How Are We Celebrating Teacher’s Day During A Pandemic?

As classrooms have shifted from the schools to the computer screens, it is no secret that teaching this year is harder than ever and teachers are not only trying to prepare students academically, but they are also learning and getting used to this entirely new way of imparting education. They are trying to reach out students to make them feel connected and have a sense of normalcy. So, since the ways of teaching have changed, the way we have been celebrating Teacher’s Day will also be drastically changing this year.

Social distancing has made it tough but schools and colleges have come up with ways to safely show their gratitude for the dedication and handwork teachers put in all year - round. “ We have planned to celebrate it virtually, we will be sending invitation cards to the teachers to join us in an online meeting where all the students will be holding thank you posters made by them individually. They are the unsung heroes and it is the least we can do for them.” Anjali Priyadarshini, a college student said while talking about Teacher’s day.

It’s not only the students who are waiting to celebrate Teacher’s Day in a new way, the teachers are also anticipating the possibilities of the celebration during this pandemic. “As a teacher, online teaching has been a huge learning experience for me and many of my colleagues. It’s hard to figure out who is paying attention and who isn’t while the class is going on. And sometimes our classes are being watched by other members of the family, which is a new situation for us. September 5 will bring one more first to our lives: a virtual Teachers’ Day celebration! And true to our profession we will continue to be life-long learners.” Said Sandhya Satpathy, who has been a teacher for more than 30 years.

Online gift deliveries have also seen a rise taking Teacher’s Day into account as students are gifting pens and chocolates to teachers at their doors. Marut Misra, a standard 8 student, said “We as a class have ordered few gifts for our teachers which will be delivered to them on Teacher’s Day so the essence of the day is not lost in spite of the virus.” Students are planning virtual meetings where they dedicate songs and poems to their teachers. It is interesting to see how the students have adapted to the pandemic and are thinking of new ways to celebrate this day, it not only shows the new ways of expressing gratitude has evolved with the current restrictions but also how the teacher-student relationship has transformed in the year 2020.

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