Teacher Appreciation Week - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Teacher Appreciation Week - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Releases
Top 10 List of Ways to Appreciate Teachers

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson urged all Californians to find ways to appreciate teachers during May 6-12, designated as National Teacher Appreciation Week.

"Teaching is the most important job there is," Torlakson said. "Ask just about anyone about the person who made the biggest difference in their life, chances are that person is a teacher. Let's all take a moment this week to say `thank you' to California's teachers."

Here's Torlakson's top 10 list.

For students:

1. Thank your teacher for all of his or her hard work.
2. Do your best on homework and in-class assignments.
3. Behave in class, so your teacher can devote more time to teaching.
4. Respect your teacher and your fellow students. This will create a better learning environment for everyone in the classroom.
5. Raise your hand to answer your teacher's questions and participate in learning.

For parents:

6. Send an e-mail or a note with your children to school, thanking their teachers for their hard work.
7. Appreciate teachers for the professionals that they are, and give them the same respect you would give a good friend who takes care of your children.
8. Provide a helping hand in the classroom, during sporting events, on field trips, or at the school site.
9. Donate school supplies. Teachers often pay out of their own pockets to provide their students with the tools they need to learn.
10. Hold fundraisers and donate the proceeds to schools that have been hard hit by state budget cuts.

May 8 is National Teacher Appreciation Day, an annual tradition continued by the National Teaches Association. May 9 is California Day of the Teacher, a day established under California Education Code Section 37222, to encourage schools to conduct exercises commemorating and directing attention to teachers and the teaching profession.

For the California Day of the Teacher, two organizations created themes to honor educators. The California Teachers Association  theme is, "Great Teachers: Building a Better State for Public Education." The Association of Mexican American Educators  theme is, "Educating Students for a World of Opportunities."

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100