Teachers, Please Know You Are Appreciated Now More Than Ever

It's officially Teacher Appreciation Week. That's perfect because I hope that teachers know that they are appreciated now more than ever before.

The PTA website gives all the details about Teacher Appreciation Week and why teachers are special. Thanks to the pandemic and quarantine that closed virtually all schools, their value really cannot be overstated.

Full disclosure: My family has been full of teachers over the generations. My uncle was a colonel in the National Guard and also a high school biology teacher for over 30 years. Side note: his bird tests were legendary hard, but that's a story for a different day.

After the concerns over coronavirus spread shut down schools, our teachers took their talents online. I have 3 kids currently that are school age and they've all been involved in many Zoom meetings with homework in Google Drive. Thanks 2020 for being you.

Thanks to the fact that I do all of my non-radio show work from home, I have witnessed the efforts of my kid's teachers to help them continue learning while overcoming this shutdown situation. I have listened to them cover the basics, but they go way above and beyond that to help the kids in their classes know that they are missed and appreciated. More than once, I've listened to them interact with kids and ask if they've been doing anything special or fun during their time at home. They also communicate that they miss them. It's that personal touch that shows these teachers are not just checking off required boxes for subjects completed. You can tell it's personal and meaningful for them.

In my opinion, teachers should be paid a lot more. Let me state that again. Teachers should be paid A LOT MORE. Sorry for the shouting, but it's nearly criminal to me that teacher salaries are so low compared to other jobs. Money Magazine did a story a couple years ago about how much money college graduates give up when the decide to be teachers. They found that teachers make around 18% less than comparable professions. That's sad.

I wish I could just wave a magic stick above the world and instantly help teachers at least earn more for the infinitely meaningful difference they're making in our children's lives and development. I can't, but please know if you're a teacher that your hard work and dedication are appreciated now more than ever before. I salute you.