During the COVID-19 pandemic, a new, well-deserved, appreciation has grown for a select profession — a group of people working in a field that’s often underpaid, unseen, and underappreciated, but is vital to the future of our community.
Many parents have learned a valuable lesson during the virus shutdown: don’t underestimate the skill and dedication of a good teacher.
While some students have transitioned to eLearning with ease, some families have struggled to adapt to teaching at home.
Distractions abound, as it’s tough for many kids to look at their living space as both a home and homeroom. The frustrations aren’t just for parents — who have also had to work from home on top of pseudo-teaching duties — and students, but also for the educators. Few, if any teachers want to work under the current conditions.
During the first full week of May, we celebrate those who mold the future during Teacher Appreciation Week, with National Teachers Day falling on the first Tuesday (May 5).
In the U.S. there are an estimated 3.2 million full-time education teachers in public schools and 0.5 million private school teachers, according to the National Center of Educational Statistics. Bartholomew County Consolidated School Corp. schools boast more than 12,000 students, with around 730 teachers and 900 support staff.
Local students haven’t physically attended school since March 23, and the last official school day is May 21.
BCSC requires that teachers post lesson plan information through the corporation’s learning management system, itslearning, and be available to interact virtually with students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Kindergarten students are not assigned BCSC electronic devices, so kindergarten teachers communicate activities to families for students to complete. Learning days take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week. Mondays and Fridays each week serve as "waiver" days, in which students are not required to participate or attend lessons online, but are days that teachers will continue working to prepare lessons and assess work.
Many teachers have gone above and beyond to help their students, as all parties navigate through a difficult set of circumstances.
Hundreds of educators respond to emails far before, and after, assigned virtual hours, act as emotional and technological support, and put in extra hours to try and develop new lesson plans to help keep kids engaged. These actions, and much more, are nothing new: they’re just often taken for granted.
If you’re a parent, take the time to thank your child’s educator this week. If not, reach out to one of your former teachers and let them know just how much you appreciate them.
