The first full week of May is National Teacher Appreciation Week, aka Superhero Week! This is the perfect opportunity to honor and celebrate our educators. The year is winding down, stress levels are high, and energy tends to wane. What better time to show appreciation, gratitude, and invigorate one another?
How can we show gratitude?
Teachers to teachers: Remember we are all in this together! Stuck in line at the copy machine? Turn around and simply give a smile to brighten your colleague’s day!
- Teachers to students: Your students may be anxious to leave your classroom and a positive, meaningful note left for them could really make an impact.
Why is appreciation SUPER important?
Appreciation not only lifts spirits, it creates a positive work environment, fosters relationships, and reduces stress. Just like learning styles and working preferences, everyone has ways they give and receive appreciation. But how can we make sure we are showing our gratitude in a meaningful way? Having a one-way-fits-all approach, say the same thank you card given to everyone, might not feel authentic and could end up making your colleague feel even less appreciated. Be creative in your approach to add a personal message in the thank you card, or an appropriate gif in an email or text. The key is to build a relationship with your students and colleagues to help understand what truly makes them feel valued. Chapman and White have studied these preferences and summed them up in the
5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. (See below.)
Try “speaking” these different languages of appreciation on a regular basis to help build a positive culture in your classroom and your building all year round. What ideas have you tried? Tell us in the comments below.
The BVSD Ed Tech Team is extremely grateful to work with all of the innovative, forward-thinking, and thoughtful teachers throughout our district. Know that as your school year is coming to an end, we’ll always be there to hold your cape!
