This year.  What a year.  I know that phrase is getting a little cliché, but it really has been a year like none other.  Educators have been asked to go on the front lines for students like they’ve never been asked to do.  I’ve spoken to countless educators with health problems of their own, battling their own anxieties to continue to care for students.

Here’s what I want to tell you – to tell all of you.  You’ve done more than educate your students. For those of you are face-to-face, you’ve shown up day after day to not only provide an education (which is hugely important in and of itself), but to provide security, sanity, love and support.  I just read an article that said that in China, there were more suicides in the month of October than in 8 months of COVID. Mental health is a real thing, teachers showing up day after day, providing valuable normalcy to students of all ages, has saved more kids than you will know.

You have offered a kind word, a place of safety, a learning opportunity, a great conversation, and temporary relief from the chaos and craziness so many of our students are facing – perhaps even in the midst of your own chaos.

For those of you who are virtual teachers, I know you’ve battled with feeling ineffective or disconnected from your students.  You are frustrated because they haven’t shown up consistently, or haven’t turned work in. You may not know where their learning is, or even where their mental state is.  But you’ve continued to show up.  You’ve rearranged your whole schedule to be there for them. You’ve answered questions at 8:00 at night. You’ve written hours of feedback that may or may not be read.  But you’ve been consistent.  You’ve been there. You’ve let students just hang out virtually for an hour because they wanted to talk to you.  You’ve come up with games to try to engage through a computer.  You may be the only person outside of their immediate family that they’ve connected with in months.

Administrators, you are trying to encourage and support teachers without having the information you often need.  You’re losing sleep at night over the safety of teachers and students. You are dealing with pressure and questions from all sides. But you continue to show up. You continue to communicate. You continue to support and love.

We want to say THANK YOU!  And we want you to know how impactful you are. Please listen to the thankfulness from students and staff. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.  Recharge. Restore. And know you are making a difference.

This year.  What a year.  I know that phrase is getting a little cliché, but it really has been a year like none other.  Educators have been asked to go on the front lines for students like they’ve never been asked to do.  I’ve spoken to countless educators with health problems of their own, battling their own anxieties to continue to care for students.

Here’s what I want to tell you – to tell all of you.  You’ve done more than educate your students. For those of you are face-to-face, you’ve shown up day after day to not only provide an education (which is hugely important in and of itself), but to provide security, sanity, love and support.  I just read an article that said that in China, there were more suicides in the month of October than in 8 months of COVID. Mental health is a real thing, teachers showing up day after day, providing valuable normalcy to students of all ages, has saved more kids than you will know.

You have offered a kind word, a place of safety, a learning opportunity, a great conversation, and temporary relief from the chaos and craziness so many of our students are facing – perhaps even in the midst of your own chaos.

For those of you who are virtual teachers, I know you’ve battled with feeling ineffective or disconnected from your students.  You are frustrated because they haven’t shown up consistently, or haven’t turned work in. You may not know where their learning is, or even where their mental state is.  But you’ve continued to show up.  You’ve rearranged your whole schedule to be there for them. You’ve answered questions at 8:00 at night. You’ve written hours of feedback that may or may not be read.  But you’ve been consistent.  You’ve been there. You’ve let students just hang out virtually for an hour because they wanted to talk to you.  You’ve come up with games to try to engage through a computer.  You may be the only person outside of their immediate family that they’ve connected with in months.

Administrators, you are trying to encourage and support teachers without having the information you often need.  You’re losing sleep at night over the safety of teachers and students. You are dealing with pressure and questions from all sides. But you continue to show up. You continue to communicate. You continue to support and love.

We want to say THANK YOU!  And we want you to know how impactful you are. Please listen to the thankfulness from students and staff. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.  Recharge. Restore. And know you are making a difference.