Teacher Appreciation Week – The Joy of Teaching Blog (2024)

Teacher Appreciation Week – The Joy of Teaching Blog (1)

Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

As a parent and former teacher, I’ve been on both sides of Teacher Appreciation Week and know that the best gift of appreciation is the simplest: a note of thanks.

My teacher friends have confirmed that heartfelt notes from their students and parents warm their heart. Yet, as a parent, I also know that we like to do more to show appreciation to our children’s dedicated teachers!

Because so many students and parents are looking for the best way to thank their favorite teachers, I’ve put together a list of teacher appreciation themes. It’s broad enough to give you inspirational ideas for thanking teachers year after year.

This list is a collection of teachers’ favorites and tried-and-true ways to honor teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week. These teacher gift ideas also work for Christmas and holiday gifts for teachers, and end-of-year teacher gifts:

1. Notes of appreciation: Parents and students can write a letter or poem of appreciation, or draw or paint a picture. The personal nature of this type of gift means a great deal to a teacher. Notes of appreciation can be brought in all week or collected and presented on the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week in a festive basket, gift bag, or treasure chest.

  • Acrostic poem idea: Write out the letters to spell “teacher” or the name of your child’s teacher, vertically on a page. Help your child brainstorm adjectives to describe his/her teacher, based on each letter. “T” is for terrific, etc.

2. Treats and tags: Handmade tags can accompany a small gift. Here are some ideas for clever puns and pairings:

3. Simple scrapbook: Ask every child in class to show in writing or a drawing “What I like about (teacher’s name)” or “My favorite things about 2nd Grade.” Be sure to have students sign their contributions and place the pages in an inexpensive scrapbook or have the pages bound at a copy center. You can also ask students to add a photo of themselves to their artwork. For uniformity, you can provide students with special paper or unlined index cards, or ask students to complete their submission on full or half sheets of unlined paper.

4. Book or classroom supplies: Teachers often purchase classroom supplies out of pocket. A practical gift for the school can help support a teacher’s lesson plan. Consider contributing a book to the classroom library, replenishing classroom supplies, or giving a gift card to a teacher store.

5. A truly unique flower arrangement: Establish a day of the week for every student to bring a flower from his/her garden. Have a large vase (or two) ready to collect the flowers. Your child’s teacher will have an arrangement as unique as her students.

6. Teacher’s favorites: If you know of favorite hobbies or interests of your child’s teacher, you can join with parents in the class to collect items for a themed gift basket. For example:

  • gourmet food items for a teacher who likes to cook
  • new garden tools, seeds, and flower starters for a teacher who likes to garden
  • sports paraphernalia for the sports fan
  • movie tickets, and gift certificates for local dinner or dessert spots
  • a small cooler or picnic basket filled with picnic goodies for an afternoon out

7. Something for each day of the week: Plan something simple for each day of Teacher Appreciation Week for students to take to their teachers. Here’s an example from one California school that is a tradition for Teacher Appreciation Week. The school community is given suggestions for what to do for teachers each day:

  • Monday: A flower from your garden
  • Tuesday: Wear your teacher’s favorite color
  • Wednesday: School supplies
  • Thursday: Gift card to teacher’s favorite restaurant
  • Friday: Write a letter or card to your teacher (and PTA hosts a teacher luncheon)

8. Class keepsake projects: Create a keepsake for the teacher by using student signatures, handprints, or fingerprints to decorate an item that the teacher can use, such as:

  • an apron (perhaps add a recipe book of students’ favorite recipes)
  • outdoor pillow for a garden bench
  • cooler bag or stainless steel drinks cooler
  • large terracotta pot (add flowers or herbs)
  • painted serving tray
  • fold-up beach chair or canvas chair

Or use a class photo to create a gift such as a customized notebook or notepads. When creating class gifts, consider a teacher’s personal interests and storage space in her classroom (there may not be space for large art projects).

9. Treats in the Teacher’s lounge: Some schools provide teachers some sort of treat in the teachers’ lounge throughout the week, or select one day to offer teachers a surprise, such as:

  • Breakfast: Winning teacher appreciation week breakfast ideas include bagels with cream cheese, quiche or egg dishes, crepes with an assortment of fillings, fresh fruit, breakfast muffins or breads, juice, and coffee & tea.
  • Pampering treats: Hire a manicurist, or a massage therapist for mini chair massages.
  • Coffee & Cookie break: Ask parents to bake a variety of cookies, and bring coffee, cream, sugar, and an assortment of teas for a break.

10. Dinner in a bag (or basket): Teachers are busy, so give your child’s teacher the night off from cooking with all the items for a ready-made dinner. Be sure to ask your child’s teacher about food allergies before planning a dinner. We’ve created BBQ and Italian themed dinners, asking parents to sign up for different items from the main dish to drinks to dessert. You could also pool funds for a certificate to a local restaurant.

