“Then, he took the phone over to show his son the airplane he was about to get on. I was choking back tears.”
‘Before he ended the call, he said to his son, ‘I love you. I’m proud of you. You are capable of big things.’ I choked back tears behind my mask.’: School administrator urges ‘you set the tone for this year’ after tearful encounter
‘My daughter waved a piece of paper in her hand, exasperated. ‘What’s wrong?’ She said, ‘This assignment!’: Student powerfully pushes back after racially-insensitive assignment on ‘ancestors’
“She insisted she alone would handle it. ‘I’ve got an email to write,’ she announced. An hour later, she returned with a draft to the teacher: ‘Good afternoon. I am unsure of whether or not it came to mind when creating this assignment that not all students come from a line of descendants whose history involves voluntary immigration.'”
‘You have taken on more than any child should. Deep down, the whole word thanks you for your resilience.’: Teacher mom pens appreciation letter to all teacher’s kids
“Thank you for taking a break during our nighttime story because mommy is answering urgent emails from parents. For accepting the art project mommy just bought isn’t for you. For understanding every child who walks into your mommy’s zoom call is now also one of ‘her kids.’ You love them like your own.”
‘My student from 10 years ago messaged me. ‘Miss Silva, I’m applying for my Doctorate and Master’s Degree.’ I cried.’: Teacher urges ‘he is much more than the color many cannot see past’
“In a world that told him he would not amount to much because he was a black boy, he kept going. In a society that told him he was not worth much because he had dreadlocks and wore his pants a bit low, he kept going. He defied the odds, and then he crushed them.”
‘I will not let a single child slip through the cracks.’: 10 ways this first grade teacher is re-inventing learning
“God gave me the gift of being able to teach. Failure is not an option. We will go above and beyond.”
‘I hope you’ll take time to get to know their strengths and weaknesses. That will make it so much easier for me to let them go.’: K-5 teacher urges middle school teachers, ‘Your students will always be OUR students.’
“I was already worrying about the next school year. Some of my students, I fell in love with right away. Others, it took a little more time. Will you give them that time? When you struggle with them, maybe it will help if you think of all the teachers who loved them for years. If you need help, I’ll be here.”
‘Someone WILL get COVID-19 in your school.’ My heart ached as they put their masks on. It isn’t supposed to be this way.’: Preschool teacher shares experience during pandemic
“It’s not supposed to be this way. I started teaching 15 years ago. Never did I think I’d be navigating teaching during a pandemic. Children who have been home for months are now going to be in my classroom. I honestly can’t believe it’s come to this.”
‘I can do it all!’ I was on the verge of tears at any given moment. And then COVID-19 hit.’: Pandemic reminds teacher ‘to savor and enjoy moments without thinking about the next thing’
“I went from being a youth pastor’s wife, youth leader, and teacher, to all of those things PLUS a mom of a pre-teen and teenager. My body screamed, ‘YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT,’ but my mind responded, ‘I don’t know how.’ Then, we were forced to stay home in our pajamas.”
‘His head hung, pajamas on from the night before. He forgot his bag. He never experienced forgiveness.’: Kindergarten teacher shares student’s act of kindness
“I walked over and found a gold pack of gummy bears, and a sticky note that read, ‘I love you.’ I burst into tears.”
‘Driving today, I saw waves of middle and high school athletes running in very close clusters. No masks. Lots of panting, big inhales and exhales.’: Teacher pens open letter amid school reopenings, ‘I’m risking everything I’ve worked my entire life for’
“Make no mistake. My wonderful students have not been social distancing. They haven’t been wearing masks. I’ve seen their social media posts all summer, living life as though we aren’t in the heat of a global pandemic. I’ve worked hard to protect myself and others for 6 months. Soon, I’ll be in a classroom with no windows and more teenagers than is safe.”
