National Teacher Day

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National Teacher Day Facts & Quotes

• As of May 2012, there were 950,440 teachers, teaching approximately 58 million students in US elementary and secondary schools.
• 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.
• There are currently 3.2 million teachers in the US today, 1.8 million of which will become eligible for retirement within the next decade.
• The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth. - Dan Rather
• There is an old saying that the course of civilization is a race between catastrophe and education. In a democracy such as ours, we must make sure that education wins the race. - John F. Kennedy

National Teacher Day Top Events and Things to Do

• Join 2016 #ThankATeacher campaign. Take a picture with your favorite teacher, post it on social media and hashtag #ThankATeacher. Write a personal Thank You note to special teachers.
• Provide picture bouquets to teachers using pictures of current students with messages attached as leaves.
• Hang congratulatory or thankful banners on classroom doors.
• Have the community contribute gifts and gift certificates for teacher gift baskets.
• Host a breakfast for teachers before school. Try to involve local stores as sponsors.

National Teacher Day References and Related Sites