Latest news with #teacherappreciation
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
‘It's better to say nothing' people gasp as school shows ‘small' gratitude to teachers – & many say it's ‘unacceptable'
A SCHOOL has come under fire after showing the ''small'' gratitude to teachers during ''staff appreciation week''. We all know that being a teacher is by no means an easy work - which is why one school decided to say a special ''thank you'' to its staff members. 3 3 However, while it might have the best intentions, the kind gesture didn't exactly go down too well amongst horrified social media users - or the teachers. Lost for words by what they had found on the table, one person working at the school decided to take to TikTok to share the special treat. The now-viral video, which has racked up more than 2.2million views, sees a paper sheet left by the office administration. The printed text read: ''Happy Staff Appreciation Week! ''To our incredible [unnamed] school's staff: we appreciate your hard work, passion and dedication every single day. ''Please enjoy this treat - it's just a small way to say THANK YOU! ''With heartfelt gratitude, central office administration.'' Right next to sheet were the special treats - five granola bars, as well as a more than a dozen tiny yoghurt pots and some napkins. The bizarre footage was shared on social media by the gobsmacked user The Viper (@ the_viper79x) who wrote in the caption: ''Admin shows appreciation.'' Uploaded just three days ago, the clip has already taken the internet by storm, leaving millions furious, as close to 4,000 people flooded to comments in total disbelief. I've saved £15k on trips to Ibiza, Mallorca & Turkey with term time holidays - I'll never stop, fines are a tax on the working class One wrote: ''Nothing says thank you like a room temp yoghurt.'' Another chimed in: ''I'd call in sick the next day blaming the warm activia.'' Meanwhile, someone else thought: ''Sometimes it's better to just say nothing.'' Secrets of a school headteacher By the Secret Schoolteacher I STARTED working in schools in 1996, when parents respected teachers and left us alone to do our jobs. Not any more. Nowadays parents think nothing of barging into schools to read teachers the riot act if their precious child has been told off, or they'll send angry emails in the middle of the night. Warning — it doesn't make you popular. I've worked in all manner of schools across the south west of England, from state schools to private, and I can tell you that right now many teachers are dreading the start of the new school year. They're braced for tears and tantrums, not just from their pupils but from their parents too. Believe me, if you are an annoying parent it will spread round the staff room like wildfire. So whether it's your kid's first day at a new school, or they're moving up a year, these are the things you do that drive teachers crazy . . . Parents often turn up at the school gates complaining how frazzled they are, moaning that teachers must have had a nice long holiday while their six weeks stuck with the kids was the worst. Nothing could be further from the truth. For the first two weeks I'll almost certainly have been struck down by a lurgy which always seems to strike on the first day of the holiday. The next two weeks might have been an actual holiday, just like the average Brit takes in the summer, followed by two weeks of frantic lesson planning and administration. Also, consider that I've probably been working over 50 hours per week during term time. Contrary to popular opinion, we don't clock off at 3pm. Instead, we're roped into all manner of after-school activities and meetings before going home to do marking and more lesson planning. Please don't turn up and make sarcastic remarks about our 'six weeks off'. We won't be happy. ''damn they weren't joking when they said 'small thank you','' a fourth penned. There were also a few who shared their most shocking 'thank you' gifts. ''Last year for teacher appreciation week I got a ziploc bag of AIR labeled 'one deep breath' from admin,'' a teacher wrote. seven purse-friendly present ideas - and no, it's not a mug.
CBS News
09-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Black educators at Overbrook Elementary School echo importance of representation in the classroom
As the nation celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, one school in West Philadelphia is offering a powerful lesson in how representation in the classroom can reshape a student's future. At Overbrook Elementary School, literacy and social studies teacher Derrick Neal sees education as more than a curriculum. For him, it's a calling. "It's not just literacy, social studies and arithmetic," Neal explains. "You are actually someone who knows what they are going through and that connection is made, you reach them on a holistic level." CBS Philadelphia Neal has spent 20 years in the classroom, a path he said was inspired by his earlier work in the prison system. Witnessing the cycle of recidivism, he noticed a common thread: lack of education. "I realized a lot of the guys were having serious issues with education," he said. "I chose elementary education specifically for early intervention in my community." At Overbrook, Neal is one of five Black male educators—an extraordinary number in a profession where Black men make up just 2% of teachers nationwide. The school's student body is 96% African American. Their presence is more than symbolic. Studies show that having just one teacher of color between grades 3 to 5 can reduce dropout rates for students of color by nearly 40%. CBS Philadelphia Bryan Dearry, who teaches third and fourth-grade math, knows that impact firsthand. "Growing up, I think about the Black male teachers who were an influence on me," said Dearry, now in his 11th year of teaching. "I wanted to be that beacon of light, that pillar for other students in my community." For many students, it's not just about academics, it's about feeling seen and understood. "Sometimes students feel more comfortable learning from people who look like them and have experienced similar things," Dearry said. Third and fourth-grade teacher Khary Jacobs echoes that sentiment. "There aren't a lot of African American male teachers, so me being there makes them want to come to school and do the work," he said. The influence stretches across grade levels. Seventh-grade math and science teacher Mr. Jefferson and full-time substitute, Kenechi Iwudyke, also serve as role models, with a focus on helping students recognize their brilliance. "My hope is that they understand they are scholars; they're brilliant," Iwudyke said. CBS Philadelphia Overseeing this transformative team is Principal Dr. Kenneth Glover, who believes deeply in the power of representation. "They are able to see themselves in us," said Glover. "I had one Black male teacher growing up in fifth grade, and I still feel his impact. It's important for our students to feel visible." That mission of visibility, representation and impact is baked into the school's identity. "We just want to make a big impact. That's our school slogan: 'Small School, Big Impact,'" Glover said.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WFISD Foundation awards $500 grants to teachers for classroom needs
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Five WFISD teachers received quite the surprise on Tuesday morning of May 6, as they were awarded five hundred dollars each as part of the WFISD Foundation Teacher Appreciation Grant funded by board president and school board member Susan Grisel. 'Hello are you Ms. McDoorman?' 'I am Ms. McDoorman' 'I'm Nikki Davis I'm the Executive Director of WFISD Foundation and we are here to present you with a teacher appreciation grant on behalf of Mrs. Grisel who is our board president.' 'I'm just so excited that I have some money to buy a new instrument. We've been needing a new cello for a while. We have one full-size cello that it's in great condition, but we need more. So I can't wait to buy a second cello for my classroom. I'm so excited,' McDoorman said. 'Here's your extra-large check for $500.' 'What does it mean to me? It means some extra snacks for my kiddos or my classroom,' Lisa Aranda said. 'Hi Ms. DeFour how are you? We've got a surprise for you' 'On behalf of the foundation I would like to congratulate you as the recipient of the teacher appreciation grant.' 'It's such an honor, there's so many amazing educators in the district and at Fowler and so that I was nominated and selected. I just feel so honored,' Meagan DuFour said. 'Can we borrow you for a minute?' 'Say cheese!' 'I'm here to surprise you. I'm with the WFISD Foundation, and on behalf of the foundation and our generous donors, Mrs. Grisel and her husband you have been awarded the teacher appreciation grant of $500, here's your massive check, I just appreciate you so much.' 'I just never thought this would ever be given to me and I'm very thankful and gracious and its a great gift,' Skylar Bavousett said. 'We wanted to do something for our teachers, to let them know how much we appreciate them. And this was just a small token, a gift that we could give them to show them, that they're important to us,' Susan Grisel said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
