“Say it Now”: Showing Gratitude to Teachers in Messenger Rooms

As we look ahead to National Teacher Appreciation Day on May 4, it feels especially important this year to recognize what educators have done in the face of adversity and find ways to show them gratitude. 

Since March 2020, as millions of students began remote and blended learning models, teachers rose to the occasion to show us all how impactful their work is for students and families. Many educators used technology, including video calling, to conduct classes, assign homework and grade projects. Teachers prioritized their students’ overall well-being and ensured they were able to access instruction even when they couldn’t go to school in person.

Teachers are often underappreciated and moments of gratitude are more meaningful than ever right now. With this in mind, Messenger Rooms is working with Say It Now, an organization that helps people conduct “Living Tributes” honoring those who have impacted their lives the most. The mutual goal is to encourage people all over to set up Virtual Living Tributes for the teachers that have made a difference in their lives.  

Say it Now was founded by Walter Green whose mission is to encourage people to show gratitude to those who have positively influenced their life. While one-on-one expressions of gratitude are incredibly meaningful, he’s found that group gratitude is a uniquely powerful experience for the person being celebrated and the participants. 

Messenger Rooms makes creating a Virtual Living Tribute easy to set up and join for all attendees. The group video call can be scheduled in advance and created directly in Messenger or Facebook. Anyone can join via the link, even if they don’t have a Facebook account. Rooms hold up to 50 people with no time limit, so the tribute doesn’t need to be rushed and can include a small or large group. The Team at Say it Now has outlined the steps to setting up a virtual tribute in Messenger Rooms, here: 

1. 1. Identify the teacher: Once you have identified the teacher you would like to honor with a Virtual Living Tribute, reach out to them to ask if they would be comfortable with being honored. Say it Now has a template to reach out to them! 
   2. Reach out to potential participants: Reach out to others who may have been impacted by the teacher and lock in the core group participating. Say it Now has a template to reach out to them, too! 
   3. Schedule the Virtual Living Tribute: Scheduling a Messenger Room for a future date and time is easy.  You can do this directly in Messenger or Facebook. 
   4. Share the Details: Send the Rooms link, date, and time to those participating. Anyone can join via the link, even if they don’t have a Facebook account. 
   5. Conduct the tribute: This part is fun! Visit the Say it Now website for inspiration and ideas.

We hope you feel inspired to show gratitude to the teachers in your life who mean the most to you so you can keep the close connection! More information on how to use Rooms, including how to live broadcast your Room into a Facebook group (Alumni Group, High School Group, etc.) can be found here.