From the Fringe: We really, need to salute and thank our teachers, now more than ever

Teacher Appreciation Week. It’s always one I try to remember. After all, I have a lot of teachers in the family, and, being a coach for the last 18 years, I not only know about every teacher in our district, but I pretty much feel like one too.

And in my humble opinion, teachers don’t ever get enough credit for what they do. Simply put, they work their butts off every day for nine months, a year or more to ensure that our young people not only get the best education they possibly can, but to also help ensure that our future as a society is a bright one, because after all, the young people going through our educational system are the leaders of tomorrow.

Put another way. When it comes to tomorrow, as it pertains to the future, teachers are doing one of the most important jobs there is today.

So, it’s imperative that we, not only salute our teachers this week, but support them as much as we can, because it’s a profession that, we need to continue to see blossom and grow. Our young people, our children, they depend on it.

I know, in my lifetime, some of my greatest influences were/are teachers, starting with my mother. I never had her as a teacher in school, but she’s been in education for more than have of my life, so obviously she’s taught me more than anyone has. In my K-12 years though, I had so many great teachers, and while I’m not going to list them all, I will say thank you to all of you who taught me. If you’re reading this, you know who you are.

And for those teachers who are doing it right now, if you’re reading this, then you are the teachers who are doing your job through something no-one has ever experienced before. You are teaching your students during a global pandemic, and I know that’s not an easy thing to do.

I know, many of you teaching right now, never thought you’d see the day when schools were closed for three months. I know you never though you’d see the day when you would go months without seeing your classes, your students and even your colleagues. I know, none of what you as teachers are going though right now is normal, let alone easy.

No, since schools closed back in March, I’ve seen first-hand the stress and struggle that teachers are going through, because, all you, as educators want to do right now is educate. That’s your mission, and this pandemic has made that extremely difficult.

And that’s why now, more than ever, we need to salute all of our teachers, because they, like everybody else, were caught off guard by this, and they have done anything and everything they can to continue to educate their students through this. And from my observation, they are doing a great job all things considered.

My mom didn’t have a clue what Zoom was three months ago. Now, she’s regularly using it to teach her students. And that kind go thing is happening all over the educational system today. Teachers have been getting very creative and innovative during this crisis, and while none of it is ideal, and we know that educationally there have been setbacks due to COVID-19, our teachers are doing anything and everything they can to not only minimize those setbacks, but forge ahead. They’re doing anything they can to make sure our children are still being educated as best as they possibly can.

In other words, now, more than ever before we need to salute our hard-working teachers, because like so many others they have kept pushing through during this crisis. They have stayed the course and our ensuring that, our children’s education is not just going by the wayside.

Again, I’ve always appreciated teachers. Being related to so many, I kind always had too. In fact, I was a semester in college away from becoming one myself. But, during this Teacher Appreciation Week, I’m not just saying thanks because I have family who are teachers, and I’m not just writing this column because I know and respect so many of our teachers in Havre, many of whom are close personal friends. No I’m writing this to say thank you, because what you teachers are doing now, it’s unprecedented, and while I always have appreciated what you do, I just wanted to make sure you all know that what you’re doing now and what you’re going through it certainly isn’t going unnoticed by me.

So one last time, thank you teachers. Thank you for ensuring that our future will be bright, and thank your for ensuring that while it doesn’t seem like it right now there will be better days ahead.