Teaching is not easy.

Never has been, Never will be.

And with the current situation of schools closing and people having to confront this epidemic, teaching now will be more than “not easy.” Yet our students need us more than ever.

What we teach is so much more than curriculum and tests. For many of our students our presence both physically and now virtually is a stabilizing factor in their lives. They watch and observe us even when we are not the person delivering a lesson. We are constantly modeling for them what it is to be someone of service and someone whose calling concerns the well-being of others – not just the intellectual part. In fact, many students are watching us and learning how to care for themselves by observing what we do for ourselves.

In the last two days, I have received more emails, Remind messages, and correspondence from students than any other two days that I can remember. They are coming at all times of the day and night. Some students are looking for answers to questions about curriculum r schedules or how to use the programs needed for virtual classrooms; all are looking to maintain a connection with their school and its people.

If anything, we teachers and support personnel are needed now more than ever.

Close a school for a while and the community instantly feels the effects. Shut them down across the state and everybody has to adjust.

Our students look to us for guidance, direction, assistance, validation, answers, and the ability to use voice. Nothing has changed in that respect.

Educators advocate for students and schools. Nothing has changed in that respect.

We collaborate with each other and remove obstacles for our students. Nothing has changed in that respect.

We will adapt. We will overcome this obstacle. No one adapts to situations and change like we do.

Because it’s all about the students.