Teacher Appreciation Week: How to Please Your Teacher on National Teacher Day   by Joanna Fuchs

In 1984, the national PTA established the first full week in May as Teacher Appreciation Week, with the Tuesday of that week being designated National Teacher Day. Do you have favorite teachers to whom you want to express appreciation? Here are some ideas:

Give a card with a poem or message that expresses what you want to say

It's hard for most people to say out loud what they feel for other people. A card, however, has universal acceptance and approval, even if what it says would be uncomfortable to say face to face. You can buy a card, but the messages on many cards are so general that they may not fit your situation. Best of all would be to make your own card with a special poem or message that will touch your teacher's heart and perhaps remain in his or her memory forever.

You can find a variety of teacher poems at poemsource.com. Here's a sample:

Sonnet For An Unforgettable Teacher

(Teacher's name),
When I began your class I think I knew
The kind of challenges you'd make me face.
You gave me motivation to pursue
The best, and to reject the commonplace.

Your thinking really opened up my mind.
With wisdom, style and grace, you made me see,
That what I'd choose to seek, I'd surely find;
You shook me out of my complacency.

I thank you now for everything you've done;
What you have taught me I will not outgrow.
Your kind attention touched my mind and heart;
In many ways that you will never know.

I will remember you my whole life through;
I wish that all my teachers were like you.

This copyrighted poem, by poemsource.com greeting-card-poet Joanna Fuchs, was designed for college and high school teachers. It is free for personal use, according to the Terms of Use at the site. For more teacher poems, including those designed for teachers of younger grades, go to poemsource.com.

Give a gift

Many students give their teachers little gifts during Teacher Appreciation Week. A personalized gift, with the teacher's name or a personal message, is especially nice. You can find such gifts at personalizationmall.com or personalcreations.com. Presentation is important for maximum impact, so be sure to wrap your gift with wrapping paper and a ribbon.

If money is a problem, pick some flowers from your garden and tie a ribbon around them. (You do save the ribbons from the gifts you get, don't you, so you can use one of those?) It's the expression of your appreciation that counts, not the cost of the gift.

Express yourself

Yes, I know I just said how hard it sometimes is to say what you feel, but do go ahead and say whatever you feel comfortable saying. For example, as you hand your card and gift to your teacher, make eye contact and say something like, "Mrs. Johnson, I just want you to know that I appreciate you." That's plenty. Not so hard, is it?

For other ideas on how to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day, check out these sites:

http://www.pta.org/local_leadership_subprogram_1117568214281.html

http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin162.shtml

http://www.dltk-kids.com/school/teacher.htm

Copyright 2006 by Joanna Fuchs

About the Author

You'll find more teacher poems at http://www.poemsource.com/teacher-poems.html You'll also find rhyming and free-verse poems in a wide variety of categories, such as anniversary, baby, birthday, Christian, Christmas, father, friendship, get well, graduation, love, mother, New Year, teacher, Valentine and wedding. The poems are written by Joanna Fuchs. Contact her at her Web site, www.poemsource.com