There has never been a better time to thank a teacher! We can all agree that this last year was filled with never ending changes and challenges for our teachers. Educators were asked to modify content and adapt to virtual teaching with very little time to prepare. Parents saw first hand the time and sacrifice that goes into daily lesson planning and online classroom management. It is time to show our teachers a little love! This blog is meant to give you some great ideas or help inspire one of your own!
Make it healthy!
Your teacher deserves a healthy way to say “thank you” and finish out the school year. Here are some ideas that just might work.
- Pick up some fresh vegetables at your local farmers market or grocery. Arrange in a cute basket with a healthy recipe. Find a recipe from our Eat Smart Recipes database.
- Local coffee or tea is not hard to find and can make a special gift paired with a new mug.
- Fill a basket with healthy snacks for a late afternoon pick-me-up. Some favorites include: nuts, dried fruit, popcorn, pretzels, and dark chocolate. This year it is best to give packaged treats rather than homemade.
- A gift card for an exercise class is a great way to say, “I know this is stressful, and I appreciate you!”
- Grab some local honey or maple syrup at a shop or Farmer’s Market. These items sure do make a “sweet” gift.
Make it personal!
At the start of a new school year teachers frequently share a little about themselves. If you have access to this information make sure you consider it when showing appreciation. Do they like to garden? Who is their favorite author? What is their favorite snack? The more you know…the more personal the gift can be.
- Have a reusable cup or mug personalized for your teacher. This gift would allow the teacher to fill with water during the summer and in the classroom next year.
- Giving a practical gift for the classroom is always appreciated as well. Teachers will never turn away supplies that will enrich the learning environment for your kiddos.
- Encourage a new hobby for your teacher -- gardening! Give a small basket filled with seeds to start their own mini garden at home.
Make it creative!
- Let your child get in on the “thank you” by making a “one of a kind” card or work of art!
- Your child may want to practice his/her emerging writing skills by writing a letter or poem.
- Record your child thanking his/her teacher and text it or message it to them.
- You may not be able to go into the school this year, but you can still offer to volunteer to plan an end of year event such as field day.
Make it together!
- Come together with other classroom parents to coordinate a gift. Get together with a few other parents to donate a little to minimize the cost for everyone! A gift card can then be purchased to a popular local restaurant!
- With permission from the teacher/school, use the class list to send home a message to each family. Include instructions for each child to create a page for an end of the year gift. You can include a writing prompt that each child has to complete such as:
What is so special about my teacher? or My favorite memory of this year is…
Instruct parents to put the work in a sealed envelope and send the completed page back to school.Collect the pages and create a book to present to the teacher on behalf of the entire class.
Just a little tip!
Don’t wait until the end of the year to “show the love”. You will make a teacher’s day with an unexpected and thoughtful treat any day of the year!
