I supervise twelve lead teachers and 20 associate teachers. I know how hard these ladies work. Most will agree with me that teachers receive pay that is far less equitable than that of the job they so tirelessly perform. One way to counter act such inequalities is to provide acknowledgment and gratitude for a job well done. For the 2011-2012 school year, I have made my grandsons teachers a gift every month. (With five little boys and very little extra time, I know my daughter appreciates this.) Although the boy’s teachers love them and have only good things to say about them . . . a little bribery goes a long way lol!

I think teacher appreciation week is sometime in May, but why wait until then? Believe me . . . a hand written note, baked goods (who doesn’t like a treat), a gift card, a basket of extra classroom supplies (some teachers use their own money for supplies); a container of office supplies (post-it-notes, paper clips, rubber bands etc.) and hand made gifts are all ways to say thank you.

This month the teachers are getting a Mini Calendar.

You will need:
One 12” X 6” strip of cardstock
One 5 ½” X 4 ½” piece of cardstock or patterned paper
One 3 ½” X 4” piece of cardstock or patterned paper (to mat the calendar)
Embellishments (brads, buttons, ribbon, etc.)
Adhesive (liquid glue, glue dots, double-sided tape)
Twelve printed mini calendar months (or a pre-printed mini calendar)

Take you 12” X 6” strip of cardstock.
Score a line at ½”, 1 ½”, 2 ½” and at 7 ¼” down the length of the strip.
Fold the strip on the scored lines to create the base of your calendar.
Use double-sided tape or glue to adhere the ½” tab to the inside of the back base.
Once you have the base assembled, you can put it aside while you create the calendar front.
Take the 3 ½” X 4” piece of paper and adhere the calendar to it.
Take the 5 ½” X 4 ½” piece of paper and embellish, as you like.
Attach the 3 ½” X 4” piece of paper with the calendar on it to the
5 ½” X 4 ½” piece of paper.

I got my calendars from a construction company and they used them as advertisements. My calendars were a little smaller so I adjusted the mat size.

For Ann's Twine Challenge at MSW this month I completed this one.