How to Take and Use Feedback, for Schools

Feedback, good or bad, helps you course correct and meaningfully improve yourself and your community. However, feedback can be difficult to digest, especially when you find fault in the delivery or the concern itself. To harness its true power, it’s necessary to view concerns within context, exercise empathy and appreciation, and allow yourself to truly process what you hear. This article explores how to take and use feedback through a positive mindset, case studies on how organizations and leaders like you use concerns effectively, and guides for handling negative feedback, or concerns that you can’t control.

Jump to:

• The Gift of Feedback
• The Gift of Feedback Pt. II
• How to Share Hard Family Feedback
• What To Say To Concerns You Can’t Control
• Possip Spotlight: How Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 Uses Feedback in Strategic Planning
• Voices Heard: How Possip Partners Request and Highlight Community Feedback
• 52 Effective Parent Survey Questions For Meaningful Feedback
• Responding to Feedback About IEPs
• What You Can Do When Your Staff Gives You Critical Feedback
• A Guide for Teachers: Giving Effective and Compassionate Feedback to Administrators
• 4 Principles of Feedback From Extraordinary School Leaders
• Sharing Concerns: A Quick How To Guide

The Gift of Feedback

October 29, 2018

This special feature on Possip’s blog is thanks to educator and entrepreneur Lauren Sikes.  Lauren is the Founder and CEO of DesignEd, which innovates culture + curriculum in K-12 schools. She taught for thirteen years in public and private schools in New York City and Nashville, TN. DesignEd offers leadership and organizational development, teacher coaching, and curriculum design. Lauren’s experience as an educator and teacher leader informs DesignEd’s work of engaging with empathy to design intentional culture + curriculum.

If you are a school leader, how do your students, parents, and teachers experience your school?

How do you know?

If you are a teacher, how do students and parents experience your classroom?

How do you know?

Boldly stated, feedback is a gift. Not asking for it is a missed opportunity. Without feedback, schools have to make assumptions about how people experience them. Without feedback, schools miss diverse perspectives that can help them design a better and unique educational experience for everyone.

Yet feedback is only a gift when it is used to improve. When schools and districts collect concerns, two things can happen:

1. Schools know what to do with it and make immediate changes.
2. Schools are overwhelmed by it and push it aside.

DesignEd helps schools in the latter category – schools who want to make changes but are overwhelmed by what to do with feedback when they get it.  DesignEd helps schools innovate culture + curriculum schools using a design thinking framework. Design thinking helps schools solve problems and create opportunities grounded in empathy and human-centered design. Culture + curriculum innovations are informed by feedback.  Even if you don’t use DesignEd, a design thinking framework could help your team take great action against feedback.

Possip and DesignEd share the mindset of feedback as a gift.

Possip collects praise, concerns and information from parents in an accessible, easy-to-use way. DesignEd has seen Possip users who took the feedback from parents to design solutions. 

Early on in Possip’s existence, a first grade teacher, who was working with DesignEd, used parent feedback to improve the school’s homework policy – which had been a point of concern for families. Using the feedback collected via Possip and surveying teachers and leaders in the school, she prototyped changes to the homework policy. After testing these changes, the newly redesigned homework policy revealed itself to be more manageable and meaningful for students and parents. This teacher was able to use a key part of the design thinking framework: empathy. Parent feedback gave her empathy for the experiences of kids and families. So rather than pushing a policy that wasn’t working, the teacher used design thinking to design a better experience for her students and parents. Parents and students were heard and valued, AND a teacher was empowered and able to make a transformational change for her school community.

Feedback is a gift – as long as you use it.

Ready for the gift of your community's feedback? Let's chat!

The Gift of Feedback Pt. II

July 18, 2019

Contributor Nicholas “Knick” Dixon is a public school administrator, anti-racism advocate, and “feedback junky” based in Greensboro, NC.

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Warren Buffet, once said, “genuine feedback is a gift.” I tend to agree with Mr. Buffet’s assertion. But, let’s be clear, not all gifts are wrapped in nice shiny bows and presented at predictable times of the year. Some are unexpected, inopportune, and downright convicting. So, what should become of those gifts?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Take inventory. If you notice you have several duplicates of the same gift, that’s a sure a sign that some action is needed.

2. Try to open the gifts before you read the names of the senders. This is important, but admittedly difficult to do. It’s necessary, though, to limit implicit biases from getting in the way.

