Teacher Appreciation Week: The Ultimate Guide

Looking for teacher appreciation ideas? Let’s celebrate the superheroes who inspire and nurture the minds of future generations: teachers! At Albert, teachers are at the heart of everything we do. We’ve curated the ultimate guide for your Teacher Appreciation Week needs, including teacher gift ideas, teacher quotes, educator discounts, and more. Keep reading to make this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week the best one yet!

What We Review

When is Teacher Appreciation Week (TAW)?

Teacher Appreciation Week is typically celebrated the first full week of May.

In 2023, Teacher Appreciation Week will be celebrated from Monday, May 8 to Friday, May 12, 2023.

Teacher Appreciation Week Gift Ideas

Teachers work hard every day to provide their students with the best learning experiences possible. A thoughtful gift can go a long way to show your teachers that you appreciate everything they do for their students and communities! Therefore, we’ve put together some great gift ideas for both remote and in-person learning.

22 Gift Ideas for Your Teachers

Make a recipe in a jar

These gifts have been around for a while, but people are always coming up with creative new ways to make a recipe in a jar, and it’s super easy too. Find an interesting idea online, fill a jar with the dry goods that go into the recipe, and print out a cute card with the directions for combining other ingredients and baking. Make sure you don’t shake the jar! The layers of ingredients are part of what makes these gifts fun. If you’re lucky, your teachers will bring in the finished product and share it with the class.

Personalize sticky notes and stationary

Yes, your teachers have a lot of sticky notes, and they probably have stacks of notepads, but none of those are as cool as ones that have your teachers’ names printed across the top. There are plenty of online companies that make these personalized supplies, and you can probably take it up a notch with a personalized pen to cap off the set. These are great gifts because they are supplies your teachers always need, and they should last a while too.

Set up a sweets buffet

It’s always good to keep your teachers fueled up throughout the day. Setting up a buffet of tasty treats in the teacher’s lounge will definitely give your teachers the boost to keep them on top of their game through the end of the day. Whether store-bought or homemade, organize with your classmates and the PTO, so your buffet of treats has a wide variety of options. You can bet your teachers will make a few extra stops at the teacher’s lounge throughout the day.

Bring your teacher a new tumbler filled with sweets

In case you hadn’t noticed, a lot of these ideas involve treats and sweets. We aren’t saying all teachers have a sweet tooth, but if you ever happened upon a staff meeting, there’s a good chance there’s a bowl of treats somewhere close by. This gift idea combines two things in one: a stash of your teachers’ favorite candies and a new tumbler they can use to keep hydrated. When teaching all day, it’s nice to have some water close at hand, and new tumblers are always appreciated. You can even fancy it up by ordering a personalized tumbler or finding one with a message of appreciation printed on the side.

Resupply those teacher supplies

Restocking supplies is always something your teachers need to do. There are a lot of neat ways you can make a gift of supplies. A stocked desk caddy, or a bin of new markers and colored pencils – it’s easy to get creative here. Bonus points if you can take note of certain brands of pens or flair tip markers your teachers prefer to use and buy the same kinds for your gifts.

Go classic with a basket of apples

How did apples ever become associated with teachers? There are actually some history lessons in that question – and most are only theories – but apples have been a symbol for knowledge for years, so it makes sense that we would associate apples with teachers. It’s also a healthy alternative to all of those sweets teachers are apparently eating. But instead of giving a single apple to your teachers, why not fix up a basket full of apples? Different varieties will make some lovely colors, and your teachers can have a healthy snack to munch on.

Dish up a special breakfast or lunch

This is a popular PTO-sponsored event in many schools, but it would be extra meaningful if students were involved in serving their teachers a nice breakfast or lunch. You don’t need to be a chef either. Organize with your classmates and the PTO to see if there could be a fun way for students to be involved in that special Teacher Appreciation luncheon. Whether it’s contributing to catering service or hand-delivering meals, teachers would love to see their students helping to serve a nice breakfast or lunch.

Organize with the PTO to make grade level or content area t-shirts for all teachers

Teachers love to show that they are a part of a team. It’s great to have matching t-shirts that all staff members can wear, but it’s nice for teachers to be able to highlight their specific teams. There are a lot of fun teacher t-shirt designs available at custom print clothing companies. This is a great idea to work on with the PTO. All of your teachers can celebrate Teacher Appreciation by donning their specially designed t-shirts on the same day. That’s a yearbook photo waiting to happen!

