National Teacher Day
May 4, 2010
Great Teachers Make Great Public Schools
On National Teacher Day, thousands of communities take time to honor their local educators and acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in making sure every student receives a quality education. This year's event takes place on May 4, 2010.
2009 Events
NEA’s Teacher Thank-You Project
To kick-off National Teacher Day 2009, hundreds of local public school students and their teachers joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, members of Congress, and NEA President Dennis Van Roekel on May 4 to unveil NEA’s "Teacher Thank-You Project," a never-before-seen collection of thousands of thank-you cards artfully displayed on a larger-than-life mural measuring 8 feet tall and 75 feet wide. View photos from the event >.
This project is an unprecedented effort to collect thank-you messages for teachers around the world. Thousands of cards from celebrities, athletes, lawmakers, notable public figures, and individuals have been compiled. To see a virtual version of the mural, watch video from the unveiling, and view pictures, go to http://www.teacherthankyoucard.com/.
Congressmen Thank Teachers
In May of 2009, Congressmen Ron Klein (FL-22) and Peter Roskam (R-IL) introduced a bill in Congress that created a national day of teacher recognition on the first Tuesday of the first full week of May (coinciding with National Teacher Day). Further, it calls on the President to issue a proclamation to the American people to observe and celebrate a National Teacher Day.
Additionally, Congressmen Sam Graves (R-MO) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY) introduced a bill that promotes the profession of teaching and encourages students, parents, school administrators, and public officials to participate in teacher appreciation events during National Teacher Week.
Celebrities Name Most Memorable Teachers
Behind every famous face is an educator. Actress Hilary Swank said, "Mr. Sellereit [Eric Sellereit, Happy Valley Elementary, Bellingham, WA] gave me my first acting job in my school production of The Jungle Book."
Check out our lists of:
Celebrities' Most Memorable Teachers
(PDF file, 38pp, 306KB)
Members of Congress' Most Memorable Teachers
(PDF file, 28pp, 190KB)
History of National Teacher Day
The origins of National Teacher Day are murky. Around 1944 Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodbridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.
NEA, along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City (Kan.) Local, lobbied Congress to create a national day to celebrate teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only.
NEA and its affiliates continued to observe National Teacher Day in March until 1985, when the NEA Representative Assembly voted to change the event to Tuesday of the first full week of May. The actual date, therefore, varies from year to year.
Video
Teachers...We Just Want to Say Thanks!
Watch this video to see NEAs Teacher Thank-You Project, a first-ever effort to publicly thank teachers for their commitment and dedication to students.
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Coming This Fall American Education WeekNovember 15-21, 2009 Education Support Professionals DayNovember 18, 2009 |
