Best Gifts for Teachers: Teacher Appreciation Week

Picture me as a chicken with my head cut off. Chickens with their heads cut off don’t run around multi tasking and getting things done. They run around wildly because their head is cut off and then they die. I’m not going to die but I am going to give myself a heart attack.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, the week when we say to our kid’s teachers, “Hey! Thanks!” Because teaching is a job which requires buckets of patience I do not have, creativity I can’t muster and a sense of responsibility for the way kids learn which would send me running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off. Both those things are very stressful, setting the tone for the future learning of hundreds of children and having your head cut off. One more than the other.

I’m giving you quick, simple, non-cluttery and thoughtful gift ideas to let your teacher know she is appreciated even though you’re unable to manage your time and do something before the night before the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week.

My school organizes something called Pie Friday (this year it was on a Thursday). Parents volunteer to bake (or buy) pies and they are distributed to all the teachers in the school. I hope whoever gets my pie enjoys it because, wow, I don’t make pie very often and it was a labor of appreciation. Heavy on the labor and the burning of fingers. You could make or buy a baked good(s) for your teacher and send it into class tomorrow. I often send in a few slices of banana bread when I make it and it never fails to make our teacher know I’m thinking of her. You could add a note which reads, “I’m bananas about you!” if you like making your kid feel sort of stupid because he has a parent who makes really bad jokes.

Skip To My Lou has compiled a list with lots of great ideas for you. My friend asked me over a week ago for some appreciation ideas and I said, “I’ll look!” Then teacher appreciation week came and well, I sent Andrea to Skip To My Lou because I can’t seem to get it together. There are tons of simple ideas with cute little sayings to go with them, not lame ones like the banana one. On the way home you could grab a vase of flowers and attach a tag which reads, “Thanks for helping [your child’s name] bloom this year!” Excellent.

The National PTA site has other good ideas for teachers from actual teachers. Although one teacher in the article is really cheesing it up when he says he wishes for, ““room full of students who are in class every day full of curiosity and a desire to learn.” Jim, cut it out. Teachers ranked thank you cards from parents as their favorite gift and edible goods as their least favorite. Oh dear, so much for Pie Thursday! My daughter has had several teachers which helped her come out of her shell and feel secure at school. Without them, I’m certain she would hate school today, I’ve written thank you letters to the teachers I feel helped her the most so they know their skill with my very sensitive daughter is not misssed. They also suggest giving things to help in the classroom, kindergartners plow through glue sticks and I think some teachers are afraid to ask for more donations. A quick trip to Target after work and you’ll have a pile of helpful items (glue sticks, markers, tissue) for the class room.

Martha Stewart never lets me down, I let Martha Stewart down by being so scattered and far too late to use any of the lovely craft ideas on her site.  Here she shows you 7 DIY gifts you can make to show your appreciation.  I also love this clipboard idea.

Good luck, we’ve got less than 24 hours. Next year, I will be more organized.
(Ha!)