How do you thank teachers this Teacher Appreciation Week for facing all the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Five former State Teachers of the Year raised that topic last week in an 91直播 opinion essay that drew a flood of responses. In online comments, on Twitter, and Facebook, teachers shared on-the-ground advice on how best to appreciate the teachers who helped students navigate remote learning and other forms of improvised instruction during a pandemic this school year.
鈥淭eachers have spent the year proving they can adapt and even excel under terrible conditions,鈥� said Nancy Flanagan, who spent 30 years in a K-12 music classroom in Hartland, Michigan, commenting on the 91直播 website. 鈥淗onor that.鈥�
Make it personal
The most meaningful gift to teachers would be a personal note recognizing their efforts, Denver elementary school teacher Lori Laliberte commented on Facebook.
English-as-a-second-language teacher Judi Moy said she keeps the notes she receives in a special photo album, which she still cherishes many years later.
Like Moy, Florida teacher Susie Smith Philpot said she still loves getting heartfelt notes after 37 years of teaching.
Similarly, New Jersey educator Suzanne Woolslayer said she would love a letter to be sent to her principal about her achievements as a teacher.
Let teachers in on decision-making
Texas teacher Jessica Jones said she wanted more leeway from the administration to be able to teach.
鈥淛ust let me do my job without a million silly little tick-box chores, and then social shaming for not having done them,鈥� she said.
New York teacher Kelly Lambert echoed Jones鈥檚 remarks asking for administrators to 鈥渓eave us alone in peace to do our work for the rest of the year.鈥�
Several teachers, like English teacher Sherri Friedrich, highlighted the need for teachers to have a seat at the table when decisions are being made for the school year.
Jessica Hall said teachers should have a 鈥渕ega horn鈥� when it comes to making decisions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 long overdue that those saying what education should be are those actually in education in the classrooms,鈥� Hall said.
New Jersey educator Barbara Smith agreed, saying 鈥減eople who have never done this job need to keep their opinions, if uninformed, to themselves.鈥�
Many said they wanted improvements to teaching conditions at higher levels, like higher pay, smaller class sizes and cancelling standardized testing.
One Maryland early-childhood teacher tweeted that being paid enough would show that teachers are 鈥渢reated like the highly educated and experienced professionals we are.鈥�
An 8th grade reading teacher in Connecticut, Doris Murphy, tweeted that standardized tests 鈥渢ake weeks, produce useless, unreliable data during a pandemic, and only add stress and anxiety to an already stressed and anxious population.鈥�
鈥淧ay attention to actions not words,鈥� commented Julie Beans on Facebook. 鈥淭he same politicians and people calling us heroes raise our health insurance premiums, stagnate pay and eliminate our pensions, weasel around class-size amendments, and penalize us for test scores while holding students blameless.鈥�
Give them a much-needed break
鈥淚t is the hardest year for any teacher, veterans or newbies,鈥� said St. Louis English teacher Tricia Frank. 鈥淕ive me a break.鈥�
Some, like educators Judith Turgeon and Michaela Bell, suggested giving teachers like them a spa day to unwind.
While some teachers joked that they wanted 鈥渓ots and lots of chocolate鈥� or their 鈥渟anity back,鈥� many, like Idaho teacher Tracie Thompson Detrick and Las Vegas teacher Kelly Tyndal, said a simple 鈥渢hank you鈥� would suffice.
Respect and encouragement for a job well-done are enough to appreciate teachers, educator Linda Plakke commented on Facebook.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want gifts鈥 don鈥檛 want stuff鈥ut kindness in general would go a long way,鈥� said Massachusetts teacher Kathryn Dufour on Facebook.
Teacher Terri Jo Harding said all she wants is to know someone thinks she is doing a good job.
Most importantly, Nevada teacher Megan Campbell tweeted, appreciate teachers every day, not just during Teacher Appreciation Week.
