Our future is in the hands of teachers, there’s no doubt about it. They are the crucial step in molding us into what we are today, building a foundation that takes us through the rest of our lives. I myself still remember and feel grateful to my favorite high school teacher, and I feel like many readers can relate with me.
But not everyone seems appreciative to all the work and heart educators put into us and our kids. And Katie Peters, a high school educator who has spent “every waking moment of the last 20 years trying to get my students to see the power of their own worth and believe in their ability to make their own dreams become reality” has a big message for them.
“I read online in a community forum the other day, in regards to my district going back in person: ‘Oh, it’s nice the teachers have decided to work again.’ And I felt something inside me shatter,” Katie said in a TikTok video which has now gone viral.
So she not only broke down what things exactly she did in a day at work, which feels overwhelming just listening to them, but explained how selflessly educators are willing to go above and beyond for the kids they work with. Scroll down to see Katie’s full video that will leave you inspired.
More info: TikTok | Instagram | Twitter | KatiePeters.org
The educator Katie Peters shared this TikTok video in response to someone commenting “‘Oh it’s nice the teachers have decided to work again” when her district was going back in person
Image credits: kpintoledo
We reached out to Katie Peters, a doctor of education and the 2012 Winner of NW Ohio’s Teacher of the Year Award, who is a 10th and 12th grade English teacher from Toledo, Ohio, working in Washington Local Schools. Dr. Peters had her first book, “Lessons from a Late-Bloomer,” published in 2016 and was featured on a Tedx Talk in 2018, where she shared her message of staying positive, laughing out loud and, most importantly, showing profound empathy in all that you do. Her recent viral TikTok is dedicated to all of those in education, fighting the good fight every single day.
Image credits: kpintoledo
Dr. Peters told Bored Panda that she was seeing so much ‘ugly’ online regarding educational systems. “I just wanted people to remember how far compassion goes in motivating and uplifting people. I was so happy to see that it struck a nerve because that means other people are also craving this kindness,” she concluded.
The author of this viral video believes that “there is a perception among some, not all, that teachers work less than other professions and nothing could be further from the truth. In addition to the daily academic work, the emotional labor of this calling (and it is very much a calling), is a time-consuming, heavy extra job,” Dr. Peter said. “I also don’t know when working levels became a competition. It’s a pandemic. Can’t we just agree that we’re all working hard in a bad situation?” she added.
Here’s Katie’s full video which since went viral and received lots of support
@kpintoledo♬ original sound – KP
“The solution to most of society’s problems is connectivity. We have to stop believing we are more different than alike. The truth is, we’re all in this together and the sooner we accept it, the easier this life can be for all of us. Teachers love your babies in your absence—who could ask for anything more?”
Dr. Peters also would like people to know that “there is nothing better” than her job. “The privilege of being invited onto the journey of a young person is such an honor and a gift,” she told us.
Katie’s message resonated with many people, and this is what they commented
Image credits: malakabdo96
Image credits: gkraltoledo
If the lockdowns and homeschooling taught me anything, it’s that teachers must be very dedicated to do the job and they aren’t paid anywhere near enough.
During a remote board of education meeting last year, a parent had the nerve to get up and say that "if the teachers don't want to go back to school in person that the administration should find new teachers." The condescending continued when he said we'd "been in vacation for the last six months" (implying our remote teaching was vacation). It was so sad that even after seeing how hard it is teach remotely, this parent still thought this.
Remote teaching is so much harder and far more draining than in person class
Load More Replies...
Calling out to the people who have no concept or idea what we do will NEVER change their minds; but are not here to change their minds. We are in here, in and out of the class, because we are meant to be, through every day and every difficulty. We try to support, nurture, guide, drive, motivate, and provide opportunities to develop skills for now and the future. 15 year Elementary, MS, and HS Veteran
It's also a job and what I notice about people in education is a lack of understanding about hardships in other professions. Most people work hard with not the right amount of stimulation to actually feel satisfied, with pay that's too low. A 15 year career doesn't make you a "veteran". It makes you someone in the middle of their working life. There are awesome teachers and there are bad teachers and most are just ok. Not overly invested in their students, not paying for anything in particular. But they also have lengthy holiday periods, which, if you do the math, actually add up to a more than normal pay check. All that while the educational systems in the Western culture are degrading like crazy because it totally lacks any healthy incentive to develop and do better. So no. Not buying it. Everyone's life is shitty, you're nothing special.
