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Well done.


There are so many thoughts I have as this school year comes to an end and I have been praying about the right words for all the feels, the frustrations, the relief, the continued anxiety, the pure exhaustion. So in honor of teacher appreciation week—here’s a short letter to all my fellow teachers that have persevered through an unprecedented time in education.

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Dearest Teacher,

Spray and wipe, wipe and spray. Stop for just a second. If I could be with you in person to say this, I would grab your worn hands and look you right in your tired eyes. 

You have made it.

You made it. There were days you were fully convinced you were not cut out for what would lie ahead in the 2020-2021 school year, but you actually made it. The school year is almost ready to tie up into a nice little bow and you will actually be able to say: It is finished. 

If no one has told you lately—-I am SO freakin proud of YOU. Sincerely. You showed up each day whether in person, online, both or flipping the switch back and forth multiple times at the drop of a hat. 

I see you.

I saw you sometimes just sitting in the parking lot a little longer to be ready to take on that long day of cleaning/teaching/assessing/helping/coaching/etc. I saw you stay late just to make sure a student has all they need to learn whether online or in person.  I saw you wiping tables and cleaning supplies every spare second when you were not teaching. I saw you sitting quietly at your desk, exhausted but responding to emails and planning. Geeessssh always planning. Planning for a moving target of what learning might look like tomorrow depending on the current Covid spread in your community. I saw you worried sick about your colleagues, but staying late to do your plans and not to forget—laying out your colleagues’ plans too. I saw you reading the news about unfolding racial/political unrest and making sure to include more lessons on kindness and empathy and understanding. I saw your spirit utterly deflated after reading the comment section on social media saying teachers were not doing enough or just being whiners.  I saw you show up every day for the kids to LAUGH and LOVE and SING and TEACH like the world wasn’t in utter chaos.

Oh, how I wish the world could’ve seen what a rockstar you truly have been.  Not everyone has front row seats to view your awesomeness on full display. But your students do. They will remember your resilience, your grit and the honesty you shared in the struggle. 

Thank you will never be enough, but sometimes there is comfort knowing someone sees, knows and is in awe of the work you have done. Maybe being seen and completely understood in the teaching profession is only truly possible by the people walking beside you. You are nothing short of amazing and I know that. A true gift to these little people in the making. 

So get ready to rest. Recharge and disconnect from the hustle a bit. Take off that mask and set aside the spray bottle. Well done. ❤️

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