Teaching is a demanding job. There are lesson plans to develop, ongoing training requirements, student behavior to address, parental relationships to manage, non-teaching duties to schedule…it can seem like an endless struggle. If you’d like to know how to make a teacher’s life easier, consider the five suggestions below.
1. Administrators: Provide support.
When teachers know the principal and staff have their best interests at heart, it makes it easier to focus on teaching. There are several ways administrators can show their support, all of which result in a better experience for the children.
- Make time for peer collaboration. Set aside time for teachers to work together and you’ll strengthen the relationships among faculty.
- Seek their advice. Include teachers in the day-to-day decision making process. Since they’re engaged with students and parents on a daily basis, teachers can provide valuable insights you might not otherwise hear.
- Be consistent. Consistency is especially important in regards to student discipline or parent situations. Make sure to set a policy for everyone and then stick to it.
- Conduct meaningful evaluations. Visit teachers’ classrooms multiple times—not just once—before offering feedback. And schedule plenty of time to discuss what is going well and what can be improved.
- Create a teacher-friendly schedule. Try to keep teacher lunch duty, recess duty, bus duty, etc. to a minimum. Consider using parent volunteers so your teachers only have to cover a few duties each month.
2. Parents: Be a partner.
Classroom (and daycare) teacher appreciation gifts are nice. But getting involved in a child’s school or daycare life is an even better way to show you care. Parents can:
- Read with a child. It fosters a lifelong love of reading and learning.
- Get to know the teacher. A friendly chat is a great way to discover how your child is doing and address issues early.
- Encourage friendships outside of school. Arrange play dates with classmates or attend after-school events so kids can socialize.
- Get involved with school. PTA, fun runs, holiday parties…there are lots of opportunities. Take advantage of them!
3. Provide the right technology.
Any discussion about how to make a teacher’s life easier has to include technology. In fact, there are lots of great tech teaching resources these days, many of which are free. All that teachers need is the time and training to use them.
- Lesson planners. These online tools make it fast and easy for teachers to create, access and share their teaching plans.
- Google Docs. With free Google Docs software, students and teachers can share and collaborate, comment and make edits, and even keep a revision history.
- Tablets & computers. Although they can be expensive, tablets and computers are a great way to engage students and leverage powerful teaching software.
4. Stock up on basic supplies.
Children go through classroom supplies at a furious pace. Be sure everyday supplies are on hand so the teacher’s lesson plan doesn’t get messed up:
- Pencils, pens, markers and crayons
- Glue sticks, tape and staplers
- Construction paper and drawing paper
- Sanitizing wipes and paper towels
5. Let teachers know they’re appreciated.
A kind word at the end of a long day can be the best gift of all. But if you’re set on giving your child’s teacher a more tangible expression of your thanks, consider these ideas:
- School supply "cake". Make a stack of common classroom supplies like reams of paper, colored markers, and tape.
- Magnets that can be used to hang children’s work around the classroom
- A wellness basket with vitamin C and herbal tea, especially during the cold and flu season
- Gift cards to teachers’ favorite stores
- A simple thank you note from you and your child
Stay away from mugs, scented candles, craft projects and large photos. The fact is, teachers only have a limited amount of space and they have lots of students…every year. Finally, remember daycare teachers deserve appreciation too. Many of the suggestions mentioned above apply just as well to those hard-working folks.
Sources:
//teaching.about.com/od/SchoolPrincipals/a/Provide-Teacher-Support.htm
//www.education.com/slideshow/what-teachers-want-from-parents/teach-kid-clean/
//www.buzzfeed.com/antwaunsargent/awesomely-thoughtful-gifts-for-teachers#.twrRNWVNE2