Teacher Appreciation Week

Celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week May 7th to May 13th. 

Learning Stages

Background

National Teacher Day is a time for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives. National Teacher Day is the first Tuesday of the first full week of May, which, in turn, is designated Teacher Appreciation Week by the national Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

The history of Teacher Day goes back to 1944 when an Arkansas teacher, Mrs. Mattye Whyte Woodridge, began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day honoring teachers. One of the leaders she wrote to was Eleanor Roosevelt, who persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day in 1953.

In 1985, the National Education Association (NEA) and the National PTA joined forces to establish Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The Tuesday of that week was named National Teacher Day.

Celebrate National Teacher Day and Teacher Appreciation Week

We encourage parents to take this day and this week to show all the teachers in their child's school how much they appreciate them. It takes a special person to work in this field, and these individuals are often unrecognized and under-appreciated.

Here are some ways you, your family, and your community can acknowledge teachers:

  • Your child can make posters or develop a certificate of appreciation with your school logo on it. Make enough copies to distribute to all teachers, substitute teachers, teacher aides, and other support staff in the school.
  • Write a personal note to your child's teachers, thanking them for the special time and effort they have given your child throughout the year.
  • Donate books to the school library. Your child can help create bookplates to go inside each book noting that the book was made in honor of National Teacher's Day/Week.
  • Collaborate with other parents to present teachers with a "surprise"—gift certificates, flowers, fruit baskets, etc.

For more information and ideas for National Teacher Day, check out the National Education Association (NEA) website.