The School Director’s Message to the Teachers on Teacher’s Day

UNO HIGH SCHOOL
Teacher’s Day
September 28, 2020

Dear Teachers,

Last July, when I gave the call to you to help one another, work together, and do your best, I had all the faith that you would rise to the occasion and be the troupers that you are. Not only did you not disappoint, but most of you have also gone above and beyond the call of duty. The novelty of online learning may have initially caused some panic, but everyone simply remained composed and faced the challenges head-on. Much energy was poured into adopting new technology, training in the new learning management system, recalculating lesson content, rethinking teaching strategies, and adjusting to new schedules. All of these that I have mentioned have already taken up a lot of your effort, but they are just the basic things you have done.

Despite the shortened synchronous teaching time, online teaching requires careful preparation, intense concentration, and constant vigilance. Add to these factors the limited physical movement, the need to stare into a screen, and the endless worry about connectivity problems. When you are not holding synchronous classes, you are always writing or sourcing new materials to upload for asynchronous learning. Teaching online is undoubtedly more exhausting than teaching face-to-face, yet every one of you just soldiers on. Although you are no longer meeting in the faculty room, the camaraderie among teachers is on an all-time high with many teachers offering their time, help, and tips in admirably generous ways. Most notable of all, you never forget to put the students’ welfare ahead of yours. So many of you go the extra mile to sound warm and inviting during synchronous classes, to make yourselves available to students via all sorts of messaging apps, and to prioritize learning over grades. Despite the distance, our students know that you truly care.

This Teacher’s Day, we are not having our usual song and dance program, nor are we having our celebratory lunch and dice game. The one thing that is not lost though is the meaning of this day. In fact, this year the importance of teachers and the indispensable role they play in the lives of children and in society are magnified more than ever. Teachers, you have truly given so much of yourselves. For being so awesome, you deserve not only thanks and appreciation but even more so our admiration and love.