October 5 is World Teachers Day. It is a day to appreciate teachers all around the world.

However, maybe teachers in the US deserve a little extra appreciation this year. As tough as their jobs are in regular times, these are not regular times. Schools are scrambling to cover the gap of millions of dollars in federal funding that feed and provide services to US students due to the government’s shutdown. And while all educational personnel are effected, much of the extra work falls on the back of classroom teachers.

So maybe this year, instead of waiting until the US’s traditional Teacher Appreciation Week in May, do a little something extra for the teachers in your life now. Let them know that you realize our politician’s inability to fund our government makes a challenging job even tougher, and thank them for their service.

Here is a song for our teachers: