Agents for change: Elevating teacher talents in a post pandemic era

Abstract

Perhaps one of the most salient lessons from the pandemic is that teachers took the same stance; they prioritized being agents for change in addressing the three giants: injustice, fear and ignorance in their classrooms and beyond. During protests in the streets for justice and fairness toward folks who arrive in the U.S. and look and speak differently than we do, it was teachers who recognized the importance of strengthening knowledge about humanizing relationships among students, their families and our local, national and international communities. The recognition of teachers’ critical consciousness of 21 century needs and the talents they bring to the education profession is too often set aside, as occurred during and after the pandemic. Yet, diverse family goals, changes in school resources, and awareness of breakdowns in community wellbeing are not daily intrusions in teacher’s lesson plans. Rather, they reflect topics to be viewed and discussed through the lens of a democratic classroom that values diverse people and diverse perspectives. While teachers are highly qualified in their craft and know the components necessary for moving forward to uplift the education enterprise in a postpandemic era, their expertise is currently under attack, their voices stifled, and working conditions are at an impasse that is driving them out of the profession in droves.