Editor,
Health care providers, first responders, and the many unseen workers who risk their health every day to keep life functioning for the rest of us have been receiving some heart-felt and well-deserved public appreciation. Including mine.
There’s another group that richly deserves their share of public appreciation. While teachers aren’t risking their health, they are working harder than they ever have, all for our children. Mostly behind the scenes.
They design lessons specifically suited for distance learning, prepare video presentations of lessons, conduct Zoom classroom sessions, give quizzes and tests, grade quizzes and tests, inform students, give extra help, often individually, communicate with parents, attend departmental staff meetings, school-wide meetings, and more – all while their own children are home.
As one teacher said, “I used to think it was difficult to be able to do everything I needed to do to be ready for the classroom. It’s no longer difficult – it’s now impossible. Rather, it’s become a question of prioritizing which things can be left and which can’t. Meanwhile, the pile of papers keeps growing.”
We all do what we need to do in this crisis. We pitch in, help each other, contribute what we can. Nonetheless, it’s nice to be appreciated for doing what we need to do.
CAROLE HOWARD