3. Give it a “home” somewhere, anywhere, but for Pete’s sake, don’t leave it in the gift box. Decide on the next course of action as soon as possible. A next step could be as simple as delegating the matter to the person closest to the issue.

The final, and perhaps most important, thing to do is thank the senders. It’s the gentle thing to do and that person deserves appreciation for making your organization better. 

And since feedback is a gift, we of course encourage you to make it easy to share it. Learn more about how Possip can help.

Ready for the gift of your community's feedback? Let's chat!

How to Share Hard Family Feedback

March 19, 2024

We often hear that “Feedback Is a Gift”– but in reality, it can be challenging to share concerns with anyone. It can be especially difficult to share hard family feedback with a hard-working teacher when you know they might get upset and may see the situation differently.  

Cate Reed, seasoned administrator, current Senior Vice President of Teach For America, and Possip Reporter, walks through ways to effectively use feedback shared by families.

There are things you can do to take the sting out of tough feedback while also helping your staff embrace it as a way to get better over time

Create a Feedback-Friendly Culture

Make sure your staff knows that you collect feedback, through Possip, or by other means, and that you take it seriously.  This ensures that when you talk with them about hard family feedback, it doesn’t come out of left field.  Additionally, model how you receive feedback. Tell people when you have received tough concerns and what you have done about it, and name how it made you feel in the moment. Also, remember that feedback isn’t always critical.  Be sure that you are illuminating positive feedback as well. If you are consistently sharing both the good and the constructive, it doesn’t feel like a “gotcha” moment when challenging situations come up.

Time and Place Matter When Sharing Hard Family Concerns

Request a meeting with the teacher to discuss the hard family feedback you have received. Choose a quiet and private setting where you can have a focused conversation without interruptions, and don’t hide the ball. Telling someone in advance that you received concerns you want to share means people can have a moment to prepare themselves. If they ask if you can share in advance, consider that request (here are some tips to craft an email sharing negative feedback). Some people best handle feedback conversations when they have had a moment to think in advance. 

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What To Say To Concerns You Can’t Control

March 21, 2024

Have you heard feedback on things you can’t control? 

“I cannot believe school was delayed again! It was only rain! Don’t people know how much of a hassle this is?”

“The cafeteria food is awful! Too much fat and sugar, and the kids just waste it!”

“The school calendar makes no sense.  Why is there another winter break in February? What am I supposed to do with kids off for 3 days?”

We have all received concerns that we might understand (and even agree with!), but where the decision isn’t ours to make or we can’t control the situation. Explaining that to an irate parent can only make them more frustrated because they might think you don’t hear them or don’t want to. If you just stand by the decision, it can seem like you are being defensive or dismissive. Both scenarios can break trust and leave everyone feeling dissatisfied or more upset. 

Cate Reed, seasoned administrator, current Senior Vice President of Teach For America, and Possip Reporter, highlights ways to accept and address concerns when the situation is outside your purview.

There is hope – keep striving for a feedback-rich culture! While receiving concerns about something over which you have no control can be challenging, you can take steps to make the concern and the interaction productive! 

Acknowledge the Concerns and Appreciate the Person Sharing It

Begin by acknowledging that you have received the concerns. This shows that you are open to communication and value the input of others. Thank the person for taking the time to provide concerns. Even if the feedback is difficult or you disagree with it, expressing gratitude for their perspective can help maintain a positive tone. 

Next Step: Send a quick email, a voice note, or even a text stating you acknowledge receipt, and thank them for taking the time to reach out.

Click here to read the full blog in our Possip Membership!
Use promo code WELCOMETOPOSSIP for one month free!

Possip Spotlight: How Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 Uses Feedback in Strategic Planning

July 23, 2024

In the vibrant urban landscape of the Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 in northern Illinois, leaders cherish and prioritize voices in their strategic endeavors. Discover more about Belvidere’s uplifting journey and strategic utilization of Possip data, narrated by Frank Mandera, Director of Quality Assurance and former Principal.Belvidere Community Unit School District 100.

In education, strategic planning acts as the guiding star illuminating the path for schools and districts to achieve their aspirations. Yet, amidst the wealth of data and statistics, lies a goldmine often overlooked: the invaluable feedback from families and staff members. 

Click here to read more!

Voices Heard: How Possip Partners Request and Highlight Community Feedback

July 16, 2024

It can seem daunting to request community feedback, but some school and district leaders have successfully woven it into their culture. We love seeing our Possip Partners using social media to let families know how much they value their voice. Check out how our Possip Partners spread the word about upcoming Pulse Checks and their impact!

Click here to read more!

52 Effective Parent Survey Questions For Meaningful Feedback

June 27, 2024

Each family survey question, when carefully crafted, can be a powerful tool to leverage when you need information from your staff, families, or students. Asking what families need, when they are best able to attend events, and what they are thinking about is a major step toward building relationships with parents and increasing their engagement. As we know, family engagement is a critical lever to boost student outcomes. 

You may want to ask about communication, academic support, a recent event, or more. Getting these kinds of concerns can be scary – but you can win at parent engagement!

Click here to view the 52 questions!

Responding to Feedback About IEPs

March 5, 2024

Overwhelmingly our special population’s teachers and staff receive and deserve praise for the services they provide for their students. However, there are times when families express concerns about the services or structure of their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). At Possip, we see feedback about IEPs and special population services provided by families or staff usually fall into three categories. Those three categories include: “Quality and Frequency of Related Services”, “Accommodation and Referral Requests”, or “Director/Leadership Feedback.”

We know staff and administration want to respond feedback about IEPs. Families need help and we want to provide empathetic responses and effectively address frustration. To that end, we’ve analyzed family and staff questions and concerns we’ve seen in Possip reports and provided suggestions for next steps. 

Click here to learn how to respond to IEP feedback!

What You Can Do When Your Staff Gives You Critical Feedback

December 15, 2023

At our Possip event, Sustaining Strong Schools: Strategies for Staff and Teacher Retention, one of our top recommendations for administrators includes giving meaningful feedback and support.

We base this recommendation on data from our Staff Pulse Checks®. Over the 2022-23 school year, staff’s #3 top trend revolved around their leaders and administration. Our data shows that within concerns staff gave about their administration, these sub trends emerged:

Click here to see the sub trends and more!

A Guide for Teachers: Giving Effective and Compassionate Feedback to Administrators

July 21, 2023

Before we get started, ask yourself these questions:

• Are you hesitant to provide concerns to your administrator?
• Do you have ideas for how your school can promote student success that you aren’t sharing?
• Are you resentful of keeping all of your feelings to yourself?
• Do you have positive feedback that you may want to share but don’t know how?

The good news is You. Are. Not. Alone.
Use this resource to help you say what you need to speak with compassion– ultimately setting the stage for longevity and honesty in your relationship with your principal or school leaders.

Click here to learn how to give feedback to administrators!

4 Principles of Feedback From Extraordinary School Leaders

October 18, 2022

Last year, under the leadership of Julie Kennedy, Charter School Growth Fund piloted Possip Pulse Checks with 22 portfolio schools spanning 11 different networks. These schools heard from up to 80% of their families throughout the course of the year, gathering authentic feedback and praise! 

Leaders from the initial group of 22 schools have expanded their use of Possip!  It includes additional campuses – now 90 participating – as well as new stakeholders such as students and staff.

Click here to learn the four principles!

Sharing Concerns: A Quick How To Guide

December 10, 2020

Sharing feedback can be hard!  Sharing feedback with your child’s school can be really hard!  At Possip, we’re all about feedback, so here are some tips for sharing concerns with your child’s school:

Build a Relationship 

It’s never too late to cultivate relationships with the people that are invested in your child’s success– teachers, school leaders, counselors, etc. So much easier to share concerns with someone you have a relationship with.

Choose the WAY You’ll Share Feedback

This is when Possip comes in especially handy– being able to share concerns is always at your fingertips.  If Possip is not yet at your school, email is a good option during these times. Or set up a call!

Click here to read more feedback tips!

Speed Read (tldr) of How to Take and Use Feedback, for Schools

1. Feedback as a Valuable Tool for Improvement: Concerns, whether positive or negative, are crucial for growth and improvement. Schools and organizations must embrace feedback to avoid assumptions and design better experiences. Effective use of feedback involves understanding it within context, exercising empathy, and applying it constructively, as demonstrated by the DesignEd framework and Possip’s role in integrating concerns into school culture and policies.
2. Handling Negative or Difficult Concerns: Dealing with negative or tough feedback requires a thoughtful approach. Establishing a feedback-friendly culture where feedback is welcomed and appreciated can ease the process. It’s important to acknowledge and thank those who provide concerns, even if it’s challenging, and to communicate clearly about actions taken in response to their concerns.
3. Addressing Concerns on Uncontrollable Issues: When concerns are in areas beyond one’s control, such as administrative decisions or external policies, it’s crucial to acknowledge the concern and express appreciation. Maintaining a positive tone and demonstrating openness to communication helps manage these interactions effectively, even when immediate changes are not feasible.

