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| Teacher Appreciation Day |
In the United States, it's celebrated during the first full week of May, and in my 25 years of teaching experience, I've enjoyed many lavish lunches provided by the PTA, gift cards for Starbucks, pens and pencils engraved with "Thank you" in several different languages, even $25 gift certificates for the local mall at one school.
Teachers Appreciate Most The Handwritten Letters And Cards
And yet I treasure most the letters and cards I've received from students and parents over the year, thanking me for making a difference in their lives.
So if you're thinking of expressing your gratitude to a teacher this year, you should know that it's wonderful to receive a hand-written note of appreciation. Just like everyone else, we are human and like to see that someone is noticing our efforts.
Arne Duncan's Open Letter To America's Teachers
Education Secretary Arne Duncan is using Teacher Appreciation Week to write an Open Letter to America's Teachers. Here's an excerpt:
I have worked in education for much of my life. I have met with thousands of teachers in great schools and struggling schools, in big cities and small towns, and I have a deep and genuine appreciation for the work you do. I know that most teachers did not enter the profession for the money. You became teachers to make a difference in the lives of children, and for the hard work you do each day, you deserve to be respected, valued, and supported.
I consider teaching an honorable and important profession, and it is my goal to see that you are treated with the dignity we award to other professionals in society. In too many communities, the profession has been devalued. Many of the teachers I have met object to the imposition of curriculum that reduces teaching to little more than a paint-by-numbers exercise. I agree.
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Working together, we can transform teaching from the factory model designed over a century ago to one built for the information age. We can build an accountability system based on data we trust and a standard that is honest—one that recognizes and rewards great teaching, gives new or struggling teachers the support they need to succeed, and deals fairly, efficiently, and compassionately with teachers who are simply not up to the job. With your input and leadership, we can restore the status of the teaching profession so more of America’s top college students choose to teach because no other job is more important or more fulfilling.
In the next decade, half of America’s teachers are likely to retire. What we do to recruit, train, and retain our new teachers will shape public education in this country for a generation. At the same time, how we recognize, honor, and show respect for our experienced educators will reaffirm teaching as a profession of nation builders and social leaders dedicated to our highest ideals. As that work proceeds, I want you to know that I hear you, I value you, and I respect you.
The High Cost Of Low Teacher Salaries
If he is serious, I'm hoping that he has read the New York Times op-ed that I discussed here today, and understands that we must seize the opportunity of so many teachers retiring to re-think how we treat our teachers if we are to deal with the extremely high turnover rate that currently exists in the profession.
