During this COVID-19 pandemic, the doctors and nurses are the real heroes. The emergency responders, the people who supply our food and needs, those who serve us at the stores and markets come second. The teachers come not far behind, rising to the challenge of giving distance learning to our kids, having to learn and master new technologies almost overnight. While some teachers just chat with their students, others have to do videos, be in videos, and broadcast live. So, they put on their game face, show hundred times more patience than they usually do, give As to all the assignments that the parents of their students submit, and carefully guard close to their chest what they are TRULY feeling about it all. Fortunately, one music teacher comes to the rescue, and has succceeded in putting into a song (originally posted on TikTok) what the teachers are truly feeling about distance learning. Have a listen.
Original video is here: YouTube/makeshift.macaroni
Editor’s note: We’ve had mixed reactions to this video. While most teacher friends we know guffawed out loud and immediately started to share it with their other teacher colleagues, others (not teachers) raised a questioning eyebrow at the “simplicity” of the lyrics, and could not understand why teachers thought this was funny at all.
I guess the proverb that you understand a man best if you have “walked a mile in his mocassins” aptly applies here. Teacher friends say that this song hits the nail on the head as to how they are really feeling during this distance learning experiment. The primal cry of the “song” encapsulates better than any craftily-worded lyrics all their sentiments and feelings of fear, discouragement, loneliness, frustration, powerlessness during these times… while donning the cap of courage, calmness, juggling family and students, learning new tech on the fly with minimal or no support, and appearing to all outsiders to be in full control of their lives and classrooms.
Many people misunderstand the job of a teacher, and how difficult and thankless it can often be. Some people actually look down on teachers, believing that it’s an easy-peasy job. But as many parents have learned (having volunteered to “help” their kid’s teacher for a day in the classroom), if you are having a hard time at home raising and teaching one kid, try it with twenty kids.
As many teachers would tell you, they do not mind one bit what others think. They do the job because they love it, love the kids, love helping them succeed. They are just glad one of their colleagues had the courage to let it all out. It felt cathartic and indeed, “Laughter is the best medicine.”