Show Texas Educators Some Love on Teacher Appreciation Day

Those who have younger generations of their family in school will especially appreciate that May 7, 2019, is Teacher Appreciation Day. It’s time for us to observe the hard work and dedication these people put into the education of our youth! Their efforts and interest in ensuring our kids reach their full potential are what makes the school year a positive and meaningful experience for our future workforce and leaders. The passion they put into their work often mirrors that which we put into raising our families—only their task is ensuring the curriculum meets the standard with which we instill good behavior, strong spirits, and positivity and wellbeing into our youth. It’s no small feat, and they seem to handle it with a skill level that’s beyond amazing. So, why not celebrate that?

Most likely, you yourself have a story or two about a favorite teacher from your own childhood and even teenage years. Teacher Appreciation Day celebrates these individuals for the shared interest they have in developing our prodigies into… well, prodigies! No matter the background, the school district they teach in, or the extracurricular activities they have planned to support your child’s learning, they each bring something unique to the desk and the front of a classroom. In years gone by, teachers were considered community leaders. They taught, disciplined, and molded the youngsters of a community to become contributing citizens. Over time, their roles have seen great change, but not their ultimate mission—to help our youth become learned, productive community members. According to the Texas Education Agency, data for the 2016-2017 year showed that more than 350K teachers were employed within the state. In addition to the process of changing and growing young minds, they also have to work within the state’s legislation on education and school-related hot issues such as certification and upgrading and standardized testing, not to mention community wealth (or lack thereof), and propensity for prosperity in all forms of the word. It’s not an easy task. Celebrating them on at least one day of the year is actually quite minimal, when you think about it.

Photo: Pixabay

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day, on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, some Texas restaurants and businesses are offering our teachers “freebies” and deals to make their day a little brighter. Hopdoddy is offering one free small shake to any teacher who comes into the restaurant and shows their ID. This is valid from May 6 — 10, 2019. Houndstooth Coffee (with seven Texas locations throughout Austin and Dallas) has a special whereby teachers can get one free hot or iced coffee on Teacher Appreciation Day. This will be available at all of their Texas Hill Country and North Texas locations. Pluckers Wing Bar is featuring one free appetizer to teachers presenting their faculty school badge (one appetizer per two people) and half-price glasses of wine! This is scheduled for May 7, 2019, at any Pluckers Wing Bar location. And the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel, on Congress Ave. in Austin, is offering teachers one free glass of house wine or their signature cocktail, La Paloma, with proof of ID.

Photo: Pxhere

When you get down to brass tacks, Texas teachers are appreciated. On May 7, 2019, teachers will cherish the gifts that your family chooses to shower them with, in recognition of their work, but they’ll also appreciate the offers and freebies that their profession affords them at local businesses on this day. Many times, choosing this profession can seem (like many) to be thankless. But that’s not why they choose this employment stream. If you ask a teacher why they went into their line of work, you’ll most likely hear the passion of wanting to help young minds develop into the productive and capable Texans they know they can be. Is there any more noble profession?