Personalize a candy jar for your teacher’s desk

Are there any other ways we can give our teachers sweets? Of course! A personalized candy jar is an awesome addition to your teachers’ desks. There is an added benefit to this gift, too – candy jars on desks usually mean candy for kids who participate in class. Stock it with your teachers’ favorite candy when gifting to your teachers, and don’t be bashful about restocking with a variety of treats later on!

Give your teachers flower bulbs to promote growth

This is a nice gift for the symbolic message it represents. Teachers nurture their students to help them develop and grow – much like one would nourish a flower bulb to grow. Consider getting a variety of bulbs: tulips, daffodils, irises… There are many lovely options. You can step this gift up a notch by including a nice flower pot with some personal touches. Also, since these flowers bloom every year, your teachers will always have a sweet reminder of the special student who gave this gift.

Find or make some fun new wall art for the classroom

Classroom wall art does not always need to be content-based. Teachers like to decorate their classrooms with things that represent their personalities. A picture your teachers can hang in their classrooms that capture something about who they are shows your teachers you’ve been in tune with who they are as individuals. If you can’t find the perfect piece to match your teachers’ personalities, bring out your inner artist and create something. Not too confident in your own artistic skills? Pal up with a super artsy classmate and make a group gift.

Work with the PTO to order new teacher lanyards

These days, most schools require staff members to wear IDs on lanyards throughout the day. Be sure to find out if your school has specific rules about teachers’ lanyards, and then partner up with the PTO to give those lanyards a makeover. If your teachers have been using the same lanyard for a few years now, they will certainly appreciate something fresh and new, particularly since it’s a part of their daily attire all year long.

Decorate your classroom door

Door decorating is a tried and true team-building activity. Making the best Red-Ribbon-Week-themed door design isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea, but decorating your teachers’ doors to display all of the awesomeness about your teachers? That would be a blast! Make sure you capture the unique qualities of each teacher when decorating their doors. Your teachers will be touched to see all of the things their students thought of to represent each individual teacher.

Organize a superhero-themed photo booth rental

Everyone loves a photo booth. You probably see them at school dances, where students have fun being goofy with all of the various props they can use to make keepsakes from the night. Give your teachers an opportunity to get a little goofy making keepsakes with their colleagues by renting a photo booth for the day. And what better theme for a teacher photobooth than a superhero theme?! Teachers are everyday superheroes dedicated to their commitment to bring success to every student’s life. Grab some superhero gear so your teachers can play the part while taking photos with their colleagues.

Set up an ice cream sundae bar in the teacher’s lounge

More sweets on the teacher gift list? Of course! Setting up an ice cream sundae bar is a super-easy way to put a smile on your teachers’ faces. Make sure you have plenty of ice cream in a variety of flavors – consider checking with the kitchen staff for some extra freezer space – and set up bowls of every topping you can find. Students can volunteer to work the ice cream scooper for a nice extra touch to help serve up some awesome ice cream sundaes.

Gift your teachers with classroom sanitizers

Classroom sanitizers are probably on your school supply list every year, and they are even more important in recent years. Your school has set up some pretty rigorous cleaning requirements, but having sanitizers at the ready will help your teachers keep everything safe and clean throughout the day. So how to make sanitizers a nice gift for your teachers? Go for the nice quality fragrant kind! There might be an industrial-sized bottle of hand sanitizer at every door, but your teachers would much prefer to make regular use of sanitizers that smell great and don’t dry out their hands.

Instead of flowers, get your teacher a hanging air plant terrarium

Flowers are great, though they might not appeal to all teachers. The flower bulbs mentioned earlier on this list are great for teachers who enjoy gardening, but what about the teachers who like the idea of some greenery without maintenance? Air plant terrariums are some of the coolest plants to look at! The terrariums are made in all different shapes of glass, and many are designed to be hung up. The plants need very little care, just a small spray of water every now and then, and you can put all sorts of neat things in the terrarium alongside the air plants. They make wonderful gifts and bring just the right touch of nature into the classroom.

Use the hashtag #ThankATeacher

With so much of our time spent online these days, showing your support for teachers across social media makes sense. The National PTA started #ThankATeacher as an easy way to let teachers know that we appreciate them. You can even drop the hashtag in the comments section of your online classrooms, so your teachers can see it.

