Teacher Appreciation Week
I recently had to step away from teaching due to a difficult 3rd pregnancy but that will not stop me from sharing how important it is to appreciate our teachers!
I spent the first 10 years of my teaching career in what many would call the trenches (aka—-Middle School). I wouldn’t trade teaching in that environment for anything. If you are a middle school teacher or have a middle school aged child, you know that they are hilarious, brutally honest, and the true definition of a sour patch kid. Every day was a challenge in all the right ways. I will say one of the downsides of teaching at a low-income middle school is that there are limited funds, not only for the students, but for things like Teacher Appreciation Week. This is where it is crucial as a parent or student to try to think of ways that you can say thank you.
Showing your thanks does not have to break the bank. In fact, there are several ways to show your appreciation without spending a large amount of money.
Teacher Appreciation Week is typically the first week in May. This year dates are May 6th through May 10th. The school may contact you about when they are choosing to recognize their staff and ask you to help! If you have the time and the energy, schools always need volunteers and if you are a student, there are always ways that you can help out.
So lets get into it.
How will I know what my teacher wants?
I always try to collect some of the teachers favorite things. You can do this at the beginning of the school year or just for Teacher Appreciation Week. There are plenty of free printables that you can find online if you want something on paper. I made a digital Google Form to send to teachers. It is linked below!
Free Ways to Show Your Appreciation:
The easiest way to show a teacher you care is to WRITE IT DOWN! This is by far the cheapest and most meaningful thing that you can do. I still have all of the cards and letters my student wrote to me. It’s a great reminder for teachers of why they teach! Cards can be homemade or store bought.
Get together with other students or parents to create a Thank You video! This is something that you can easily email to your teacher and trust me, they will love it. Don’t stress about editing the video either, teachers will watch all the fun bloopers.
Create a shout-out post on social media! You can thank a current teacher or a former teacher.
Teacher Gift Ideas:
GIFT CARDS! Teachers want them, love them and will use them! Most teachers will welcome any type of gift card but here are some of my faves I have received over the years:
Grocery Store (Harries Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Lowes Foods, Trader Joes)
Gas (Any gas station, most teachers have a drive to work each day)
Favorite Teacher Pens/Markers! Grab the items below from Target or Amazon. Attach a card or post-it note and you are good to go!
Local Restaurants and Shops Gift Cards: Lots of teachers like to enjoy things local! You can ask about their favorite local spots and grab a gift card.
If you would like to purchase all of the items above and put them in a cute little bag, linked below is a bag that will fit a gift card, pens, and a card!
Classroom Wish List Items:
Teachers often spend their own money on classroom supplies. A great way to show your appreciation for a teacher is to ask what items might be needed for the classroom. This is a great option if you have the ability to communicate with other parents or students so that you can gather funds to purchase.
I would love to hear your ideas and success stories in the comments below!
