With budget cuts at the local and state level, being a teacher is as difficult a job now is it has ever been. Teachers are faced with issues of reduced resources and job security, on top of having the charge of helping to guide and educate young people across the country. With all that people of the profession have to deal with, giving them some love seems in order.

Oct. 5 is World Teachers' Day, a holiday created by UNESCO to "celebrate teachers world wide" and "mobiles support for teacher and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to met by teachers," according to the holiday's website.

"All those who are fighting to provide quality education to children of the world can join teachers and their representative organizations to celebrate the profession and show them their support," the website says.

The World Teachers' Day website offers links to e-cards and an opportunity to upload photos of teacher appreciation. The best way, however, might just to give a kind word to any educator one happens to come across today. Given the difficult times and the many hats teachers wear on a given day (educator, coach, mentor), it could make a small difference just to know their efforts are noticed.