Read below for resources, tips, and the why!

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September: What We Are Thinking About – Monthly Round Up

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4 Tips for Maximizing Impact Through Strategic Budgeting

Before working at Possip, I worked at Procter & Gamble in Finance for 13 years. I had a number of roles while there including as the leader for the forecasting and budgeting process of Tide the Company’s largest Brand with over $8B in revenue. I held this role during the recession period in 2009 and learned a lot about strategic budgeting during volatile times. 

Possip COO, Christine Fisher, lays out 4 principles for effective strategic budgeting, especially in times of financial uncertainty.

The thing that has stuck with me the most from that role was something my boss at the time told me:

“The only thing you know for certain about your financial predictions is that they are wrong. How wrong they are and minimizing the impact of being wrong is a big part of it.”

 

That statement freed me from having to be ‘right’ about everything in my forecast and focused me on managing the uncertainty. At the time of this update, Deloitte reports that inflation has been tamed and a recession averted. However, they have run scenarios for upturns and downturns based on global trends and possibilities. It is certainly a time of uncertainty.

4 Tips for Maximizing Impact Through Strategic Budgeting

Tip #1: Articulate Your Priorities

Articulate your organization’s values & priorities. Get input from your community on what they see as priorities.

The old adage goes “show me your budget and you show me your values”. This is one of the most important steps an organization can take. Knowing what the key values & priorities are will help know what spending needs to be protected and what spending is more flexible. 

Community and stakeholder input to this process is critical. Invested stakeholders look to see where money is being spent and will want to see that it aligns with the values that they see as important. Possip is a quick and easy way to pulse your stakeholders. Depending on how many people you want to survey, we can partner with you now to gather the information you need!

Articulating these before money is associated with line-item spending can be helpful. As you get further along in the budgeting process, citing the articulated values & priorities can help remind everyone why choices are being made the way they are.

Including how you are measuring impact or what the main non-financial goal is in your budget also helps to ground everyone in the organization’s mission. If debate comes up about a spending item, ask the question “how does this help us achieve our mission?”

Tip #2 Define Variables

Split spending items into fixed, variables, and choices.

Go through the budget and identify what are fixed costs, what are variable costs, and what are choices. We often talk about this as controllable and uncontrollable budget items.

Within both fixed and variable costs, there are items that are choices and items that are not. If you are in year 3 of a 5 year contract, it is not worth spending time on that budget item. Focus on areas where there is a decision to be made.

Variables are items that may change based on time or # of enrolled participants/students  or how cold/warm it is outside. Whereas fixed costs are generally a set amount for a full year (whether it is used a lot or a little, etc).

For variables, you have to decide whether it is the right choice and also what ranges are there on the variable. Sometimes based on specifics in contracts or timing of decisions, items that are theoretically variable may not actually be variable.

Spending money sometimes saves money. Sometimes that’s short term capital investments to save lease or rent expenses or sometimes that’s investing in services or technologies to free up staff to deliver other increasing responsibilities.

Tip #3 Run Scenarios

Create pathways to achieving your budget.

There are lots of approaches to scenario planning and many of them use probability adjustments which can be helpful to account for some level of uncertainty in the budget. There are a few problems I have seen in using this approach. One, is that they are often compounding and sometimes as much time is spend debating the probability % as is verifying the initial input. There is also the probability of it occurring but if it occurs it is at 100% of spend.

I prefer to create actual scenarios to see how many different ways I can get to our desired budget. Laying out actual scenarios helps people conceptualize what might happen. If I get lots of ways to meet our goals, then I feel good. If there’s only one path and everything has to go right to get there, then I don’t feel so good and we need to revisit the plan.

Once you have laid out some paths, look at what could be trigger points to make decisions. What does that look like? Maybe we don’t have enough information today to decide about some spending element that will happen next spring but if we hit a particular milestone, then we can make the decision.

