Teacher Appreciation Week

Ah, Teacher Appreciation Week. When we reach this time of the year, I often glance at this limerick I wrote my first year of teaching:

Oh my, it’s been quite the year
I’ve been tested ear-to-ear
Daily by these students
Who tried my patience
At least school year’s end is near!

While I wrote it mostly in jest, it helps me to get through what I call “the itchy time.” What is this “time,” one might ask?

This is the point of the year where educators are annoyed by the students, and the students are equally annoyed by the teachers. You know what I’m talking about. You seem to somehow participate in more lectures about how to “be mature,” and you catch kids doing things to stretch their boundaries, like when I caught 2 students hanging out in a classroom by themselves, door closed, lights off, dancing, and breaking several other school rules. Or when I just generally leave the classroom on Friday, shaking my head, and looking forward to a fresh pint of beer.

Needless to say, Teacher Appreciation Week, held the first full week of May every year, is perfectly timed.

Believe it or not, most countries have a National Teacher Appreciation Day, cementing the profession’s importance in communities around the world.

In the United States, it’s a bit of a mystery and debate as to how Teacher Appreciation Week came into existence, but the National Education Association (teacher’s union) adopted it formally during its 1985 Representative Assembly. They also voted that the Tuesday of that week would be National Teacher Appreciation Day.

The NEA also recently released this infographic as to why communities should celebrate teacher appreciation, and it’s little more than partial science and partial common sense: when teachers and families work on the same page, students are bound to be much more engaged and successful not just in school, but in life.

However, 2019 seems to be a tricky year for honoring teachers. The first full week (including Sunday) as recognized by the NEA is May 6-13/10.

School Discounts

So, how can you, the educator, make the most of Teacher Appreciation Week? Well, as you may have guessed in our democratic, capitalist society, businesses are willing to bend your way this week, including the following national chains (just make sure to bring your school ID and check which Teacher Appreciation Week they’re honoring):

Adobe – get 60% off a Creative Cloud Purchase
Banana Republic – 15% off full-priced, in-store purchases
Chick-fil-A – select stores offering free sandwhich on Teacher Appreciation Day
Chipotle – all stores offering free item after school on Teacher Appreciation Day
Dollar Tree – stock up on your goodies for next year with a 10% discount
Einstein Brothers Bagels – a variety of coupons for teachers (check local stores)
FedEx Office – 15% nearly all products & services at participating locations
Food Lion – teachers get 5% off total purchase on Teacher Appreciation Day
Gel Pro – 25% gel mat purchases
J.Crew – 15% off in store purchases
Jo-Anne Fabric – 15% off purchases in-store and online
Kate Spade – 15% off
Karen Kane – 20% (it’s said it will be extended indefinitely thereafter)
Kennedy Space Center – free admission during Teacher Appreciation Week
Lakeshore Learning – 20% off items
Loft – 15% off items (and it will also be extended year-round)
McDonald’s – select locations offering free breakfast/lunch during Teacher Appreciation week
Michaels – 15% off in-store purchases
Old Navy – 20% off items
Roxy – 15% off all items indefinitely
Summitsoft – 50% off all products
Scholastic Store – get 100 free printables and 5 free posters
Talbot’s – 15% off in-store purchases
World of Beer – educators get a free pint of Sam Adams Nitro White or Angry Orchard Apple Cider