Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week and it appears, this year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater appreciation for the work of our educators. As parents do their best to assist their children in completing assigned school work and responding to questions or frustrations as “at home” and online learning occurs, there is a deeper understanding of the skill set which teachers must possess. Teaching is not a job for the faint of heart. Actually, it takes a big strong heart and a desire to make a difference in the lives of children to be successful at the profession. Relationships are key and having patience and compassion for every child who enters the classroom is critical if a teacher is to nurture the full potential of each individual child.
As educators, we cannot thank parents enough for their efforts in assisting us with providing the 4th quarter academic curriculum to their children. We know parents are a child’s first teacher, instilling important values and expectations that put their children on the path to success. And, despite parents’ unconditional love for their children, taking on the role of the classroom teacher has, no doubt, taxed even the most patient parents’ tolerance for the normal behavior of children to avoid doing their school work. This wasn’t what you signed up for as a parent. Our educational system was established to handle this- it is a professional teacher’s responsibility.
We all know that, in reality, it is teachers and parents working together in promoting the value of education and the importance of school that will truly make the biggest difference in a child’s success. As we work to address changes in how our children are being educated and experience the limitations which currently exist in our ability to come together as a community due to the coronavirus, the message you hear repeatedly is that we are all in this together. Even though, as teachers and parents, we have always been in this together, the reality of our connectedness is accentuated by COVID-19.
Years ago when I was the Tomah Middle School principal, we used a recording by Monty Selby, entitled We Are All in This Together, as a theme song for the school year. The lyrics for this song were valuable for our middle school students to hear over and over again. These lyrics are just as important for us as a community to hear today.
This is the time we begin to see things differently, to see things differently.
It’s not about me, it’s not about you, where we’ve been, what we’ve all been through,
No, this is about a brand new day, a new beginning, a better way.
We are all in this together if we want to make a change,
Every one of us committed to give more than we take.
Every age, every color, hand in hand, as our neighbor,
We are all in this together.
So look around your hometown,
You can help wherever you are, yeah, wherever you are.
You don’t have to be a hero, don’t have to do it all, every little bit counts, no matter how small,
When it all adds up every role you play makes another strong link in a great big chain.
We are all in this together if we want to make a change,
Every one of us committed just to give more than we take.
Every age, every color, hand in hand, as our neighbor,
We are all in this together.
Every age, every color, hand in hand, hand in hand as our neighbor,
We are all in this, we are all in this, yeah, we are all in this together.
Check out the song by going to this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BAhK43SWg I find the tune addictive and the message inspiring. My hope is that you do too because we are all in this together!
If you have any questions or comments about the information and opinions expressed in this edition of The School Bell, please contact Cindy Zahrte, District Administrator, at cindyzahrte@tomah.education or 374-7002