As a former PTA president and mother of two children, I know how jam-packed this time of year can be. After the relatively quiet month of January, each month goes faster and faster, as if we are sliding down a steep hill picking up speed along the way. It seems like we’ve just left the last days of winter behind us, when suddenly it’s spring, then spring break, and before we know it, school’s out for summer. Amidst all the flurry of activity comes #StaffAppreciation Day (May 8th this year) and the end of the school year – two opportune times to take a moment, a breath, and thank teachers.
Through our PTAs, we always organized something for Staff Appreciation Day. It was a lovely day, but I always wished we could do more. I often wondered about other, less fleeting, ways to thank them. But then I’d be caught up in the madness of the year, and let that thought go.
Yet, many times I did have teachers I wanted to thank.
At the end of the school year, I was often a little teary eyed when I picked up my children and said goodbye to their elementary school teachers. Throughout the year these teachers had been an almost daily presence in our lives. I appreciated their kindness, their creativity, and their steadfastness, showing up day after day.
When my kids were in middle and high school, I had less contact with their teachers (appropriately so), but I still knew the ones that were the stand-outs, including: Beth Seapker, a 7th grade math teacher who created such an atmosphere of trust that her students rushed to work out math problems in front of the class; Eric Edwards who taught his 8th grade English class like a college seminar encouraging his students to engage in conversation about the books they read; Miriam Plotinsky, a high-school creative writing teacher, who came up with such creative prompts that I wished I was in her classroom; and David Minton (and his late wife, Jillian Raye), a gifted actor, who directs elementary, middle and high school students in Shakespeare’s plays – teaching them life-long lessons for the stage and life. Just to name a few.
I also knew some exceptional principals who brought a love of children, capacity for seeing the big picture, and managerial skills together to create a school that really worked. One such principal, Lee Meiners, stepped in to rescue our 3rd-5th grade school that had been plagued by years of principal turnover. He was heard to say, “I want to use positive language, positive reinforcement, catch students being good,” he said. “I know it sounds corny, but positivity is everything.” And Renay Johnson, principal of Montgomery Blair High School, deftly leads a very large school with warmth, attention and care for the students and teachers.
I also came into contact with thoughtful librarians, skilled soccer coaches, kind and attentive counselors… all doing good work, going the extra mile. I had many teachers to thank. I often imagined writing letters to them and copying their principals so they would get the extra recognition. Sometimes I baked some bread or bought some chocolate. But very rarely did I put pen to paper.
Looking back, my guess is that my kids had about 75 teachers from kindergarten to their senior year, many of them I really appreciated. Of the 75, I wrote two thank you letters. Just two.
Giving Thanks
There’s a Henry Adams’ quote, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” It’s often emblazoned on mugs or t-shirts. The Thank You, Teachers Project emanates from the idea that we can reach out to that special teacher, we can tell them how they influenced us, and we can thank them.
Through this project, you, me, anyone can publicly thank teachers for the difference they’ve made in our lives. You can write to any teacher – from your past or present, your child’s teacher or your own, teachers in the school or beyond – you can thank anyone who has been a teacher to you. Parents are encouraged to help their children participate.
By posting the letters online, we can honor and celebrate the great work they do. By sharing the letters with their principals or supervisors, we can help to give the teachers the extra recognition they deserve.
These letters can raise teacher’s spirits, but even more than that, by publicly sharing these letters, we can help to raise the tone of how we talk about teachers. By showcasing the far-reaching influence that teachers have on students and their families, we can help add to a more positive narrative about the importance of the teaching profession.
Write a letter, you’ll be glad you did.
Trust me, I know.
A good friend and I posted a letter and sent a copy of Teaching with Heart to Ms. Gunter, our middle-school English teacher. (Believe me, it’s been a long time since we were in Ms. Gunter’s class. But we still remember her kindness and much of what we learned in her class.)
We also sent a letter to Mr. Wagoner, our middle-school science teacher. He is no longer with us, so in his honor, we will send a letter and a copy of Teaching with Heart to his daughter who is also a teacher.
And I’ve thanked Ms. Treva Coates, my daughter’s first grade teacher, who made all the difference that year (see her letter in the section above).
I have more to thank – but that’s a good start.
Who do you have to thank?
Posting is easy.
The letters are short – just 150 words or so.
Write a thank you letter today – your teacher will be delighted and you’ll feel better for doing it.
Use this form to write to your teachers. We’ll format and post the letters on our Thank You, Teachers Gallery wall and on Pinterest for your teacher and all the world to see! If you send us their principal’s name, email and/or address – we’ll notify them of your letter, so they can get the extra recognition.! There is no charge for posting the letter – that’s our gift to you and the teachers.
If you want to do more, you can post a letter and arrange to have an autographed copy of Teaching with Heart: Poetry that Speaks to the Courage to Teach sent to your teachers. In Teaching with Heart, teachers reflect on poems that matter to them, sharing insights into their work and life. It is a book written by teachers for teachers. The gift package – letters plus Teaching with Heart – costs $30. This helps cover the cost of the book and shipping – and helps to support this project
PTAs, principals and organizations:
Are you looking for a way to show appreciation for your faculty and staff? We can work with you to send autographed Teaching with Heart books to all your teachers – and post your students’ and parents’ letters. We’d be happy to work with you to create a system that works for you.
#Staff Appreciation Day and the #End-of-School-Year gift times are coming up soon. Sooner than you think!
Now’s a good time to start.
If you have questions, please contact us at tyteachersproject@gmail.com.
Leave a Comment