National Teacher Day

May 8, 2012

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.

The next National Teacher Day will be celebrated on May 8, 2012.

Planning Materials and Artwork

Use these materials and activity ideas to plan your Teacher Day event.

National Teacher Day Spotlights Key Issues Facing Profession

The teaching profession has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. As part of its annual National Teacher Day celebration, taking place this year on Tuesday, May 8, NEA is highlighting key trends in the teaching profession. Find out the key issues facing the profession in 2011.

NEA Members Compete in Jeopardy!

Six NEA members are competing in Jeopardy’s first-ever Teacher Tournament over the next two weeks. The winner will receive $100,000 and a guaranteed spot in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions airing later this year. The second place winner will earn a minimum of $50,000 and third place $25,000. Semifinalists receive $10,000, and contestants eliminated in the first round receive $5,000. In addition, each teacher will receive a Classroom “Jeopardy!” unit for their school courtesy of Educational Insights, maker of Classroom “Jeopardy!”

NEA’s Teacher Thank-You Project

Unveiled in 2009 by NEA President Dennis Van Roekel and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, NEA's "Teacher Thank-You Project" is a 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 Teacher Thank-You Project event.

The 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 were compiled. To see a virtual version of the mural and view pictures, go to Teacher Thank-You Project.

Nominate a Classroom Superhero!

They don’t have the cape or the flashy tights, but educators are rising to a superhero challenge every single day. Few people have such an impact on all of our lives, and the lives of our children, as educators.

NEA’s Classroom Superheroes campaign allows parents, students, and community members to show educators the support they deserve. Find out more and then nominate your classroom superheroes.

Celebrities Name Most Memorable Teachers

Behind every famous face is an educator. Actress Hilary Swank said, "Mr. Sellereit (Eric Sellereit, Happy Valley Elementary School, Bellingham, Washington) gave me my first acting job in my school production of The Jungle Book."

Check out our list of Celebrities' Most Memorable Teachers (PDF, 306 KB, 38pp).

Teachers Talk

Listen to some NEA members talk about what inspires them as teachers - on Teachers Talk, a project of TeachersCount and an NPR Connecticut affiliate.

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. Woodridge 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.

Happy Teacher Day!

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.