Parenting Pointers: Teacher Appreciation Week

As the school year ends, National Teacher Appreciation Month is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication teachers around the country have contributed in and out of the classroom this school year. This May, Press the President, an online collaborative blog, is asking Americans to recognize the work of teachers in every classroom and share their actions with our readers. With Teacher Appreciation Day taking place on May 6th and National Teacher’s Week the first full week in May, there are plenty of opportunities to commend teachers and their hard work. Below are some tips from the editorial staff at Press the President on how you can celebrate this May:

·         Write about Issues that Impact Educators in Your District - President Obama’s recently released budget proposal for FY2015 includes a 1.9 percent increase for education from the FY2014 level recently passed by Congress. Many teachers feel this is a step in the right direction, but others feel that a lot more can be done. What do you think? Write about issues for Press The President and get the word out!

·         Appreciate the Unappreciated: Many programs that are not considered part of the core curriculum are being cut by public schools such as sports, fine arts, and music programs. Urge your elected leaders to stand up for educators and students by restoring funding for these programs along with early childhood education, special education, college work-study and many others.

·         A Card from the Class – Technology has taken over our lives, but people still love hand-written notes. Getting the all the students in the class to each make a card or sign one really big card for their teacher is a great way to show teachers their students care about them.

·         A Gift Card – Teachers often use their salaries to buy classroom supplies regardless of whether they are in a public, private, or charter school. A great way to say thank you is by giving your child’s teacher a gift card to their favorite store. Check your state laws to see how much you can legally give to public, state employees.  

·         Personalize It and Style It – Giving an apple is a thing of the past. Nothing says, “you’re special” like a personalized handbag or desk ornament. With that special touch, teachers will always remember the child and class that gave them the extra special tote bag or engraved trinket.  

 

Press the President wants you to share your story of supporting teachers on our website and social media outlets. There are many issues facing education in this country, and we want to see how you and your community are celebrating teachers. To submit a picture, either visit our website and submit at PressthePresident.com, or tweet @PTP_US or post on our Facebook wall with the hashtag #ThankATeacher or #teacherappreciation.

About Press the President:

Press the President is a local and worldwide forum for unfiltered debate about U.S. issues that affect the globe. The site’s founders have created a space where writers can express their opinions freely. Americans are often criticized as not having enough of a political voice. Press the President provides a platform for people who want to make their voices heard from the White House to Main Street. Online visitors can share their views at www.pressthepresident.com or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ptp.us to join in our weekly debates.