The first week of May is always set aside for Teacher Appreciation Week. This year, it’s May 3-7, 2021.

I bet you have a lot of activities planned at your school, so make sure you’re sharing those on social media! To really supercharge your efforts, I have one simple idea that is guaranteed to give you incredible comments.

(To be honest, you can actually use this post any time of the year. I just think it’s perfect timing to do so around Teacher Appreciation Week!)

To illustrate this idea, here’s an email I recently received from Stephanie Smith, APR. She is the Director of Public Relations at Fort Osage R-1 School District in Missouri.

I wanted to thank you for the recent idea that was in one of your e-newsletters. I used the “tell us about a teacher that has made an impact for you” idea. Not only is it one of our top-performing posts of all time, it was so good for the teachers to hear in such challenging times.

I went a step further and with any current teacher who was mentioned, I sent an email to let them know what an impact they are making and encouraged them to visit our Facebook page to read the comments. For retired staff, if I had their email address, I did the same thing. It was such a boost for them to hear!

Thank you for always sharing ideas with us!

Here is the simple post that she shared. When you replicate it for yourself, make sure you include the words “The Best Teacher I Ever Had Was…” right on the image or graphic itself!

Her caption reads: So many times we hear about that one teacher who made a special impact in someone’s life. Who was that teacher for you? What grade or subject did they teach?
We want to hear about your best teacher ever!

I love seeing these ideas come to life! How amazing to see 388 positive comments!!

And the comments were not just names. They were stories! Go read them for yourself.

What makes this success story even sweeter is that Stephanie took the post one step further. She made sure to get those positive comments out to the teachers who inspired the stories, in case they hadn’t seen them on social media:

“Ms Amanda Crews. My son absolutely adored her. She went beyond by guiding him in his wheelchair across the stage during graduation.”

“Hands down Jennifer Gibson Billie Rankin Sullivan and Kristin Cochran. You ladies always pushed me to be the best version of myself while being there for me during the ups and downs of high school. I will always appreciate the hard work you put into, not only my education but also shaping me as a person. So grateful to you beautiful souls.”

“I’ll get back to you on my teachers but I appreciate and loved Heather Diebold. Both boys had her for kindergarten. Cristil Rogers was Grayson’s 2nd-grade teacher and helped him not worry during our divorce. She was so sweet and took time to ask questions like “Hey, did you stay at mom’s or dad’s this weekend? What did you do that was fun?” and make a different, scary situation for him feel normal. Bottom line, Indian Trails was like our second family. We cannot forget to mention Principal, Emily Cross. She’s the most loving educator I’ve ever met.”

“My daughter has had three teachers so far that I believe are shaping her to be who she is today. Lori Lawson teaches Kindergarten at Elm Grove. She pushed my daughter to be successful and reach beyond her comfort zone to see her potential. Mr. Jeff Harris the librarian at Elm Grove goes above and beyond for every student he encounters at Elm Grove. He helps them become successful readers, teaches clubs after school, and truly connects with each of his students uniquely. My daughter not only reads but loves reading because of him. This year we are at Blue Hills and Mrs. Gasper has been amazing. She is patient and kind and makes learning fun. She teaches not only how to do things but why we do them so the kids are more successful with the knowledge they have. She communicates well with parents as far as expectations go and is quick to help correct or guide with anything that comes up. My daughter has gone to school every day with a smile on her face ready to learn and I’m loving it. Thanks for all you do Fort!”

These comments can make all the difference in the world for a teacher in your district. They also, of course, reflect positivity back on your school!

This post idea worked across the country. Check out just a few of the different ways schools used it:

So – are you convinced to try it? Add this easy post in your Teacher Appreciation Week efforts. I even have a cute graphic you can use.

Do me a favor, friend! Tag me in a comment on your post on Facebook – @SocialSchool4EDU. I want to see how many schools across the country try this – and read all of the wonderful stories that you receive!

Looking for more Teacher Appreciation Week ideas? Check out this blog: Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week on Social Media.

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