We should all be thankful for teachers. They work extra hard for their students and typically receive modest returns for their efforts. At present, there are approximately 51 million public school students and 6 million private school students in the United States. There are so many reasons to be thankful for the 3.7 million dedicated educators who instruct, inspire, and love our kids.

Since this is the time of year when we tend to count our blessings and express gratitude for all that we have, let’s take a few moments to reflect on the positive impact that teachers have on our lives, our communities, and our world. Here are only a few of the many reasons that we are thankful for teacher:

Teachers have a lasting impact on the lives of students.

I am certain that we all have anecdotal evidence of the impact that teachers have had on our lives. But what about statistical evidence? One survey noted that 88% of respondents claimed a teacher had a significant positive impact on their lives. Another survey found that a great teacher can positively influence a student’s future outcomes including post-secondary education, health, and employment.

Teachers trade fortune & glory for a more noble calling.

Let’s be thankful for teachers because they have chosen a profession that offers them neither fame nor fortune. The average teacher salary in the U.S. is just above $60,000. This would be a desirable salary for many Americans (falling near the median household income level), but when we consider the countless extra hours, expenses, and responsibilities that teachers encounter, this amount begins to feel terribly subpar. Many educators possess the talents, intellect, and higher education degrees to consider more lucrative pursuits in the corporate sector. Let’s all be thankful that they have chosen to take less money in order to have a greater impact on our children!

Teachers buy many of their own materials.

In 2019, school teachers spent an average of about $500 annually on supplies for their classrooms. In the new reality of distance learning, teachers are now averaging $745 out of the own pockets. There is also the matter of teachers using their time and crafting skills to create materials for their students. Let’s let this sink in: Teachers, who earn salaries below the median household income level, are spending sizable amounts of their own money to offer our kids the supplies that they need.

Many teachers work second jobs to provide for their families.

According to the National Education Association, 20% of teachers (1 in 5) work a second job during the school year. Further, 16% of teachers work a summer job. We should be thankful that so many fine educators are willing to work 2 jobs so that they can continue to positively impact our children.

Teachers are paid for 40 hours per week, but actually work more than 50.

In many professions, overtime work is desirable as it brings in extra income. For teachers with salaries, overtime work does not net additional compensation. Yet, teachers often put in an average of 11.2 overtime hours each week. Since teachers spend the bulk of their day providing instruction to students, important tasks like lesson planning, writing IEPs, and communicating with parents are often accomplished before and after normal work hours.

Be thankful that teachers regularly think about all of our children.

We should be thankful for teachers who develop strong relationships with their students. Because they care, they think of their students often. Teachers, at times, worry about their students’ well-being. Many teachers even pray for their students as they do for their own children. Somewhere out there is a remarkable teacher who is thinking of your child with love and care. We should all be truly thankful for this.

Instruction is only one role that teachers play.

Here is something to think about- For 180 days each year, a child may spend more waking hours with teachers than with their own parents. As such, teachers often find themselves assuming a number of different roles beyond instructor. Responding to individual needs of students in their care, teachers may play the roles of mentor, counselor, nurse, surrogate parent, and advocate. I promise you that none of these duties can be found in a single teacher’s contract or job description.

Teachers often spend money on their students.

Most teachers, by nature, are caring and generous people. I am willing to bet that every teacher, at one point or another, has provided lunch or covered the cost of a field trip for a student in need. Rest assured that teachers are not reimbursed by their schools for this. Teachers also regularly provide essentials like school supplies or even winter coats to students who might otherwise not have them. We may not always think of this if our own children have been fortunate enough to never need such assistance. But, it happens often in classrooms across our country. The least that we can do is be thankful for these generous teachers.

Be thankful that teachers equip us with essential life skills.

I know that we often hear complaints about schools focussing on lofty academic goals at the expense of important life skills. This may be true at a state or national level, but I assure you that educators teach us a long list of invaluable life skills. Literacy and math knowledge are very important to our everyday lives, for sure. Beyond those academic content pursuits, consider the problem solving and social skills that you learned from your teacher. Those surely come in handy. There may not have been a standardized test involved with these skills, but we learned them from our teachers nonetheless.

Teachers are rarely recognized for what they do.

Our society loves to give out awards. Athletes earn giant trophies and gaudy rings. Entertainers win Emmys, Grammys, Tonys, etc. But what about the teachers that helped all of those folks along the way? One study found that only 29% of teachers are recognized for good work. While most of us would probably say that we are thankful for teachers, are we really doing enough to let them know it?

Sure, schools typically honor a teacher of the year. But let’s be honest; it can sometimes be a popularity contest. So consider all of the selfless things that we have noted about teachers in this blog post. What is their reward? Is it fame? Fortune? Perhaps it is huge amounts of cash, paid vacations, or new cars? No, not a chance, never, nope, and no way.

While teachers would no doubt graciously accept all of these things, most of us lack the ability to provide them. But, do you know what else teachers would graciously accept? -Our thanks, our gratitude, our acknowledgement, our respect, and our support. Let’s consider the many past and present educators who have shaped our lives and our communities, and think of them with a thankful heart!