Teacher Appreciation

Yellow post it note paper with thank you message on blue background
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School & District Management A Principal Publicly Thanked Each Staff Member. Here’s What Happened
Each November, this principal personally thanks every employee, from teachers to cafeteria workers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, November 20, 2025
4 min read
Motivating teachers through appreciation.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion 3 Simple Ways to Celebrate the Great Work Happening in Your School
This principal is trying to tap into intrinsic motivators rather than just bringing another box of donuts.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, September 16, 2025
3 min read
Image of National Teacher of the Year 2025, Ashlie Crosson, a Pennsylvania English teacher.
The 2025 National Teacher of the Year, Ashlie Crosson, teaches English in Pennsylvania.
Courtesy of Brett Sims
Teaching Profession Q&A Planning for a Great Year? The Nation's Top Teacher Has You Covered
Little ways administrators can support teachers can make a big difference, says the 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Sarah D. Sparks, July 1, 2025
5 min read
Takeaways on morale building between teachers and principals.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Teachers Want to Be Seen and Heard. How 2 Principals Make It Happen
Teachers should have a voice. Principals should be more vulnerable to critiques. That’s the key to a healthy dynamic.
Olina Banerji, June 30, 2025
3 min read
Jessica Arrow, a play-based learning kindergarten teacher, talks with her students about squirrels during class at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
Jessica Arrow, a play-based learning kindergarten teacher, talks with her students about squirrels during class at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Teaching Profession How These 4 Teachers Go Above and Beyond for Their Students and Colleagues
During Teacher Appreciation Week, we showcase inspiring examples of committed teachers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, May 7, 2025
8 min read
Collage of images: ash tray with cigarettes, partially eaten muffin, toilet paper, cockroaches, a pineapple and a rock.
Liz Yap/Education Week and Canva
Teaching Profession Teachers Share the Weirdest Teacher Appreciation Week Gifts They've Ever Gotten
These presents range from the unexpected to the unforgettable.
1 min read
Image of a notebook page with "THANK YOU TEACHER" written with some doodles and smiley faces.
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School & District Management Food and Massage Coupons: How Principals Signal Their Appreciation for Teachers
Small gestures can go a long way this Teacher Appreciation Week.
Olina Banerji, May 5, 2025
5 min read
Clock on desk with school supplies on the table.
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School & District Management Opinion 5 Cost-Free Ways to Make Life Better for Teachers (Downloadable)
Two educators offer school leaders simple suggestions for improving the lives of teachers and students in this guide.
Diana Laufenberg & Renee Jones, April 22, 2025
1 min read
Image of a homemade card, school supplies, and a plant.
Collage via Canva
Teaching Profession The Holiday Gifts Teachers Actually Want (Hint: Skip the Mugs)
We asked educators what they actually want from students for the holidays.
Brooke Schultz & Laura Baker, December 20, 2024
1 min read
A teacher holds an open book overflowing with flowers.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty Images
Teaching Profession Opinion What Teachers Really Want for Teacher Appreciation Week
Teachers and principals share how to turn gestures of appreciation into meaningful action to support the profession.
Mary Hendrie, May 6, 2024
3 min read
Thank you graphic for service workers in schools including bus drivers, custodians, and  lunch workers.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management What Schools Can Do to Make Sure Support Staff Feel Appreciated
Support staff ensure schools are functioning. Here are five tips to help them feel as if they're an integral part of the school community.
4 min read
Thank you card inside a brown envelope left on desk
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Teaching Profession From Our Research Center Forget the Free Food and Gift Cards. Here's the Kind of Recognition Teachers Really Want
New survey results reveal what teachers and administrators find to be the most meaningful type of acknowledgment from a supervisor.
Madeline Will, March 18, 2024
4 min read
A middle school science team collaborates on their upcoming lessons at Sutton Middle School in Atlanta on Feb. 13, 2020.
A middle school science team collaborates on upcoming lessons at Sutton Middle School in Atlanta on Feb. 13, 2020.
Allison Shelley for EDUimages
Teaching Profession From Our Research Center Teachers’ Stress Trickles Down to Students. Here's What Schools Are Doing About It
The past few years in the classroom have been grueling. But there are things districts can do to help teachers. Here are some examples.
Madeline Will, October 16, 2023
10 min read
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of Abbott Elementary, speaks during a special education town hall event for Teacher Appreciation week, at Walt Whitman High School, in Bethesda, Md., on May 7, 2023.
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of "Abbott Elementary," speaks during an event for Teacher Appreciation Week, at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., on May 7, 2023.
Graeme Sloan for Education Week
Teaching Profession 'Abbott Elementary' Star Sheryl Lee Ralph: 'Get Your Teachers the Money They Deserve'
The actress spoke at an NEA- and PTA-sponsored event kicking off Teacher Appreciation Week.
Madeline Will, May 8, 2023
4 min read