Every year, we take time to celebrate School Principals’ Day on May 1 and National Teacher Appreciation Day on May 4. The Appreciation Day for teachers has now turned into National Teacher Appreciation Week, and this year was celebrated May 2-8. Back in the early 1950s, the idea of honoring our teachers originally came from Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the United States and wife of President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1980, the idea took on increased publicity and grew from that time into a rather significant day and week, when we routinely and officially give kudos to these people who have dedicated their lives to educating our young people.
This year, the official day and week for showing appreciation to our teachers has come and gone, but it occurred to me that a day or week is not enough time for us to collectively thank teachers and administrators for the work they performed this particular year. This year was in no way routine. Our efforts to appreciate these folks should also not be routine.
It all really started at the end of the 2019-20 school year, which turned out to be a dress rehearsal for the start of the 2020-21 school year. Teachers were forced into developing and employing remote learning techniques with no warning, from March 2020 until the end of the school year. Technology was often spotty, at best, and in some remote areas not possible. Not to worry, school buses were used as mobile hot spots and homework wagons and meals were delivered to students. Even in those districts rich with technological hardware and software, the techniques of teaching remotely for long periods of time had to be mastered. Zoom became a common part of the teaching vernacular.
Spring sports were canceled, some highlights of the year like prom were eliminated, and graduations were held mostly remotely or with major changes made to allow for social distancing and other necessary precautions. Lock downs replaced annual field trips, and parents were often forced to become supervisors of “at home” learning. Many people learned just how difficult teaching can be.
During the summer of 2020, there was even more work done in an attempt to start the school year with a combination of remote and in-person learning. Various approaches were used as creative learning techniques emerged. Some schools remained remote, some used a hybrid model and when in-person was possible, students and teachers got used to using face masks and social distancing as an entirely different environment emerged. No matter the approach used, these efforts were often met with criticism, which became the true definition of a “no-win situation.”
Through it all, our administrators, teachers, and support staff personnel worked hard to do the best they could to provide our children with an education. The teachers I have spoken with have had the most difficulty with the lack of contact with “their kids.” Teaching is more than a profession; it is a calling. The best of the best become so invested in the success of their students that they lose sleep and suffer from anxiety worrying about how those they feel responsible for are doing. It is much more difficult to know how students are doing when the contact is hybrid or remote. Students count on teachers for a multitude of reasons beyond being educated.
This year, if you have not yet thanked a teacher or others who have worked so hard to provide your children with an education, don’t let the fact that Teacher or Principal Appreciation Day has passed stop you. This has been an unusual year, let’s extend the timeline and continue to thank teachers at least a bit longer!
Roger Eddy is a retired member of the Illinois House serving the 109th Legislative District from 2003 to 2012. He served on the Special Investigative Committee on the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich. He recently authored a book highlighting the impeachment of Blagojevich. The book, “A Front Row Seat,” is available thru Amazon and Barnes & Noble. While currently a member of the Illinois State Board of Education, all comments are as an individual and not as a member of the State Board of Education.