New campaign encourages people to Let A Teacher Know how much they are appreciated
As we begin Teacher Appreciation Week, a new social media campaign from Cambridge University Press is encouraging students, parents and the public at large to show their appreciation for teachers, schools and all school staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Using the hashtag #LetATeacherKnow, people can write an open letter, share a video or simply tweet, post or share their thanks for the work of the teaching community.
With many schools around the world closed and millions of students being taught remotely, the Press decided it was a good time to publically recognise the huge and positive part teachers and schools play in our lives.
Rod Smith, Global Managing Director of Education Publishing at the Press, said: “It’s often not until something is taken away from you that you really understand how much you value it. At Cambridge we have a fundamental belief in the pivotal role of the teacher. So, during this time of crisis, we wanted to provide a simple and effective way to let schools and teachers know how much they are valued – not just for what they are doing during the pandemic, but every day.”
The campaign’s landing page includes a toolkit with a downloadable activity sheet and template, that make it as easy as possible for students to write a letter or draw a picture. Older students, along with relatives, friends and the general public are being encouraged to share a post or video.
Other suggestions include tagging the student’s school in posts; designing a custom, online ‘Thank You’ collage with classmates via Kudoboard; emailing letters directly to teachers or even popping them in the post! Teachers are also being encouraged to show their appreciation of colleagues.
Along with the toolkits, visitors to the website will find tips and a wall of Tweets featuring the #LetATeacherKnow hashtag.
Govindan Talian Veedu, Managing Director, India, said: “Teaching and learning has been disrupted in India at a crucial time of the academic year due to Covid-19 lockdown. Teachers are now working extra hard to maintain student engagement when many schools are not used to digital classrooms. The role played by teachers in providing good quality, validated learning material and delivering classes using digital media in a challenging environment cannot be taken for granted. ‘LetATeacherKnow’ is a simple way of recognizing the good work being done by teachers during the lockdown period.”
Rod Smith said: “At the Press we know that teachers do so much more than teach the syllabus. If you are a student, perhaps learning from home has made you realise what you liked about school? If you are a parent, why not let your child’s teachers know how much they – and you – appreciate them? Perhaps you are a teacher and want to give a colleague a well-deserved pat on the back, or let them know you’re looking forward to teaching with them again.
“Using the #LetATeacherKnow hashtag or the tools on our website, it’s never been easier to do so. We really look forward to hearing from you about the positive ways in which schools, teachers and teaching assistants touch all of our lives.”