With summer break fast approaching for most students around the country, it is fitting that May is Teacher Appreciation Month. For parents, as your favorite student wraps up their classes and prepares for the fun-filled summer ahead, let’s take some time to thank the teachers who have spent much of the past nine months guiding them through their classes and preparing them for their next steps, both academically and professionally.
Our kids wouldn’t make it very far without great teachers. Teachers face a wide variety of challenges as students rise through the grades, tending to both individual student needs as well as group dynamics. From the early years of elemental education to the teenage years where teachers must not only contend with teaching to exams but also manage student cliques and social circles, teachers support their students in navigating their learning and studies as well as interpersonal relationships. These are the same challenges faced by parents but on a magnified scale managing a classroom. The average student to teacher ratio in the US is 16:1. It’s important that we recognize these incredible teachers who help shape our kids' futures!
This Teacher Appreciation Month, talk with your kids about how best to recognize the teachers that have helped guide them through another school year. A simple thank you can go a long way! And, if you’d like to go a little further, here are some ideas to show gratitude:
1. Donate classroom supplies
Teachers put in many extra hours and often use their own money to stock their classrooms. In the absence of restructuring school funding, you can support organizations like DonorsChoose which allows teachers to set up a list of classroom items for donors to help them purchase. If your children’s teachers are all set, show your appreciation for teachers in your district and make a donation to help them out, enlisting your kids to help you pick items from a list or project that they feel is important in their own learning.
2. Purchase gift cards
Write a thoughtful note and select gift cards for your kids' teachers. Offer teachers an opportunity to wind down another school year with a trip to the local ice cream joint, restaurant, or spa. Or, give teachers a VISA gift card they can use anywhere they would like.
3. Make every moment count
Of course, we can’t forget about the gift of time! A perennial teacher’s favorite, the Original Time Timer 12” is the perfect size for the classroom with dry erase activity cards included. The Time Timer is a great way to set teachers up for success and help students in classrooms visualize the time remaining and stay focused on the current assignment or check on the schedule to see what’s coming next.
Teachers are always there for our kids. Let’s show them some love this May!