Taylor-Anne Harris: COVID Chameleon

In 2020 when COVID hit, educators had to take on new roles overnight. Without training, and often without support, teachers were filling gaps that had left parents and students feeling uncertain and scared. Taylor-Anne Harris is a social worker and learning support teacher from Oakland, at California's Diocese of Oakland and she is one of the great educators who stepped up. We are happy to share her story of adaptivity and a deep desire to do what's required to deliver education to students.

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I have been at St. Leo the Great School as a learning support and substitute teacher since I covered my first maternity leave at the school in 2017. As happens too often in today's education system with teachers leaving too soon, our middle school English department had lost our beloved Ms. Bears and had been on shaky ground ever since. We were all doing our best to contribute where needed to keep things working.

In 2018-2019, with growing needs and limited resources, I was put in place as an emergency substitute until a new teacher was hired. After a couple of months had passed I had the opportunity to train a new teacher who would take on the role. On the very same day as the training was planned to start, we all went into COVID lockdown. March 20, 2020 changed the way we looked at education forever.

With all new needs and expectations, the show had to go on, so I shadowed this new teacher until he was ready to be on his own in 2021. This same year, I was assigned to support a new 5th grade teacher who was in a graduate program at the time. I was placed back in middle school as the English teacher spring 2021 and that is where I have been until now.

Like many teachers, I have another full time job as a social worker, and I made the sacrifice of working weekends to be on campus for my students when they needed me. Students deserve a consistent teacher and I am happy to be the consistency they need until we're able to find someone who can serve this position long term. It has been a difficult time but I love our school and the community we foster here. These kids are why I get up each and every day. It is a passion of mine to help children grow to be their best selves. When I am out of this position, it is my hope that I will go back to my learning support role, where I can focus on supporting the kids who need mw in grades K-8.

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Everyone who remembers her or his own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system.

- Sidney Hook, American Philosopher

Heroes of our Classrooms is a Shoelace newsletter that celebrates the amazing teachers who dedicate their lives and careers to a brighter future by supporting future generations of learners. If you are or you know a teacher who has a story to be shared, submit the stories?here. Each story that is published in the newsletter will receive their very own superhero (designed for their use) and will be added to our annual printed comic book which will be published each October 5th for?UNESCO's World Teachers' Day.