Just a Random Rant

I interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring you a random rant from yours truly. In case you weren't aware, this week is "Teacher Appreciation Week," AND the elementary schools have got it going on with how they appreciate their teachers. I'm just sayin' ...





As a teacher in middle school, I am almost always amazed at how differently we got "appreciated" versus the educators at elementary schools. My son is in first grade and at his school, parents get a letter the week before outlining each day's scheduled activities and how students and parents will show appreciation for their teachers. On Monday, students will each write a thank you card to their teacher. On Tuesday, every child is supposed to wear their teacher's favorite color. Wednesday will be about donating a new or gently used book to their classroom library. On Thursday, each student should bring in a gift card for their teacher, or make a contribution to the teacher gift for the year. And I can't remember what Friday is all about, but you get what I'm sayin'.

At my school, the focus seems to be off the parents and students and more on the administrators and the community. Yes, we are being appreciated here. Yesterday we got Krispy Kreme donuts and each staff member got named as a superhero nominated by another teacher. Today we got coffee, cake and a Nestle Crunch because, "You come to the rescue, especially when it's KRUNCH time." And the rest of the week, we'll get free lunch and "duty free" lunch time, so that we can actually eat our lunch in a quiet space, in 20 minutes, away from the very loud cafeteria.

Please don't misunderstand. I am truly grateful for all the special blessings we will receive this week, but a part of me is just thinking how backwards things seem around here. If teachers are being appreciated this week...shouldn't the "appreciating" come from the students and their parents...especially the students?

It's Teacher Appreciation Week ya'll! If you have a student in elementary, middle, or high school, make sure you take a moment and make your child send a little token of thanks to their teacher. If you know someone who is a teacher, just tell them thank you for all they do. It doesn't have to cost money, or take a lot of time. It can be a handwritten note, a flower, a balloon, or even a text!

Teachers work real hard. Really hard. I'm serious.

I'm just sayin' ...