OXFORD, Miss. – Many people can point back to a teacher who encouraged them, challenged them or in some other way made a profound impact on their lives. The University of Mississippi School of Education encourages everyone to thank those teachers who made a difference in their lives.
As National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7-11) approaches, the School of Education has launched a program to archive those messages of appreciation as part of its new Thank a Teacher fundraising program.
To kick off the program, administrators across campus thanked their most influential teacher. UM education dean David Rock acknowledged his 10th grade mathematics teacher, Allan Bellman.
“Without a doubt he was the most enthusiastic, energetic teacher anyone could ever have,” Rock said. “You want students to be excited, you want them to be engaged – I can promise you this, we were never asleep in Mr. Bellman’s class. I want to thank him because I knew at least for one or two periods a day, I was awake.”
Those who wish to thank a teacher can visit the school’s website. For a donation of $50 or more to the school’s general fund, Rock will send each teacher a signed letter of recognition for their influence on students. Donors can choose to be identified or remain anonymous.
The school will archive each donor’s letter on its website and each honored teacher, or designated recipient, will receive a copy of the donor’s note via postal mail with the dean’s letter. Those thanking their favorite teachers are encouraged to submit photos of their teacher or even short videos of thanks via YouTube.
To promote the program during Teacher Appreciation Week, the school will release videos of prominent UM leaders thanking their favorite teachers and reflecting upon the qualities that they believe makes a great teacher.
Videos from UM leaders included messages from Chancellor Dan Jones; Rock; Douglass Sullivan-Gonzalez, dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College; Donald Cole, assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs; Thomas “Sparky” Reardon, dean of students; and Ethel Young-Minor, Luckyday senior faculty fellow.
Young-Minor, the 2011 Hood Outstanding Teacher of the Year and keynote speaker at this year’s Honors Convocation, was grateful for her kindergarten teacher, Freddie Ushrea.
“I can’t thank her enough,” Young-Minor said. “I don’t have enough words to thank her for the impact she made on my life and my self-esteem. She made sure we all felt like we were somebody special.”
Ushrea, who lives in Memphis, will receive a letter of appreciation next week.
For more information and to view a list of thanked teachers visit Thank a Teacher.