Community Stories

A+ For Red Deer’s Educators

May 07, 2020

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and boy do we have a lot to appreciate.

From completely restructuring lesson plans and learning about new technology, to finding ways to reach each and every student while making their lessons meaningful – our teachers have been exemplary. Our educators are going above and beyond to get creative in their lesson delivery while helping parents get up to speed.

At the start of the 2019/2020 school year, if you had told teachers there would be no students in their classrooms, no children in the halls and no laughter filling the school, they’d never have believed you. But in a matter of weeks they transformed their entire teaching model to adapt to a new world of online teaching and learning. Not only have they answered the call, they’ve aced the test.

From weekly one-on-one video chats between students and teachers, to full class Google Hangouts for children to maintain friendships, technology has been brought to the forefront. The list of apps being used by teachers today is long, and while each school and teacher is different, we’re sure that many are using tools they didn’t know existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jeff Tuchscherer, Principal at Father Henri Voisin School, emphasizes, “I am extremely proud of how the staff have stepped up to maintain excellent programming and support for the students and families of our community. The effort put forth to learn new educational resources and implement different instructional methods is a testament to the dedication and care they have for the success and development of each and every student.”

The investment these teachers make into the lives of students all over Red Deer is evident. Six-year-old Walker gushes about his teacher, “my teacher really cares about people, she really cares about me too and she encourages me and helps everyone.” His seven-year-old brother says, “teachers always inspire you to be a better person, they help us through life.”

We’ve heard stories of teachers doing drive-by visits with their students, passing special birthday wishes and generally trying to maintain their relationships. Well done Red Deer educators and thank you for working hard to help the students of Red Deer continue to learn, grow and feel connected.

This year, Teacher Appreciation Week has a little extra meaning as we recognize their amazing adaptation into a new teaching environment. Send a special note, make sure they feel appreciated and give them a pat on the back for all of their efforts in transforming their teaching methods at the drop of a hat.

Thank you, to all of our amazing educators!