下个月就要放暑假了，暑假后三胞胎女儿将满8岁，就快成为三年级的小学生了。在学年结束之前，我们迎来了美国的教师节和谢师周。美国的教师节(National Teacher Day)是在五月第一个周二，五月的第一个整周称为“谢师周”(Teacher Appreciation Week)。在学期即将结束的时候，用整整一周的时间来让孩子们表达对老师和学校教职员工的感激之情。

     美国各个学校都设有家长联合会（PTA），完全由热心的家长义工参与组织各类活动。之前陆续收到三个女儿所在班级（三姐妹同级不同班）的PTA发来的邮件，将谢师周的活动细节告诉我们，具体到每一天的安排。在此，对义工姐妹的辛勤工作表示感谢！

 

以下是其中的一封电邮，

Good evening parents!
 
I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up that next week is very special! It’s the one time all school year we honor, celebrate and show them how much appreciate all the patience, support and love they show our children.
 
I will try my best to remind you 1-2 days in advance of all the wonderful activities that are planned and need YOUR help in making them successful.
 
We need your help showing the more than 80 teachers and staff know how much we appreciate their dedication and hard work. LO teachers and staff partner with us to guide and educate our children.

As a small token of our appreciation, the PTA and classroom parents are organizing a week of activities to nourish and acknowledge our teachers and staff. Please encourage your student to not only share some kind words with our wonderful classroom teachers but also with the fantastic staff. We have an amazing group of non-classroom teachers, support staff and office staff! Think about including our PE Teachers, Librarian, Music and Band Teachers, Technology, Science and Art Teachers, Classroom Paras, Rainbow Room, Resource Specialist, Office Staff, Kitchen and Custodial Staff. Chances are one or many of these dedicated educators and staff have touched your student's experience.

 If you are on campus during Teacher & Staff Appreciation week please take a moment to say "thank you!" Let's show our teachers and staff that we appreciate all they do.

 The Week's Activities:
§ Monday - Students bring recipe cards; PTA-hosted coffee cart, 4th grade food (donuts, croissants, muffins, etc.)
§ Tuesday - Students/parents write notes of appreciation; 1st grade food (fruit); 2nd grade food (salads).
§ Wednesday - Students find creative way to express appreciation; PTA-catered lunch; 3rd grade food (drinks and cups).
§ Thursday - Students bring homemade item; Kinder food (breakfast).
§ Friday - Students wear teacher's favorite color; 5th grade food (ice cream floats).
Each grade has been asked to sign-up to bring food items through the week next week.  Second grade is responsible for bring salads.

 

中文大意是：

    下周是谢师周，在这一周里，请家长配合和孩子们一起向学校所有的老师表达深深的敬意和感谢之情。不仅仅是classroom teacher，还包括艺术、体育、美术、科学等老师，以及图书馆、饭堂等所有付出辛勤劳动的教职员工。如果您在校园里看到他们，请停下来说声“谢谢”！

这一周每天的安排是：

周一：准备好一张家庭食谱，写在3*5寸的小卡片上。每班的集中在一起做成一本食谱送给老师。PTA准备咖啡，四年级准备点心，作为招待老师的茶点；

周二：家长和孩子们向老师送上卡片、绘画等作品，一年级准备水果，二年级准备沙拉；

周三：孩子们送上有创意的表达心意的礼物，PTA准备午餐，三年级准备饮品和纸杯；

周四：送家庭制作的小心意或者食物；

周五：孩子们穿老师喜欢的颜色的衣服，五年级准备冰激凌......

 

    之后还陆续收到不断更新的邮件，告诉我们老师喜欢的颜色，如果送礼品卡给老师的话，老师喜欢哪些餐厅或者购物中心。我不禁在心里感慨美国文化的直接，少了很多中国的含蓄和迂回。

     三胞胎女儿们开心地忙碌着，向我要了我在家里常做的玉米布丁（corn pudding）的食谱。给每个老师手绘了贺卡。请随图片一起来看看吧！

 

    美国的谢师周送礼秉承着实际、用心和朴实原则，重在培养一种感恩的心态。同时培养孩子的创造性思维，多动手、勤思考。这样一个全社会肯定教师的日子里，希望能给老师的内心带来不同于往日的温情，让老师感受到自己的工作真的能让世界变得不同。作为一名家长，我想“让孩子养成良好的家教”，就是给老师最大的礼物！谢谢老师们！

 

（下图）手绘的玉米布丁的食谱。

交换食谱是美国式社交，特别是女性之间的非常普遍的做法，

容易拉近人与人之间的距离。我也陆续收集了不少食谱，

一改以往什么都是“少许少许”的习惯。

 

（下图）这是我常用的量具，非常方便

（下图）孩子们设计制作的贺卡，充满童趣



（下图）给体育老师的贺卡

（下图）给音乐老师的贺卡

 

（下图）给科学老师的贺卡

（下图）给图书室老师的贺卡

（下图）给怀有身孕的体育老师的卡

 

（下图）给美术老师的贺卡

（下图）谢师周的安排，分别列明孩子和家长应该做的事情

（下图）爱是相互的，很快我们就收到老师回送的感谢卡

（下图）放学以后

（下图）在图书馆




（下图）小朋友的生日派对





（下图）母亲节在狗公园

 

（下图）在小学校参加安全教育活动

（下图）公园一角

 

The End