Maybe we're greedy. Maybe we're selfish and ungrateful. Or maybe - is it possible? - we want to be treated like the professionals we are. We want our esteemed colleagues to stay in teaching instead of burning out. We want the best and brightest to WANT to become teachers.
In no particular order, here are some things to give teachers to truly show your appreciation:
Advance notice of new students before they show up at the classroom door
Trust (from colleagues, admin, parents, society in general)
More substitutes, with more training for them
More aides
More planning time (this would come with more aides - we could be planning and honing our craft instead of monitoring the lunchroom)
Funding for outside professional development and resources (like books, which are often quite expensive) to stay current in the profession
I wouldn’t mind paying for this myself if I made more money, but given my low salary, it should be provided. Also, if it were funded, it would become more of a norm instead of an exception.
Relaxed dress codes - especially for elementary teachers: Hands-on learning and dress pants aren’t the best combination.
Universal health care, so my students (and their families) can get the preventive care they need
Gun regulations, so we don’t have to traumatize ourselves with active shooter drills
Respect and acknowledgement for ALL educators, not just teachers
Improved access to interpreters and translators
Pay commensurate with our high level of training
At least enough so that single teachers don’t need second jobs and married teachers don’t have to be supported by their spouses
More school nurses, school counselors, school social workers
These people are also highly trained professionals, and to push their work onto teachers only does a disservice to the students
Robust pedagogical research, so we aren’t held hostage to the political trends in education
Defunding the testing-industrial complex
Coffee and snacks (they're provided as standard in many office environments; it takes a lot of fuel to keep up with little kids!)
High-quality books in every child’s home, on every bookshelf in the school... books overflowing everywhere
Maybe it's because teaching is female-dominated, but we're always accused of complaining when we envision a better profession. This Teacher Appreciation Week, that's a risk I feel like taking. I'll say it, for those who feel they can't or shouldn't. These are just some of the things that would actually show teachers we're appreciated.
"Teacher Appreciation Cupcakes" by clevercupcakes is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.