Everyone remembers his or her favorite teacher.
Maybe it was a friendly face early in life during elementary school, or possibly a compassionate instructor during tough middle school years, or perhaps a teacher who proved to be an inspiration during high school – the circumstances of how they became a fond memory aren’t as important as the fact that their work made an impact.
School is set to resume on Monday with the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year and teachers will once again be leading the way both in and out of the classroom.
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be the number one focus in nearly every aspect of life, teachers are doing their best to prepare their classrooms and themselves for the annual excitement the first day of school brings.
The amount of work it takes to get a school building ready to host students is immense in normal years. With an added emphasis on cleaning, socially distancing students and making sure everyone is wearing a mask, the workload has only increased in 2020.
Administrators, teachers, janitorial staff, bus drivers and pretty much every person associated with the school system, are being asked to do more with the same amount of resources and for the same amount of pay. And, if the extra work wasn’t enough, teachers also get the added responsibility of trying to keep themselves and their students safe from COVID-19.
Teachers who have been assigned to take on virtual classes don’t have life any easier. They are starting a school year on a new teaching platform, with different obstacles than in-class instruction, and being asked to adjust on the fly.
A career in public education is never going to unlock the door to fame and fortune, and almost all educators understand that when they choose their profession. But that doesn’t mean that teachers and school staff members’ work isn’t both important and potentially life changing.
Let’s hope the upcoming school year is a unique and positive experience for everyone involved and that Macon County is able to keep the schools COVID-19 free. This could be the year when a student meets their favorite teacher.