I was having some concerns about my children. “Children learn little by little while you remain there for them,” was the advice given to me by a friend who had grown up in an indigenous village in the Yucatán Peninsula. My four sons were young at the time, and I was worried that they wouldn’t be smart enough or that they didn’t work hard enough with their school assignments. I know this a worry many parents have from time to time about their children, and I was concerned that my presence as their parent and first educator would be enough.
My friend knew, however, that when we, parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, are there for children daily, that they learn well from us and from their experiences we guide them through. With that they inevitably develop into productive citizens and, even masters at their professional work. As an observer of education for the last three decades I’ve come to be certain that among the many important aspects established for successful educational systems, teachers are critically necessary to the learning process.
Through the pandemic we all learned that, in fact, educators are essential - both to our children and to our society. They consistently showed up to be there for their students, even through the dangers of potential illness infection. Even when they are tired or the repetitive nature of the work feels mundane, they continue to show up for students. From the pandemic we know now that students could learn from home through virtual instruction or with home schooling, but as a society we have come to the conclusion that learning conducted with in-person lessons is more effective and, therefore, necessary.
So, what do teachers do that is essential? Keep listening here: