Teacher Appreciation Week is a celebration of educators. But after more than a year of disrupted learning due to the coronavirus, a week of festivities feels both needed and insufficient in 2021.

If the pandemic made one thing clear, it’s that educators are more than just teachers at the front of classrooms. They are counselors and helpers. They are healers and advocates. They are artists and leaders. And for some students and families, they are the glue that holds their lives together.

So how do you say, “thank you” to the people who filled these roles and so many more during a school year filled with chaos and challenges? We asked our readers.

This is what you had to say about the teachers who helped so many students and families navigate a pandemic, remote learning, and more this past school year.

Teachers who helped outside of the classroom


Teachers who couldn’t be stopped by the pandemic


Teachers who went the extra mile for students and parents



Don’t forget to follow Chalkbeat on social media. We’ll be celebrating even more teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week 2021 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.