This week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  So let’s talk about what teachers REALLY want.  (Hint:  It’s probably not a keychain or a wall plaque that says "World’s Greatest Teacher.")

They want:

• You to send your child to school appropriately equipped for the day:  books, pencils, lunch, etc.
• You to provide a home environment that fosters learning.  That means enough sleep, exercise, healthy food, a quiet place to work WITHOUT a TV or a computer connected to the Internet.
• You to play an active role in your child’s education by reading to them, playing number and word games, checking homework, exploring the natural world, having discussions.
• You to communicate with them about how to help your child learn better, not to complain that Susie isn’t getting an A or that Billy isn’t the star.
• You to teach your child manners, values, and good behavior at home, where that training belongs.
• You to treat teachers with respect, even if you disagree with their approach.  Disagree wholeheartedly, but respectfully.

It occurs to me that we hold Appreciation Days or Weeks for people that we don’t respect enough or pay enough.  There’s Teacher Appreciation Week, Administrative Professionals Day, Nurses’ Week.  Somehow, we don’t feel a need to celebrate Lawyer Week or CEO Appreciation Day.  Maybe, instead of focusing on what gifts to give underpaid and underfunded professions, we should be examining the status quo.