26 Reasons to Love Teachers During the Pandemic

Let teachers know how much they’re cared for on Valentine’s Day! Their mental health is important during this troubling time, so reach out and say something kind. No matter what anyone thinks about school reopenings it’s important to express love and appreciation for all that teachers do and have done during the pandemic.

While Covid-19 has been a tragedy and schooling is a concern for parents, another tragedy is unfolding in this country. It’s the loss of qualified, experienced teachers. The most important person in a child’s life next to their parents and family is their teacher.

Here are 26 examples pulled from social media and through discussions with teachers during this trying time. They’re in no particular order and provide a small example of what all teachers do. But they show a beautiful profession and teachers who always make it so, especially during Covid-19. Feel free to share your story or provide additional examples of the good that teachers do.

1. Teachers take food and supplies to students. Here they rode school buses 150 miles a day traversing gravel and dirt roads to hand out food and homework to children.
2. Teaching in frigid weather outside or in chilly rooms with windows open must not be easy, but here teachers mean to keep students safe and protest unsafe school reopening plans.
3. These teachers make home visits where they connect with families and children. 
4. Some teachers show up for in-person schooling even though they’re pregnant.
5. Teachers pressure policymakers to put aside unnecessary standardized testing during this time. Trust teachers to evaluate their students’ progress.
6. When the public turns against them, teachers must listen to criticisms and bullying staying calm, and carrying on. One teacher expresses what others must feel. The reason I don’t leave is for my kids.
7. Last spring, teachers jumped from the classroom to remote learning, an adjustment involving herculean effort, all while staying focused on their students.
8. Some believe they must retire early to do what they believe in their heart is best or safest for themselves and their families. This too takes courage.
9. Many teachers have spoken out in defiance due to unsafe working conditions in their old school buildings that house students.
10. Here’sa teacher from Colorado Springs who discusses the realities of in-person teaching during Covid-19.
11. Many have expressed concern about having to choose between threats like having a closed or open door to protect students from a shooter, or to have better ventilation.
12. Teachers have carried on supporting each other and school staff while teaching and grieving co-workers or family members who lose their lives to Covid-19.
13. Teacher teams connect online with parents who have students with intellectual disabilities.
14. Every day there are teachers who find the courage to step into the classroom and teach in-person knowing they could get sick.
15. How many teachers have demonstrated tactfulness when a parent or student does something embarrassing on Zoom?
16. Early childhood education teachers show patience and understanding working with children who giggle and can’t sit still because they’re too young for online learning.
17. A math teacher made videos of parody songs for his online teaching.
18. While grades are important, teachers have sought ways to look closely at student success and focus on other methods of evaluation.
19. There has been no shortage of teachers who cheer students on to overcome obstacles and not to quit during this trying time.
20. Teaching hybrid means teaching in-person while addressing students at home, like being in two places at once. Can you imagine?
21. Some teachers have had to deal with some hefty class sizes, unfortunately.
22. Many teachers speak out about the problems of Covid-19 in school while carrying on their teaching activities.
23. Teachers spend much time planning and learning how to best use technology to help students learn remotely.
24. In some states and school districts, teachers face gaslighting from those who don’t respect their concerns.
25. Art teachers figure out how to teach art online and proudly display student artwork. 
26. Teachers continue to do their best, amid pressure, while the policymakers and doctors try to figure out the safest school reopening plans.

Love a teacher today. Respect their voices even if you disagree, so you will still have them around when the Covid-19 nightmare is over.

Happy Valentine’s Day! And thank you, teachers!