Happy Staff Appreciation Week!
I'm sure we celebrate staff appreciation week at the end of the school year because we want to recognize all the many ways you have changed the lives of students, parents, and fellow staff members throughout the year. However, the timing always seems a little strange to me. It's as if someone looked at the calendar and said, "What month during the school year will staff be the busiest and the most exhausted, unable to truly absorb appreciation?" and went ahead then placed it right there!
I think the most unfortunate part of the timing of this week is this:
The busyness of this month, and the mad push for the end makes it almost impossible for you to truly see what an amazing difference you have made this year.
And you HAVE made a difference!
You have taught the student who didn't use their voice, that they have something to say.
You have encouraged the student who didn't think effort mattered, to try again, and again, and again.
You have checked in with the student who tried to withdraw when they failed, thinking it defined them, and made sure they knew that failure is simply a part of learning.
You have guided multiple classes of student to deep learning of new things.
You have given students time to struggle and think critically and draw conclusions, while artistically providing the support they need to do the work themselves!
You have taught students the value of doing their own work, and helped COVID kids relearn how copying work/looking up answers/doing things the easy way will not help them be the best they can be.
You have made a difference!
You have made a difference in the lives of students and staff...
despite absences from COVID
despite more holes in their learning than usual
despite having to rethink every lesson in terms of some side effect of COVID
despite being tired, and sick and caring for family
You are an amazing group of educators and and superb group of supporters!
You have my admiration and respect.
EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
My hope this week is that you will bask in the glow of your impact this week:
by enjoying the treats from supporters
by receiving a heartfelt thank you from a parents
or by recognizing the changes in a student you have been working with
You make a difference.
Thank YOU!
Kim
Teachers, change agents, the people who parents entrust the most formative years of their lives to assist in making them, molding them and influencing their success- sounds like one of the most critical and compelling assignments a human can have. Teachers, good teachers spend many hours preparing and planning to assist learners to acquire and perfect tools, concepts and strategies which the learners will need and use throughout their lives. Teachers, we do not appreciate you- we salute you, we bow to you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the sacrifices you make to provide our children with the skillset they need to make tomorrow a better place for everyone.
MS