Send Teachers Love: Artemis Kolovos, diverse learning teacher in Chicago

To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Month, E4E is shining a spotlight on excellent educators and the amazing work they do on behalf of their students. Today, we’re recognizing Artemis Kolovos, a champion for equity in Chicago schools who prioritizes building relationships with her students and colleagues.

Every day since remote learning started, E4E-Chicago member and diverse learning teacher Artemis Kolovos and the other educators on her team hold morning meetings for their 7th grade students. There’s no pressure; it’s just an opportunity for students to connect and build relationships during a stressful time.

Artemis believes that opportunities like this are incredibly important for teachers, too–one key reason she was inspired to start E4E-Chicago’s virtual Wellness Wednesday events. She helps lead teacher participants through activities to help de-stress and manage anxiety, like breathing exercises and gratitude reflections, all of which could be adapted for student use. “Remote learning is new for everyone, and there’s stress that comes with the newness,” Artemis said. “Wellness Wednesdays are an opportunity to support other teachers during this time and build a sense of community.”

For Artemis, the transition to remote learning was a little easier due to the strong relationships between teachers on her team. As a passionate advocate for social-emotional learning (SEL) practices, Artemis is proud of how her team collaborated to weave SEL practices into their daily routine–which have now translated over to the virtual classroom, too.

“There can be no doubt the commitment that teachers have to their students and their profession.” – Artemis Kolovos, E4E-Chicago teacher

As an E4E member, Artemis is focused on increasing equity, especially when it comes to school budgets. She says it’s important to prioritize funds for students who need it most, like those who are affected by trauma, are part of refugee populations, or are in unique situations like foster care.

Thank you, Artemis, for everything you do to support your colleagues and advocate for your students!

This year, honoring teachers is more important than ever. Click here to see hundreds of messages of appreciation, and join us in lifting teachers up during Teacher Appreciation Month!