National Teacher Day Appreciation Day
By Sharman Poplova
I’ll always be grateful for the loving guidance of my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Abercrombie. She was a seasoned teacher of the old-school; she took no business from any of her small charges. She had a commanding appearance, taught all the core subjects, expected homework on time, and believed that we would rise to the standards she set for us. And by golly, we did.
Most teachers are able to size up their students pretty quickly and Mrs. Abercrombie was no exception. She had my number on day one. I was a talker and she tried to remedy that by putting my little desk and chair right beside her desk at the front of the room. I was thrilled. I had the complete attention of the teacher and could talk with her while the rest of the class worked on studies. This was heaven to an only child.
Mrs. Abercrombie deftly directed my attention by challenging me with additional goals and assignments, which captured my interest and pushed me in my studies. I was an avid reader and she gave me books outside the classroom curriculum that I devoured. She instilled in me a love of school and the confidence to believe I could excel in anything I put my mind to. I simply adored her.
I’ve had other teachers to which I owe a great debt, but I’ll always credit Mrs. Abercrombie for starting me out on the right path. We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. I never took the chance to show my appreciation to her as I grew to an adult and moved on. I wish I had gone back to thank her for giving me the gift of learning. I missed that opportunity.
This month we can all reach out to show our respect for the teaching profession and its dedicated staff through National Teacher Appreciation Week which is May 7 – 13 and National Teacher Recognition Day on May 9. This is a time to acknowledge teachers who have made a difference in your life or your child’s life.
All the teachers I know go into the profession and stay in the profession because they are passionate about teaching, genuinely love children and want to make a positive impact.
8 ways to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of our educators:
• Write a note of appreciation
• Tell your child’s favorite teacher about the impact he or she has made
• Encourage children to consider teaching careers
• Post a picture of yourself with your favorite teacher, past or present on social media
• Post a picture of your child with his or her teacher
• Post a picture of yourself holding a piece of paper with a simple message saying, “Thank You” to a teacher and why you’re thanking him or her
• Use the hashtag, #ThankATeacher when sharing on social media
• Be a partner in education, volunteer at a school, get involved
The legendary radio and television writer, Andy Rooney said, “Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives.” But how will they know we’ve remembered them if we don’t tell them?
To learn more about the impact of teachers through the TEACH Foundation’s Partners for Unparalleled Local Scholastic Excellence (PULSE) programs, visit the Foundation website at http://www.teachfoundation.org/jumpstart
Sharman Poplava is the Executive Director of the TEACH Foundation.