Mondays Matter: Week 50

Taken from the book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways To Make A Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza

THANK A TEACHER

-There are 2.6 million teachers that teach K-12.

-42% of K-12 teachers are over 50 years old.

-Almost 50% of teachers leave the profession by their 5th year.

-A 15 billion per year investment or a 30% raise for all teachers is necessary to make teacher compensation competitive with other professions requiring similiar levels of education.

-The single most important factor in determining student performance is the quality of his or her teachers.

ACTION STEPS

1. Identify a teacher you want to thank - your child's teacher, a friend or neighbor who teaches, a teacher at a local school, or a teacher from your childhood.

2. Show this teacher your appreciation by:

- Writing a thank you note.

-Bringing a gift like homemade cookies or handpicked flowers, a book on a topic they are interested in, or a gift card for something you know they would like.

-Organizing a class Appreciation Jar. Give every student a piece of paper and have them list all the reasons why their teacher is special to them. Stuff the papers in the jar and let the teacher open one each day.

-Volunteering in the classroom and helping with special projects or field trips.

As a stay-at-home mom I have spent the last 4 years volunteering in each of my children's classrooms on a regular basis. By being in the classroom, I have been able to appreciate all that the teachers do for the students each and every day. I have witnessed a teacher spending hours to create a teepee in the classroom while the children learned about Native Americans. I saw a teacher spend her own money to purchase every different kind of fruit she could find in the stores to give her students the experience of trying different fruits of varying textures and tastes (I was the lucky volunteer to cut/peel/dice all that fruit). I have witnessed a teacher pay for snack-time milk because the child's parent couldn't afford it. I have observed hundreds of dollars of games and supplies that teachers have bought with their own money because the school budget was too tight. I could go on and on. I have a favorite teacher from my childhood that I will never forget her impact on me and I am sure you remember one as well. Teachers in our children's lives are helping to shape their future. Show appreciation to them and let them know they are valued and respected.