I was a pre-Kindergarten teacher for MANY years. I am the mother of a teacher and the mother-in-law of two teachers. I am related to teachers. I have friends who are teachers.
Does that make me an expert on teachers? Well, maybe. But I do know the kind of recognition most teachers would appreciate and cherish. I still remember those students whose parents took the time to have them draw a picture of what their favorite thing was about being in my class. Those pictures would choke me up, bring tears to my eyes and make it all worthwhile. Someone noticed. That's all a teacher wants. Someone noticed the good things that happened during the school day between last August and this May. Maybe it was just the fact that a child was excited to come to school everyday. Or a child couldn't wait to talk about a science project that was taking place in their classroom. So many times, the special activities that might last ten minutes took ten times that long for a teacher to plan. A lot of the time, the expense for those special activities was paid out of the teacher's wallet.
As you think about how to thank your child's teacher, ask some questions. Was it a paint project that got them excited? Buy some tempera paints, brushes and paper for the classroom. Next year's students will love it! What about the bulletin board with the students' names on it and their favorite color? A gift card to a local teacher supply store will cover that. Here in Evansville we have Tools 4 Teaching with unbelievable amounts of supplies and toys as well as Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Office Depot and Staples who all carry teaching and craft supplies. A gift card would relieve some of the personal expense almost every teacher invests during the school year.
If you want it to be more personal, ask your child about their teacher. Most can identify the photos on teacher's desk. If the teacher has children, how about a family pass to a movie? To the children's museum or the zoo? Do they have a favorite sports team? A t-shirt or license plate. Does teacher come in most mornings with a cup from Starbuck's? That's definitely an easy gift that's sure to be used. With any gift, a thank you from the child is a must. The pride a child feels giving their teacher a gift, especially something they made themselves, goes a long way to building their love of learning.
I read an article recently that suggested staying active on this year's teacher's Facebook page. Keep in touch. Share your experiences as your child grows and don't forget to praise those things your child loved about being in that teacher's class. Help other parents adjust at the beginning of a new school year by sharing a positive comment, either from you or your child. As your child grows, check in with their teachers, sharing photos and memories. Teachers love to hear from former students!
Please take the time to appreciate those who devote their lives to our future, our children. And to my personal favorite teachers (Matt, Leah and Kelly), THANK YOU!
