November is known as the month of gratitude! We are grateful for our family and celebrate Thanksgiving, but did you know it’s also the month dedicated to celebrating American education? National holidays like National Education Week and National Education Support Professionals Day are both within this month. Unfortunately, this year November has been full of challenging, stressful events that may have distracted us from practicing gratitude and acknowledging the wonderful, hard working teachers that help our children on a daily basis!
Checkexpress is here to help you celebrate the amazing educators of Illinois. They have dedicated their time and energy to learning new tools and teaching our children safely via remote e-learning and hybrid classrooms during the pandemic. We have all found a greater appreciation for teachers as we’ve seen just how much effort and passion they put into helping students learn and giving them support during these tumultuous times.
How can we thank our teachers for their dedication and the positive impact they make on young people? Take a look at these 6 simple (and affordable) ways to show your hard working teachers some appreciation…
1. A good old fashioned letter: While teaching your children about expressing gratitude, you can also show them how the U.S. postal system works! Write and send your child’s teacher a letter or have your children draw them a special picture. Make sure your letter is A+ quality by using one of these great Wikihow “a letter to your teacher” templates. Avoid the holiday mail lines by dropping by your local Checkexpress for stamps!
2. Send an e-card: Do you prefer to keep communication digital? No problem! You can send a fun teacher themed e-card to your child’s teachers! The joy of using e-cards is that you can send all types of funny pictures or even a card full of virtual flowers! Imagine all the cool things your child can put on the card to celebrate their favorite teacher! PLUS imagine all the clean up work that comes from making glitter cards…avoid that mess! PTA.org has the perfect “appreciate your teacher” e-card!
3. Send a virtual gift card: In the past, students could pick out a sweet little gift for their homeroom teacher, wrap it up, and drop it off before winter break. Now that most of us are working and learning from home (plus social distancing), this just isn’t an option. Why not get your teacher a virtual gift card? A little can go a long way…
- $15 gift card to Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts
- $20 gift card to Jewel or Mariano’s
- $25 Visa gift card (the teacher can choose what they want to spend their money on!)
4. Create a “thank you” song: 2020 has been the year of music! Make a fun little song with your kiddos for their coach, tutor, or counselor! Share the song on social media like Tik Tok or Facebook. Use “Super Simple Songs” channel on YouTube for inspiration!
5. Nominate your teacher for a teaching award: Being a teacher is sometimes a thankless job. That’s why the act of awarding teachers that go above and beyond the normal duties of their profession is important! Local news channels, such as WGN, acknowledge such teachers by highlighting nominated teachers each month! Follow this link to fill out an application to nominate your favorite teacher.
6. Let your wallet show your appreciation: Our schools need our support now more than ever! Every little donation helps to keep our teachers prepared and able to do their jobs well. Make a donation to your child’s school in honor of their favorite teacher or program. “Times are hard for so many right now. Instead of purchasing another #1 Teacher Mug, why not put that money to better use. Make a donation to a reputable organization in your child’s school and/or teacher’s name. Make sure to let your child’s teacher know.” Momsla
