Who deserves appreciation more than those in charge of teaching future generations? In this post, I want to share with you some creative ways to appreciate teachers that are memorable and helpful. The stereotypical and very dated way to appreciate a teacher is to give them a shiny red apple, but what are some modern ways to appreciate them? In this post, I will provide some fun and helpful ideas.
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How do teachers want to be appreciated?
Better pay and compensation for their difficult job would be a start, but with that out of our control, what can we do to help and appreciate them simultaneously?
1. Help Alleviate Financial Burdens
Did you know, according to statistics, over 90% of teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies, and many without reimbursement?
With that being said, what can we do to help?
- Donate classroom supplies, pencils, crayons, notebooks, rulers, erasers, etc. This helps the teacher and students who cannot afford supplies have the essentials they need for learning.
- Donate tissues and hand sanitizers. Teachers often need these supplies year-round for their students to keep germs at bay.
- Participate in fundraisers in which the funds go directly to the classroom.
2. Find out if the teacher has an Amazon Wishlist.
Amazon isn’t just for retail therapy at midnight while snacking on a bag of chocolates. (I’m not the only one who does that, right?)
Ask the teacher if they have a classroom Amazon wishlist they’d like to share. With a wishlist, you can see the teacher’s needs or wants during the school year.
This will allow you to donate relevant items and help the teacher and classroom simply and effectively.
Otherwise, Amazon has a great selection of teachers’ appreciation gifts here.
Besides Donating Items and Money, What Are Some Creative Ways To Appreciate Teachers?
3. Make a teacher appreciation video.
This can be of you or your student telling the teacher how much they are appreciated. Explain how the teacher has impacted the student’s learning or contributed to their betterment. Express gratitude for all the guidance and help the teacher has given throughout the year.
If it is a new teacher at the start of the school year, a student could record what they hope to gain from the classroom experience and tell the teacher how excited they are to begin a new year.
4. Custom Jewelry
One of the best creative ways to appreciate teachers is to make a lovely custom piece of jewelry, such as a necklace or bracelet, that creatively conveys that the teacher is appreciated.
It can contain a message, initials, or teacher-related charms.
You can make custom jewelry from beads or even resin. Resin is a fun art medium to work with, and it is very customizable. If you’ve never worked with resin, I highly recommend reading my beginner guide for resin here.
5. Classroom Sign
You can make a custom classroom sign inexpensively with just a few supplies. Find a simple wood blank with a hanger, or you can hot glue your own hanger onto the sign.
Use sticker vinyl, sticker letters, or markers to write the teacher’s name and message. “Mrs. Craig’s Class,” for example. You can see my sign tutorial on Pinterest if you’d like to check that out.
6. Create An Appreciation Book
A teacher appreciation book can be a collection of thoughts or heartfelt messages from students and parents, or drawings that represent a child’s learning experience for the year.
The sky is the limit, so this is definitely one of the most creative ways to appreciate teachers.
If you need to find papercraft supplies, you can likely find them inexpensively at Dollar Tree or one of my personal favorite’s, Craft Stash.
7. Appreciation Jar
Use a simple mason jar, decorate it, then fill it with messages from students and parents. This is similar to an appreciation book, except you do not have to worry about binding it or anything complicated.
This is a great inexpensive, creative way to appreciate your favorite teacher and make their day.
8. Wall Mural
This one may take some coordination with the school, but when it comes to appreciating their teachers, they are usually more than agreeable. This can be a group teacher appreciation mural, or it can be for one teacher with the help of students.
This is a challenging yet one of the most creative ways to appreciate teachers.
See if you can coordinate to get each student to come to add something to the mural for the teacher(s). It can be messages or pictures. You can also hang up a poster.
9. Teacher’s Day Out
For this activity, classroom parents can plan and fund a fun teacher’s day out to places they enjoy. If they like to golf or shop somewhere specific, it can be arranged for them to do that activity with preorganized vouchers.
Giving a teacher much-needed recreational time is a beautiful way to show appreciation.
10. Gift Basket
This is one of my ultimate favorite creative ways to appreciate teachers. Make a gift basket filled with great teacher-related gifts, including gift cards to Amazon for them to buy whatever they want or help supply the classroom.
You can also include gift cards for favorite restaurants, flowers, snacks, student notes, cards, or customized items.
Don’t Forget To Appreciate The Teachers Who Are Important To You
I hope this blog post boosts your creativity, inspiring you to find the most creative ways to appreciate teachers for what they do. I know it’s tough to show gratitude to everyone but trust me, our teachers could definitely use it.
Excellent teachers have this knack for making a school year feel full of fun and excitement. Making learning enjoyable isn’t easy, but those who manage to do it are true superheroes. They’re the ones we never forget.
So, why not grab every chance to appreciate teachers? I’m pretty sure they’ll love whatever heartfelt idea you have!
