Teacher Appreciation Ideas

Teacher Appreciation Ideas

If the last few years haven’t increased our need for some good teacher appreciation ideas, then I don’t know what will!  I hope we can all agree that teachers have carried a heavy load.  Not only do they education our children, love them and care for their emotional needs, but now they are also responsible for carrying out various health and safety protocols.  As I have been substituting I have seen how hard teachers are working, and it made me think outside of the box for different ways we could encourage them!

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A Kind Note or Email:

There are lots of different ways you can show your appreciation to a teacher!  I am going to start with the easiest, cheapest, but often the most meaningful!  A simple note or email to your teacher telling them specific things you appreciate about them is often more meaningful than any gift! 

This year, I get the pleasure of volunteering in my kids classes every other week.  One day after helping in my 5th graders class, I took a moment to email her teacher.  I let her know that I appreciated how she took time to carefully go through all the directions on their assignment and how she had cultivated great relationships with her students with by letting them come up with their own nicknames.  I really think me seeing what she was doing and acknowledging the good I could clearly see was more meaningful than any gift!  

Anytime Teacher Basket:

This next option is one we have been planning to do this year!  Most of us probably give our teachers gifts on Christmas and maybe even Teacher Appreciation Day.  But I am a big fan of the anytime gift!  We have been really wanting to pour more into our school and one of the ways we thought of to do that is to make an anytime teacher basket for our teachers.  My goal was to make a basket and fill it with things that would bless the teachers entire family.

  For example, one of my kid’s teachers had her first baby last year.  So when thinking about ideas for her basket we thought of toys or outfits for her baby, a few items from her favorites list we got at the beginning of the school year, and some gift cards for date nights with her husband.  Even if you can’t afford a whole basket, one simple gift on a random and unexpected day really has the power to encourage your teachers!

Whole Staff Gifts

The last option is one to encourage the whole staff at your school.  I have three kids in the same school and my kids have had many of the teachers there so I know most of the staff at their school.  So a whole staff gift may make more sense for us.  I have actually done with with my church too.  I am a part of a group that organizes meals or snacks for the entire staff of some of the low income schools in our community.  The first option is one I created for that group!

You could make this as simple as dropping off cookies for the teachers lounge or take a look at one of the ideas below!

Teacher Appreciation Ideas for the Whole Staff

– Popping in to Say Thanks!- (Free Printable for subscribers)  Drop off a basket of popcorn bags to say things to your school staff

-Thanks for Helping my Child Bloom- Write a note with this phrase in it and get a vase of flowers for the teachers lounge. 

– I Donut Think There is a Better Staff- Provide donuts for the staff lounge. 

-Our futures are looking sharp thanks to you!- Provide pencils or sharpie markers for the staff.  Trust me teachers are constantly running out of pencils and buying them with their own money!

-We are bursting with pride to have you as our teachers!- Provide starbursts for the staff! 

Honestly, any effort you put forth will be appreciated by your teachers.  They have such a hard job and they are taking care of our most precious gifts every day! Tag me in your pictures of you decide to use any of these ideas!

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