The Tired Teacher This Holiday Season: We Need To Show Our Gratitude

‘Tis the season of being thankful, grateful, and blessed. This is for the tired teacher facing teacher shortages. This is for the burnt out teacher finding strength. This is for the stressed out teacher who is simply not okay. We not only see you, but are here to say how grateful we are for you EACH AND EVERY DAY.

If you are reading this, then odds are pretty good you know exactly what I’m referring to in the sentiments above. Teachers in 2021 are in survival mode which is causing a mass exodus in the profession. You love teaching. You love your students. You may even love your administration, but the behavior issues and workload thrust upon teachers this year is well beyond the pay grade.

Teachers, we thank you for your continuous efforts to go above and beyond to meet your students’ needs. You are teaching in a year where many students are not academically on pace or at grade level, but yet you are called to teach the same standards as before the pandemic. And you know what? You’re doing it! You are finding magical methods to catch students up and engage them. We are so grateful for our teachers!

Teachers, we thank you for the money and funds you raise to be sure your students have adequate materials and supplies. There are not many professions where the employees pay out of pocket, but this happens over and over in education. We are blessed that you will sacrifice your income so your students receive the best education possible while in your care.

Teachers, we thank you for the gift of time that you put in above and beyond your contract hours. We realize that this is time spent away from your family and friends, so you can give attention and support to a student in need. This is time that you are using to gather resources for the perfect lesson digging up dinosaurs or adding fractions. This is time that you will never get back, but we are so grateful that you are making this sacrifice for our students.

Teachers, we thank you for listening to rants or reading those unpleasant emails. We know that you simply want the best for each and every student in your classroom and we need to respect you as a professional. You reply to these emails in a tone of service to meet the student’s needs or understanding a parent’s frustration. This is not always easy, but you do it anyway and we are grateful.

Teachers, we thank you for your loyalty to teaching even though you have to supplement your income with another job. The job you are called to do during a school day is beyond exhausting, and to know so many teachers leave school to head to their next job is uncanny. Yet, your love for serving your students pours through and you do it all to the best of your ability.

Teachers, we thank you for your families. Your families have to be understanding when you are working on weekends, attending meetings in the summer, or holding a conference well after 3:00 to accommodate a parent’s schedule. You do all of this because you care so much for our students.

Most importantly, teachers, we thank you for your love. There is truly no heart like a teacher’s heart. Students throw things at you, but you still love them. Students say hurtful things to you and each other, but you want to show them how great and powerful love can be in this world. Students complain because school is “boring”, but you go out of your way to show them a love of learning. Your students may not remember what you do, but they will always remember how you made them feel. We are blessed to know the love of teachers.

In this season of giving, more so than ever, please be sure to breathe and enjoy time with people you love. Teachers, you are incredible human beings that make magical memories occur in classrooms, if with nothing else than with the power of your love. We are not only grateful for you today, but every day.

Will there be a change in education? Hopefully, but odds are it will take time to fix our current system. Right now, we can only do our best with the students in our classrooms and hope they know our love.

Cheers to you teachers! We are thankful, grateful and blessed to have you in the world of education.

Teach~Relax~Repeat

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