Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we are so excited to support and celebrate teachers and educators. Teacher Appreciation Week falls from May 2 through May 6 this year, and is a time to honor all the hard work our teachers do to support and educate our children. Throughout the pandemic, our nation’s teachers have overcome so many challenges to keep kids learning even outside of the classroom. Now, more than ever, it is so important that we take time to support and appreciate our educators.  

What is Teacher Appreciation Week?  

Teacher Appreciation Week occurs in the first week of May every year. It is a time where schools and parents recognize and appreciate teachers and education staff. It is also a time where many businesses will offer deals and freebies to teachers. The National Education Association describes the holiday as “a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.”  

How did Teacher Appreciation Week start?  

Did you know that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (who sat on the JLG Editorial board) was the first to propose a federal holiday to recognize teachers? She started the observance in 1953 and originally it was just one day. It wasn’t until 1985 that Teacher Appreciation Day transformed into Teacher Appreciation Week. It has been observed yearly as a full week ever since.  

What can you do to observe Teacher Appreciation Week?  

There are so many ways to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. One way is by texting “CELEBRATE” to 48744. You will be asked if you are a teacher, parent, or educator. If you are an educator, you will receive texts with kind words of appreciation throughout the week. If you are a parent or simply just want to support a teacher, you will be prompted to send a kind message which will be delivered to an educator.  

You can also share a message on social media with the hashtag #ThankATeacher and #WeHearYou, and by tagging the National Education Association (@NEAToday).  

Teacher Appreciation Week can also be simple – have your child write a note to their teacher thanking them for all they do, have your children make a list of their favorite parts of the school year this year, etc. Here are some more simple, thoughtful ways to celebrate the holiday. 

How does JLG support teachers and educators?  

Here at JLG, we are in the business of supporting teachers, librarians, and educators. We do this by curating collections of the best new books in children's and young adult literature. Our editorial team spends the entire year reading countless books still in manuscript form and choosing award-winning titles. How does this help teachers and librarians? We save educators countless hours of time choosing titles for their collection and countless dollars with our competitive pricing. We then send monthly shipments right to our members' doors with the latest and greatest new titles, ensuring their shelves are always stocked with the best new books.  

Ready to learn how JLG can support you? Learn more.