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Two special groups of people — moms and teachers — get their turn in the spotlight this week. They deserve it more than once a year.

Mother’s Day is Sunday. Teachers Appreciation Week started Monday and continues through Friday.

Regardless of your status in life, you likely owe a debt of gratitude to a mom or a teacher for whatever you’ve accomplished. For most of us, the debt is to both. Many teachers are also moms, serving faithfully both the children in their classrooms and their own children at home.

No disrespect to fathers, who are important in their own right, but we’re especially appreciative of mothers and their irreplaceable role in the lives of their children.

Whether a skinned knee as a child or a bruised ego as an adult, there’s no one like Mom to ease one’s pain. For those who have lost their mom, especially recently, Mother’s Day can be a sad time filled with grief and even some regret. For those whose moms are still living, make sure to honor her beyond flowers and Sunday lunch this weekend.

Give her a break from household chores this week. Weed her flowerbed or trim some shrubs in the yard. Surprise her with a handwritten letter that recounts a specific memory or two of a time when she was there for you as only a mother can be. If you live away and can’t be with her in person, make the normal 15-minute phone call with her 30 this weekend and tell her why she’s important to you.

She’ll appreciate it, and you’ll be better for the experience.

Another group who can’t get too much of our appreciation is schoolteachers, who, regardless of our age, get credit alongside moms for their profound impact on our lives.

These are especially stressful times for teachers. According to a recent poll by the National Education Association, 55% of teachers say they plan on leaving the profession sooner than they originally planned.

Respect for teachers isn’t what it once was, sadly, from either children or their parents. Verbal abuse in the classroom is common, and even physical abuse is happening more frequently. Not so long ago, parents were quick to defend teachers, and even mete out some extra punishment at home when their kid misbehaved at school. Now, students get the benefit of the doubt more often than teachers.

It’s no wonder that teachers are finding the profession more demanding and less rewarding.

During this Teacher Appreciation Week, we hope everyone, whether a current student or one whose days in the classroom are long gone, will take a minute to honor a schoolteacher. Their work matters more than ever. They deserve our deepest gratitude.