I am not afraid to admit, I love special holidays. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving – I love these days that remind me to do something for someone else, to think about something more than my everyday life.
Now don’t get me wrong, I think couples should express their love for each other on days other than Valentines, you should tell your mom you love and appreciate her every chance you get, you should think of the things you are thankful for each day… Yes, we all should do these things, each and every day.
I’m sure there are some people who manage to do all of these things everyday (please tell me your secrets!). I for one, do not. I get wrapped up and consumed with life, with work, with my to-do list. I get so busy that I just don’t think to thank the people around me for being awesome (or call my mom as often as I know I should).
This is why I LOVE that there are days that are meant to celebrate, days that draw our attention to the people and things that are important.
This week is one of those times to really show your appreciation for people who deserve your appreciation and thanks everyday. This week – we celebrate teachers.
National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5-9. Teacher Appreciation Week is the PERFECT time to really do something special, to go out of your way, to thank all of the amazing teachers in your life (or your child’s life!)
There are MANY ways to celebrate the teachers in your life. After doing some research online and asking my friends who are teachers, I came up with a quick list of 5 ideas to get you started:
1) Gift Cards: So easy, but who doesn’t love receiving a Starbucks gift card, Target gift card, etc.? And it doesn’t even have to be much. I’ve received $5 Starbucks gift cards and was over the moon appreciative. Easy. Simple and something that your favorite teacher will be sure to use.
2) Banner: Have your class work on creating a big banner with messages from everyone, and hang it in the room when your teacher walks in. This idea is definitely cost effective, but incredibly thoughtful. Trust me – thoughtful gifts of appreciation mean the most!
3) Food: Are you part of a band booster organization or PTA? Pitch the idea to treat teachers to lunch! When I asked my friends about the best teacher appreciation surprise they had ever had, most of them talked about food! Breakfasts, Lunches, Treats. Teachers LOVE this. If you are a student, maybe bake some cookies or find out what your teacher’s favorite snack is!
4) Handwritten Note: By far, this was the gift that the majority of the teachers that responded to my inquiry appreciated the most. And lucky for you, it just might be one the easiest things you can do. Get a nice note card, get a plain lined sheet of paper – heck, write it on a napkin (preferably clean)! But just tell your teacher WHY you think they are amazing, and just how they have touched your life. I promise you, your teacher doesn’t hear it enough. Writing it down will let them hold on to it, and I bet your teacher will hold on to that note for years after you leave their classroom. Think I’m exaggerating? Check out this video from Scott Lang where he talks about his “Happy Files” and encourages other teachers to start theirs!
5) Feature your teacher on the MFA blog: We want to know ALL about the amazing teachers in your lives. So, what better way to appreciate them than telling the world about how great they are! Send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. about why you want to thank your teacher this week, and I will include it in a blog post this week during our weeklong Teacher Appreciation celebration. (If you have a photo to share of you and your teacher, or just your teacher, even better!) I’ll then share the posts on Facebook and Twitter so we can both do our best to try and make your teacher internet famous!
Links to some even more great ideas:
https://www.edutopia.org/teacher-appreciation-parent-resources
https://redtri.com/fresh-ideas-for-teacher-appreciation-week/
https://www.pinterest.com/jbuller/teacher-appreciation-week/
There are so many ways you can go about showing your teachers appreciation this week. From simple to elaborate, there’s no “right” way to do it. But for your teachers, who work so hard to help you become the best possible version of yourself, it will mean the world. So whether you pick up a Starbucks gift card or sit down to write a personal letter from your heart, please just take a moment to step out of your busy life and thank a teacher for making a difference.
