13-17 | American Education Week

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13: KICKOFF DAY 

Across the country, schools will celebrate excellence in education by hosting kickoff events and activities. 

Ideas for Celebrating

• Familiarize students with American Education Week, including theme and celebration days, in the morning announcements on Monday and throughout the entire week, highlighting the observance of the day.
  
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. You can thank public school educators for their service or thank the community for its support of public schools. You can also encourage the local paper to write an editorial about public schools and American Education Week.
• Have students write an essay, “What I Would Do if I Were the School Principal” and share the best ones.
• Hold a poetry reading on the topic, “What I Like Best About My School.”
• Have students make cards showing support for their educators.
• SDEA American Education Week coloring pages

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14: FAMILY DAY

On this day, schools across the nation invite parents into the classroom to experience what the day is like for their child. 

According to experts, parents need to take an active and assertive role in their children's education on a daily basis for optimal success at school. Ongoing research shows that parental involvement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores confidence among parents in their children's education.

Parental involvement means reading to your children, checking homework every night, limiting television viewing or screen time on school nights, developing a relationship with your child's teacher, and simply asking children about their school day. Whatever the level of involvement, it is important to be consistent in order to make a difference in your children's lives.

National Invite Parents to School Day represents NEA's vision of calling upon all Americans to do their part in making public schools great for every child so that they can grow and achieve in the 21st century. 

Ideas for Celebrating

This year, it's not feasible to have parents physically in schools, but there are other ways you can involve parents.

• Invite parents virtually into your classroom via video conference to read to students, talk about their career, or share other educational information outside the normal curriculum. If the parent is tech-savvy, have them record a video you can show.
• Send or email preprinted "apple" papers with places for students to fill in favorite subject, best time of day, or what they liked about their classroom or teacher, and a section for parents to write their school memories. Share in class or online.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15: EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS DAY

Education Support Professionals Day was first celebrated in 1987 after NEA’s Representative Assembly, the Association’s decision-making body of nearly 8,000 member delegates, called on the organization to honor the contributions of all school support staff. National ESP Day is observed on Wednesday of American Education Week.

We've seen ESPs go well beyond anything we have seen before as they work to meet the needs of our school communities in the midst of a pandemic. On ESP Day, join us to honor and advocate for the ESPs who continue keeping students safe, healthy, and ready to learn. 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16: EDUCATOR FOR A DAY

Normally community leaders would be invited to experience the day as educators and experience the challenges of teaching and the needs of students, with the guidance of school employees. 

The visiting educator would perform all the duties of a regular school employee in a normal work day—teaching class, performing lunch and corridor duty, recess supervision, working in the cafeteria, among other responsibilities.

The program, originally developed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, enhances understanding among educators and community leaders. In addition, it demonstrates to public officials and other decisionmakers, the successes and challenges our educators face and underscores the need for adequate staffing, materials, and facilities for students.

This year, having community members come into the classroom is not an option for many schools as they implement their distance learning or building reopening plans. However, educators can be creative about marking the day in other ways.

Ideas for Celebrating

• Invite members of the community virtually into your classroom via video call to read to students, talk about their career, or share other educational information outside the normal curriculum.
• Ask students to dress as if they were in their future career and talk about that profession’s role in the community.

Substitute educators play a vital role in the maintenance and continuity of daily education.