Teachers are Heroes and Humans

By. Meredith Biesinger

Teachers are heroes, superheroes! But teachers are also human, a simple fact that is often forgotten.

The general discourse on education has become increasingly negative, challenging educators. Between burnout, blame, and political hostility, it’s a trying time for educators. The pandemic is indeed putting us all on edge, but it sometimes feels like society may be losing sight of teachers’ humanity altogether.

It’s time to remember and recenter the conversation.

Educators have families and homes to take care of too. They have bills and responsibilities too. They battle sickness and trials too. They’ve lost loved ones too. They’re tired too.

Educators have shown up every day, some feeling miserable from the effects of “long COVID” but never think twice about phoning it in. There are third-year teachers who can barely remember what teaching was like before the pandemic, wondering if it will ever get any better. And it will. But some things will have to change first, and it begins with this narrative.

For years, teacher quality has been considered a significant factor behind student performance. Is it important? Absolutely. But so are other factors such as poverty, culture, parental involvement, and personal responsibility. These are complex problems that can no longer rest solely on teachers’ backs, who are human beings trying to teach students while constantly being asked to do more and be more than that.

Somehow, the humanity of those working to make schools work is coming under fire. You don’t have to look hard to see they’re hurting too.

Nearly two years into the pandemic, the silver lining we all looked for, the opportunity to reimagine our education system, has yet to bear fruit. The good news is, it’s still there! But we have to put in the work. Step one: recognize the humanity of those who make student learning possible.

To all educators, everywhere, thank you for everything that you do!