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    young student in library showing appreciation for teacher's help

    Celebrations & Themes
    School Specialty • Apr 28, 2016 • Last Modified: May 3, 2023

    The History Behind Teacher Appreciation Week

    Teachers spend a lot of time enriching the minds and lives of their students. That’s why, every year, we come together to celebrate teachers and the wonderful jobs that they do. The celebration starts on the first full Monday in May. But what’s the history of Teacher Appreciation Week? When and why did it start?

    The Origin of Teacher Appreciation Week

    The official history of Teacher Appreciation Week dates back to 1953 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress that there needed to be a specific day to recognize teachers. Prior to her involvement, it’s believed that some states did practice some kind of annual teacher celebration. However, that part of the history is unclear and unsubstantiated. It’s believed that a teacher from either Wisconsin or Arkansas wrote letters to the First Lady to get help establishing a day of recognition.

    The Arkansas theory states that Mattye Whytte Wooldridge communicated with education leaders to form a day to honor teachers. She then began writing letters to Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt decided the cause was worthy of her attention and took it to Congress.

    Even with Eleanor Roosevelt taking the case to Congress and getting their help and support, it would take another 27 years to become an official national day. It was in 1980 when the National Education Association (NEA) joined with the Kansas and Indiana State Boards of Education and began to lobby Congress to have the day nationally recognized.

    The First National Teacher Appreciation Day

    National Teacher Day was celebrated on March 7th until 1984, when it was moved to May. Behind the move was the National Parent Teacher Association, which expanded the celebration by naming the entire first week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week. The NEA followed suit the next year and held National Teacher Appreciation Day on the Tuesday of that week.

    There are still a few cases of oddities, though. Massachusetts celebrates Teacher’s Day on the first Sunday of June, perhaps to allow teachers to relax on their special day.

    Celebrate Teachers in Your Classroom

    The NEA believes National Teacher Day is a day to not only honor teachers but to show them that they make lasting impressions on the lives of their students.

    Whether you send a small gift or a kind word, let the teachers in your life know that they’re appreciated. If you’re looking for ways to showcase your appreciation, follow the link below for some fun ideas!

    7 Creative Ways to Thank Fellow Teachers

    Tagged With: Teacher Appreciation

    Trackbacks

    1. Thank You Teachers | Teacher Appreciation Week | Homes for Heroes says:
      Apr 29, 2021 at 1:11 pm

      […] Appreciation Week started in the 1950’s, when Eleanor Roosevelt asked Congress to set aside a day to honor teachers. While Congress did not officially adopt a Teacher’s Day, several states started to celebrate […]

      Reply
    2. Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas - FREE Printables and More says:
      May 3, 2021 at 7:15 pm

      […] is not to say that Teachers don’t deserve to have a special week to celebrate them. I love Teacher Appreciation Week! Teacher’s spend a lot of time enriching the minds and lives of their […]

      Reply
    3. The Best Teacher Appreciation Gifts that Won't Make it Weird - Aesthetic Journeys says:
      May 4, 2021 at 8:00 am

      […] https://blog.schoolspecialty.com/history-behind-teacher-appreciation-week/ 5 things to stop giving as teacher gifts […]

      Reply
    4. What to know for Teacher Appreciation Week and National Teacher Day – Nevady News says:
      May 11, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      […] Nationwide Trainer Day originated as an thought by former first woman Eleanor Roosevelt in 1953 when she pleaded to Congress that there wanted to be a day when academics had been acknowledged, according to School Specialty. […]

      Reply
    5. Rise and Shine: May 4, 2022 - CivMix says:
      May 4, 2022 at 3:05 am

      […] was Teacher Appreciation Day, which began in 1953 when former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt proposed that Congress set aside a day to acknowledge the work of […]

      Reply

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