In their own words: We have shown what we are capable of doing

What do the teachers in the Sauk Valley have to say about their work experience since the lockdown in 2020?

I have been teaching for a while, but never did I think I would teach under such stressful situations in my life.

The teachers I work with and the teachers all over the country have been teaching in ways that were new to all of us. Gone were the days of normal teaching for the last few years and hello to the new way of teaching using all of the different teaching platforms.

I just want to say kudos to all teachers, administrators, school staff and superintendents across the country. We did it and we are still doing it! We have shown what we are capable of doing when it comes to helping and making our students become successful. By no means has it been easy, but we did it!

We came to school, gathered our materials and taught our lessons to the student body. We learned how to use the different teaching platforms, reached out to our students and their families to meet all of their needs. We stepped out of our comfort zones to continue educating our students in a way that was new to us while still meeting all of their needs.

As teachers, I would like for our profession to be considered as a profession that was there when the world shut down and there when the world had to revamp to the new way of life. Because as teachers, that is what we had to do! Revamp our thinking, revamp our teaching, and revamp our ways to help and reach students.

It would mean a lot to teachers if we got the credit we deserve when working through the pandemic. We love the job that we do but we would also like the recognition for doing the job that we love to do! So, if you know a teacher. Thank them for all that we do and for all that we have done over the last few years.

• Vicky Frederick, fifth-grade English language arts and social studies, Merrill Elementary School, Rock Falls.