At Thomas A. Edison High School, Teacher Appreciation week is celebrated from May 5th through May 9th as students take this time to recognize the teachers who support them throughout the school year. From handwritten notes to simple words of gratitude, many students are finding meaningful ways to show appreciation for the impact teachers have had on their lives.
Through interviews with students, many shared that teachers have supported them both academically and personally. Students explained that appreciation does not always have to come in the form of expensive gifts, but can also be shown through respect, effort, and small acts of kindness.
Senior Deeya Kar explained that appreciation is not always about material gifts, but about making teachers feel recognized and valued. “It’s like a token of gratitude,” Deeya said. “The teacher would feel that they are someone to you.” Deeya also gave a shoutout to Mr. Yanez for making calculus enjoyable and creating a positive classroom environment.
Senior Vijay Narain said he usually shows appreciation to teachers through small gifts and conversations at the end of the school year. However, he still believes kind words and simple gestures matter as much. Vijay recognized Ms. Haritos, saying she is a great teacher who knows how to teach effectively.
Junior Ariana Khan agreed that throughout gestures can have a strong impact.
“I think notes or small gestures matter just as much as gifts because sometimes materialistic gifts are meaningless,” Ariana said. “The effort that is put into smaller gifts are more thoughtful.”
Ariana also shared that Ms. Azua supported her during her freshman year when she struggled socially and helped her feel more comfortable and confident through high school. Ariana said she still maintains a strong bond with Ms. Azua today.
Senior Alexis Mangru shared a similar experience, explaining that Mr. Mahabir helped her through a difficult freshman year and continued supporting her throughout high school.
“He helped me get through it,” Alexis said. “He cared a lot.”
For some students, appreciation can be shown through respect and effort in the classroom. Senior Divendra Goberdhan said participating in class and submitting assignments on time are ways students can acknowledge teachers’ hard work.
“Doing your work on time and putting the effort in shows the teacher that you are actually learning,” Divendra said. He also credited Ms. Jafar for helping him grow professionally and improve his presentation skills, which also recognized Mr. Deo for his dedication to the Drone Competition Team.
Also, members of the Student Council wrote notes and placed them around the school underneath classroom number signs. The notes included messages of appreciation and encouragement, allowing teachers to see students’ gratitude throughout the week.
Many students interviewed agreed that appreciation does not have to come with a price tag. Whether through a handwritten note, participating in class, or simple as saying “thank you” or “good morning,” students believe small acts of gratitude can leave a lasting impact on teachers.
