Teacher Appreciation Week falls during the week of May 2-6 this year. Some schools have homeroom parents or a PTO to arrange special events and even gifts for teachers, but if you are on your own to choose an appropriate gift, these ideas may help you find just the right way to express your gratitude next month.
Gift cards
If you can find out a teacher’s favorite store — where she’d buy things for herself, not for the classroom — a gift card from that establishment would certainly be welcome. Other safe bets include a gift card to the local coffee shop or movie theater so she can enjoy a treat for herself when she’s off duty.
Classroom supplies
Many teachers help stock their classrooms with paper, glue sticks and other essentials throughout the year. A basket of these goodies or of books for the classroom library will fill a need and ease the teacher’s responsibility for restocking supplies.
Charitable donation
If your child’s teacher has a cause that is near and dear to his heart — animal rescue, cancer research, fighting hunger — consider a charitable donation in his honor to an organization that supports that cause.
Memories
If you’ve been on every class field trip and at many of the in-school events throughout the year and have photos from them, put them together into an album for the classroom teacher. Because storage space can be an issue for many teachers who get gifts from 25 kids each year, a digital album may be the best option.
Teacher’s assistant
Offer to be the teacher’s assistant, either at school or at home. You could help in the classroom with a project that requires extra adult supervision and hands-on help. Not available during the day? Offer to work at home cutting out decorations for bulletin boards or completing another task the teacher needs help with.
Notes of appreciation
The right gift doesn’t have to cost much at all. Choose a nice card and write, or have your child write, a heartfelt message telling the teacher what you appreciate about her.
Teacher Gifts to Avoid
Most teachers already have more of the items on this list than they need:
- Coffee mugs
- Candles
- Scented lotions
- Teacher-themed knick-knacks
- Handmade crafts
