A former children’s laureate is supporting calls for pupils and parents to take part in a national event to show gratitude to teachers who make a difference to their lives.
National Thank A Teacher Day 2022 will take place on 26 May with the aim of celebrating schools, which former children’s laureate Michael Morpurgo said “we can see now more than ever...really are the beating heart of our communities”.
Led by The Teaching Awards Trust, the annual Thank A Teacher campaign is calling on children and their families to thank the school staff who have provided stability in uncertain times.
Messages will be shared across the country celebrating the lasting impact of teachers - from politicians, from scientists, from celebrities. The theme of the event is to show that everyone has a person at school to thank for where they are now.
National Thank A Teacher Day: Teachers ‘have touched all of our lives’
Morpurgo, the author of War Horse and president of the Teaching Awards Trust, said school is “so much more than learning”.
“We see that now more than ever before - schools really are the beating heart of our communities,” he added.
“For so many of us, it was someone at school who changed our lives, was at our side through hard and difficult times, who lifted us up when we were down, helped us find our voice, gave us confidence when we needed it most, set us on a path that we have followed ever since.
“No matter who we are, school has touched our lives and played a central role in our childhoods.”
Mary Palmer, CEO of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “We continue to receive thank-you messages for all those special people who work in our schools, and we know how much these mean to every single one of them.
“It’s wonderful to see so much support for our tremendous school staff across the country. They deserve every ‘thank you’ they receive and so much more, and I’d encourage everyone to join us in celebrating how special our schools really are.”
The celebrities involved in this year’s campaign, and the competitions it will involve, will be announced in April.
Pupils will be encouraged to create songs, poems, and pictures using the hashtags #ThankATeacherDay and #HowWillYouSayThankYou
Tes is the official media partner for National Thank a Teacher Day 2022
