Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for Getting Smart, Michael Niehoff provides a few additional ideas for educational leaders to show their support for teachers to be their best in both their personal and professional lives. 

· How can support from educational leaders encourage professional growth in teachers? Why is it important to support and encourage teachers?

· Check out this article about empowering students and teachers in the 21st Century.

Michael continues to share the importance of creating a culture of appreciation and offers a few additional ideas for educational leaders to show continued support for teachers so that they can become their personal and professional best.

If June is associated with the end of another school year, May is often associated with celebrations. One annual one that tends to get lots of attention is Teacher Appreciation. It used to be Teacher Appreciation Day, then week and now it’s the whole month of May. But in an era where we are desperately in need of recruiting more new teachers, as well as going through some of the most turbulent teacher labor issues, maybe we can’t have enough teacher appreciation.

As a former site leader and activities director, I facilitated a great deal of teacher appreciation events. We did it all from breakfasts, lunches, dinners, raffle prizes, coffees, gifts, car washes and even massages. They were all fun and well deserved. And why these are fun and do offer some appreciation, especially if students are involved in teacher appreciation, I’m still challenged by the larger implications.

Just like our other national holidays or celebrations – i.e. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day and so many others – do we end up having ceremonial gestures or actual true appreciation. After all, should we not value, appreciate and recognize our mothers, fathers, loved ones and even our teachers everyday?

Read the full article about supporting teachers by Michael Niehoff at Getting Smart.