Students asked to take time during GCSE results week.
Thousands of students across the country will be receiving their GCSE results this week and to mark the occasion one local secondary teacher in Tipton is encouraging them to take a moment to recognise all the teachers that have supported them over the year.
Students spend a significant amount of time in the company of their teachers. They spend around 35 hours a week at school, or around 1,365 hours over the course of an academic year, which is why results day is such a special time in the school calendar, offering a chance to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges from the academic year.
Yet teachers don’t always get the recognition they deserve for their role in helping to shape the lives of young people, which is why some in the profession in Tipton are encouraging students to share their thanks.
The call, from teachers supporting the Get Into Teaching campaign, aims to highlight the difference good teachers can make, and demonstrate how rewarding a career in teaching can be. Research from the campaign has also found that 64% of the public said they were grateful to a teacher or teachers for the influence they had in shaping the person they are today – demonstrating the lasting impact this time spent with pupils can have.
Charlotte Wilde from Q3 Academy Tipton, who is supporting the campaign, commented: “Witnessing students reach their potential, whether it’s through a small achievement in one lesson or the culmination of all their hard work on results day, is one of the most rewarding elements of being a teacher.
“As a teacher you don’t expect praise when you are working every day with students – you just aim to do the very best job you can. However, when they do take a moment to thank you, it reminds you of the part you’ve played in helping to shape their lives, which is a hugely rewarding feeling. I would encourage others to say ‘thank you’ – it will stay with them for years to come.”
Anyone can take the time to say thanks to a teacher that helped them, or their child succeed, using the hashtag #ThankATeacher.
Roger Pope, spokesperson for the Get Into Teaching campaign and a National Leader for Education, said: “A simple thank you might not seem like much, but taking the time to share thanks can mean so much to the teachers who work hard to encourage, inspire and support students, every day.
“We’re always looking for people with the passion and potential to teach and that’s why I’d encourage anyone who is searching for a fulfilling role to visit the Get Into Teaching website.”
For more information about teaching as a career, and the free support available from experienced advisers, visit: getintoteaching or call the Get Into Teaching line on 0800 389 2500.
