Thank a Teacher
Think of all the things your teacher does for you every day. Make a list. How many items did you come up with? Many of the tasks that teachers do for students each day aren’t even seen or noticed by school kids. For instance, look around your room at the decorations there. Your teacher stays after school or comes in on weekends to put them up. She talks with parents whose kids are struggling or need to move ahead in one subject. He meets with other teachers and educators to learn more about the best methods for teaching kids. Teachers encourage and support their students every day in tiny and huge ways. Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated May 7-13 this year. The Mini Page cooked up some ideas to help you show your teachers how much they mean to you.
Be a friendly spy
You’ll have to be a little sneaky for this one! Working with your classmates, try to find out what your teacher needs in the classroom. Many teachers have to buy supplies with their own money. This can become a big expense. Ask another teacher or a parent what your teacher really wants for the classroom but can’t get. It might be a new set of colored pencils, calculators, big floor pillows for the reading area or 12 bottles of hand sanitizer. Collect items from home, or plan an afterschool event, such as a race or video game challenge. Each person pays a fee to enter, and the winner gets a small prize, with the money going toward items on the teacher’s wish list.
Show what you’ve learned
Work with your classmates to put on a play about something you’ve been studying. Say you’ve been learning about our branches of government. Write and perform a play about a Supreme Court case. You’ll need nine judges, two lawyers and a defendant and plaintiff. (The defendant is the person who has been accused of something; the plaintiff is the person who has brought the case against the defendant.) Work with your teacher to arrange an appropriate time to present your play.
Food works
Everybody loves treats! But don’t just bring a box of doughnuts. Make some edible bites of history. Ask your family for a recipe that’s been handed down through generations, or make a dish that is native to your culture. Bring the dishes to school and tell the story behind the food: Who gave you the recipe? Where did your ancestors come from? Why is the dish special to you? How did you make it? Then share your creation! Again, make sure to work with your teacher to set a date for your food history project.