Every October 5 we celebrate World Teacher’s Day. It’s a day to honor the incredible teachers in our lives for their work in our communities and with our kids. Teachers fill many roles in their efforts to educate our children. For young kids, teachers end up becoming storytellers, cheerleaders, comforters, and adventure-leaders. They help our children build block towers, share toys, and feel proud of new discoveries. For us parents, teachers are partners who walk alongside us in helping our kids to thrive. And when we celebrate World Teacher’s Day, we show our children both that learning is worthwhile and that teachers deserve our appreciation. So let’s celebrate the teachers in our lives this World Teachers Day.
So how can we celebrate the teachers in our lives beyond sending a teacher gift and being done with it? Here are a few easy ideas for you.
Create a Meaningful Thank-You
As we celebrate the teachers in our lives, let’s do our best to make it personal and meaningful. See if your child could make some kind of card for their teacher with their own drawings or some paint, maybe even a simple handprint. Finish it off with a simple note to let their teacher know how loved and appreciated they are.
This tangible expression of appreciation might be more for our kids’ benefit than the teacher’s. But it’s so valuable for our kids to put some effort into making something meaningful to thank their teachers. Gratitude is important, and this helps our kids to learn that lesson.
Read a Teacher Themed Story
Another easy way to celebrate the teachers in our lives is to read a story about a teacher. Your library will have titles to choose from, but here are a couple of suggestions.
Because I Had a Teacher by Kobi Yamada
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
So try snuggling up and reading a book or two about teachers. When you’re finished, see if your child can say what makes their teacher special. When we take a little time to notice and appreciate their teachers, it teaches our kids to notice and appreciate people in their lives.
Play “Teacher”
We parents know this game, right? We set up the stuffed animals as the students, and our kids are the teachers. This is actually a fun way for our kids to act out what they have seen as examples. They can show us what they have learned too. It’s like a little peek into their classroom experiences. And it can help them think about what it takes to teach a room full of kids. Again, we can appreciate others better by considering their experiences. It’s a great way to celebrate the teachers in our lives.
Another way for our kids to think about their school experience is through our show, “Welcome to School”. It’s free to watch, and it helps kids to learn all kinds of signs about school, including the sign for teacher.
Choose some things to be grateful for
On World Teacher Day, let’s celebrate the teachers in our lives by helping our children to say one thing that we love about our teachers. And then, let’s encourage our kids to share those kind words with their teacher the next day.
Teachers remind children every day that they are capable, creative, and loved. As parents, we can join in this celebration by offering our own gratitude through a smile, a note, or a “Happy World Teacher’s Day.”
Parents and teachers really do work together to make a circle of care that helps children thrive. On this World Teachers Day, let’s celebrate the teachers in our lives, the ones who turn learning into an adventure and show our kids how to learn.
So Happy World Teachers Day to all of our teacher friends!