I have also seen a lot of organizations doing shorter budgeting cycles to help mitigate the rapidly changing world. If it’s impossible to predict what next winter looks like, maybe it’s better to just budget for the fall and budget for the winter when more information is available. 

Play with time frames and decision triggers during the budgeting process.

Tip #4: Gather Feedback and Benchmarks

Seek out best practices and use ‘peer review’.

Benchmarking with other similar organizations is always a critical step when I am building a budget. Especially in this environment, I would think about calling up a similar organization to see how they are planning to approach their budget. What are they assuming the impact to transportation is? Ask some of the key questions that you are struggling with. People like to help and be seen as experts.

I also like to use the ‘peer review’ model. Let someone else look through the details. What jumps out at them? What questions do they ask? This can either be someone else in your organization, a board member, or community volunteer. Many corporations encourage their employees to volunteer (including the big four accounting firms). Reach out to a local business and see if they have someone who’d be willing to help. 

Finally, get input from your broader community on the budget. Host public budget hearings, meet with your main stakeholder groups. 

If you’d like to discuss about strategic budgeting, email hello@possip.com.

This article was originally penned for schools by Christine Fisher, “Maximizing Impact Through Strategic Budgeting – for Schools” June 2020. We have updated the content post pandemic to apply the principles to a wider audience of small business and nonprofit organizations.  

Curious how your stakeholders can contribute to your budgeting process? Let's talk!

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Supporting Mental Health: Tips for Improving Focus

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7 Low-lift, High-Impact Leader Actions That Transform Team Culture

Speed Read (tldr): 7 Low-lift, High-Impact Leader Actions That Transform Team Culture

1. Model Expected Behaviors: Leaders should exemplify the behaviors and values they expect from their staff, such as punctuality and kindness, to foster a culture of integrity and encourage staff to adopt similar habits.

2. Value Small Gestures: Simple acts of recognition, such as handwritten notes or public acknowledgments, significantly boost staff morale and contribute to a positive work environment, enhancing retention and overall team culture.

3. Enact Detail-Oriented Leadership and Communication: Paying attention to detail in every aspect of management, including ensuring error-free documents and respecting time commitments, sets high standards. Effective communication, such as predictable schedules for written communication and actively soliciting feedback from staff, is essential in making staff feel valued and heard.

Little things often make the most significant impact – leaders who pay attention to the small details can transform team culture and significantly influence staff morale and retention.

Cate Reed, seasoned administrator, current Senior Vice President of Teach For America, and Possip Reporter, explores seven seemingly small things to do that make a big difference in your staff culture.

Below are ideas on how seemingly minor actions can lead to substantial positive changes in organizations and businesses and offer practical strategies for leaders to implement these actions effectively.

Jump to...

• Small Gestures From You Matter
• Sweat the Small Stuff
• Leaders - Model What You Expect
• Value the Person, Not Just Their Contributions
• Be Creative and Set Yourself Apart as a Leader
• Promote Work-Life Balance and Show Flexibility
• Solicit Feedback to Transform Team Culture

Small Gestures From You Matter

It is easy to overlook the power of small gestures, but these can often have the most lasting impact. 

• Acts of recognition, even as simple as a handwritten note or a verbal acknowledgment, can significantly make staff feel valued and appreciated. These small acts of kindness and recognition can improve morale and create a supportive work environment, enhancing staff retention.
• Have a bulletin board prominently displayed for each month; calling out the birthdays of staff in the building or other anniversaries. They could be years of service, or other milestones. This can be done virtually for remote or hybrid work environments through a general or celebration channel on Slack or a similar internal messaging platform.

Sweat the Small Stuff

Attention to the finer details is crucial for leaders. This means prioritizing accuracy, precision, and meticulousness in all aspects of work. Minor, incremental improvements can lead to significant innovations over time. Leaders who sweat the small stuff prevent errors and inspire their team to strive for excellence in their work.

• For example, ensuring that documents are typos-free demonstrates a commitment to quality and sets a standard for the team. 
• Hold firms to deadlines and meetings so that people see you value and respect their time. 

Leaders - Model What You Expect

Consistency between words and actions is vital for earning the team’s respect and trust. Leaders should embody the behaviors and attitudes they wish to see in their staff.  By practicing what they preach, leaders can motivate and inspire their teams, fostering a culture of integrity and reliability.

