Teacher Appreciation Week May 4, 2008
Posted by anne marie in General.Tags: NEA, Teacher Appreciation Week
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Tomorrow starts the 2008 Teacher Appreciation Week. Ever wonder when or how this yearly celebration originated? Well I did, so I went to the NEA website and found this explanation:
History of National Teacher Day
The origins of National Teacher Day are murky. Around 1944 Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodbridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.
NEA, along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City (Kan.) Local, lobbied Congress to create a national day celebrating teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only.
NEA and its affiliates continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The NEA Representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.
We all remember our “favorite” teacher- that person who made an everlasting impression on us. For me it was two teachers who made that difference and in many ways, as I look back, shaped my life. The first teacher to make an everlasting impression was my second grade teacher, Miss Albert. I thought she was so wise and kind and funny and I loved going to school everyday and at some point I made up my mind that I wanted to be a teacher just like Miss Albert when I grew up! The second teacher to touch my life was Mrs. Krance, the Special Education Teacher at my Junior HIgh School. My homeroom was located next to the “special” class and so this was my first experience seeing students with special needs. Most students would simply ignore the classroom, like it wasn’t even there, but I was somehow intrigued and curious and would intensly watch as Mrs. Krance as she gently interacted with each of the students. Then one day when I was at my locker, Mrs. Krance approached me and asked if I would like to help in her classroom. I have to admit my initial reaction was to respond with “no way”, but much to my amazement what came out was “sure”. I believe that simple answer, on that particular day so many years ago, had a huge impact on my life, ultimately culminating in my decision to become a Special Education Teacher. So I just want to give a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all teachers and especially to both Miss Albert and Mrs. Krance, two amazing teachers who made a difference in my life.
