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5 Meaningful Ways for Students to Honor Their Teachers

Anne Hauth • April 24, 2025

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up soon, starting on May 5, 2025! Let’s support students in celebrating their teachers with love and gratitude. Here are five meaningful ways students can honor their teachers during this special week.


  1. Write a thank-you letter.
    One of the most touching ways to express appreciation is through a heartfelt letter. Have students take a moment to reflect on the ways their teachers have impacted them; then ask them to write down their thoughts. If your students are struggling with what to say, we've got you covered! Download our 
    free thank-you letter template to get started. Students can personalize it with memories and experiences to show their teachers how special they are.
     
  2. Create a video tribute.
    In the digital age, there's no better way to share your love than with a video tribute. A group of students can gather and record messages of gratitude, recalling their favorite moments or lessons from the year. If they’re able to, they can use video editing software to compile the recordings into a single video as a special surprise for their teacher.
     
  3. Make a gift.
    Have students coordinate with their classmates to make a thoughtful gift such as a scrapbook filled with messages, drawings, and photographs from the class. Alternatively, students could pool resources to purchase a gift card, educational supplies, or a subscription to a teaching resource.
     
  4. Decorate the teacher's door or workspace.
    Students will love to get creative and decorate their teacher's door or workspace with messages of appreciation, drawings, or quotes. There are endless ways to make this activity memorable for the students and special for the teacher.
     
  5. Volunteer.
    A wonderful way to show appreciation is to give back. Students can offer to help their teacher with tasks such as organizing the classroom, assisting with lesson preparation, or even tutoring fellow students. Demonstrating their commitment to the learning process is a meaningful way for students to thank their teachers for their hard work and dedication.


Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible educators in our students’ lives. A small act of gratitude can make a world of difference, so let's make this year's Teacher Appreciation Week one our teachers will never forget!


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By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Reading fluency is a crucial skill that bridges the gap between decoding words and understanding their meaning. One effective strategy to build fluency is repeated reading —a technique where a student reads the same text multiple times until they achieve a level of fluency that feels natural and confident. What Is Repeated Reading? Repeated reading involves selecting a short passage at an appropriate reading level--ideally at or slightly above the student's instructional level. The student reads this passage several times, focusing on improving speed, accuracy, and expression with each reading. This practice allows for mastery of the text, leading to fluent and confident reading. Fluent reading should sound like conversational speaking--natural and expressive. Why Does It Work? Research shows* that repeated reading can lead to significant improvements in reading performance. The benefits include: Improved Word Recognition : By encountering the same words repeatedly, students become more familiar with them, leading to quicker and more accurate recognition. When these words become automatic, the students no longer need to put effort into decoding them. Increased Reading Fluency : Reading the same passage multiple times allows students to build fluency--each time reading it more smoothly and with greater expression. Enhanced Comprehension : As fluency improves, students can focus more on understanding the text, leading to better comprehension. This improvement in comprehension extends to unpracticed passages as well. Increased Confidence : Repeated reading is a form of mastery learning. Many beginning or struggling readers don't often get the opportunity to hear themselves sounding like fluent readers. After reading a passage multiple times, they've mastered it--and they sound great! This is a huge confidence boost that motivates them to keep reading. Repeated Reading at Home Incorporating the repeated reading strategy into your child's home reading routine doesn't have to be complicated or boring. In fact, many kids already do it! You've probably noticed that they often want to read the same book over and over. Don't discourage this--as long as they haven't totally memorized the entire text, they're building skills each time they read it. To work on repeated reading with your child at home, here's a simple strategy: Use an Appropriate Passage : Have your child choose a new short text that is slightly challenging but still within their level. Listen to Your Child Read : Have your child read the passage aloud to you. Note any words that are difficult for them to decode. Read Aloud Together : Read the passage aloud with your child, modeling fluent reading. Do this one to three times. Identify the difficult words together, and provide definitions. Independent Practice : Encourage your child to read the passage independently a few more times, focusing on improving their expression with each reading. Celebrate Progress : Affirm how much your child improved from the first reading to the final reading. Acknowledge their hard work and progress to build confidence and motivation. Additional Tips Keep Sessions Short : Aim for 10- to 15-minute sessions at first, to maintain focus and prevent frustration. Consider Using a Timer : If your child is open to the idea, set a timer each time they read the passage. Note their improvement in time, and celebrate their fluency growth. Make the timing element a fun challenge, but emphasize that this exercise isn't about speed reading--it's about building fluency. Repeated reading is a powerful strategy that can significantly enhance your child's reading ability. If you're looking for an easy-to-use program that incorporates this research-proven strategy, check out One Minute Reader . This program uses repeated reading and gamified learning to help kids at various reading levels build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence. * Dowhower, S. L. (1987). Effects of repeated reading on second-grade transitional readers’ fluency and comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly , 22(4), 389–405. Kuhn, M. R., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. Journal of Educational Psychology , 95(1), 3–21. LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology , 6(2), 292–323.
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A young girl is sitting at a desk holding a sign that says help.
By Anne Hauth June 5, 2025
Is your child struggling with reading? Learn 15 key signs to watch for, from avoiding reading to spelling mistakes. Early detection is crucial for providing the right support.
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