As an educator I want to be recognized and appreciated every day, but not in the ways you may think. Awards are nice, as are year-end gifts, but there are simpler, better ways to show teacher appreciation. I’d much rather my students shower me—and one another—with bursts of kindness in the classroom, respect me and their peers, do their very best on their assignments, and be trustworthy.
By instilling these values in their children, parents can send them off to school knowing that by doing and being their best, kids are showing appreciation for their teachers every day.
RESPECT
Respect for one another and their teacher as well. Having a disrespectful child makes classroom management challenging for teachers. I often remind my students that I am not there to babysit; I am there to teach. If I have to stop my lesson to remind them to treat others well and be respectful of the rules in our classroom, I am being disrespected and so are their classmates. Students can show a teacher appreciation by adhering to the rules of the classroom and being respectful to classmates. Remind your children of the importance of manners and of carrying them over into the classroom. A teacher feels a sense of pride and accomplishment when her day goes smoothly and everyone works as a community, respecting one another.
EXCELLENCE
Excellence in the classroom. I expect the best from all of my students because I know they are capable of it. Working together with parents, I am confident that our kids can achieve excellence on a daily basis once they set foot into the classroom. That’s why I urge parents to make sure their kids arrive prepared for school with all supplies, homework completed, and be ready to concentrate and learn. An excellent student knows what is expected of him and knows exactly what excellence consists of. No child is too young to know what the expectations are and how to achieve them. Expecting excellence from children reminds them that they are able to accomplish anything that comes their way. It’s a great feeling to have students who are eager to learn and working to the best of their ability.
Read Related: For Kids, Character Building Begins at Home
TRUSTWORTHINESS
Trustworthiness definitely makes a teacher feel appreciated on a daily basis and all year round. I feel a sense of pride in my students when I am able to trust them with situations in the classroom, classroom supplies and even my personal belongings. As teachers, we expect children to be honorable and honest when asked to tell the truth. As parents, we must remind children that what we teach at home must continue at school. So if we expect honesty and trustworthiness at home, those same rules apply in the classroom.
Your child should be reminded of these simple actions every day so that his teacher feels appreciated, and not just on Teacher Appreciation Day. An appreciated teacher is even more content knowing that her students are taking how she feels into consideration. Teachers also realize that parents are working with children at home, making it a team effort to get those fabulous results that we hope for. Our day is less stressful when we are able to teach the way we want to teach—with no interruptions, with a team spirit, and with a focus on learning.
