What a great time of year. You can see the light at the end of the school year tunnel. Your students are about as close to perfect as they’re going to get—doing what you want them to do, when you want them to. They are trained. They know the classroom procedures.
You’ve broken up the fights, navigated the girl drama. You’ve counseled … you’ve wiped noses … cleaned up blood (and other things we won’t mention). Your students have become a little classroom family—because they have a teacher who knows that relationships come first!
It’s almost over—your break is sooooo close.
You’ve made it through the dreaded testing period. You’ve done your checks for understanding, your formative and summative assessments. Made sure your students were “highly engaged” in every lesson.
You’ve done your bus duty … recess duty … sometimes even nurse duty. You’ve tried positive behavior supports, worried about your kids after they’ve left for the day, and gone to bed wondering, “What can I do to save this kid?”
A now—oh, happy day—it’s Teacher Appreciation Week!
The awesome gifts from all those appreciative parents will soon be rolling in. After all, you’ve spent six hours a day for nearly 180 days teaching, supporting, encouraging their kids—they obviously recognize what an accomplishment that is.
So get ready to accept the gift certificates for massages, the Starbucks and restaurant gift cards. Perhaps flowers, or candy, or even a luxury trip will be gifted to you.
I can see it now … a gaggle of grateful parents placing a crown on your head, hoisting you on their shoulders, and parading you through the school. So everyone can see that you are indeed queen or king for the day.
And your principal … oh my, I just know he or she will be showering you with praise this week. You’ll probably be told to take an afternoon (or two) off. After all, you’ve earned it!
Ah, yes! I know all my teacher friends can expect this—and so much more—during this joyous Teacher Appreciation Week.
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BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
OK, I tried to keep it together, but I just couldn’t!
I know you probably won’t receive many of these things. Maybe if you’re lucky, your principal will put a nice card and a piece of candy in your mailbox. (Or maybe not. Administrators are just as fried this time of year as the rest of us!)
But there is a silver lining. Even though you don’t get near the praise, the gifts, the appreciation, or the paycheck you deserve for being a teacher, you still get to do the BEST damn job in the world!
You get to TEACH. You get to INFLUENCE young lives in really big ways. You get to help your students BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES when no one else does.
And even though you might not get lavished with gifts, you still get to walk out of that school every day with your head held high. Because YOU, teacher friend, are an important part of the most noble, sacred profession there is.
And your dedication is most definitely appreciated.
P.S. I don’t want you to go completely gift-less this year. So if you’re subscribed to my newsletter, watch your inbox for an extra special surprise coming soon!