Make something crafty

We all know that arts and crafts are a mainstay of early education, but you’re never too old to make a meaningful gift for your teachers. Think about something you could make that your teacher could use or enjoy, and plan a time that you can drop your gift off at school. Paint a flower pot (and perhaps add the flowers), create your own magnetic chalkboard clips, or gather up small items like buttons, bows, or stickers and create a unique set of paper clips. The ideas are endless.

Send an eGift card

Gift cards are one of the most common and versatile gifts for teachers. Now, companies are making it even easier to send eGift cards, which your teachers can receive by email. If you already know some of your teachers’ favorite spots, see if eGift cards are available. If you’re not sure where your teachers shop or eat, you can never go wrong with an eGift card from Amazon or Uber Eats.

Make a video to say Thank You!

You’ve probably become a pro at recording videos due to your online classes. Put those skills to work by making a special thank you video for your teachers! Your teachers will not only appreciate the gesture, but they will also love seeing you use those video-making skills on your own

How to Write a Teacher Week Appreciation Letter

One of the greatest gifts you can give your teachers is a personal letter that expresses just how much you appreciate them. These personal sentiments go a long way in helping your teachers feel like they have impacted their student’s lives, and teachers often save these letters for years. And don’t forget, Teacher Appreciation Week is about all teachers. Sending a letter to a former teacher can be extra meaningful!

Here are some tips on how to write a teacher appreciation letter that will be meaningful to your teachers.

Share a specific example of something memorable where you really learned something or gained an appreciation for something new.
Talk about a time that your teacher helped you get through a difficult time and how much that meant to you.
Describe a time where your teacher’s encouragement helped motivate you to try something you might not have tried otherwise.
Explain how the way your teacher taught something went a long way in helping you understand new concepts.
If you’re nearing the end of high school or you are in college, can you think back to the teacher that gave you the inspiration for the career path you are taking? Tell them! These notes from former students are sure to bring a smile to your teachers’ faces.
Have you ever had a teacher that helped you become a better person through his or her support, lessons, or encouragement? This would be an amazing thing to share.
Reflect on the skills you’ve learned, and think about ways you have used those skills outside of the classroom. We don’t always make a connection between the things we do and the things we have been taught, but when you really think about it, we do apply most of the skills we learn in the classroom in the real world. This gets to the core of why teachers teach, so these examples can be the most meaningful!

There is no limit to the ways you can express appreciation to your teachers in a letter. Teachers rarely get the opportunity to know if they have truly had an impact on their students, because it takes a student’s words to tell them this.

Bonus Tip: If you really want to let your teacher know how much you appreciate them, don’t just send your letter to your teacher. Send a copy to your teacher’s principal! Principals don’t see every interaction teachers have with students, and your words can highlight a special attribute of a teacher that the principal might not have known about.

The Best Teacher Appreciation Week Quotes

Next, let’s explore some great quotes about teachers!

“Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.” – Fred Rogers
“Not all superheros wear capes; some have teaching degrees.” – Unknown
“One child, one teacher, onebook, one pen can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzi
“Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – John C. Maxwell
“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” – Japanese Proverb
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffet
“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings.” – Carl Jung
“Everyone who remembers his own education remembers the teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system.” – Sidney Hook
“The great teacher is not the man who supplies the most facts, but the one in whose presence we become different people.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Those who know, do. Those who understand, teach.” – Aristotle
“Your heart is slightly bigger than the average human heart, but that’s because you’re a teacher.” – Aaron Bacall
“Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” – Confucius
“What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to a human soul.” – Joseph Addison
“I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession.” – John Wooden
“The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.” – Alexandra K. Trenfor
“Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives.” – Andy Rooney
“A truly amazing teacher is hard to find, difficult to part with, and impossible to forget.” – Unknown

9 Ways Teachers Can Celebrate Themselves

Remember, Teacher Appreciation Week is for…the TEACHERS!

Teachers often don’t give themselves a break nearly as often as they deserve. Teacher Appreciation Week is a perfect time for teachers to recognize and celebrate their own value. If you’re an educator, check out how some ideas below for celebrating yourself during Teacher Appreciation Week:

Treat yourself to a day of pampering

Teaching is stressful! There’s no better way to relieve that stress than to schedule a day to take care of our mind and body, either at home or at your local spa. You’ll head into your next day of school feeling relaxed and looking fresh!

