Random Thoughts: Teacher Appreciation

Did you know this is National Teacher Appreciation Week? 

Perhaps you were aware of it because of one of the following reasons:

A) You are in fact yourself a Teacher
(as I believe some of our fellow like-minded bloggers are or were?).

B) or Someone close to you is a Teacher
(this would be my case as I have quite a few friends who are teachers*).

C) or Live in a state where the Teachers were on strike recently and thus the timing of this week added to the coverage all over the news.

D) or You simply know to appreciate Teachers.

Or perhaps you were simply unaware, as some people seem to be (and unaware of the challenges of this often thankless job). 
  
So during this dedicated week, there were a lot of fluff articles being shared about the “Perfect Gift for your student’s Teacher” in order to show your appreciation. Or  articles about “What Do Teachers Really Want for Teacher Appreciation Day”. Do a quick internet search and you will be inundated with plenty of articles. Talk about genuine “Fake News”.

Well, I conducted my own fool-proof research and asked a select few,
“What do You, as a Teacher, Really Want?”

You may or may not find it surprising, but it turns out that the majority do not want another display item that has  “#1 Teacher” plastered across it, or another ceramic coffee mug, or yet another Apple shaped anything. Worse yet, if said gift has all these elements combined into one as demonstrated below:




So what my extensive research discovered is that, without a doubt, what teachers really want is to have some quality one-on-one time.


With the parents.

Yes, you heard me correctly.

One-on-one time in particular with the Moms of the particularly entitled students.
Some dedicated time to have a word or two with said Moms who never set any ground rules at home and thus let the disaster flow back into the classroom.

I am sharing one of my all-time favorite illustrations that does exactly that, illustrates what teachers really want:
To discipline at the butt of the problem.


This is obviously a no nonsense, stern punishment being administered if you note a few things in particular:
 - Her plump bottom, bared, with solid stripes across it
 - plus the broken ruler on the floor to prove the intensity of those stripes
 - Her singular lost shoe and exposed breasts to prove that she has been flailing wildly
 - Her exhausted look and of course her tear-filled eyes.
 - and let us not forget the open door, for added humiliation.


So if this is really what teachers want, I support them 100%. 
How about you?

So I say, give this teacher a raise,
and put that Mom in cornerttime
(with her panties at half-mast of course)
and call in the next one.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

(*and I know some in particular who are well deserving of our favorite topic themselves.)