We taught my nephew to say “thank you” at a very young age. It was a family effort, and when he would forget he was prompted with raised eyebrows and a “What do you say?” He is now 7, but the lessons have continued for his younger brother, with the occasional exaggerated, “Could you please pass the butter? Thank you!” at the dinner table. He’ll catch on just like his brother did and soon the lessons will become less pronounced, the “thank yous” more second-nature.
During this month – dubbed “Teacher Appreciation” – I can’t help but think of these lessons and how important they are, not only for the young ones, but for us “older” ones, too. Is it really enough to dedicate a single month to showing teachers just how greatly they are appreciated? Absolutely not. We all know that. Teaching is a tremendously challenging occupation, one that does not get recognized nearly as much as it should. And it’s not just people on the “outside”; it’s us on the inside, too. When was the last time you showed gratitude for your students? Other teachers? For yourself?
When considering gratitude, you may think, “Well, I said thank you to my students yesterday for not kicking the stones on the playground.” Although it was probably much needed (we all need a gentle reminder from time to time), it’s not the thanks I’m talking about here. Instead, we can try finding ways to express genuine gratitude on a daily basis. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Gratitude for your students
- Post-its go a long way: A simple “Hey, great job yesterday!” stuck to a students’ desk in the morning can make all the difference. Want something a little greener? Try using a tool like ClassDojo to type a quick text to a student’s parent. It’ll be a great surprise!
- Give your students voice: Taking the time to really hear someone is one of the highest forms of gratitude (and respect). Flipgrid is an easy way to provide students with opportunities to share their voice!
Gratitude for your colleagues
- Collaborate with the best of them: Got a real team mentality at your school? Maybe you’re in need of one? Google recently introduced the Team Drive and it makes sharing your ideas and resources that much more efficient. What better way to thank a fellow teacher than by sharing an idea?
- Give credit where credit’s due: We all work hard, so when we are fresh out of ideas, we often find ourselves sorting through skads of them on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, the works. Show your thanks by sharing your find and t@gging the owner of the idea. (I personally LOVE getting @ed on Twitter!)
Gratitude for yourself
- Star in a movie: I would venture to say that this is the most important kind of gratitude. As teachers, we are constantly celebrating our students’ progress, but we don’t always recognize our own. This recognition is essential to our growth as teachers and can serve us greatly in terms of feeling accomplished and happy in what we do. In order to observe growth, take advantage of available technology and record your teaching from time to time. (SWIVLs are great if you have the funds, but anything will do!) You will be surprised to see how much you grow on a weekly basis.
- Time machine: Not feeling the video? Perusing your Google Drive can have a similar effect. It can be shocking to see how much you’ve created and utilized over the months. When was the last time you looked back with an attitude of gratitude? Do yourself the favor and take some time this week; go back and “star” the lessons you liked most, comment on those that needed a little tweaking. You’ll be that much more prepared for next year.
I realize that time is of the essence in the teaching world, but I can’t stress how important it is to honor your journey as a teacher. We spend so much of our time following a pacing calendar, grading assessments, spotting the “developings” on our observation reports. Take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back. Pick up a mocha instead of a coffee; do whatever you have to do to thank yourself for sticking it out and showing up every day for your students.