• If punctuality is valued, leaders should always be early. 
• If attention to detail is essential, leaders should ensure their work is impeccable.
• If kindness is the expectation, ensure please and thank you are used often and sincerely. 

Value the Person, Not Just Their Contributions

Managing is about people, not tasks. Hope build camaraderie by inviting your team to share their interests outside of work. One way we do this at Possip is by hosting a quick check in every morning that features a whiparound question. This is a short question for everyone on the team to answer and can transform your team culture. Our favorite questions are listed here. 

Attending to the deeper fears, hopes, and motivation of your teammates helps people know you care about them. Checking in and going beyond the standard “How are you?” question builds trust and rapport.

Be Creative and Set Yourself Apart as a Leader

Understanding the unique needs and preferences of your team can help create a joyful and motivated working environment. These creative and personalized acts show leaders care about their team’s well-being and happiness.

• Personalized gestures can significantly boost morale, such as hiring an on-site barista to provide coffee and snacks during late work sessions or organizing special birthday celebrations with handwritten notes. 
• Find a local movie theater to give free tickets to staff one weekend as a surprise after a long week of intensive work.

Promote Work-Life Balance and Show Flexibility

Encouraging a healthy work-life balance is essential for maintaining staff well-being. Showing flexibility, such as accommodating personal needs and offering support during challenging times, demonstrates empathy and respect for staff members’ personal lives. This approach can significantly improve staff satisfaction and retention.

• Survey staff about the best times for meetings, and if there are significant conflicts, consider hosting two different times to be as accommodating as possible.

Solicit Feedback to Transform Team Culture

Open and effective communication is the backbone of a well-functioning team. Leaders should actively solicit feedback from staff and act on it. This practice helps address concerns and improve processes and makes staff feel heard and valued.

• Set a schedule for written communication and stick to it!  Predictability builds confidence.
• Ask your staff questions about what can be done better.  Using Possip is a great way to start!

Seemingly few things that leaders do can significantly affect staff morale, retention, and overall team culture. Leaders can create a positive and engaging work environment by sweating the small stuff, modeling desired behaviors, being creative, and showing genuine care and appreciation for their team. These small but meaningful actions can snowball into the culture leaders aspire to build. This ultimately leads to a thriving, productive, and happy working community.

What matters most to your staff? Find out with Possip.

Speed Read (tldr): 7 Low-lift, High-Impact Leader Actions That Transform Team Culture

1. Model Expected Behaviors: Leaders should exemplify the behaviors and values they expect from their staff, such as punctuality and kindness, to foster a culture of integrity and encourage staff to adopt similar habits.

2. Value Small Gestures: Simple acts of recognition, such as handwritten notes or public acknowledgments, significantly boost staff morale and contribute to a positive work environment, enhancing retention and overall team culture.

3. Enact Detail-Oriented Leadership and Communication: Paying attention to detail in every aspect of management, including ensuring error-free documents and respecting time commitments, sets high standards. Effective communication, such as predictable schedules for written communication and actively soliciting feedback from staff, is essential in making staff feel valued and heard.

A version of this article was originally published Aug 2024. 

The post 7 Low-lift, High-Impact Leader Actions That Transform Team Culture appeared first on Possip.

The Best Words for Teacher Appreciation – What to Say

Table of Contents

• ‘Thank You’ Messages for Teachers
• ‘Thank You’ Gestures for Teachers
• Teacher Appreciation Words from Students
• Conclusion
• Speed Read

Teacher Appreciation Day is in May, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until then to tell teachers how much they mean to you! It may feel daunting to try to find teacher appreciation words that adequately express your thoughts.

Virginia Williams, Possip reporter with a background in Elementary Education & Special Education, shares words you can gather and share with teachers to help them feel appreciated.

If you find yourself feeling stumped when brainstorming for Teacher Appreciation, you’re not alone. Fear not – this blog post will help you!  Below you’ll find creative tips and ideas to make every day throughout the school year special for the educators in your life.

‘Thank You’ Messages for Teachers

There are so many things you can say to make a teacher feel appreciated. A few words can truly make a big difference. 

Check out this article for meaningful quotes that you can share with an educator. Try to be specific and choose a message that suits your particular teacher…ask yourself ”what qualities, abilities or character traits stand out?” 

If you prefer to keep things lighthearted or silly, here is a list of funny messages that also might make your teacher’s day. More than anything, remember that “a few words of gratitude lift up and encourage, but not if we never send them.  Follow through on your good intentions”.  

