A tribute to teachers, who always seem to have the answers

I started sixth grade as a shy student at a new school who spent recess hiding in a bathroom stall because I hadn’t made any friends yet. But I found solace in English class, where Mrs. Ivey whisked me far away from the stresses of middle school to the world of Greek mythology. As her students, we could feel her passion for the subject which she made come alive through interactive assignments, visual projects and a whole lot of patience.

What I didn’t recognize at the time was how hard Mrs. Ivey worked behind the scenes or between the bells. She answered all of my questions, but I never considered who she would turn to for hers. So for World Teachers’ Day this year, we’re celebrating teachers who look to Google Search to find ways to engage their classrooms and empower their students. When you’re in school, teachers are your most important cheerleaders and advocates, so this World Teachers’ Day, it’s time for all of us to return the favor.

We look for ways to give teachers the support, elevation and appreciation they deserve, all year round. Here are some of the things we’re doing for this World Teachers’ Day:

Giving teachers the support they deserve

Through Google.org we’ve provided more than $250 million toward education since 2005, with more than $60 million going directly to nonprofits that work to support teachers. To continue building on that, we’re announcing a new $3.5 million grant to CommonLit, an organization that provides free educator resources, to help them expand and reach more teachers globally. Plus we’re inviting you to help us support teachers by giving to one of the organizations we work with or another of your choosing.

We know that teachers rarely have enough hours in the day to do everything required of them, so we’re making it easier for them to integrate technology into the classroom. We’ve created a dedicated Teacher Center with resources, trainings, and certifications and ways for teachers to connect with each other. We’re also expanding our Dynamic Learning Project pilot for its second year, placing technology coaches in 101 high-need schools across the U.S. to support teachers and help close the digital-use divide.

Sparking and elevating teacher voices

We’re also teaming up with TED-Ed to create a new Educator Talks YouTube channel, launching today. Together with other partners including ISTE and CCSSO, we’re raising teachers’ voices, so that their experience and expertise can help other teachers, too. Educators will soon be able to submit their stories, so if you’re interested please do get involved. In the meantime, subscribe to the channel for some inspiration as we start featuring Talks for educators, by educators.

We’ve also curated a new YouTube playlist featuring some of the educators and creators who have inspired us. This is a collection of stories from teachers who go above and beyond to support their students, encourage their communities and improve their own skills.

To this day, I credit Mrs. Ivey for instilling in me a love for reading and powerful storytelling. She had a profound impact on me and the trajectory of my life and career. Teachers have one of the most challenging and most important jobs in the world, so we hope you’ll join us in celebrating and appreciating educators, whose learning never stops.