Dear Teachers: Missed Calls and Meetings Don’t Equal Not Caring About Our Kids
Some advice: Not all parent meetings have to be from 3–6 p.m., and most can be via Zoom
School is about to start, and I know most educators are hopeful and optimistic about the new academic year. As a former K-12 teacher, I remember looking at my list of students with a tinge of excitement and nervousness from the previous year. Back in the day, I would have tried calling the contact numbers to introduce myself and let my student’s parent or guardian know who I am and how excited I was to meet and teach their child.
This year feels different. This summer has been a doozy! Between the brutal heat, the wave of gun violence, inflation, and high prices for gas, food, and school supplies — a lot of people are stressed. Covid-19 reinfection rates are on the rise and just as parents and educators prepare for the regular back-to-school kiddie germs, cooties, and colds, now monkeypox has been added to the mix.
I get it — we’ve got a lot on our minds and the pandemic and quarantine have changed everything about teaching and learning. A lot of poor districts are still playing catch up due to the digital divide and housing issues we discovered during the quarantine. I’ve heard so many dedicated teachers and educators…
