I would like to praise and salute the educators in Lunenburg County for the work they have done over the past school year. They have had to create and develop a totally new way to teach students in which they were never trained to do. There is a spotlight on the tireless work of educators, and rightly so, thanks to COVID-19 and the efforts of educators who are teaching in dynamic ways.
Perhaps as never before families are understanding the complexity of education and hopefully have a greater appreciation for the limitless ends a teacher goes through on a daily basis to reach his or her students. A teacher inspires and motivates. Maya Angelou said, “Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together.”
We were prepared and haven’t missed a beat since in-person classes were moved online March 16. No matter how it may look at your school, I know every school is trying and every educator is going to the ends of the earth to be creative. From Zoom calls or recorded lessons, from packets sent home or an email of encouragement, every educator is desperately wishing to see the kids who light up their lives. Teachers want to watch with joy as a student “gets it” and to be in community with one another.
So take a moment to thank a teacher. We don’t need to wait until May 3, which is the start of Teacher Appreciation Week. We need to thank our teachers every day. Those on the front lines in the medical field, in the government, those who are cultivating our food, and frankly each one of us who can read this, all have a teacher, or teachers, who have made a difference and left an imprint on our mind and heart. None of us can do what we do had it not been for a teacher.
Teachers deserve our praise and thanks, and I know I salute all the teachers in our community for their extraordinary dedication to keep us going during these unprecedented times. Join me in doing the same, no matter your school and no matter the method. Thank you.
Charles M. Berkley, Jr. Division Superintendent of Lunenburg County Schools