Back to school is an exciting time for everybody, but it can also be a stressful time, especially for teachers. The excitement can easily turn chaotic as teachers try to prepare their classrooms, and themselves, for the upcoming school year.
There are a number of different ways you can help teachers survive back to school. Here are some of their most pressing needs as the school year begins.
A Fully Stocked Classroom
Teachers rarely have all of the classroom supplies they need to make it through the school year. They often have to dig into their own pockets to purchase supplies they don’t have the funding for and can’t ask students to buy.
A shortage of supplies makes it difficult for teachers to plan lessons and activities. The need for supplies can range from the basics, such as pens, pencils and crayons, to the specific – headphones, tablets, art supplies.
Ask any teacher what they need most and almost all with answer that they need classroom supplies. You can help a teacher meet this need by pitching in to help with classroom supplies, whether you purchase the supplies yourself or provide the funds needed to buy the supplies.
Community Support
Schools and teachers need the support of the community to be successful. When students can see that a community cares about a school and their education, they may be more likely to engage with their learning.
Teachers appreciate knowing they have the support of the community in their efforts to provide a positive learning environment for the students. By being an activist for school support, you can rally the community behind the teachers, and make sure they know they are appreciated.
Communities can support their school in a number of different ways:
- By recognizing the hard work of schools, administrators and teachers.
- By sponsoring classrooms.
- By volunteering to help in schools and classrooms.
- By becoming a mentor.
A Moment to Themselves
Teachers spend the majority of their day around their students. Imagine being surrounded all day by the chaos, usually organized chaos, that goes along with being a teacher. Not everyone is cut out to thrive in that environment, which is why teachers are so great and should be treasured.
Throughout the school year, there is a lack of private time for teachers between school days, grading time and lesson planning. What teachers need is time to themselves to regroup and recharge their batteries.
You can help give them that time. Maybe you buy a gift certificate for a coffee at the local coffee shop for teachers, or fix up the teacher’s lounge with refreshments to give them a moment of peace during the day.
Teachers will appreciate these small gestures that can help keep them energized and focused.
A Little Goes a Long Way
These are just a few of the needs teachers may have going back to school. If you can think of something LITTLE, please do it! If it means buying an extra item as you’re buying your kid’s school supplies, then that’s a LITTLE bit that helps.
To find out if there are ways you can help teachers succeed this year, call the schools and ask. Reach out to teachers you know and talk to them about how you can help.
The more we do for our teachers, the more they can do for their students.
