Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week

I have to admit as an elementary teacher I do love the presents that are handed to me by shy kindergarten students who are so proud of their present for me.  The surprise Starbucks gift card as a "just because" gift because they know I love coffee from there makes my day.  Teacher appreciation week is like another Christmas.  Our PTO goes all out to serve us lunches, breakfast, treat bags, surprise notes from past and present students and parents and raffles with nice prizes.  I read a great blog on the Homeroom Blog titled "Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week dated 5/29/13 by a guest blogger.  One paragraph caught my attention. 

It states, "While the panel could have continued for hours, what resonated the most was the fact that as a community, we must make a concerted effort to support our teachers and leaders, to volunteer, engage, contribute to efforts to ensure all of our children and youth have the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in the 21st century global workforce and build a stronger economy for American families."

It takes a village to raise a child.  Our society as a whole needs to understand that teachers can't do it alone.  It is also important that we as teachers need more than a week of appreciation.  It should be every day...and I'm not talking about gifts, but about respect in general.