2016 Teacher Appreciation Day
A bright red shiny apple, a gift of thanks for all you do. The seeds of learning taking root, sown with core by you. Your daily smiles and guiding hand, your encouragement and praise, shape our hearts and minds and light so many ways. Insistence on hard work in school, and belief in our best, sets the course for future goals, and a lifetime of success. You will always be remembered, as the years pass. Your imprint on our lives, will be a legacy to last.
The famous association of apples with teachers is more popular in USA and Scandinavia (particularly Denmark and Sweden). Although there is no definite answer as to how the apple became the iconic teacher gift, and emblem of teaching, there are a few theories:
- In US, freshly picked apples would have been an affordable and appealing gift for teachers since apple harvest time (September) coincides with the first day of school.
- In Scandinavia, which in turn was adopted in US, apples (amongst other ‘gifts from the field’) were an acceptable payment-in-kind from parents who were unable to afford school fees. Apples can be kept over Winter, and are universally associated with health (Read: An apple a day keeps the doctor away), which adds to their value as an acceptable form of payment.
- The U.S. Apple Association confesses that they “don’t know how this saying [an apple for the teacher] originated… It probably harkens back to the ‘apple polisher'” (which refers to a child who gives not only an apple, but an apple that has been polished until it shines, to win his/her teacher’s favour and approval). In Singapore, we liken the phrase ‘apple-polisher’ to ‘curry favour’.
- In most Alphabet books and rhymes, A usually stands for ‘apple’. Every child might hope to associate A grades with his/her schoolwork!
Nowadays, apples are more likely to appear in lunchboxes, but subtly they still appear as teacher-related items or teacher gifts, especially when Teachers’ Day draws near.
What have you prepared for your favourite teachers? If you want to be more creative than the conventional ‘apples and flowers’, why not try recording this song in appreciation of your teachers?
This song is dedicated to my long-time Electone teacher Ms Georgia, whose sharp wits, down-to-earth demeanour, patience and encouragement has made every Electone class a truly enjoyable one. (Someday I hope to make you proud by passing my Grade 5 Electone exams!)
I was searching for a Thank You song back when I was teaching, and this song (Thank You Song Lyrics on BusSongs.com) came up. I loved its meaningful lyrics, however I could not find the song online. Somehow a melody flowed into my head, and with a bit of tweaking, and a lot of help from Ms Georgia, the written score is finally up (thanks to this beautiful website https://www.noteflight.com/login).
If you need some help reading the notes, why not register for piano lessons? Choose to learn piano theory and practical in the comfort of your own home, or learn with friends in Bloom School of Music & Arts! Click here to register.
So give this piece a try, and do send me (denise-yong@outlook.sg) your comments and recordings! You can even send me your own masterpieces. Please also send in your teacher dedications for your music teachers at Bloom School of Music & Arts!
From everybody at Bloom School of Music & Arts, here’s wishing all teachers, a Happy Teachers’ Day!
