Do you feel appreciated by your students?

What Do The Results Tell Us, So Far?

The majority of teachers do feel appreciated by their students, although the margin isn't huge. The ideal reason to get into the teaching profession is to make a difference in the lives of students. Later in life students will remember the names and faces of the teachers who have helped them grow. This poll indicates that the majority of teachers believe they are doing just that. It would be interesting to know if there is a difference depending on the age of the students being taught. Do elementary school teachers feels more appreciated than those in high school? The answer is probably yes. Younger children show their appreciation in little ways that teenagers certainly don't. When was the last time a 15 year old offered their teacher a cookie or wanted to hold their hand? Students in the first few years of school do those types of things all the time.

For those feeling that students don't appreciate them or take them for granted, try to look at things a little differently. Are your students showing up to class regularly? Are you teaching them the assigned curriculum? Are they completing assignments and learning class material? If you answered yes to any of these questions then, rest assured, society appreciates your efforts. Teachers make a world of difference in the lives of their students perhaps without those students even being aware of it. Knowledge is power and you supply it every day.

If you are feeling unappreciated and uninspired in your teaching career just go to your computer and do an internet search on 'teachers who inspire'. You will find examples of how teachers have inspired life-long reading habits, steered students away from a life of crime, or opened a student's eyes to possible career opportunities they would never have considered otherwise.

Even if students don't show their appreciation on a day to day basis, teachers provide the building blocks that allow children to succeed. Every time you see a successful businessman or someone truly happy in their chosen career path, know that a teacher in their past had a hand in their success.