Teacher Appreciation Week Conclusion

Even though Teacher Appreciation Week ended last Friday, the Stride Professional Development Center still wants to keep a focus on the amazing work teachers do every day during the year.  We will share a few ideas how to do that and offer a reminder about FREE professional development deals that still exist.

Yes, Teacher Appreciation Week (TAW) is special each year; however, we want to ensure that everyone celebrates teachers every day.  We cannot confine appreciation to just one week, and that is a challenge that everyone faces.  Ask yourself one question each week – how can I, right now, show a teacher how much their hard work means to me?  Once you have answered that question, then make it happen!

One easy way is to participate in Stride’s #bekind365 initiative.  The first element of that campaign is Thank a Teacher.  A specific website has been created where you can create and send a special “thank you” message for any teacher.  If you want to leverage that website all year long, click this link and follow the easy steps outlined there:  https://thankmyteacher.k12.com.

Instead of relying on a technological tool like the one mentioned above, here are a few more ideas for parents, students, teachers, and school leaders to use throughout the year:

PARENT

• Pick one teacher a month and do something special for them.
• Write a handwritten note and send to the school.
• Provide a gift card “just because.”
• Volunteer during lunch so the teacher can have a duty free lunch.
• Buy that teacher a lunch or coffee.
• Donate, in their name, to their favorite charity.

STUDENT

• Say thank you often.
• Write a handwritten note and leave on their desk.  Teachers hold on to these for years.
• Give them the gift of a smile to brighten their day.
• Take a picture with them and tell them why you want to remember them.
• After leaving the school, go back and visit to let that teacher know how much they mean.
• Invite them to attend your high school graduation party.

COLLEAGUE

• Tell them how they have helped you as a teacher.
• Share your teaching strategies to help others.
• Go back and visit a teacher that meant so much to you when you were in school.
• Write down the positive things you see a teacher do every time they do so and then give it to them during Teacher Appreciation Week.

SCHOOL LEADER

• Create a school culture that fosters celebration of teachers and their work.
• Have a positive “Post it” note always with you and immediately give it to the teacher when you see something amazing.  Maybe grab your phone and do a quick social media post on it.
• Design a way that students can share positive things about teachers (e.g., give them paper apples so that they can share an “apple for the teacher”).
• Give them control over their own learning with FREE professional development (see below).

FREE Learning!!  Where?
The Stride Professional Development Center still has two promotions offering free resources to teachers. 

1. NEW teachers: Start & Stay Strong.  Research shows that nearly half of teachers that leave the profession do so in their first five years.  To help, we are offering any new teacher a full year of FREE professional development.  If you have other classmates that just graduated as well, then share this offer as well.
2. ANY teacher:  Get One and Give One.  Because we know the value that teachers bring, we want to add value to them.  Any teacher can claim 6 months of FREE professional development with a special code.  You can download the gift card and share it with a friend.

Want to take advantage of one or both of them?  Reach out and we’ll tell you how!