Teacher Appreciation Gifts that Teachers Actually Want
Teacher Appreciation Week is coming! As a former classroom teacher, I have some easy suggestions for last-minute gifts that teachers will love.
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A Note of appreciation
[click_to_tweet tweet=”If you really want to make a teacher’s day, have your child write a heartfelt note of thanks.” quote=”If you really want to make a teacher’s day, have your child write a heartfelt note of thanks.”]
What is her favorite thing about being in that teacher’s class? How has the teacher made your child a better student? Learner? Scientist? Mathematician? What is your child’s favorite memory from the school year? You can write a note as well! If your child is too young to write, they can draw a picture. Even my high schoolers drew pictures for me!
I still have student and parent notes saved in a folder. When I had a bad day, I opened that folder and I always felt so much better. Your note doesn’t have to cost a thing. Write it on a piece of notebook paper or even e-mail it.
Gift cards
Most teachers love a gift card to Starbucks, Target, or Amazon. And it doesn’t have to be much – a $5 gift card put a spring in my step. Pair it with the note mentioned above and you’ll make someone’s week. Want to give more? Throw in a cute mug!
Books
Teachers can be book fiends! At the elementary level, buy a few grade-level books for the classroom library. Most middle and high school English teachers also have class libraries for students.
Want to get a book for the teacher? Is there a topic or author you know the teacher loves? One year, a student bought a coffee table book for me about ancient Egypt – loved it! Not sure which book to buy? See the “gift card” section above.
Treats
Teachers will eat just about any goody. If your kiddo really likes the teacher, try to personalize it. I always let my students know that I love chocolate and Reese’s Peanut Butter cups in particular. Don’t you know it? They always gave me a ton. While homemade treats are particularly appreciated, store-bought is just fine, too. (And don’t forget that note!)
School Supplies
Most teachers are crazy about school supplies. Buy some colorful pens or stationary, attach that nice note, and you have an awesome gift. Some thoughts:
AND these gifts don’t have to be Pinterest perfectly wrapped. If you have a cute bag to throw it in, great. If not, don’t worry about it. It really is the thought that counts.
Your gifts don’t have to end with Teacher Appreciation Week, though. Let’s be frank about what teachers REALLY want:
Respect
During my career, I felt the ever-eroding respect for teaching as a profession. Especially from politicians and policy-makers, but also from the public and parents themselves. Teachers work damn hard at a complex and demanding job.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Teachers are PROFESSIONALS and should be treated as such.” quote=”Teachers are PROFESSIONALS and should be treated as such.”]
We have all been to the doctor’s office – that doesn’t mean we know how to be a doctor. Yet, many who have no teaching experience feel the need to make decisions about the teaching profession.
When your child’s teacher tells you something you don’t want to hear (about your child’s behavior or academic progress), take those comments seriously. Ask follow-up questions and consider his or her advice.
Involvement
Teachers can’t do it all by themselves. Parents play an integral role in the school’s success. Attend Back to School Night and Parent Conferences. Become a member of your school’s PTA and help raise extra funds that support the school’s programs. Be a cheerleader for the school’s successes, but also work to improve its weaknesses.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Be a cheerleader for the school’s successes, but also work to improve its weaknesses.” quote=”Be a cheerleader for the school’s successes, but also work to improve its weaknesses.”]
Support
Attend school board meetings. Support candidates who talk about equity for students, smaller class sizes, fair evaluation systems, and decent pay for everyone who works with your children, from teachers, to coaches, to support staff. Approve real estate tax increases. (I put my money where my mouth is – I am no longer a teacher, nor do I have a child in school. But I happily approved an increase in my own taxes this last year to boost funding for my local school district.) Please don’t balance the budget on the teachers’ backs.
While intangible, these last few gifts last forever and your teachers will be incredibly thankful.
But seriously, write that note of appreciation.
Related Posts: Awesome Gifts for the Harry Potter Obsessed Teacher, What NOT to Buy a Teacher for Christmas, 9 Thrifty Teacher Appreciation Gifts, How to Make the Most of Short Parent-Teacher Conferences