There is nothing more special to teachers than receiving thanks or acknowledgement from their students. It is one of the ways that students let teachers know that all the hard work is paying off. Teacher Appreciation week gives kids a special chance to honor their teachers. Here are some suggestions for how:
WRITE IT DOWN
Write a paper, a letter, or a thank-you note to a teacher who made or is making a big positive impact on your life. You can hand-deliver it to your teacher or send it through the mail. Don't want to go it alone? Get other kids to write notes as well or involve the student council.
MAKE IT FESTIVE
Stay late or come in early one day and decorate your favorite teacher's door. You may have ideas for your own decorations or maybe you want to take inspiration from your studies.
ADOPT-A-TEACHER DAY
Declare one day of Teacher Appreciation Week Adopt-a-Teacher day. Each staff member has a student volunteer who helps out all day doing things like delivering messages, grading papers, or cleaning the chalk board. If possible, document Adopt-a-Teacher day by taking candid photos of teachers with their student helpers. These make great yearbook photos or gifts to teachers.
DRESS IT UP
On Teacher Appreciation Day, invite students to dress up as a favorite teacher.
SAY IT OUT LOUD
Talk to the principal about allowing students to read the messages they've written thanking their teachers over the intercom.
E-MAIL IT
During computer class, send your teachers thank you notes via e-mail.
DO IT YOURSELF
Give teachers something you make yourself, whether it's a drawing, a painting, or a project like a flower pot you decorated yourself.
CELEBRATE
Get the student council's help in organizing a banquet for the teachers of your school. Work together to contact local restaurants for food donations that parents or administrators can pick up. Decorate the teachers' lounge and set up the banquet during lunch periods. Students can dress up for the occasion!
MORE IDEAS
A FESTSCRIPT is a book that many academics receive near their retirement from their former students. FESTSCRIPT is a celebration of writing: The book is written by former students and usually consists of a brief biographical chapter and then samples (chapters) of the research from the professor's best students. This idea could be adapted for teacher appreciation. Every year a teacher would receive a three-ring binder with samples of what his/her students consider their best work and written comments from parents and community members on how this specific teacher made a difference for the child/family/community, etc. This concept is organic in that every year the teacher would receive a FESTSCRIPT and it would be a wonderful way to document a career--not from the eyes of the administrators but from where it counts most--students/parents & community.
-- Dean Eastman, HS Humanities Teacher
When we arrived at school on teacher appreciation day, the grass was covered with pink flamingos. Each one had a sign around its neck with a teacher's name on it. Our student council rented the birds for 24 hours, so we didn't get to keep them, but we did have the nametags. We all loved it! It was very funny, and the whole neighborhood got to enjoy the experience!
-- Sara McKinley, MS Team Teacher
I have always thought it would be great if businesses started a "Thank You Teacher" card like an AARP card. Every time a teacher showed it at a participating business, they would get a small discount or something the store has agreed to offer. In this way, the teacher would continually be thanked by businesses they frequent. Each year, teachers could honor those businesses with an ad or an Education Honor Roll.
-- Debi Barrett-Hayes, HS Visual Arts