Load More Replies... Teachers do amazing things. Most spend incredible amounts of their time and money in their students. Please understand that I respect the hell out of teachers. I've been working on OST since long before covid started. We've been open, full days and sitting distance learning throughout the pandemic. When they decided it was too dangerous to remain in school, the spread was too high, we were there. Please remember us. Please don't tell us that we're lucky to stay in person. Most of us would appreciate being safe more. We're tired, too. We have no impact in the decisions like teachers and school staff do; the district has told us that we don't matter. We have no choice if we want to work, and many of us are burning out and quitting. Sorry for the rant; it's been been a rough few weeks.
The thing is, many teachers DON'T want to go virtual. They know it's really bad for their kids. And to have to make the decision to go virtual is really hard for them. And to hear people (especially other teachers, shame on them!) calling them lazy for going virtual makes me angry!!! in 2019 I was offered a position in a school, where I would be teaching in a room that was the same size as my kitchen (and my kitchen isn't very big). We would have had, at the time, 14 students crammed in that tiny space. 14 + me + teaching supplies = covid center. Behaviors go up and learning goes down with virtual learning. But sure, call us lazy.
I was only a paraprofessional and sub for a few years for elementary and I found myself paying out of pocket, working on my own time, and helping students after hours more than I want to admit (because i was told I wouldnt be reimbursed, but student lives dont end when schools over). I even created a Drama program after school, and we created and performed our own plays.
This is why I want to be a teacher as an adult, because we always help people and we like doing it. I feel that for all the bad teachers that there are, there should be some good ones. Luckily I have several this year that are amazing, but all the other schools that I think of everywhere in the world... This. This is why I want to be a teacher. I think it's the highest honor anyone can have.
We gave our son's teacher 2 tickets to Cirque du Soleil for Christmas. We also catered a sushi lunch with Krispy Kreme Donuts (they are not common in Canada) for the school staff for Christmas. We also sent along lovely thank you cards because they are often overlooked and have been having a tough time through the pandemic too. Our public school teachers are well paid, they have excellent medical benefits and pension plans but they are people too. They have worries, families and problems just like everyone else. We don't always see eye-to-eye when contract negotiations happen between provincial governments and the very powerful teachers unions, but that doesn't mean that teachers don't work hard. Their teaching day may be short but they do plenty of work after school hours too. They coach teams, run clubs, arrange events and field trips, fundraise and help kids with their struggles.
I'm a teacher myself and it's not healty to spend 4h on lesson planning. Please take care.
I adored my students. Especially the ones who struggled, the 16-19 year olds, the lads who were trying to be all tough and the girls negotiating friendships and romances. I miss teaching them science and I miss helping them with life. But I couldn't do it after the lockdowns and getting covid myself. Well done all who could, it broke me.
Teachers are the salt of the earth, bless you for working with others people's spawn
This average day in the life of a teacher is so fake. She has more adbentures in a day than most teachers have in a semester.
I remember years ago all the books, newspaper articles, and magazine articles about the incompetence of teachers in the public school system. I remember how horrified writers were by the low standards in schools, writing about "why Johnny can't read." There are many stories and many teachers who failed their students. I'm not saying you didn't have good teachers and I'm not calling you names. Why do you refuse to acknowledge the problems of others? I'm glad you had good teachers. But what I'm saying is not just based on my own personal experience. Paying people more for doing a terrible job is not magic that will make them wonderful teachers.
Don't you have this in every institution/employment - ones who are good, neutral and bad? I think education is similar.
Load More Replies...
The teachers have nothing to say about it, the union pulls the strings. The fact that the union was in consultation with the Biden Admin., basically telling them what course to take, (union members, not scientists) tells you that the claimed motivation isn't always accurate. It's not hyperbolic to say that the teachers union is a de-facto part of the democratic party, and has been for a while. The teachers are wonderful, I know a couple. It's the union that is questionable.
Then why didn't you become a teacher if its all fluff and ease?
Load More Replies...
And how old are you exactly? And are you a teacher?
Load More Replies...
If the lockdowns and homeschooling taught me anything, it’s that teachers must be very dedicated to do the job and they aren’t paid anywhere near enough.
During a remote board of education meeting last year, a parent had the nerve to get up and say that "if the teachers don't want to go back to school in person that the administration should find new teachers." The condescending continued when he said we'd "been in vacation for the last six months" (implying our remote teaching was vacation). It was so sad that even after seeing how hard it is teach remotely, this parent still thought this.
