Ensuring the lifelong success of students requires schools to invest in building and maintaining a strong STEAM program. To truly reap the rewards of investing in STEAM education, schools must first prioritize and invest in their teachers! A great way to do this is by honoring STEM teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week 2024.
Ideas for Celebrating STEM Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week 2024
Mark Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10) by celebrating the invaluable contributions of STEAM and STEM teachers. In this article, we outline and share a variety of ways schools can ensure STEM teachers know how much they are valued and appreciated!
It is vital to invest in teachers if you want to invest in a strong, high-performing STEM program at your school. Here are just a few reasons why Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to recognize and appreciate STEM teachers.
- A STEM teacher helps students discover new skills and passions through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
- A STEM teacher facilitates collaborative projects and fosters teamwork.
- Beyond teaching STEM concepts, a STEM teacher also helps students develop soft skills like communication, time management, prioritization, and productive failure.
These elements make learning more fun and engaging to students, but it often takes a particularly skilled teacher to keep it all balanced and productive. That’s why it is especially important to demonstrate your gratitude and appreciation for innovative teachers that prioritize teaching STEM in the classroom.
Below you’ll discover three ways to show appreciation for STEAM teachers throughout Teacher Appreciation Week 2024:
1. Share freebies with teachers
Who doesn’t love freebies or discounts? There are plenty of free or discounted exclusive items and resources offered to teachers, especially around Teacher Appreciation Week. Here are a few to pass along to your STEM teachers.
- Request a free math or science poster from Maplesoft, here
- Buffalo Wild Wings is offering 20% off food orders to teachers during teacher appreciation week
- Applebees is offering 50% off select appetizers during teacher appreciation week
- Adidas offers 30% online or in-store purchases for educators year round
- Columbia offers a 20% discount when you verify your teacher status
- Dell offers a 10% discount on all electronics to teachers
- Barnes and Noble offers 20% discounts to full time educators for purchases made for classroom use
- Eduporium offers 20% discounts on most products
Browse more discounts and deals for Teacher Appreciation Week here and here. In addition to these deals, there are several zoos, aquariums, theaters, botanical gardens, and amusement parks that offer local discounts to teachers. Do some research within your community to see what offerings are available for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week 2024!
2. Have students show their support by saying, “Thank You”
Thank You Cards
Engage students in teacher appreciation activities by inviting them to create letters or cards outlining what they like about their STEM teacher. This offers a more personalized gift that helps remind STEAM teachers of their impact.
Appreciation Garden
Create an Appreciation Garden during Teacher Appreciation Week 2024! Encourage students to dream big by decorating the front lawn of the school with thank you signs shaped like flowers. This bold display will showcase the value of STEM teachers and demonstrate appreciation to the surrounding community.
Thank You Videos
For a timeless tribute, produce a heartfelt video featuring messages from students. Whether it’s through a song, a montage, or a short skit, encourage students to unleash their creativity in expressing gratitude! This video will be a cherished keepsake for STEM teachers, serving as a lasting reminder of their profound impact on students’ lives during Teacher Appreciation Week 2024.
3. Support STEM teachers with the right resources
Developing engaging and effective STEM projects can be a demanding endeavor for educators. Often, STEM teachers dedicate their free time to crafting ideas and designing assignments without additional compensation. The implementation of these lesson plans demands even greater organization, flexibility, and effort, particularly when managing numerous students simultaneously. Providing your teachers with ready-to-use STEAM activities and projects can offer them the invaluable gift of time during Teacher Appreciation Week 2024.
Here are some resources TinkRworks provides that will support your STEM education program:
- Free STEAM Makerspace Library: Our educator-curated free lesson library, TinkRpedia, is full of ideas for teachers across a variety of grade levels.
- STEAM Made Simple Blog: Share this blog so that teachers can subscribe to receive plenty of free STEM Project-based Learning resources, tips, and implementation ideas right in their inbox. Click the link to browse our previous articles!
- TinkRworks Projects: Are you new to TinkRworks and curious about trying one of our projects? We’re offering an Introductory Offer for New Partners! LaunchPad (Grades 3-8) is a budget-friendly way for you to try out one of our exceptional, standards-rich STEAM PBL projects.
In Conclusion
STEM teachers are indispensable contributors to shaping the future through the education and support they provide to students. Demonstrating appreciation for STEM teachers within your school community is paramount. Recognizing, respecting, and valuing teachers not only fosters a positive environment but also cultivates optimal conditions for student growth and development. Don’t overlook Teacher Appreciation Week this year—your STEM teachers undoubtedly deserve the recognition.
