By Guest Author Bill Whalen, August 5, 2020
In those couple days where it seemed my school may be closed, I felt like a major opportunity was stripped from me and all of the teachers at my school. Teaching is a vocation – not a job – and to be stripped of the opportunity in a time when it is needed most would be quite literally robbing me and others like me one of our rare opportunities to fully realize the purpose of our vocation. More importantly, it would have been robbing our students and families the opportunity to see so tangibly that we will fight for them even in foul weather. Teaching this year, no matter what we do, is going to suck in so many different ways but 5, 10, 20 years from now the kids who grow up will remember what its like for the adults in their lives to actually care. I personally remember very well when my own teachers volunteered to form human shields for us to walk to our cars during the DC sniper situation while many others in different schools complained that they shouldn’t be in school at all. Teaching typically isn’t a life or death profession and for the vast majority of the population, it still isn’t. But even it were – this is the hand we were dealt. Our vocation hasn’t changed just because it suddenly became more dangerous.
You are a gift to your students and the profession. I wish we could remind all teachers and administrators that this is what it’s all about. Thank you!!!
Wow! We are blessed for all of our teachers that want to go back into classroom and are willing to do it in these crazy times! I am impressed and I thank you for your dedication to our children!!!
Just beautiful. Thank you for all you do.
I will pass your comment along to Bill. Thank you!