11. Themed potluck lunch for teachers & staff: While a Teacher Appreciation luncheon takes time to coordinate, it’s worth the work! Here are some memorable ideas shared by a local teacher. At her school, parents planned a themed potluck each year with coordinating decorations and giveaways for the teachers, such as:

o Beach theme:

    • Food idea: picnic-style dishes or BBQ theme
    • Table Decoration: clear vases partly filled with sand, seashells, and a white candle; or beach pail with a plant or flowers
    • Gift idea: rolled beach mat or rolled beach towel wrapped in a pretty ribbon

o Garden theme

    • Food ideas: soup & salad bar
    • Decoration: potted plants or watering can with flowers
    • Gift: outdoor or indoor potted plant for every teacher, or seed packets wrapped with a gift card to a local garden/home store

o Movie theme:

  • Food idea: Italian-themed dishes or pizza party
  • Decoration: black, gold, & white balloons and/or stars, or giant popcorn containers filled with flowers
  • Gift ideas: pair of movie tickets wrapped with a box of movie-theater candy, licorice, or microwave popcorn

Planning ahead for next year:

12. Teachers’ Survey: At my kids’ school, teachers are asked to fill out a short survey at the beginning of the school year. The one-page survey asks teachers for their favorite color, cake flavor, restaurants, hobbies, classroom wish list, etc. This helps provide parents with ideas for a teacher’s birthday, teacher appreciation, and end-of-year gifts.
Whatever you choose to do, remember to include a personal thank you to your child’s teacher. A few words of appreciation will go a long way!

Are you a teacher or parent? Sign up for Evan-Moor’s free monthly e-newsletter for more ideas for the classroom and home. We share lesson ideas, book lists, seasonal activities, and more around the theme of helping children learn.

Contributing Writer

Teacher Appreciation Week – The Joy of Teaching Blog (5)Theresa Wooler has more than 10 years’ experience in K–6 classrooms as a parent volunteer, has taught high school English, and is currently involved in education through Evan-Moor’s marketing communications team.

As an experienced educator and parent, I understand the importance of Teacher Appreciation Week and the significance of showing gratitude to teachers. Having spent years in the classroom and witnessing the impact of appreciation firsthand, I firmly believe that the simplest gesture, such as a heartfelt note of thanks, can have a profound effect on a teacher's morale.

To further support my expertise, I have consulted with my teacher friends who have confirmed the value of receiving heartfelt notes from their students and parents. These notes have the power to warm a teacher's heart and make them feel appreciated. However, as a parent myself, I also understand the desire to go above and beyond to show appreciation for our children's dedicated teachers.

In light of this, I have compiled a list of teacher appreciation themes to inspire parents and students to express their gratitude in various creative ways. This list encompasses teachers' favorites and tried-and-true methods to honor teachers not only during Teacher Appreciation Week but also during other occasions such as Christmas, holidays, and the end of the year.

Here are some of the concepts and ideas mentioned in the article:

  1. Notes of appreciation: Encouraging parents and students to write heartfelt letters, poems, or create artwork to express their appreciation.

  2. Treats and tags: Handmade tags with clever puns attached to small gifts such as hand lotion, hand soap, manicure certificates, or garden gloves.

  3. Simple scrapbook: Creating a keepsake by asking each child in the class to write or draw their favorite things about the teacher and placing the pages in an inexpensive scrapbook.

  4. Book or classroom supplies: Contributing a book to the classroom library, replenishing classroom supplies, or giving a gift card to a teacher store.

  5. Unique flower arrangement: Designating a day for each student to bring a flower from their garden, resulting in a unique arrangement for the teacher.

  6. Teacher's favorites: Collaborating with parents in the class to collect items for a themed gift basket based on the teacher's hobbies or interests.

  7. Something for each day of the week: Planning simple gestures for each day of Teacher Appreciation Week, such as bringing a flower, wearing the teacher's favorite color, or giving a gift card.

  8. Class keepsake projects: Creating personalized gifts using student signatures, handprints, or fingerprints, such as aprons, outdoor pillows, coolers, or customized notebooks.

  9. Treats in the Teacher's lounge: Providing teachers with treats throughout the week or organizing special surprises like breakfast, pampering treats, or coffee and cookie breaks.

  10. Dinner in a bag (or basket): Giving the teacher a break from cooking by providing all the necessary items for a ready-made dinner or organizing a themed potluck lunch for teachers and staff.

  11. Themed potluck lunch for teachers & staff: Coordinating a themed potluck lunch with decorations, food, and gifts that align with the chosen theme, such as a beach, garden, or movie theme.

  12. Teachers' Survey: Collecting information from teachers at the beginning of the school year to gather insights into their preferences for future gifts, birthdays, and end-of-year appreciation.

It is crucial to remember that regardless of the chosen gesture, a personal thank-you note to the teacher is always meaningful and appreciated. By expressing gratitude, parents and students can contribute to a positive and supportive learning environment while acknowledging the dedication and hard work of teachers.

Teacher Appreciation Week – The Joy of Teaching Blog (2024)

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