In this article, Vidday has even written an email template for you so that the follow through is as easy as possible. Check it out!

‘Thank You’ Gestures for Teachers

If ‘a picture’s worth a thousand words’, then a gesture is worth about ten thousand words!  So, if you find that your words are falling short when it comes to expressing appreciation for your teachers, you can SHOW them how much you appreciate them instead.  

Administrators, your staff will surely love it if you provide breakfast in the Teacher’s Lounge or give teachers a “Jeans Pass” so they can dress casually one day. Another idea is to offer to cover each teacher’s class for twenty minutes during the day, so they can take a break or get ahead on some grading or lesson planning. Perhaps your staff is known for their coffee addiction – a special treat that would mean so much to them is a traveling coffee bar. Visit your teachers throughout the day with coffee and all the ‘fixins’ to provide them a little “pick-me-up” when they need it most.  If coffee isn’t their thing, make it an ice cream sundae bar or a smoothie bar! The options are endless – get creative and have a good time celebrating your staff!

Families, you can also join in on the fun! Work together to throw a breakfast or a luncheon for staff.  You can also provide your child’s teachers with a printed photo of them with your child.  

Teacher Appreciation Words from Students

Lastly, we know that nothing means more to a teacher than hearing directly from their students. 

Parents, you can encourage your children to express gratitude to their teachers in a variety of ways, but a simple handwritten note is hard to beat. For younger students, you can provide prompts or sentence starters, such as:

• “Describe your teacher in 3 words”
• “If your teacher was an animal, what animal would he/she be? Why?”
• “What is your favorite memory from Ms. ___’s class this year?” 
• “What’s something that Mr. ___ has helped you with this year?”

Administrators, to extend the appreciation and gratitude a bit further, it would be so meaningful to display these messages of appreciation in a centralized location at your school, such as a bulletin board near the front entrance. It feels good to be celebrated, especially in front of your peers.  Another option is to share these shout-outs via email or at staff meetings.

Quotes

Pulse Checks from Possip are a great way to collect words of teacher appreciation throughout the year. Here are some of our favorite quotes from students, families, and staff our Reporting Team has highlighted:

“My english teacher is the absolute best teacher! she leaves great feedback very kind and understanding, she also gives us more than enough time to do assignments they make me feel less stressed about getting my work done and make my assignments more enjoyable to do. i actually look forward to the future assignments i have. thank you!” – High School Student

“Ms. S has been wonderful in our daughter’s Dyslexia journey. She has shared with us all of her progress, and keeps us in the loop constantly!” – Elementary Parent

“Mo hijo paso por una etapa muy difícil y agradezco mucho su comprensión por parte de administración y maestros sobre todo la señorita J muchas gracias” TRANSLATION: “My son went through a very difficult stage and I am very grateful for the understanding of the administration and teachers, especially Miss J, thank you very much.” – High School Parent

“I would like to shout out Ms. S and Ms. C for being incredible coaches and always willing to lend a helping hand. I also want to give a shout out to admin (Mr. W and Mr. W) for supporting both the staff and the students, and to Mrs. M for always willing to give advice.” – School Staff Member

Conclusion

Remember, you don’t have to wait until Teacher Appreciation Day to do all of these great things!  Our appreciation is constant throughout the year so let’s make sure our wonderful teachers know that! Administrators, don’t forget to add “Teacher Appreciation Prep” to your next meeting agenda. You can also share with parents ways that they can get connected to the PTO and participate in the planning and collaboration for Teacher Appreciation Day. 

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Speed Read (tldr) of The Best Words for Teacher Appreciation - What to Say

1. Teacher Appreciation Words Can Be Expressed Anytime: You don’t have to wait for Teacher Appreciation Day in May to show your gratitude. Finding the right teacher appreciation words and sharing them throughout the year can make a significant impact on educators.
2. Creative Gestures Speak Volumes: Sometimes, actions speak louder than teacher appreciation words. Consider thoughtful gestures like providing a coffee bar or hosting a staff breakfast to show appreciation in ways that resonate deeply with teachers.
3. Student-Centric Teacher Appreciation Words: Encourage students to use heartfelt teacher appreciation words through handwritten notes or creative prompts. Displaying these messages can further enhance the sense of recognition and value teachers receive.

Read below for resources, tips, and the why!

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