Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week in 2020 from a Distance
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Celebrating Teacher Appreciation week From a distance - Episode 086
Despite the coronavirus CoVID-19 pandemic, we shouldn’t forget teacher appreciation week. It’s that time of the year when we get to celebrate teachers, administrators, and school counselors.
Teachers around the world have had to come together to figure out how to handle distance teaching and provide services for all of their students. For many schools, this is the first time they’ll be trying out online teaching.
Yes, yes parents I get that you are suddenly a teacher. Alas you don’t get a week of celebration, but feel free to pour yourself an extra glass of Diet Dr. Pepper to celebrate!
Let’s dig into why this Teacher Appreciation Week is so important and some outside the box ways to celebrate teachers!
In this episode of School Counselor Gone Rogue, we’ll be looking at some of the problems kids have with writing emails. These include:
Why Teacher Appreciation Week 2020 is so unique
How to celebrate from a distance
Simple thank you’s to teachers, counselors and admin
Teachers, Online Teaching and Distance Learning Oh My!
Celebrating your child’s teacher from a distance is a great way to mark Teacher Appreciation Week. It’s been a stressful and tough period for parents, educators, administrators, and students.
The beautiful part, however, is that many teachers have adopted online teaching. Many schools have had to introduce distance learning. And, remarkably, they’re doing their best to keep their students engaged.
Educating children at home is not an easy feat. Yes, many schools have struggled with making this shift, with a whole district in view. Nonetheless, this dilemma has forced many schools to adopt an alternative way to teach kids.
The challenges of online teaching include:
No access to Wi-Fi for some kids in rural areas
The inability to afford Wi-Fi
Lack of paper packets
The delivery of paper packets which don’t match student needs
Lack of transport to pick up paper packets at school
Laws that prevent some students from doing paper learning or distance learning
And a lot more!
These are only some of the factors that schools have had to consider when making the shift to distance learning.
Nevertheless, it’s important to admit that schools are giving their best. The distance learning systems may not be perfect right now. But you must create the time to celebrate your kid’s teachers, administrators, and school counselors.
Let them know you appreciate the effort they’re putting in to ensure that your child stays happy and motivated. They’re creating a huge level of normalcy amid this chaos and world crisis.
I deeply appreciate the teachers in my children’s life right now. They’re providing stability and some level of calmness, even if it isn’t always perfect.
My daughter giggles when she sees her teacher’s face on the screen, and when she gets homework, it feels almost normal (at least the moans and groans are the same).
Why Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week During the Coronavirus
For many teachers who love to teach, the last day at school brought grief, not excitement. It was a reminder that they might not see some students (those who were graduating, for example) ever again.
Many teachers are struggling to find meaning in their lives right now. For them, everything seems to revolve around the kids they teach.
Many teachers didn’t get their Spring Break. They were learning how to transition to online learning. They had to learn about ways to keep their students engaged.
Another point to note is that your child’s teacher may not be allowed to reach out in the way they would want. You might wonder why some have Zoom meetings and others don’t. It could be above their pay grade. Don’t hold their ability to reach your child in the way you deem appropriate against the teacher.
With these reasons in mind, what ideas do you have to show appreciation to your children’s teacher (s)?
Simple Ways to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week
Simply say “thank you”
Mail them something small and nice
Do a class video with individual messages
Create cards that you can send to schools (ask the school administrator if it’s okay to send in the emails or send them directly to the teachers)
Do a drive-by parade for teachers in your neighborhood
Let your kid’s teachers know that they’re making a difference (even if online learning isn’t smooth or the kids aren’t turning in their homework when it’s due).
Gifts to Give to Teachers from a Distance
If you’re thinking about reaching out to your child’s teacher to say thank you, these are gift ideas for teacher appreciation week 2020:
Green Chef – You can order a meal kit for your child’s teacher, so that they don’t have to worry about preparing dinner. With the easy to follow steps in the instruction, they can have a well-cooked meal that suits their lifestyle.
My Points – My Points is how I have been able to purchase yearly school supplies and gift cards for my daughters’ clothes FOR FREE the last 8 years! How? You get points as you shop through their website. Sign up for an account here https://www.mypoints.com?rb=22334261 and search for your teacher gifts. You can buy electronic gift cards or even a meal from Omaha Steaks! Buy gifts or other items for your child’s teacher at your favorite store using My Points codes. You’ll earn points in return. And these points can be converted to gift cards or paid into your PayPal account.
Shipt.com and Instacart – With Shipt.com or Instacart, you can have shoppers deliver groceries and other home essentials to your kids’ teachers. In about an hour, your gift would be there in their home, and you’d have saved money and time. Visit shipt.com to sign up or gift a membership or go to Instacart by clicking here . You can save on your order by using these links!
Uber Eats Gift Card – Gift your child’s teacher a gift card for Uber Eats. With this, they can have a nice Uber ride or get a good meal. Or if you would like to send the meal your self click here http://ubr.to/EatsGiveGet and use the code eats-marnip35ue to get 7 dollars off your first order!
* Note that some of the above links may be affiliate links which provide compensation to me at no cost to you *
In Closing
As the Teacher Appreciation Week 2020 approaches, remember to celebrate your kid’s teachers. Transitioning to distance learning has not been easy but they’re doing their best to keep your kids engaged.
Show them that you appreciate their efforts, whether it’s with a simple “thank you”, or a gift.
Does your teen need extra support during school closures? Click here to speak about academic coaching
Recommended Tool This Week
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Marni Pasch| Host of School Counselor Gone Rogue| Academic Coach | Team Pasch Academic Coaching
I work with students in grades 6th and higher, who struggle with academic confidence and motivation. I help them survive school with less stress by helping them create concrete goals, tackle procrastination and learn creative study techniques. I empower students to take charge of their education and reach their goals. I do this through individual or group coaching so students achieve success in life, school, career readiness and their social endeavors. I provided in person academic coaching in Orlando, FL, but work with students across the country through Zoom!
