Most teachers feel unappreciated

Only one in three Canadian teachers (38 percent) feel completely appreciated, according to a survey released by Staples Business Depot.

"Teaching is the greatest profession in the world, but it's not always an easy job," said Mike Page, a teacher at Lambton Kingsway Junior Middle School in Toronto. "It's great to watch kids learn and grow, but there are certainly times when you don't feel the love."

The survey found 5 percent of Canadian teachers don't feel appreciated at all, while 57 percent say they only feel "somewhat" appreciated. While 38 per cent of teachers say they feel "completely" appreciated, the responses were markedly different inside and outside of Quebec.

In Quebec, 52 percent of teachers said they feel "completely" appreciated, compared with just 26 percent in the rest of the country.

Among other key findings, almost every teacher polled said they spend their own money on school supplies. Thirty-seven percent of teachers say they spend at least $50 per month of their own money on school supplies. Eleven per cent say they spend more than $100 a month.

When asked what aspects of their jobs give them the greatest satisfaction, almost all (74 percent) cited watching students learn and grow and succeed.

Teachers were also asked about the most unusual gifts they had received from students. Among the most bizarre were: a half-eaten cookie, underwear, a bag of pencils, including some that had been chewed, bagpipes and a kilt, and an invitation to a birthday party at a strip club.

"You tend to get a lot of mugs and chocolates and bottles of wine," Page said. "It's all appreciated, but the real gift is being able to help a child to learn and grow."

Teachers who shop at STAPLES Business Depot on Teacher Appreciation Days will receive 10 percent off almost everything in the store. The next Teacher Appreciation Day will be held Sept. 29.