Give teachers the ultimate gift this year: YOUR RESPECT.
Teacher Appreciation week is upon us. As a teacher it is a great week to feel good about teaching students. Businesses offer special deals to teachers. Parent Teacher Organizations often garnish teachers with gifts and sweet treats. Students bring in cards of thanks. Districts issue thank you statements and hold celebrations to thank their teachers. Teachers are celebrated for all the great things they do for 5 wonderful day. Then we move on to Mother’s Day and with the rest of the year. Teachers fall to the back of the community’s mind, until the next year. There are times, unfortunately when teachers move to the forefront of the news. Events like Newtown, CT or Columbine tell the story of the heroic teachers’ mindset in the time of tragedy.
Teacher Appreciation week is a nice gesture to a craft that society tends to blame for its ills. Every time a sad tale of bullying, drugs, alcohol, suicide or vandalism by youth, the education system is quickly blamed. Advocates quickly propose legislation to “remedy” the problem. New unfunded mandates are placed upon our schools teachers. When studies find students aren’t eating healthy foods or getting enough exercise. Bills are introduced to change how schools serve lunch and offer recess. Schools are given the task to fix every problem that come up in the ever changing world. Not only are teachers required to address instruction of intellectual knowledge but we are charged with molding students socially, emotionally and physically. Teachers are doing their best to prepare to be proper citizens in our ever changing world. Often if feels like a thankless task. Instead of having an appreciation week, show them your RESPECT all year.
How you ask:
1. Spend time with your children and teach them how to respect their teachers. It needs to be modeled at home. Don’t undermine the educational process.
2. Model proper use of technology. Don’t call and text your student’s cell phone when they are in class.
3. Support the school, attend school functions. Volunteer, help where ever and when ever you can.
4. Give financial support to your districts educational foundation. These foundations support innovative ideas in the classrooms, funding teachers projects. Every dollar ends up back in the classrooms supporting students. Teachers already spend more the $500 a year of their own money in the classroom for students, help out if you can.
5. Vote for candidates and proposals that support education and fund your schools. Many schools have aging infrastructures and need new funding to keep the buildings updated and stay current with technology demands.
6. Work with the teachers for your child’s education. Remember to be a part of an educational team with teachers and support the classroom activities. The demands are high but with parental support and good teachers every child can succeed.
7. When success is achieved, go back, let your teachers know and thank them. Nothing, and I mean nothing makes a teacher feel awesome about what they do than when they hear ultimate success stories.
Enjoy teacher appreciation week next week. I hope you celebrate it by showing all educators RESPECT.
