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Teaching is a calling. Seriously, it is one of the hardest jobs in the world. The graphic below shows just a few of the jobs that teachers do on a daily basis.
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our hearts. We love students and we love helping them learn.
Teachers love students, and they love teaching. But they work hard. Very hard. It's also April, which means that the end of the school year is approaching. I don't know about you, but I'm tired. This is a hard time of the year. You're probably trying to cram everything in, teach those very important lessons, assessing students, or preparing students for the dreaded words - end of grade testing. So how can we, as teachers, help other teachers? I have 10 ways that you can help boost morale among teachers during one of the hardest parts of the school year.
1. Praise their teaching.
Will your administrators let you observe a colleague? If so, choose someone that you would like to see teach. We all have unique teaching styles and we can learn a lot from watching each other. Don't stay long - 15 minutes will do just fine. As you watch them teach, use this "Praise Report" to write down a few things you love about them. You can write about their teaching style, their lesson, their classroom management, etc. Whatever you choose to write about, keep it POSITIVE! Copy your note and give it to your administrator. Give the original note to your colleague. It's amazing what a positive note from a colleague will do for your spirit.
2. Write a handwritten note. In today's society, we are overloaded with e-mails. But how often do you write notes? Get some new, pretty stationary and write a note to a colleague. Tell them what makes them a wonderful teacher and something that you admire about them. Put the note in their school mailbox and be assured that it will brighten their day. Check out some of my favorite sellers:
3. Bake something sweet. Everyone loves homemade baked goods! Choose a teacher, a team of teachers, the custodial staff, etc., that deserves a treat. Make a batch of chocolate chip cookies, a loaf of sourdough bread, or some fudge. Anyone who tastes your treat will be very appreciative!
4. Give them a break! Do you have any time to spare? Consider giving up a lunch period, a planning period, or any other time you can find. Surprise your colleague and tell them to go take a break! If the teacher isn't big on surprises, schedule some time with them. They can plan an easy lesson for your to teach or just let you supervise a work session. They can relax in the teacher's lounge, get caught up on e-mail in the computer lab, or hide in the library and read a chapter in their favorite book. Who doesn't love the gift of time?!
5. Treat someone with a gift card. You can buy someone a gift card and tell them to treat themselves. It doesn't have to be expensive - consider a $5 or $10 gift card to a fast food restaurant, a coffee shop, or an office supply store. A small amount can go a long way to make your colleague feel special. If you're feeling generous, you can always treat someone to a larger amount. Just do what you feel led to do. Want to make it anonymous? That's fun, too! Just sign it, "Have a treat on me!" and draw a smiley face.
6. Compliments. Do you have a die-cut machine? Do you have a parent volunteer that can cut out a simple shape, such as a heart or star? Get some colorful construction paper and write a kind note to the teachers on your hallway. Write one compliment on the shape and tape it to their door or leave it in their school mailbox. This is a simple way to remind a friend how special they are.
7. Make a themed treat bag.
8. Give the gift of school supplies! Teachers always have a favorite classroom supply - the staple that they can not do without. I happen to love Papermate Flair pens. I mess up all the time, so correction tape would be a blessing to me! Find out what your colleague enjoys and sneak some supplies on their desk.
9. Create a teacher brag board. Do you have a spare bulletin board in your school? If so, ask your administration if you can create a "Teacher Brag Board." Choose a teacher to feature each week. Ask them to bring in a favorite photo and post on the board. Ask all teachers to write a short note to the teacher - something the teacher has done that has left an impact on them. Make sure to make a schedule for the board so that all teachers are featured before the year is over. If you would like to start this now, you could feature several teachers a week so that everyone has a turn. You could spotlight grade levels for each week. There are so many options for this - be creative!
10. Create a memorable scrapbook. What teacher needs an extra boost? Contact a parent volunteer from his/her classroom. Work with this parent to make a scrapbook for your colleague. Make it easy. Give each student a piece of colored paper to take home and decorate. Instruct them to include a picture of themselves and write a favorite memory of the year. Bind them together at your school or a local print shop. Is that a little too much work for now? Make a banner! Find an excuse for your teacher friend to leave the room. Get some larger construction paper, poster paper, or any other materials. Make a sign telling the teacher how much everyone appreciates him or her. All the students can sign it. Then you can hang it up outside of their classroom.
Your Turn!
What have you done to boost teacher morale? I would love to hear your ideas on how to recognize those special teachers in your school. Please comment below if you're willing to share!
