Don't Forget Your Staff During Teacher Appreciation Week

As Teacher Appreciation Week 2010 approaches, we are called to recognize the tireless efforts of not only teachers, but also the entire school staff. That is why the event should really be named Teacher And Staff Appreciation Week. After all, a wealth of staff members contribute to the education of our children. Coaches, Nurses, Guidance Counselors, Volunteers, Food Service and Administrative staff all play a part in the daily operation of a school. Their work is sometimes overshadowed by Teachers, who spend the bulk of the educating time with the students. But these staff members are educators in their own right, and they should be recognized as well.

Coaches teach every day after school. The lessons they focus on are built into a sport practice, but they are lessons that translate directly into real life situations. Working as a team is an obvious skill that coaches cultivate within their students. Children are taught to work together, pull their own weight and pick up others when they are down. During Teacher And Staff Appreciation Week, why not hand out a gift to the coaches of the school that has to do with Team building. A simple lapel pin, worn with pride, can symbolize their commitment to the school and their success in motivating students.

Counselors work with students to develop their plans for the future. The lessons of organization and planning are taught through them. As a child works their way through the education system, teachers have the ability to teach them core subjects, but the responsibility of teaching what to do with the education lies with the counselors. Making choices in regards to what classes to take, what colleges to apply to, and even what career path to choose are the basics of counseling, and they turn out to be the basics of life. A gift that reflects how one person can make a difference would be a fitting reward for these sage advisors.

Less obvious educators are the support staff of a school. The administrative staff and the food service staff all play a part in educating a child. Intermixed in the school population, students interact with these school staff members on a daily basis. The interaction is not structured, and is not planned, however these employees take responsibility for leading on the fly. They teach our students how to get things done in an organization, guiding them to who they have to speak to and where they have to go in order to make the most of their education. Food and dietary services go beyond helping kids make nutritional choices; they monitor the student behavior during the most social part of the day, lunch. Teaching students about proper social behavior is something that cannot come from a textbook.

So why not turn Teacher Appreciation into School Staff Appreciation, and let all the important members of the education system feel recognized.