Can we talk about the teachers? Our quiet heroes. Each day they devote themselves to our most prized possessions as they tackle an entirely new approach to teaching. They’ve become learners themselves. They are walking through these uncertain times with the same worries and fears as the rest of us. The only difference is they are throwing our kids a lifeline at the same time.
They are hosting Zoom birthday parties and leading virtual scavenger hunts. They are organizing Live story times. They are reading with their students over Facetime. They are mailing letters. They are dropping off surprises. They are sending videos that make our kids laugh. They are organizing parades. They are sending emails full of activities. They are going live with science experiments. They are texting, calling, emailing, and caring. Just like they always do.
The only difference is they are leaving their kids, their lives to take care of ours. In order for our child to learn, theirs might have to sacrifice. As we have struggled to become “parent teachers,” they have made themselves available to hold our hands through that. Think it’s easy to walk away from your own child to attend to someone else’s? They do that all. day. long. And sure, it’s their “job,” but nothing normal about these current times. Everything we’ve ever know is changing, but they are the constant. The quiet and selfless constant.
Teachers are the most unassuming heroes, and in this moment, we should stand up and applaud them for their dedication, their strength, their patience, and their devotion. Maybe, just maybe, this will remain with us when we eventually get back to normal: that the everyday heroes truly are changing the world one child at a time.
May we be forever grateful.
Find the joy,
Jessica
Jessica McCauley, M.Ed. is a parenting coach/consultant. She draws on her background as a Montessori educator and Child Life Specialist to help families navigate the challenges of the early childhood years. Contact Jessica at http://smallhandsbigsteps.com/contact/ for more information or to schedule a consultation.