Remote teaching is so much harder and far more draining than in person class
Load More Replies... Calling out to the people who have no concept or idea what we do will NEVER change their minds; but are not here to change their minds. We are in here, in and out of the class, because we are meant to be, through every day and every difficulty. We try to support, nurture, guide, drive, motivate, and provide opportunities to develop skills for now and the future. 15 year Elementary, MS, and HS Veteran
It's also a job and what I notice about people in education is a lack of understanding about hardships in other professions. Most people work hard with not the right amount of stimulation to actually feel satisfied, with pay that's too low. A 15 year career doesn't make you a "veteran". It makes you someone in the middle of their working life. There are awesome teachers and there are bad teachers and most are just ok. Not overly invested in their students, not paying for anything in particular. But they also have lengthy holiday periods, which, if you do the math, actually add up to a more than normal pay check. All that while the educational systems in the Western culture are degrading like crazy because it totally lacks any healthy incentive to develop and do better. So no. Not buying it. Everyone's life is shitty, you're nothing special.
Load More Replies... Teachers do amazing things. Most spend incredible amounts of their time and money in their students. Please understand that I respect the hell out of teachers. I've been working on OST since long before covid started. We've been open, full days and sitting distance learning throughout the pandemic. When they decided it was too dangerous to remain in school, the spread was too high, we were there. Please remember us. Please don't tell us that we're lucky to stay in person. Most of us would appreciate being safe more. We're tired, too. We have no impact in the decisions like teachers and school staff do; the district has told us that we don't matter. We have no choice if we want to work, and many of us are burning out and quitting. Sorry for the rant; it's been been a rough few weeks.
The thing is, many teachers DON'T want to go virtual. They know it's really bad for their kids. And to have to make the decision to go virtual is really hard for them. And to hear people (especially other teachers, shame on them!) calling them lazy for going virtual makes me angry!!! in 2019 I was offered a position in a school, where I would be teaching in a room that was the same size as my kitchen (and my kitchen isn't very big). We would have had, at the time, 14 students crammed in that tiny space. 14 + me + teaching supplies = covid center. Behaviors go up and learning goes down with virtual learning. But sure, call us lazy.
I was only a paraprofessional and sub for a few years for elementary and I found myself paying out of pocket, working on my own time, and helping students after hours more than I want to admit (because i was told I wouldnt be reimbursed, but student lives dont end when schools over). I even created a Drama program after school, and we created and performed our own plays.
This is why I want to be a teacher as an adult, because we always help people and we like doing it. I feel that for all the bad teachers that there are, there should be some good ones. Luckily I have several this year that are amazing, but all the other schools that I think of everywhere in the world... This. This is why I want to be a teacher. I think it's the highest honor anyone can have.
We gave our son's teacher 2 tickets to Cirque du Soleil for Christmas. We also catered a sushi lunch with Krispy Kreme Donuts (they are not common in Canada) for the school staff for Christmas. We also sent along lovely thank you cards because they are often overlooked and have been having a tough time through the pandemic too. Our public school teachers are well paid, they have excellent medical benefits and pension plans but they are people too. They have worries, families and problems just like everyone else. We don't always see eye-to-eye when contract negotiations happen between provincial governments and the very powerful teachers unions, but that doesn't mean that teachers don't work hard. Their teaching day may be short but they do plenty of work after school hours too. They coach teams, run clubs, arrange events and field trips, fundraise and help kids with their struggles.
I'm a teacher myself and it's not healty to spend 4h on lesson planning. Please take care.
I adored my students. Especially the ones who struggled, the 16-19 year olds, the lads who were trying to be all tough and the girls negotiating friendships and romances. I miss teaching them science and I miss helping them with life. But I couldn't do it after the lockdowns and getting covid myself. Well done all who could, it broke me.
Teachers are the salt of the earth, bless you for working with others people's spawn
This average day in the life of a teacher is so fake. She has more adbentures in a day than most teachers have in a semester.
I remember years ago all the books, newspaper articles, and magazine articles about the incompetence of teachers in the public school system. I remember how horrified writers were by the low standards in schools, writing about "why Johnny can't read." There are many stories and many teachers who failed their students. I'm not saying you didn't have good teachers and I'm not calling you names. Why do you refuse to acknowledge the problems of others? I'm glad you had good teachers. But what I'm saying is not just based on my own personal experience. Paying people more for doing a terrible job is not magic that will make them wonderful teachers.
Don't you have this in every institution/employment - ones who are good, neutral and bad? I think education is similar.
Load More Replies... The teachers have nothing to say about it, the union pulls the strings. The fact that the union was in consultation with the Biden Admin., basically telling them what course to take, (union members, not scientists) tells you that the claimed motivation isn't always accurate. It's not hyperbolic to say that the teachers union is a de-facto part of the democratic party, and has been for a while. The teachers are wonderful, I know a couple. It's the union that is questionable.
Then why didn't you become a teacher if its all fluff and ease?
Load More Replies... And how old are you exactly? And are you a teacher?
Load More Replies... 
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