Education

Teacher Appreciation

By Robert C. Johnston — September 23, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Michigan chief’s book pays tribute to teachers

Since taking over as Michigan’s top school official in 2001, Mr. Watkins has filled a drawer with the quotes.

At the urging of friends and colleagues, he recently compiled some of the comments into a small paperback book titled They Help Us Paint Rainbows.

The responses to Mr. Watkins’ question about what makes a teacher great include, “They help us feel safe even when we make mistakes,” or “They’re here for us.”

In another quote, set against the background of a seascape, a student reflects of teachers, “They were always great, but we didn’t realize it until many years later.”

The 60-page book features colorful student artwork with each quote.

“I want to get this out as a way to say thanks to teachers,” Mr. Watkins said in an interview last week.

So far, 10,000 copies of the book have been printed. The project is being underwritten by private contributions.

Conversations have taken place about retailing the book, or converting it into a poster, Mr. Watkins said. All proceeds, he added, could go into a pot to generate “minigrants for great teachers.”

“The feedback has been great,” he added. “On a down day, teachers can have it on their desk and go through it.”

Though not every teacher has seen the book, the enterprise is being noted by educators, said Margaret Trimer-Hartley, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Education Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association.

“It was a great idea to compile something like this,” she said. “When it comes to recognizing and honoring school employees, he gets an A-plus.”

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: October 11, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 27, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 20, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education From Our Research Center What's on the Minds of Educators, in Charts
Politics, gender equity, and technology—how teachers and administrators say these issues are affecting the field.
1 min read
Stylized illustration of a pie chart
Traci Daberko for Education Week