Welcome to a post that is dedicated to you… the teacher/educator. Please be sure to read and share and take that special moment to recognize a special person in your life. Take a moment to also sign up for 21centuryedtech by email or RSS to follow all engaging posts and follow me on twitter (@mjgormans). You can share post with others with a retweet . Last, check out how I can provide PD at your school or conference at my booking information page . Until the next post… you are appreciated! – Michael Gorman (21centuryedtech)
Last week was teacher appreciation week, but it really must last longer! Perhaps as an educator there is still someone you need to express some gratitude to. It really doesn’t matter if you are in the central office, a school principal, support staff, or in the classroom. It is important to note that every one of these individuals are members of the teaching profession. All of us have learned from teachers as part of our formal schooling, worked side by side with teachers each day, and have been supported by teachers in our own school and across the world.
As you are aware, last week was a very special week for educators. Many individuals celebrated and demonstrated their appreciation for those in the teaching profession. The importance of showing this gratitude is best described in the quote, “Teacher appreciation makes the world of education go around.” (Helen Peters). It is this world of education that awakens true discovery and promotes learning that lasts a lifetime. Continuous education is a very special gift that we all hold and one that supports the enlightened society in which we live.
As educators, we must continue to show our sincere appreciation to those teachers who make the world of education go around for each of us. Perhaps it was a teacher from our past, a teacher who took a moment and mentored us as we entered the profession, or a teacher today who continues to support our continued learning. Celebrate teacher appreciation year around and take a moment to express your thankfulness. Send that special message of appreciation teachers who has been part of your life through out the coming months. In this wonderfully connected world it really is just an email, conversation, phone call, or snail mail away!
I would like to express express my sincere appreciation to all those educators who awaken those special moments of discovery in the daily lives of others. I thank those teachers who have given so much of their time, energy, and passion to ensure success in both their students and colleagues. It is also important to remember those preparing for the education profession, along with those who have given past service.
In the past week you may have had a student give you a word of thanks. Make sure you take a moment to show your appreciation to those special teachers you have had, and have work with. As we all express our appreciation we will find that our individual, yet collective, efforts will last much longer than a week… as it should be. It really is time to integrate teacher appreciation as part of our ongoing professional culture. After all, “Teacher appreciation makes the world of education go around.”
Thank you for joining me and please know that there are many in-depth posts coming your way regarding PBL, tech integration, educational transformation, 21st century competencies, Web 2.0, and STEM education. Again your retweets, follows on twitter at @mjgormans, and subscriptions (which are free) are appreciated ! – Mike (mjgormans@gmail.com)
21 st Century Educational Technology and Learning 
I recently read the book _100+ Ways to Recognize and Reward Your School Staff_ – a great read for a plane ride!
To make teacher appreciation last longer, I combined individual teacher recognition with lunches I have with students (At my school, teachers assign weekly “merit points” that count toward house competitions. I’m having lunch with those who scored high in Term 1.).
When I have lunches with students, I ask what they like most about their teacher and what their teacher likes. I then make a thank-you card on behalf of the students to thank the teacher for all the things they said they like. I also get a little gift to accompany the thank-you card. Teachers who like chocolate get chocolate, teachers who like elephants get a book on elephants, etc. It’s nice to focus on thanking one teacher per week.