12 Simple Ideas to Show Your Appreciation to Teachers

Show Appreciation to Teachers All Year Long!

I know school’s already out for many, but we’re behind everyone else here in Upstate NY and have a few weeks left.  So I’m still thinking about how I’m going to thank Sawyer’s teachers.  But it needs to be simple and easy for this busy mama.  And who do I always turn to for advice?  My favorite fellow mama bloggers, of course!  Many of them are teachers (or former teachers) and all are busy mamas, so they have some great ideas for how to show appreciation to teachers.  Check it out…

12 Simple Ways to Show Your Appreciation to Teachers

1. Send In Breakfast – “We try to show the kids teachers love through out the year.  But my son just loved packing breakfast for his teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week.” Jaime of Frogs & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails
2. An Interview from the Kids – “My son isn’t in school but when I was a teacher I loved getting those little questionnaires with answers from the kids. I worked with two year olds so the answers were always super adorable.” Amy of Z is for Zel
3. A Beach Bucket of Fun – “Thanks to Pinterest (see paragraph at the end of the post!) I found a playful, yummy, and useful way to thank my kids’ teachers for being such a important part of their lives this year.  [We put together a] beach bucket filled with candy and teacher supplies … with each item representing an aspect of why we are so thankful.” Laura of Play Dr. Mom
   
4. A School Supply “Diaper Cake” – “I put a new spin on the ‘diaper cake’ and turned it into a cute teacher’s gift by using all school supplies instead of diapers.” Chrissy of The Outlaw Mom
5. Candy in a Cup – “As a former teacher, I know that you can never have enough candy on hand.  And you always need a drink handy, too.  So I created a Smarties and Lifesavers teacher gift that my sons’ teachers just loved!” Krissy of B-Inspired Mama
6. A Class Memory Book – “One year, a mom took over the class during recess and had all the students finish at least one of the following: ‘I remember when . . .’ and ‘It was funniest when . . .’ Each student wrote a short note or drew a picture to go with the phrase. The mom gathered the notes, bound them, and gave it to the teacher on the last day of school. This was 15 years ago, and the teacher STILL has that book. (yes, that teacher is me) One of the most precious gifts I ever received.” Sheila of Pennies of Times
7. A Kid Made Card with Some Goodies – “To me teacher appreciation is all about my child showing her appreciation. So, I usually have my girls make their teacher a card. If we have any fresh veggies ready in the garden, we give their teacher some. If we don’t have any veggies, we usually bake up some cookies. I know it’s not as spectacular as a gift card…but I think it’s important to teach children to show gratitude and this is a perfect opportunity for that.” Jennifer of Kitchen Counter Chronicles
8. Email an Inspirational Video – “I try to email these little videos to our teachers too in random times during the year.” Kim of The Educators’ Spin On It
9. Volunteer & Help With Cleanup – “We love sharing little things here and there throughout the year. For the end of the year I try to come in to volunteer with the special fun events and stay a little longer to help clean things up! Closing up a room is harder than you think at the end of the year.” Kim of The Educators’ Spin On It
10. Help Organize at The End of The Year – “One of my biggest challenges at the end of the year was the filing and organizing clean-up. Not only was I cleaning up, I was organizing for the start of the next year, and I was also trying to gather up all those ‘borrowed’ items as well from other teachers. One parent came in and not only helped me organize and clean files, but he also labeled them with a label maker, which he gifted to me at the end (SWEET–so pretty!).” Sheila of Pennies of Times
11. Verbal Praise – “I tell my boys’ teachers what’s on my mind all the time throughout the year when I think they’re doing great (which, thankfully, is often). I recently asked my son’s pre-K assistant teacher, ‘You’re studying to be a lead teacher, right? You are amazing with the kids, and I would jump at the chance to have you as their teacher in the future!’ The look on his face was priceless, and I knew it had made his day. I would like to find a way to tell each teacher something very specific about what makes him or her rock! (By the way, we’re not allowed to give teacher gifts.)” Dawn of Prickly Mom
12. A Hand Written Note – “From a teacher perspective, while the gift cards and sweet presents are awesome and appreciated, it’s the letters and cards that I have kept throughout the years. The thank you cards from parents expressing how much their kids have grown, the hand drawn and hand written thank you pictures and notes from the kids. I’ve been teaching for over 10 years, and I have them all saved in a file. LOVE!” Mary Catherine of Fun-A-Day!

And here are some of their great posts with even more simple and creative ideas for how to show appreciation to teachers…

How do you show your appreciation to teachers?  Do your kids make anything for them?  Do you make anything for them?  Let us know in the comments below!

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