Teacher Appreciation Week, taking place May 5-9, is a time for students to honor the dedication, wisdom and patience of their teachers and recognize their efforts to inspire them.
For the early years of childhood up until graduation, teachers are one of the most important figures in a student’s life, and they do not receive near the amount of recognition that they deserve.
From teaching entry-level education to honors and AP level, teachers work countless hours preparing lesson plans, activities and field trips to enhance student learning.
According to Education Week, teachers work, on average, 15 uncontracted hours each week beyond the school day.
“Most of the extra work teachers do is unpaid—for instance, responding to student or parent emails at all hours, grading on the weekends or planning lessons late into the night,” Education Week said.
Teachers work hard, in and outside of school, to ensure that students are prepared for life after high school.
As well as teaching, many teachers take on other school responsibilities such as department coordinators, coaches and club advisors.
Spending, sometimes, up to 10 hours a day with students helps form a relationship between the teacher and the kids they teach.
These bonds allow students to feel comfortable away from home, establish a comfortable environment for them to learn and ask questions and give students an adult to inspire them.
Then why are we not showing more appreciation for everything that they do?
According to Teachers of Tomorrow, Teacher Appreciation Week was formally established in 1984 by the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
“This designation marks the first full week of May as a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions of teachers,” according to PTA.
However, efforts to recognize teachers and their impact on society stemmed almost 30 years prior.
In 1944, Arkansas school teacher Mattye White Woodridge wrote to politicians and educational professionals about the demand for a day to appreciate teachers.
According to National Today, “it wasn’t for nearly a decade until the idea was introduced to Congress by none other than Eleanor Roosevelt.”
In 1953, she was successful in convincing lawmakers to adopt the day.
“After the National Education Association (NEA) and Kansas and Indiana state affiliates lobbied Congress again to create National Teacher Day on March 7, 1980, and they continued to observe it yearly even though Congress did not,” National Today said. “They did this until 1985 when the Assembly transformed the single day into the first full week of May.”
Teacher Appreciation Week is a time for students to acknowledge the vital role that teachers play in their lives.
Teacher Appreciation Week is not the only opportunity for students to show their appreciation.
According to Moreland.edu, international days such as World Teacher Day, held on October 5, offer students the opportunity to let their teachers know how much they appreciate everything they do for them.
However, there should not have to be a reason for students to show their appreciation; it can happen any day, at any time.
Teachers deserve recognition and respect everyday, not just on special holidays, as their jobs shape who people are and who they become.
The impact that teachers can have on a student, both educationally and personally, can be long lasting and important.
It is important that students acknowledge this, and personally connect with and thank the teachers that have helped them achieve their goals and helped them grow their passions.