Rest up with a “do nothing” day

Teaching is a profession where your work inevitably follows you home. Head into the weekend without bringing school home with you. Sleep in, and binge watch that show you’ve been meaning to check out.

Have a team lunch from your favorite local restaurant

Sometimes, things get so busy that you barely have time to grab a hot lunch from the school cafeteria. Make a plan with your team to order from a favorite local eatery. They often have discounts for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, and you might even find they’re willing to deliver a large order to school.

Hold an after-school gathering just to socialize

Did you use to join a regular Friday social hour during your early years of teaching? A lot of colleagues like to get together for some social time before heading into the weekend, but eventually, we can let those get-togethers grow fewer and farther between. Make a point of getting your colleagues together to enjoy one of those social hours again at the end of the week. What a great way to kick off a weekend where you’ve left school at school!

Take advantage of those teacher deals to add to your closet

Treat yourself by taking advantage of all of those special shopping deals for teachers! It’s a great time to pick up a few new outfits. Consider splurging on a new piece of tech using one of the promos offered to teachers from a number of tech companies.

Get a change of scenery

You don’t need to travel halfway around the world to refresh with a change of scenery. There are probably a number of interesting sites just a car ride away that you haven’t visited. Look into some points of interest that can give you a fun change of pace over the weekend.

Give your classroom supplies an upgrade

If you’re going to spend your own money on classroom supplies – and you know you will – take advantage of those special deals this week to load up on a fresh supply of materials. If bulletin boards are your thing, this is the perfect time to order new borders and decals for your next bulletin board masterpiece.

Use a bit of your personal prep time to grab some fresh air

Teachers can have a habit of getting to school early and leaving late. That’s a lot of time being cooped up in the classroom. With Teacher Appreciation Week falling right in the middle of spring, it’s a perfect time to get outside for a short walk around the building or take a break on a bench to grab some sun. It’s ok if you don’t spend every minute of your time without students grading papers. Your students might even be pleasantly surprised to see a refreshed version of you in the afternoon!

Show your own appreciation for your colleagues

Not only is Teacher Appreciation Week a time for students, parents, and administrators to show their appreciation for their teachers, it’s also a great time to show your colleagues how much you appreciate them. Bring some snacks for your team or even a small gift for your closest colleagues. Remember, you’re not always flying solo. Show your colleagues you appreciate them too.

Teacher Appreciation Week: Freebies and Discounts

Students and parents aren’t the only ones that want to thank teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. Many businesses and restaurants offer special promotions and deals just for teachers as their way of saying thank you.

Some of these deals are offered year-round!

View Albert’s curated list of 2023 Teacher Discounts!

The list of teacher discounts above includes dozens of options across these categories:

Books, School Supplies, & Crafting Supplies
Clothing/Apparel
Tech
Food
Home Goods
Subscription Services

11 Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas for Your Staff

Teacher Appreciation Week isn’t just a time for students and parents to recognize the teachers in their lives! It is also a time for school administration to recognize and show appreciation for their teaching staff. Here are some ways that school administrators can celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week for their staff.

Start a letter-writing campaign by sending an email to all students and parents asking them to send in letters of appreciation to their teachers.
Similar to the letter writing campaign, ask students to make colorful messages about teachers on pieces of paper and decorate the halls and teacher’s lounge with the students’ work.
Provide breakfast and/or snacks for a day in the teacher’s lounge.
Recruit some student and parent volunteers to decorate the teachers’ doors to surprise them the next day.
Set up a mini cafe and play barista for the day.
Set up a sweets table including special treats that have messages of appreciation on them.
Plan to have a food or ice cream truck come to the school to provide a meal or snack to the staff.
Set up your own snack cart and go around the building delivering snacks throughout the day.
Hold raffle events throughout the week to give prizes to your staff.
Write your own personal letters of appreciation to each member of your staff.
Put a sweet treat in everyone’s mailbox throughout the week.

Recap: Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

There’s no wrong way to show your teachers how much you appreciate them. We hope you take full advantage of Teacher Appreciation Week to let your teachers know how important they truly are. This has been a difficult year for everyone, and teachers are among that special group of essential workers whose work makes it possible for the country to continue functioning. While our guide is designed to share information and gift ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week, remember that teachers deserve our appreciation all year round.

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Teacher Appreciation Week: The Ultimate Guide | Albert Resources (2024)