Teachers Need More Than Appreciation Gifts of Trinkets to Stick It Out in a Tough Job

April 9, 2012 - PRLog -- How can you improve teacher productivity, which in turn will increase test scores?
How can you raise teacher morale and increase the retention rate?
How can you help ease “the overwhelm” for teachers who are in your program?

According to author, speaker and former award-winning teacher Helene Segura, it’s quite simple. “Make sure they have a copy of the book 'Less Stress for Teachers: More Time & An Organized Classroom' and/or arrange for a Less Stress for Teachers: The T.E.A.C.H. Approach™ workshop that will give teachers the tools they need to gain control over the five key areas of every school day.”

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7-11, 2012), Segura announced that she is offering these gifts to the education community:

Bulk Book Orders: Receive 50% off the retail price plus free shipping. Orders and payments must be received by April 30, 2012, in order for you to receive the book shipment by May 10, 2012.

VIP Member Benefit: Receive a special code for your members or staff to make individual purchases of the book at 30% off the retail price.

Book Bonus Program: Be one of the first ten school districts to purchase 500 books for your district at retail price, and get one full-day workshop included. Orders and payments must be received by April 26, 2012, in order to receive your book shipment by May 10, 2012.


“Many people still don’t understand why gifts of apples or knickknacks just aren’t enough to keep good teachers in the classroom,” Segura says.

National Teacher Appreciation Week is traditionally a time when teachers receive little baubles in their mailboxes each day of the week or a free taco breakfast on Friday morning. Segura suggests that schools and organizations that want to support teachers give a different kind of gift this year.

According to Segura, some educators – and most especially the general public - may not be aware of these sobering statistics:

•   Teacher job satisfaction is at a twenty-two year low.
-   29th Annual Met Life Survey of the American Teacher

•   Teachers with more than five years in the classroom seem to be the most effective.
-   National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF)
   
•   One-third of teachers leave the profession within the first three years, and half leave within the first five.
- National Center for Education Statistics

• Teacher attrition costs U.S. districts $2.2 billion per year.
– Alliance for Excellent Education

If high quality teachers need five years to become just that, and half leave before then, the teacher drop-out rate suddenly becomes just as important as the student drop-out rate. After all, teachers spend more waking hours with our children than parents do and can determine how much - or how little - information will be shared with students.

Not surprisingly, those exiting teachers who were surveyed did mention low pay as a determining factor for leaving, as well as poor student behavior. But, the number one reason teachers gave for leaving the classroom was the lack of a supportive school environment. Disorganization and the absence of time management support are major causes of “overwhelm” for many teachers.

“I ask parents and communities: Are you ready to help provide that support that teachers so desperately need? It’s vital that we let teachers know in a meaningful way that we value them and appreciate what they do. My book or workshop is a great way to do that. But something as simple as saying ‘THANK YOU’ throughout the year will go a long way, too.”  

LivingOrder® San Antonio is the premier organizing and productivity consulting firm in San Antonio, TX. To request a press kit, get details about the offers, request a code, book a workshop, or place an order, call Tracey Lammert at 210-892-4990 x73 or 1-888-5-ORDER-5 x73, or email her at saoffice at livingordersa.com. Visit www.LessStressForTeachers.com for details.

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LivingOrderSA’s consultants help stressed out clients regain control of their chaotic living and working spaces by teaching them how to understand their core issues causing disorganization and thereby prevent it in the future. CEO Helene Segura is a Certified Professional Organizer® and Certified Productive Environment Specialist™ who coaches clients individually and also conducts informative organizing workshops for larger groups such as non-profits, schools and businesses, and serves on the trailblazing team providing organizing help online at The Clutter Diet. She has been a featured organizing expert in publications such as Woman's Day Magazine, as well as on Fox, CBS, and NBC affiliates. Helene is the author of "Less Stress for Teachers: More Time & An Organized Classroom." Details can be found at www.LivingOrderSA.com.