Despite the fact that my son goes to an excellent school, there are a handful of impactful teachers who announced they are leaving this year. Why we ask? There are rumblings of how little they get paid and how much out of work time they spend on their jobs. There’s also been a turnover with top leadership. And with new leadership coming in, we can imagine the unpredictabilities of how it will change their work lives and especially, their autonomy. With those insights, it’s no wonder. 

Teacher and school leadership attrition rates have been a long-standing problem in education that seems to have been exacerbated during and since the pandemic. In Ohio, for example, the starting salary for a teacher is hovering just slightly above poverty level income for a family of four. How is that acceptable for those who share the awesome responsibility of educating our children? But of course, there are other factors that also influence retention. How much leadership support does a teacher have? How much autonomy do they have in the classroom? How much support and collaboration goes on between and among teachers? Interestingly, one factor that is not mentioned at all by the Learning Policy Institute in their data analysis is a teacher’s relationships with students and parents. Though we know, they can have a powerful impact.

Every teacher and educational leader wants to know that they are making an impact. They want to feel they are achieving their purpose and that students have learned a significant amount through their classes. And all too often, they hear complaints — whether from students, parents, or both — about the workload, the curriculum, or grading. This is an area where we have some influence and control. We can offer specifics on how they’ve changed our lives for the better.

So as we approach Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, it’s worth taking some time to think through which teachers have truly impacted your children’s learning and in turn, your family, for the better. At our school, they are organizing meals and massages, but as I ask teachers what matters most to them, it’s the feedback from students and families that confirm they are in the right place. Here are some ways to show those important individuals that you treasure their contributions to educating your child.

1. Reflect as a family.

Spend some time at the dinner table or riding in the car when you are together talking about your child or teen’s teachers. We definitely hear about the problem times from our children. We hear about the test that was so long and hard and the assignment that was way too challenging. But we may have to dig a little for the positives. Sometimes, launching into the subject can stir stories from your child and teen. 

Here are a few conversation prompts to get you started:

• I notice your teacher is ____________ (insert asset: kind, caring, understanding, creative). Have you noticed that too? When was that the case?
• I wonder how this school year was different from other years. What class did you love the most? What classroom activity did you love the most?
• Your teacher seemed particularly helpful this year. Did you notice there was a time when you were struggling and s/he helped you?
• What do you think you learned most this year? And how did that learning happen?

2. Record the stories and reflections.

When you can, write down what you heard! It can be on a simple notecard or if you have the time, involve your child or teen in writing and drawing a card. As I page through my Mom’s retirement album after teaching for forty years, every page of it contains letters and notes from students and parents over the years that fill an entire album. She’s saved every one and she reads through them when she needs a boost. This reflections can make all the difference when a teacher is asking the question: what impact am I making?

3. Encourage in-person feedback.

With those teachers who are leaving this year, I’ve talked with my son about how he will express his appreciation. Often, children and teens are reluctant to talk with teachers. After all, they are authority figures and our children may need some encouraging. My son decided he was going to sit in on a few of the final classes of his favorite history teacher to show he is soaking in those last opportunities with him. A small child may offer appreciation through a hug or a few words of thank you. Middle school age students who tend to resist communication with adults may feel better handing a teacher a note rather than speaking up themselves. And, of course, a voice mail message or email from a parent or a stop by their classroom with words of appreciation can make a teacher’s day.

Those teachers who pour all of their passion into teaching their students are invaluable and can leave an indelible mark on our children. Be sure you take a little time this season to get specific about the ways in which they’ve made a difference with you and your family!