When you see a shiny, red apple, what do you think about? Some people instantly smell a delicious, homemade apple pie. Others think about a very special teacher. Oftentimes, the apple is a symbol for teachers. It is not uncommon to see classrooms decorated in apples or teachers who collect apples by the masses. For many years, it has been an American custom for students to give apples to their classroom teachers. While the thought is kind, what started this connection between apples and teachers? The tradition dates back to the 16th century when farming families paid for their children to attend school with food. That's right! Imagine teachers receiving a basket full of apples instead of a paycheck. Apples were often plentiful, so they were used as currency for the teacher. At the time, teachers did not have a lot of money, so having the extra food was needed and appreciated. As teachers began to make more money, paying them in apples happened less and less. Today, it is common for students to bring apples to the teacher. This happens most often on the first day of school or on special holidays. Now, however, giving apples to the teacher is just a very neat tradition.