Andrew Truby is executive head of three primary schools in Sheffield. Here he pays tribute to the staff in his schools and to teachers everywhere who have stepped up during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Nothing makes me prouder than the wonderful things our teachers do for their pupils. Even when faced with an unprecedented situation like the COVID-19 outbreak, teachers across the world have made sure their students are safe and that they can keep learning.
In these times, ‘Thank a Teacher Day’ couldn’t feel more relevant. It’s about celebrating teachers, shouting about everything they do and thanking them for the important role that they play. But it’s also important to thank everyone who works in schools right now because, if this experience has taught us anything, it’s that we are one team.
These last few months have been challenging to say the least. Faced with potential school closures and how we might need to operate differently, I felt very emotional. It had moved me deeply to watch our children at school process the changes and quickly adapt, placing such enormous trust in the adults in their life that all of this is going to be ok.
Within the space of 48 hours, teachers transitioned from physical classrooms to a new world of online learning. They’ve stepped up to support the children of essential key workers. They’ve been there for their students day after day, radiating support, reassurance and positivity. I think that, as leaders, we can be guilty of creating systems to manage systems and monitoring cycles to give us a sense of purpose and assurance. But through the last two months we’ve had to move into the unknown and, in this light, what has happened has been very special indeed.
As educators, we’ve risen to this challenge – the teachers I have the pleasure of working with have been truly exceptional. They’ve gone well above and beyond to make this work, and they’ve even made it fun for the children. In each of my three schools, the whole staff team has made a film (you can watch one below!) to tell the children that we are missing them, and I can’t watch without tissues to hand!
It’s those core characteristics of resilience, a positive mindset and adaptability which make great teachers, and that’s never been more apparent than it is now. As we move into a new phase and see the return of some pupils, we’re going to face different challenges. It’s therefore reassuring to be reminded that our teachers are so wonderful, and I know that they will make it a huge success.
Thank you, teachers, and everyone working in schools!
Show your appreciation for teachers
Thank a Teacher Day was on Wednesday 20th May, but teachers deserve our thanks all year round. Find out more about how you can thank a special teacher with a free, personalised e-card on the Thank a Teacher website.
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2 comments
Comment by Ann Roberts posted on
Beautiful. Thank you. X
Comment by Lavern posted on
Thanks to all the teachers for going above and beyond for doing a fanatic job with remote learning for their learner's.