National Teacher Day Celebrated May 9: 'Teachers Help Students Soar'
For Carlos Santana, it was Mr. Knudsen. For Clint Eastwood, it was Gertrude
Faulke. For Jane Seymour, it was Miss Dulaka. For Kurt Russell, it was
Mr. Brunner and Mr. Allen. For Michael Jordan, it was Miss Hardy.
For every teacher that inspired these celebrities, another one is inspiring
the more than 46 million children in public schools today.
On May 9, National Teacher Day will honor teachers, recognizing the lasting
contributions they make to our lives. In addition, the week of May 7-13
is designated Teacher Appreciation Week by the National PTA.
Teachers are being honored in many ways in schools and districts throughout
Wisconsin, as well as the nation. One of the ways schoolchildren will
say “thank you” to their teachers on National Teacher Day this
year is with food and certificates. The Department of Public Instruction,
the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association and the state PTA have
sent letters to school administrators, suggesting they organize students
to provide food, in the form of breakfast or snacks, and certificates
that say “thank you” to teachers.
"On May 9, we salute those individuals who have dedicated their lives
to shaping the future," said National Education Association (NEA) President
Bob Chase. "But thanking America's teachers is more than providing them
with the proverbial apple. Real gratitude comes from community and parental
involvement within local schools."
Nearly two-thirds of the nation's public school teachers live in and
around the schools where they teach, involving themselves in countless
extracurricular and civic activities.
Seven out of 10 teachers say they chose the profession because of their
desire to work with young people, according to NEA's "Status of the American
Public School Teacher" 1996 report. But turnover rates among new teachers
are high and support systems for them are weak.
Here are a few facts worth noting on National Teacher Day: -
- Research shows that the single most important factor in a child's
education is the quality of his or her teacher. (What Matters Most:
Teaching for America's Future, 1996.)
- At least 30 percent of new teachers leave the classroom within five
years. (What Matters Most: Teaching for America's Future, 1996.)
- The average teacher spends $408 of his or her own money each year
to meet the needs of their students. (Status of the American Public
School Teacher, 1995-1996.)
- Teacher salaries increased by 1.9% over the decade when adjusted for
inflation – much less than salary increases in other professions.
Salaries for similarly educated professionals such as accountants, for
example, rose 5.6% over the same period. Earnings for computer analysts
rose 7.4%, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Labor. (Rankings
& Estimates: Rankings of the States 1999 and Estimates of School
Statistics 2000.)
- More than 25% of all public school teachers are male. It's interesting
to note that the states with the highest salaries tend to have the highest
proportion of male teachers. And the reverse is also true. Policymakers
should address this wage gap, especially when considering the need to
resolve the teacher shortage and attract more men and minorities into
the teaching profession. (Rankings & Estimates: Rankings of the
States 1999 and Estimates of School Statistics 2000.)
- Educators in their 20's earn an average of $7,894 less than other
college graduates their age. This pay gap only worsens over time. (Quality
Counts 2000 annual report.)
- 93% of general elementary teachers and 92% of subject-matter teachers
are fully certified in the field of their main teaching assignment;
85% of teachers have participated in programs to improve their skills
since the end of the last school year. (1999 National Educational Goals
Report.)
- National Board certifications for teachers have tripled in the last
year. Thousands of teachers are now certified by the National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards – the most challenging professional
development achievement for teachers. This year, 10,000 more teachers
are candidates for this distinguished achievement. (National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards 1999 Report.)
- For more good news about public education, log onto NEA's web site
at www.nea.org/publiced/goodnews/
Mattye Whyte Woodridge would be proud of how far National Teacher Day
has spread.
An Arkansas teacher who felt the need to honor her colleagues across
the country, Woodbridge began a writing campaign to promote her idea,
which caught the ear of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After a decade of
correspondence, the widow of Franklin Delano Roosevelt prevailed on the
Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day for 1953.
In the late 1970s, teachers in Dodge City, Kansas, lobbied Congress to
create a national day celebrating teachers. In 1980, Congress responded,
declaring March 7 as National Teacher Day.
Since the legislation proclaimed it for only one year, the National Education
Association, with the support of other education groups, has kept the
celebration alive. After 55 years of being shuffled around the calendar,
it officially found a home in 1985: the first Tuesday of the first full
week of May.
Posted May 3, 2000