To all the teachers and support staff out there – you are true heroes!
The brave, dedicated souls who show up every day no matter what the numbers show, what the recommendations are, or how affected their lives may be. Still, their loyalty remains to our children! You are resilient, strong, brave, and dedicated - true warriors! It doesn’t matter how exhausted you are, you arrive every day with a smile on your face and love in your heart! Unfortunately, you may not always be recognized or given the appreciation you deserve, but you still carry on regardless of this.
Teaching is, in my opinion, one of the most rewarding and challenging professions out there! Yes, it can be relentless with the constant changes, especially these past couple of years. The fear that came with the pandemic from children and parents added so much more to your plate. You became counsellors, social-distancing police, were on mask and handwashing patrol, and became diligent cleaners; not to mention so much more! With all these new chores, your resume has definitely expanded! Never mind trying to squeeze in time to actually teach (which is what you originally signed up for). My admiration, gratitude, and respect to all of you is immeasurable!
The children and youth that you teach become your life for 10 months and oftentimes even longer. You have many sleepless nights worrying about the children – you’re no longer just focused on educating them, but you’re also concerned about their mental and emotional health. You are constantly adapting lesson plans to accommodate all the unique needs of the students in your class. You worry if there is something you’ve missed or could do differently. Your imagination and creativity are permanently locked in! The life of a teacher….
Now let’s not forget about your home life. The hours you put in at home marking, working on lesson plans, connecting with parents, and doing all the administrative stuff comes with a price. Many hours are taken away from your family, not to mention the energy and patience that you may have exhausted throughout the day. There definitely are sacrifices made when you decide to embark on shaping young minds!
You’re all my hero’s! You are loved, appreciated, and respected! Thank you for the endless hours, strength, bravery, love, and dedication to the children! Thank you for the compassion, and empathy, that you extend towards them daily, as well as the connections you build! We trust you every day to look after our loved ones and we know that they are safe in your capable hands!
You have the most important job in the world because you have the power to change our future! In order to see positive changes in this world, we must begin with our youth. They’re our future leaders! Connection and compassion are crucial in ending violence and uniting us all! You’ve got this!
From the bottom of my heart…infinite love and gratitude!
Until next time…share some love with teachers and support staff!