Restaurants and many retailers have deals and freebies for National teacher day on May 6, and National Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs May 5 to May 9.
This is teacher appreciation! Entire school helps with grand proposal
Teacher Chase Brown recruits the entire school at Oakvale Elementary in Princeton, West Virginia as he proposes to fellow teacher Kaitlin Whitehead.
Humankind, USA Today
- While parents generally rate their children’s teachers highly, a majority of teachers find their jobs stressful.
- Various businesses offer discounts and giveaways to teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, including Chipotle, Hilton and Staples.
- Eleanor Roosevelt played a key role in establishing National Teachers Day in 1953.
As summer and the end of the school year approach, National Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs Monday, May 5, to Friday, May 9, and includes National Teachers Day on May 6, honors those who teach the nation’s children.
Parents with K-12 students have consistently shown appreciation for teachers, with 73% of respondents rating their children’s teachers as excellent or good, according to polling by Gallup in 2023. The rating was slightly higher than the 71% mark in 2018.
Many teachers (77%) who participated in an April 2024 Pew survey considered their job as “frequently stressful,” or “overwhelming” (68%).
“Teachers do all they can for their students, and we’re doing all we can for teachers,” the National Education Association said. “We’re transforming our appreciation into action that protects students, strengthens public schools, and ensures educators are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. From our social media pages to the offices of our Representatives and Senators, this Teacher Appreciation Week – we’re taking action.”
A survey conducted March 26-April 1 by Horace Mann Educators Corporation, which provides financial services and insurance to educators, found more than 30% said they don’t feel appreciated, yet the majority said they remain committed to their students and their calling.
The financial services company is expanding National Teacher Appreciation Week into a month of virtual events teachers can attend, and there are weekly prizes as well, plus two winners will each receive a $2,500 Liberty Travel gift card.
What to know about Teacher Appreciation Week.
What is National Teachers Appreciation Week?
National Teacher Appreciation Week arose after the National Parent Teacher Association in 1984 designated a week in May to honor teachers. The National Education Association had already supported a National Teachers Day.
Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt helped start it all in 1953 by lobbying Congress to create a day to honor teachers, notes the We Are Teachers website.
-“It is quite impossible to give teachers monetary compensation alone that will repay for their devotion to the job and the love that must go to each and every child,” Roosevelt wrote at the time. “But I think we could compensate a little more adequately the teachers in our communities if we were conscious of their importance.”
Want some activities to recognize your favorite teachers? The websites of the National PTA and NEA, and the We Are Teachers site, all have ideas and projects.
How many school teachers does Michigan have?
According to 2022 figures, Michigan has about 85,000 public school teachers, the National Centr for Educational Statistics said. As of 2021, there were about 10,000 private school teachers.
There were about 1.45 million public school students in 2022 and more than 135,000 private school students in 2021.
Many restaurants businesses have deals and specials for teachers, too — there’s several specials on gift cards, should you want to give a teacher something to fortify themselves away from work. Here’s a roundup.
Chipotle Teacher Appreciation Week giveaway
Through May 13, teachers — and health care workers (it’s also National Nurse Appreciation Week) — can sign up online to be among the 100,000 teachers and 100,000 health care workers to be randomly selected to win a free burrito. Those selected will get an email to verify their employment status via ID.me; as long as they verify within 48 hours the get a free burrito e-card.
Chipotle, which says it has given $16 million in free Chipotle to educators and medical professionals since 2016, will also be using its Round-Up for Real Change feature on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com to support the Kids In Need Foundation and American Nurses Foundation.
Hilton and Embassy Suites by Hilton discounts available
Teachers can get deals this summer at six Florida properties — Miami (use booking code PK5), Miami Beach (code P1), Deerfield Beach (code PL5), Fort Lauderdale (code PL5), Tampa (code TEAP) and Tampa (convention center; code TEP).
Smoothie King offers in-store discount
Teachers get 20% off their in-store order May 6-8 when they show their valid working ID.
Sonic Drive-In has exclusive offers
For Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9), the fast-food chain has three exclusive deals for members of the Sonic Teachers’ Circle rewards program: a free Sonic Snack or side with purchase, buy one Sonic Blast, get one free, and a $1.99 quarter pound double cheeseburger.
To join the free rewards program, download the Sonic app (then create an account, go into Settings, tap Profile icon, tap Account and select “I’m a Teacher”).
Staples provides in-store deals
During Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-10), teachers can get 20% off their in-store purchase with a valid teacher ID. They can also get a free 12-pack of Tru Red Stick Pens (one per customer while supplies last; find the coupons in the Staples app).
More National Teachers Day and Teachers Appreciation Week deals
- BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: Teachers can sign up online to participate in the Awesome Achievement Program and get up to 90 certificates per school year to honor “Awesome Achiever” students. Students can show the certificate to get a free Snickers Pizookie. And when they dine in to redeem their award, they’ll be congratulated by the restaurant manager and given an Awesome Achiever silicone bracelet.
- Einstein Bros. Bagels: Get 20% off all gift card purchases made online (deal is good through June 24).
- Logan’s Roadhouse: Teachers get 20% off when they order an entrée May 5-12 (show a valid ID).
- Samsung: The electronics giant has special savings during the month of May on some interactive displays and monitors for Teacher Appreciation Week including $300 off the Interactive Display (available in 65-, 75- and 86-inch models), a $620 discount on the 27-inch ViewFinity S9 monitor, $300 off the curved 34-inch ViewFinity S65VC and up to $360 off the 34-inch ViewFinity S65TC monitor.
