Throughout the year, we ask teachers to willingly open their doors and become vulnerable and open to criticism. One of the hardest parts of being a teacher is feeling like you are under constant surveillance. While instructional coaches are not there to be a source of anxiety, simply having someone in the room observing is extra stressful for some teachers. To say we understand and we appreciate teachers not only opening their doors to us but also accepting advice from us, we can give gratitude to teachers with a little thank you.
How to Give Gratitude to Teachers
Teachers deserve our thanks for so many reasons, and there are several ways we can give gratitude to teachers that are simple yet meaningful.
1: Leave a Little Note
One way to give thanks to teachers is to leave them a little note saying what you saw that was awesome. Whenever you enter a classroom, you are going to see something good. Whether it’s something with classroom management, implementing a new strategy you worked on, or not losing his/her cool with a challenging student, there’s always something. So, leave a small note on a teacher’s desk just to say thank you! If you follow a coaching model, you can make sure leaving a note is just a part of your routine.
2: Provide a Small Treat
Another easy way to give gratitude to teachers is to give them something a little bit sweet. Whether you give them a donut, a piece of chocolate, a coffee, or any other small thing, it will go a long way! Teachers are often underappreciated. By saying “Hey, I think you’re going great! Here’s something to make your day better,” you’re saying thank you and giving them a highlight in their day. You can pair these little treats with a simple ready-made note to make your job that much easier!
3: Use Verbal Affirmation
Finally, using verbal affirmation is a simple way to say you care. Plus, saying something is so meaningful! By having a brief conversation, maybe by switching up your observation style and incorporating verbal praise or gratitude in your feedback, you are telling the teacher he/she is worth the time it took you to come and say something to them.
When to Give Gratitude to Teachers
Giving gratitude to teachers is really important. You can give gratitude at any time throughout the year. However, simple times to give gratitude to teachers are right after an observation or after they have returned your survey forms for you. While these are easy times to give gratitude to teachers, don’t forget that simple acts of kindness can go a really long way. So, randomly giving a teacher a little note with a little treat can go a long way!
We need to give gratitude to teachers for so many different reasons! Teachers are the ones who help us learn and grow as instructional coaches. Without teachers, we wouldn’t be able to implement different ideas into the classroom. More than that, without teachers, we wouldn’t be able to watch students grow into the leaders of tomorrow. So, give gratitude to a teacher today.
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