// 845.371.2222 TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION As a teacher and also as a mother, I know that it’s very hard sometimes; it costs money and it costs time to send something to the teacher. But even for the younger grades, just writing on the Shabbos paper or the Mitzvah tzetel, a short sentence, “Thank you, my kid really comes home excited from school.” Something like that goes a long way. When I collect the report cards that I send home, I always count how many parents took the time to write yasher koyach after signing the report cards. I’m not expecting a long message, but the teacher spent hours upon hours marking the report card, and I always marvel at how few parents make the effort to just acknowledge that. I hope this awareness will bring more parents to express their appreciation in this way. TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION I’m happy that you mentioned the discussion about appreciating teachers. And being that I’m a teacher, I want to share my input. So first I want to say that every small appreciation is really appreciated. When a teacher sees that there’s a mother behind the girl who writes a little note or takes her time to call up the teacher and appreciates her in any way, it means a lot. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or major. Regarding Chanukah and Purim, every dollar is appreciated. I appreciate money versus gifts. And obviously more than gepatchkete homemade things. Sometimes the small thank you itself shows a lot. And I want to mention that their mothers sometimes discuss their opinion about the school or about the teacher or about the rules in front of the children. And this makes the students have a hard time to be makabel and have hachnuah to the teachers. Make sure that if you have anything to complain about the school system or the teachers, please pick up a phone and discuss it. Teachers are usually very happy and ready to discuss it. Talking negatively about the school system doesn’t benefit anybody. TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION As a teacher, I feel that a mother that goes out of her way to send something to the teacher more than twice a year is showing that you really appreciate the teacher’s hard work. Even a little muffin and a nice note without a tip goes a long way. It’s the warm note that makes all the difference. Csay Topic #191 TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION I taught preschool for a few years, and the thing I appreciated the most was when I had a few mothers that after Purim, I don’t know if they were trying to get rid of their nosh and everything, but they sent things like chocolate bars and they wrote cute notes on it, for example “Chani is practicing the mah nishtana”. I appreciated it, especially during the hectic erev Pesach season when I had already nearly forgotten about the Purim tips. TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION I do kria, and one of the little boys’ mother showed him how to write a thank you note for me. It was very cute and meaningful. TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION For the past eight years, I’m sending my teachers and melamdim a nice treat every Rosh Chodesh, like a cheese Danish wrapped up nicely in a bag with a small note, which is just as important. I feel tremendous success with this idea. I have a large family and I feel like, first of all, it makes a very beautiful communication with teachers and melamdim that they don’t feel you’re just calling them when you have a problem. You have this monthly small note with a beautiful treat that gives you positive communication. Second, I feel as a mother of a large family, it makes the teachers and melamdim notice your child more. Third of all, the hakoros hatov that is given every single month to the teachers and melamdim for the hard work that they’re putting in helps that when Purim comes around, you don’t feel like, where do I start thanking this teacher? Because every month she got a small nice thank you note from you. I get feedback even down the road, a few years down the road, from teachers that don’t forget it. TOPIC #189 – TEACHER APPRECIATION One of the most appreciated things is to call up the principal and let her know what a great teacher a child has and specify in what way. This one small phone call means so much. It’s important to note that first year teachers are the ones who really need our extra appreciation. I have a friend, a first-year teacher, who came home every day almost crying. One day, she got a call from her student’s mother who complimented her. You can’t imagine how much that meant to her. 119
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