Teacher's Appreciation Week is just starting up, and the Google homepage is here to kick off the festivities.
Google is launching a new Doodle to pay tribute to all the teachers around the country "who continue to work tirelessly to shape our future generations, even in unprecedented circumstances," per a Google statement. The Doodle will be live for 24 hours for those in the U.S. starting at 9 p.m. PDT on May 3.
Through a partnership with the National Teacher of the Year program, the latest Doodle was designed with the help of the State Teachers of the Year for 2020.
The teachers visited Google in February to brainstorm ideas for the Doodle, which can be seen below.
All the drafts for the new Doodle.
Image: Google
The teacher-designed concepts that went into the ultimate Doodle.
Image: Google
Kevin Laughin, a Doodler with Google who worked with the teachers in creating the Doodle, wrote about his experience in a statement sent to Mashable.
"When I met these teachers on campus in February, I was so inspired by their love of teaching and dedication to their students, which I felt each minute I spent with them," Laughin said. "As they presented their own Doodle designs, they shared anecdotes about their classrooms, advocated for their students and spoke passionately about educational equity. I am glad to see their work represented in the final Doodle on Google’s homepage today celebrating these classroom heroes. To every teacher, thank you times infinity!"
This year, with schools closed around the country due to the coronavirus, students and families won't be able to show their appreciation in person — but that doesn't mean they're not looking for ways to show how much their teachers mean to them.
Google shared some data with Mashable about what trends have emerged regarding thanking teachers amid school closures. Many teachers are now conducting lessons using video conferencing tools like Zoom and popular searches have reflected that:
Google search interest for "how to thank a teacher" tripled in April, as compared to the month before
"Virtual teacher appreciation week ideas" was searched the most in Florida, Texas, and California since mid-March (when many schools closed)
And even in such extraordinary circumstances, teachers were looking for ways to support their students:
Google search interest for "connect with students" sailed to a record high in March 2020
As schools moved to online learning, "how to teach online" also reached an all-time high in Google search interest
If you're looking for ways to show your gratitude for teachers, the National Parent Teacher Association has some suggestions for how to adapt this year. They include emailing notes of appreciation, creating video messages to share with your teachers, or posting online using the organization's Teacher Appreciation Week toolkit.
In sum, to teachers around the country: THANK YOU!
