Today's Kindness #319: May 9, 2023
🍎👨🏼🏫Thank Your Teachers👨🏼🏫🍎
National Teachers' Day is observed on the Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week and we're more than ready to show our appreciation to those who have taught us.
Everyone has had that favorite teacher that has helped inspire them. This day meant to honor them was actually made by a teacher. None other than First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt herself. Eleanor Roosevelt was more than Franklin D. Roosevelt's wife, she has a history of civic duty and was an advocate for fellow teachers.
At its inception, National Teachers' Day was celebrated on March 7 until 1984 when it was moved to May. Thanks to the assistance of the National PTA, it evolved into Teacher Appreciation Week, giving teachers more time to bask in appreciation. A year later, the NEA established that the first Tuesday of the week would be National Teacher Appreciation Day.
Today, the official national day celebrates teachers by gift-giving and showering accolades from students and parents alike. The hashtags #TeacherAppreciationDay and #NationalTeachersDay are used on social media to show teachers making a difference to the world at large.
A teacher is not just limited to the classroom. It can be anyone you look up to or have taught you life lessons — a friend, a family member, or a mentor. The day is all about thanking teachers for imparting knowledge and wisdom and inspiring us to be better versions of ourselves.
How To Observe:
Make It Personal
There are only so many apples a teacher can consume, why not make it personal? Write a letter to your favorite teacher, properly expressing what they mean to you. Be sure to detail specific examples, letting them know that you've noticed them. It's sure to warm their hearts once they realize how much of an impact they've made.
Offer Your Assistance
A teacher's workload can be heavy. Long hours at school and after school on top of having to account for all of their students in their classes can be taxing. Offering your assistance can help lessen the load they carry. Perhaps they need their room cleaned or they could use help grading papers. These small acts stack up and make a huge difference.
Instagram It
With their permission, post them on your social media account and express just what makes them stand out. We all need inspiration sometimes, even those whose job it is to inspire. By recognizing them on a grander stage, you can uplift their spirits and inspire other students to think about the teachers in their lives that have influenced them.
"Great teachers empathize with kids, respect them, and believe that each one has something special that can be built upon."
~ Ann Liberman
P.S. You can view some amazing Pueblo teachers this week on our social media, during our AKAD Teacher Appreciation Week Teacher Feature!