The Rise and Fall of Teacher Appreciation Post-2020

When did "Thank You, Teachers" turn into "Get Back to Work"?  In this episode of Ray Talks Live, we examine the dramatic and frustrating shift in how our society values educators. We revisit the early days of 2020, when parents—suddenly thrust into the role of co-teachers—gained a newfound appreciation for the complexity of our work, leading to national calls for higher pay and professional respect.

However, as the 2020-2021 school year approached, that praise evaporated, replaced by a wave of pushback and unfair labels. As a veteran social studies teacher with two decades of experience, I share my unfiltered thoughts on this "respect whiplash." We discuss the psychological toll of being undervalued, the reality of the teaching profession in a post-pandemic world, and why the fight for fair compensation is about much more than just a paycheck—it's about the future of education itself.

Season 2 Episode 2:
Teaching from the Trenches: A Mid-Year Update on the Hybrid Classroom Crisis

Season 2 Episode 17:
Uncharted Waters: What Did We Actually Learn from a Year of Pandemic Teaching

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