As Teacher Appreciation Week gets underway, this marks the perfect opportunity to show our beloved teachers just how much they’re valued throughout the school year. Teachers have that special way of caring for our children every day, so we’ve compiled a list of our favorite thoughtful ways to show how much they’re appreciated all year long!
Create a Year of Celebration
What better way to show teachers how much they’re loved than by honoring them each month with an unexpected surprise? These are our favorites for a year-long appreciation celebration.
August – Host a ‘Welcome Back’ Breakfast
Welcome teachers back to the classroom by hosting a ‘Back to School’ breakfast. If you’ve got a gourmet doughnut and coffee shop nearby, an array of sweet treats and lattes are sure to be a delightful morning surprise. If you have access to a nearby kitchen, prepare a hot breakfast of Belgian waffles, bacon and eggs, and fresh fruit and juice to begin their busy day.
September – Let’s Get Acquainted
As the new school year gets underway, what better way to help students and teachers to get acquainted than by giving your teachers personalized name tags or desk plates designed especially for them? Whether you’re looking for design your own name tags that reflect your teacher’s personal style or predesigned name tag templates, your teachers are sure to wear their badges proudly all year long.
October – Host a Pot Luck Dinner before Parent/Teacher Conferences
Between parent/teacher conferences or PTA meetings that are usually scheduled during weeknight evenings, provide a pot luck dinner for teachers at school, where they can relax together, share a hot meal, and be ready to continue their workday as the evening meetings get underway. They’re sure to appreciate a warm, homemade meal prepared especially for them.
November – Thanks and Giving
As Thanksgiving draws near, November is the perfect time to provide your teachers with a pilgrim’s picnic for lunch. Whether you’re planning a traditional turkey feast with all the trimmings or creating a feast of your teachers’ mealtime favorites, this banquet is one they’re sure to be thankful for!
December – Home Cooked Meals for the Holidays
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, make your teachers’ lives just a bit easier by ordering a week of free dinner deliveries. Whether a group of parents takes turns bringing a home cooked casserole or meal that teachers can take home and pop in the oven on a busy weeknight, or the class contributes funds to order a week of dinner deliveries from a local meal delivery service, a nutritious and delicious meal will be ready to heat, eat, and enjoy!
January – Let it Snow!
If your school is in an area that transforms into a blizzardy winter wonderland this time of year, grab your safety patrol team, warm winter coats, and a few snow brushes and head outside shortly before the afternoon bell to brush your teachers’ cars off. This thoughtful gesture is sure to ‘warm’ their hearts!
If there’s no snow in your local forecast, be ready on a rainy day with a bucket of large umbrellas placed conveniently by the door so teachers can easily grab one on their way out the door on a showery afternoon.
February – Lights! Camera! Action!
Create a movie night bucket for a fun filled at home film fest. When the weather outside is frightful, a bucket of movie night essentials is ‘just the ticket’! Fill a popcorn bowl with microwave popcorn (or a sampling of gourmet popcorn from a local popcorn shop), popular movie munchies, and perhaps a soda or two. Everything your teachers need to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
March – Celebrate Spring
Welcome spring to your teachers’ classrooms with a bouquet of freshly picked flowers or a bushel of locally grown fruits and vegetables. A small bunch of wildflowers straight from your garden or a basket filled with freshly picked produce is a wonderful way to bring a bit of nature’s bounty to your child’s teachers.
April – Create Handwritten Note Cards
As the school year begins to wind down, give your teachers a meaningful gift that highlights the impression they’ve made on every student they’ve taught throughout the year. Have the students each fill out a card that says ‘I love my teacher because…’ in their own handwriting (and spelling!), something they’re sure to treasure for years to come.
May – Create a Classroom Memory Book
Just before summer vacation begins, give your teachers a gift that will remind them of the fun-filled happenings of the past year. Creating a class scrapbook is a perfect way to highlight special things that took place throughout the year, share favorite photos, or add handmade notes or artwork from each student. Handmade gifts are a meaningful, creative way to thank teachers for the unwavering enthusiasm and dedication they’ve given students all year long.
Statistically speaking, it is also the season for family reunions. Roughly 66% of family reunions take place during the summer.1 This isn’t surprising considering the warm weather and lack of school. Most people take vacations during the summer anyway,3 so why not plan for a large family get together during the season?
People can be forgetful. Maybe a new school environment is overwhelming or someone gets caught up in the moment at a catered lunch. Having allergy information openly available on a name tag would help in preventing someone from experiencing a reaction. This would help not only that individual to remember and stay mindful but also aid others around them to ensure they don’t eat or touch something they shouldn’t. Openly sharing important health information keeps everyone aware.
Imagine if everyone that crossed your path each day wore a name tag. Who would you meet? What kinds of stories or conversations would unfold? More days than not, we are more focused on the virtual people living inside our little blue screens rather than on the actual humans around us. We miss valuable opportunities to connect with others, share a few smiles, and perhaps meet someone who will change the trajectory of our lives in wonderful ways!