This year has been a challenge for everyone and I am grateful to so many people for getting the World through it, from key workers to the supportive friends, family and community. This blog post though is to really show appreciation to the teachers out there who have worked tirelessly to get children through this time as unscathed as possible.
Teachers Mental Health
YouGov conducted a study into educators mental health through the Coronavirus pandemic. 52% of those studied said that their mental health had declined. Part of this could be attributed to the high expectations and pressure combined with a lack of appreciation. Only 25% of those surveyed felt appreciated by the general public.
Virtual Teaching
Teachers who in most cases had no experience of online teaching were thrown in at the deep end this year with a lot of teaching being done over the Internet.
It has been a massive learning experience for those involved – the children, parents/carers and the teachers. It has taken a lot of people out of their comfort zone.
Despite the challenges of running a virtual classroom, teachers have done their best to provide children with an education under difficult circumstances.
Social Distancing Challenges
Some people may thing social distancing is possible in schools, but it is a massive challenge. Especially for those who are young or have additional needs.
A source told me that they work with special needs children and have to deal with all sorts of bodily fluids of the children they look after on a regular basis. These needs don’t just stop during a pandemic. This person and many others like them put their lives at risk every day for the good of others.
Pressure to Keep Children Safe
Teachers have had to adapt constantly throughout this pandemic to keep the children safe. Sometimes things have had to be changed at very short notice and they have risen to the challenge the very best they can.
Some teachers may feel they’ve dealt with these changes well. Others may feel that they have failed because they haven’t been able to keep all the children COVID-19 free, with positive cases left, right and centre. This is something that probably weighs heavily on some teachers mental health. Ultimately though, all they can do is follow the local guidelines given.
Gratitude Poem
I’ve written a poem for all the teaching staff on behalf of all the parents who feel how I do. You are welcome to share this.
Conclusion
Although teachers don’t always feel appreciated, I hope after reading this that they know how important they are. These are difficult times and they’ve done brilliantly to adapt and put in their best efforts.
If you liked this blog post, you many also be interested in ‘9 Ways to Help your Child’s Mental Health During a Pandemic’.