If you can read this, #ThankATeacher. If you can calculate a tip, #ThankATeacher. If you learned a second language, #ThankATeacher. What do you thank a teacher for? It's National Teacher Appreciation Week!
Each year the National Education Association (NEA) and the National PTA sponsor the week and Teacher Appreciation Day. However, the week is not limited to those individuals currently in the classroom. Teacher Appreciation Week is a time for everyone to reflect on how educators have shaped their lives. Can you remember your favorite teachers name, even if you were in the classroom decades ago? What would you thank him or her for?
Last year, a few of our staff members offered reasons they thank a teacher:
- “To all my teachers--Thank you for instilling an insatiable curiosity in me, & for always pushing me out of my comfort zone. Without that, I would not be where I am today!”
- “Thanks to all the teachers who showed me that being “nerdy” is actually pretty cool…”
- “My favorite teacher brought the outside world into the classroom. We traveled to faraway places, yet never left the classroom.”
Over the past few years the recognition has entered the social networking sphere, with the prevelance of the hashtag #thankateacher. All week you are encouraged to share what you thank your teachers for on Twitter, Facebook, even Instagram!
Other resources from the NEA and National PTA include: 
- Web graphics/art
- Thank You Sign
- Shareable graphic
- 11x17 Poster
- Thank You Cards
- The National PTA compiled this free promotional kit for Teacher Appreciation Week events and to share on social media. There are several full-color PDF files for small posters that you could easily print using your Perfecta 2400.
Are you a principal looking for ways to recognize your staff not just this week but year round? Education Week put together a list of 65 ways to recognize teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week and all year long.
No matter your age or educational experience, we encourage you to take a moment to thank a teacher from your past or present, thank a person you know who is a teacher, and remember the irreplacable value of educators.