This year, more than ever, teachers are in need of encouragement.
“A simple thank you goes a long way,” Melissa Tobias, Teacher, Ward Elementary, said. “We don’t need gifts."
All teachers in Texas have moved from a classroom setting to Zoom calls--some of which are only a handful of children. They are also forced to get creative.
“You have to use what you have and teachers are known for using what you have to teach,” Tobias said.
She’s using YouTube to send her virtual lessons for her dual language students.
“I use what i have in the pantry or chalk,” Tobias said.
With two children under the age of four, she has to balance being a mom in quarantine and planning her distance learning.
“You have to use what you have and teachers are known for using what you have to teach,”
“Sometimes your the best person these kids have in school," Tobias said. “I am still a teacher, from the beginning of the school year, they become your kids.”
She uses her guest room with a backdrop to record some of lessons, other days, she records from her backyard, with her two kids helping to encourage her students.
“They do need my attention, so I just use them in my videos too,” she says.
For many, this is a new way of life, for Kelly Comeau, homeschooling has been her job for the past 20 years.
“My husband was active duty air force and we discovered after our oldest child was school age that there wasn’t a lot of continuity in the education system, so we decided to homeschool,” Comeau said.
She encourages parents to try to stick to a plan and show your children you are dedicated.
“And try to enjoy this time with your children, because it is a blessing,” Comeau said.
For most, this unprecedented time has given them a new appreciation for educators.
“I think we all should give ourselves a little grace, even I’ve learned that,” Tobias said.
Here are a few ways you can celebrate teachers this year for Teacher Appreciation Week:
1. Make them a thank you video
2. Have your child write what they appreciate about them and email it to their teacher
3. Show up to those Zoom calls
4. Turn in all assigned work, even if it’s late
5. Send an online gift card
The National Education Association is celebrating this week by inviting families to post their thank-yous to social media platforms with #ThankATeacher.