WASHINGTON — Friday is the final day of Teacher Appreciation Week, and I hope that you did something special for the ones that you know, because if we have learned anything in these past few weeks, it’s how important they truly are.
Think about it: When this pandemic really got going, closing schools down, they didn't miss a beat. Instead of the kids coming to them for schooling, they brought the schooling to the kids, taking their lessons plans online and dropping them into your homes. But they didn't stop there.
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They’ve gone above and beyond for their students, figuring out ways to nurture them from a distance to make sure that their spirits stay up, along with their grades.
I've heard of coaches working with student athletes online, making sure they stay sharp and ready for the day they can get back onto the court or field. And we’ve seen teachers doing whatever they can to give graduating seniors a moment they can remember.
Teachers have even tried to support parents, telling them to not worry themselves to much about not knowing how the new math works, reminding them that, when the time comes, they’ll get the kids back on track. It's their superpower. They did all of this without any complaints and with only one thing in mind -- the students.
But even before this, many teachers were already the heroes their students needed. We routinely hear of teachers going into their own pockets to make sure students have needed supplies in the classroom. We hear of them seeing to it that some children have enough to eat, making sure that their minds AND bodies are full. And we know that sometimes they have to deal with students, and parents, who can be a handful.
And they do it all, while routinely being underpaid.
After you parents wrap up Friday's lessons with the kids at the kitchen table, I hope that you take a few moments to reach out to their teachers, letting them know they are appreciated, and that you thought about them today, because believe this: They are thinking about your children, in the best of ways.