Teacher Retention Strategies: The Power of Appreciation


In my office, there’s a small glass star sitting on a shelf, inscribed with “Teacher of the Week 2011-2012.” It’s a token I received after a parent nominated me for an award through a local radio station. To this day, I keep it as a reminder of how I felt when I heard those words of appreciation—words that acknowledged the work I was doing and the positive impact it had on the children in my classroom. It was a moment that made me feel seen, valued, and truly appreciated.
Sadly, moments like that aren’t as common as they should be for educators. A recent Gallup poll found that only 25% of teachers strongly agreed with the statement “In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.” While this survey focused on K-12 educators, it’s a sentiment that resonates deeply with early childhood professionals as well.
Appreciation as a Teacher Retention Strategy
Feeling appreciated at work isn’t just about feeling good—it directly impacts job satisfaction. Studies show that teachers who feel undervalued are more likely to leave their positions, while those who feel respected and recognized are more likely to stay committed to their roles (Marotz & Lawson, 2007). The 2024 Early Childhood Educator Survey by Teaching Strategies found similar results. In that survey, 60% of educators stated that feeling more respected in their roles would increase their likelihood of staying in their current positions.
In the world of early childhood education, where staffing challenges are a constant concern, retaining your current team has never been more crucial. Sharing your appreciation for the hard work of early childhood educators can be an easy-to-implement teacher retention strategy that won’t have a big impact on your budget. Even small but intentional acts of appreciation can go a long way in showing respect and increasing motivation in staff.
How to Build a Culture of Teacher Appreciation
While hearing appreciation from a leader is powerful, there’s also tremendous value in fostering a culture where staff, families, and peers regularly share their gratitude. Here are a few ways to create an ongoing appreciation process from leaders, other educators, and families.
- Small Notes, Big Impact
As an instructional coach, I made it a point to leave a sticky note for each teacher at the end of every classroom visit. These weren’t long notes, just a few words of appreciation highlighting something positive I noticed—whether it was a creative activity or a meaningful interaction with a child. It only took a few seconds, but the response was always overwhelmingly positive. Teachers often told me how much those little notes meant to them. Some even posted them on their desks or bulletin boards because those simple words of appreciation mattered to them.This is something you can easily start doing today. Grab a stack of sticky notes and begin by writing the name of each staff member on a note. Then get out and leave simple notes of appreciation for each of them, such as “I noticed the way you handled that challenging situation with such grace today,” or “Your creativity in today’s activity was so inspiring!” Keep up with these notes and watch how quickly your staff responds to your words of appreciation! - Appreciation Bulletin Board or Newsletter Section
Dedicate a space where staff and families can share their positive feedback about each other. Whether it’s a physical bulletin board or a section in your newsletter, seeing this public acknowledgment can really boost morale. - Dedicated Form or Email
Set up a form or email address where families and staff can easily submit notes of thanks. You could even make it anonymous to encourage more participation. - Regular Prompts for Appreciation
Encourage families and staff to regularly share their gratitude by posting simple questions or prompts. Here are some examples.
How has your child’s teacher helped them to grow this week?
Who is a staff member that went above and beyond this week? How did they help?
Who is one person at [Your School Name] that you are thankful for and why?
The Ripple Effect of Appreciation
By creating these routines of appreciation, you help normalize recognition and build a culture where everyone feels valued.
As leaders, we all know that staffing can be one of the toughest challenges in early childhood education. But if we take small, consistent steps to show appreciation and build a culture of recognition, we can help ensure that educators feel valued, supported, and inspired to stay in the work they do.

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Marotz, L.R., & A. Lawson. (2007). Motivational leadership in early childhood education. Thomson Delmar Learning.
Gallup. (2024). Gallup’s perspective on understanding the K-12 teachers’ experience. https://www.gallup.com/education/610673/k-12-perspective-paper-2024.aspx
Teaching Strategies | Feedback from the Field: 2024 Early Childhood Educator Survey