Many people choose the education field as their career path because they are passionate about children and helping them; they want to make a difference in the world and in the lives of children they encounter. For many teachers, they go above and beyond what is expected of them. They do not do this to earn fame, fortune, or special recognition, as that does not often happen. However, they continue to do more than “their eight to four” simply because they know that their students are counting on them. For most teachers, it is not about the paycheck, or the hours they put in, or the training that it required… It is all about the students, the children.

Coming soon is the time of year that you can give back a little to the teachers that give so much and let them know that they are appreciated. The week of May 3rd through 7th is National Teacher Appreciation Week, which gives you the chance to show those who work selflessly just how much they mean to you and your children. They spend many hours each day with your children, sharing what they know about a variety of topics, so that your children can become more knowledgeable, more capable readers, better students, and more compassionate individuals. They are truly making a difference that will be noticed in the future.

So, there is really no way of telling how a person came to want to teach, but what makes them want to continue teaching is the knowledge that they are making a difference in the lives of children. As the saying goes, how much money you earned, what type of house you lived in, what types of vacations you took, and what kind of car you drove will not matter in one-hundred years. What will matter is that you made a difference in the life of a child. Teachers do all that they do so that the lives of the children they work with will be changed in a positive way. 

Although one week a year hardly seems like enough time to show appreciation to those who spend many hours a day with our children and do so much, it is a start. This Teacher Appreciation Week, help your children show their appreciation to their teachers in sincere, heart-warming ways. They could make a card, write a letter, draw a picture, or even purchase a gift. For their teachers, it is not about “what did I get,” but rather, that someone took the time to let them know all the hard work they do is very much appreciated. However, if you want to give your children’s teachers an extra special gift, think of a thank-you attached to a fruit basket or even an organic fruit basket. That is a delicious way to say thank you for all that they do.

Here’s a tip on a free way to say thank you! Companies have sponsored fruit gift baskets to be awarded to the best article/summary on why their teacher is the best. Children ages 5 to 18 are eligible to enter and if picked, their favorite teacher will win an elegant fruit basket along with their winning summary. Contest ends on 4/21/10 so hurry and show your teacher how much they are loved today! Enter Here: http://www.fruitcompanygifts.com/KidsFruit.html