How To Celebrate A Virtual Teachers' Day. We Bring You Some Fun And Effective Ways

Teachers' Day, celebrated on 5 September in India in honor of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, has always been an important day for children. Apart from being a day of fun and activity at school, it is an opportunity for them to pause, reflect, and express appreciation for all the hard work that their teachers do for them. This expression of appreciation and gratitude is a significant step in their journey of learning.

Virtual classes have brought us a step closer to understanding their struggles and the daily sacrifices they make. In these challenging times, it is all the more important that we recognize and appreciate the truly crucial role that a teacher plays in the lives of our children.

However, with most schools closed due to COVID-19, the Teachers' Day celebration, like many other things, needs to be re-imagined. Are there ways to celebrate Teachers' Day virtually? How can you encourage your child to show her appreciation for her teacher while social distancing?

Not to worry! We've got you covered. We have curated a bunch of fun ways you and your child can celebrate Teachers' Day virtually.

1. Write a letter

There is something about a handwritten letter that tugs at heartstrings. Get your child to write a letter to his teacher expressing gratitude for all that they have done during the year. You can then take a picture of it and email it to the teacher. Help your child remember specific instances from the year and mention them. Encourage him to be creative with her message. Can he turn it into a rhyme or a poem? Or maybe an acrostic with his teacher's name? Let his creativity unfurl.

2. Send an email

Get your child to draft an email to her teacher. Ask him to write about things she likes about her teacher, and what she misses about her classroom, and also thank the teacher for their support through the lockdown. Add pictures, illustrations, GIFs and animations to make it more fun.

3. Make a card

A card is always a heart-warming gift to receive. Get your child to make a card which you can then share with the teacher via photos or videos. Provide him with craft supplies and guide him to make a card with a personal message. Let him make the card as elaborate or as simple as he likes.

4. Send an e-card

E-cards are another way to express appreciation for teachers, especially during these days of social distancing. There are a host of e-cards with multiple features and messages available online. Help your child to find the right one and send it to her teacher. Make sure to get her to add a personal message as well.

5. Make a video

This is something that is guaranteed to make your child's teacher smile. Help your child make a video with a message for the teacher. It needn't be elaborate, it can be as simple as a hello or a thank you. Get in touch with the parents of your child's classmates and ask them to record and send similar videos. Edit the clips together and email the final video finished to the teacher.

6. Create a slideshow

If video editing sounds tedious, here is an easy alternative: make a slideshow! Instead of videos, collect photos of your photos of your child and his classmates as well as their messages for the teacher and put it together in a slideshow. You can also get the children to hold up little placards with messages and add them to the slideshow.

7. Make a collage

Collages have been a very popular way of sending group messages since the lockdown. To make a collage, each person holds a sign with an either a letter of the alphabet or a word, which when read together makes a messages, say "Happy Teachers' Day". You can ask parents of your child's classmates to send you photos of their children holding a sign and then join them together in a collage.

8. Sing a song

Get your child to sing a song for his teacher. You can also get him to write a song for his teacher and tune it to a popular song to personalise the experience. Record the song and send it to the teacher via email or WhatsApp.

9. Create art

Get your child to make a piece art for her teacher. This can be a painting, a sketch, paper craft, origami, clay, embroidery - anything that she likes. Nothing warms the heart like a gift of art.

10. Send flowers

Many schools have the tradition of giving students giving teachers flowers on Teacher's Day. You can continue this tradition by having flowers delivered to them through a delivery service. Flowers are sure to brighten their day!

11. Host a virtual party

Organize a virtual Teachers' Day party on Zoom or Google Hangouts. Coordinate with other students and make sure they can attend. During the party, students can share their messages of appreciation with the teacher. They can hold up signs or cards, or even sing a song for the teacher. Parents can also join in to cheer for the teacher.

12. Plan a virtual performance

Get in touch with your child's classmates and plan a virtual performance for the teacher. This can be a song, reading out a poem or even a dance performance. Surprise the teacher during or after an online class with the performance.

So there you go, a range of fun and easy ideas to help your child celebrate Teachers' Day virtually. No matter how she chooses to do it, make sure your child takes some time out to share her appreciation for her teachers.

Happy Teachers' Day!