Thought Leadership
Top Ten Ways to Show Teacher and Staff Appreciation Year-Round
Every school year, districts, schools, parents, and students come together for Teacher Appreciation Week. Come rain or shine, teachers are ready to inspire, guide, and teach their classrooms daily. In an age where teachers face budget cuts and class capacity, they could use extra support. Read on to learn more from BrainPOPpers with tips on how to show teachers and staff appreciation throughout the school year.
Teacher and staff appreciation ideas
Random acts of kindness, post-notes, and giving time back are just a few ways to express how much your staff means to you. Staff appreciation is significant and is linked to combating burnout and staff rollover. According to NEAToday, “Research shows that school leaders who protect teachers’ time, invite their input, and support their mental health and well-being through comprehensive programs see higher levels of satisfaction.” Let’s discover more ways you can support your staff from the first day of school to the last.
1. Small acts of kindness
“I had a principal who would leave small post-it notes of gratitude or notice moments about my class in my mailbox and desk when I was out of the room. They were short, simple, and hand-written, with a simple, informal sign-off – ‘Thank you for all you do for your kids.’ It was such a small gesture that went a long way in feeling like all the thought and care I put into my lesson and classroom community were seen and valued.” – Barbara Hubert, BrainPOP Senior Director of Learning Design
2. Gratitude exercises
“Gratitude exercises are a great way for peers and colleagues to share, which is always uplifting. I like a ’round robin writing exercise’ where everyone gets their paper with their name and passes it to each colleague who writes why they are thankful for that person. I’ve also done a mindfulness gratitude circle, where half the people sit in a circle with their eyes closed, the other half on the inside of the circle. Then the leader reads a few statements (i.e., tap the shoulder of a person you admire, tap the shoulder of a person who helped you out), and the inside people tap the shoulders of the sitting people. It’s a great way to feel filled up!” – Nicolina Abruzzese, BrainPOP Regional Sales Manager
3. Offer support
Support can look different for everyone. Sometimes, you just need an extra set of hands with a task, class, or resource. “Administrators can help support teachers by taking on teacher duties occasionally, such as recess duty, bus duty, or picking up a ‘specials’ class. Also, this kind of support can help with burnout and reduce stress for teachers.” – Jailene Streeter, BrainPOP Customer Service Expert
4. Words of affirmation
“One time when I was teaching, my leadership team reached out to all my emergency contacts to offer words of affirmation. These contacts were the most important people in my life, and they asked them to share how proud they were of me. They could record videos, take/send pictures, write letters, send flowers, etc. They set everything up in the staff room and sent us in without knowing. Needless to say, I cried for an hour.” – Nicolina Abruzzese, BrainPOP Regional Sales Manager
5. Display a gratitude tree
“My school had a Gratitude Tree. Our school counselor created a tree in the hallway for students and teachers to write what they were grateful for in our school. I really enjoyed reading all the positive things that made our school special.” – Becky Stand, BrainPOP Account Executive
6. Small actions can make big differences
As a teacher, your day can come in waves. “Something as simple as a note in my mailbox to acknowledge something specific I did made a huge difference when I was feeling low as a teacher.” – Marley Zeno, BrainPOP Sr. Professional Learning Strategist
7. Give time back (if you can)
“From my experience, teachers truly want time more than anything. For example, cancel a staff meeting, let teachers go home early on an in-service day, or give teachers time to work on deliverables during a department meeting.” – Nicolina Abruzzese, BrainPOP Regional Sales Manager
8. Provide year-round professional growth and development
“Pizza parties and dress-down days are fun, but I’ve always said that the best way to ensure staff feel appreciated is by making them feel prepared and supported. As a former educator, I loved having actionable professional development and getting new ideas for making my lessons more engaging and targeted. Being given the time and resources to grow professionally showed me that I was being valued as an individual rather than just a number.” – Jamie M., BrainPOP Account Executive
9. Weekly shoutouts
“Show teachers you see them, value them, and respect them. Provide weekly shoutouts to teachers who are exemplifying your school’s mission. For example, be specific about what your teachers are doing well in the classroom. Verbally and publicly acknowledge teachers who are supporting their students and lifting other teachers.” – Melissa Prescott, BrainPOP Regional Sales Manager
10. Monthly get-togethers
“I did monthly get-togethers with my team. It wasn’t always a big thing; sometimes it was a simple game of musical chairs, but I always say, ‘We work hard and play hard, TOGETHER. We can make a difference together.’ A little appreciation for your staff goes a long way.” -Dr. Kasey Hutchinson, BrainPOP Sales Solution Architect
Making everyone on staff feel appreciated
Taking care of your teachers significantly affects inside and outside the classroom.
According to Chalkbeat, “If you see a reduction in staff or teacher churn, it can directly affect classroom learning and engagement. For example, students lose relationships with trusted educators, inexperienced teachers are brought on as replacements, and sometimes classrooms are left with only long-term substitutes.” Creating a culture of appreciation and gratitude can help with short-term and long-term staff retention.
Think outside the box
What does support look like? It may look different for an elementary school than for a middle or high school. Sometimes, you need a fresh approach, and thinking outside the box can help spark inspiration or creativity. Ask your teachers and staff how they want support throughout the school year–you can create an anonymous survey or poll with current offerings and what they want to see more of in the future. Also, remember to include your students in the celebration.
Show your teacher and staff appreciation year-round
Regarding your teachers and staff, showing appreciation and gratitude is a cornerstone to unlocking communication, collaboration, and long-term retention with your staff. Considering how your staff likes to be acknowledged and appreciated can help strengthen and support your staff year-round.
Kelli Rascoe is a Sr. Content Strategy Manager at BrainPOP. She has nine years of experience in writing, content marketing, and strategy for tech and Fortune 500 brands. She is also the momma to a princess scientist and a pack of rescue pups.
