The stress of pandemic teaching is piling up for educators. So we asked a Southern Arizona teacher what message she has for parents. She gave us this note, but asked to remain anonymous. Here, we present her message in its entirety, asking parents for understanding in an unprecedented time.
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We're on your side. We want to help your student to learn and to grow.
We understand that your child is struggling socially, we understand that it's important for parents to work.
We understand that you need to support your family that your child may have responsibilities at home. I would say please help us be part of our team. If your child leads their educational team because they're the one that actually does the work, then we need to be teammates.
And we need to move forward together in a way that is positive and builds people up on both sides to help us achieve those goals.
Please listen to us when we're telling you that students are missing.
I'll be the first one to tell you that teachers are not perfect, that we make mistakes, but we're willing to fix them and apologize for errors that we made.
I need you not to call your kids away from the screen because you want them to take the trash out.
I need you to protect them from their siblings during their instruction time so that they can pay attention.
I need you to know the platforms that your child is working on so that when they get stuck, or they try and be a child, that you know where to go to see if they're trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
I need you to reach out to me when you need help because you're one of a hundred plus students that I have.
I need you to know that I will do everything possible that I can to help you, but I also need a break.
I need you to respect office hours. I need you to understand that my contract ends at 4 o'clock and that if I can get back to you because I have the time, I will. But I'm not available after hours and on weekends just because I'm teaching from home.
I have your back, but right now more than anything, I need you to have mine.