemic. Some of us may also be overwhelmed with the fact that not seeing our students in person on a daily basis made them less of a teacher. That all those years of hard work and dedication somehow are negated by this blimp. But, I am here to reassure you that couldn’t be further from the truth! The teacher you were two months ago is a completely different person than the teacher who’s reading my blog right now.  You are stronger, more dedicated, driven, creative, techno savvy, and somehow more exhausted! Like seriously? I didn’t know exhaustion could exist on this level!  But you are all still amazing! Actually, even more amazing because you figured out how to engage and control your students as you completed lessons via a webcam using a variety of tech tools. Your worth as a teacher isn’t measured by how good or bad you are doing with distance learning. You are my Champions in what I view as school crisis management and pandemic schooling. 
So today, we are celebrating the amazingness that is us as teacher leaders in our own right. Thank you for all you are doing and how hard you are working. I truly do appreciate how far out of your comfort zones you are at this time. I see how fast you had pivoted and landed into the new scheme of things, how much you had to learn, and how short a time you had to do it. But you did it and will continue to do it! Thank you for tackling those iceberg moments of teaching in a whole new way, and doing your best for your students. By being there each day, you give your students consistency, connection, and a virtual classroom to call their new norm. It’s indeed more factual that a classroom isn’t confined to just four walls. Thank you for being a teacher and taking on this monumental task. Yes, teaching is hard, especially when it's not what you're used to, but that's because it matters.
So this year we won’t get the hugs, kisses, treats and gifts we are normally used to but I know during this time of difficulty our students and their parents truly appreciate the tremendous job we have done and continue to do. So what if everything comes to us virtually this year? Let’s embrace it as the new twist of teacher appreciation and commit  ourselves to making those set in our care proud to have us as teachers. Albeit, we have schedules working with and a new term of curriculum left to cover I implore you all to take some time to unwind from it all. Recharge, reignite, rejuvenate, refuel... whatever it may be that you need to do, there’s no better time than now to do it. Happy Teachers’ Day!