First of all, let me just say that if you didn’t read that headline in the voice of the renowned musical group the Spice Girls, you should go back and try again before reading the next few lines of this post, and here’s the reason from A-to-Z…
So, here’s the story from me, Livi
You wanna say “merci,” you gotta read this carefully.
We got teachers in the place who show your kids grace,
We got staff who make ya laugh and like it on a…
Education might be free, but teachers need more salary,
And as for me, I’m just a lady,
Writin’ this blog post cause teachers never boast,
So you should read this post, then go thank them all the most.
*insert round of applause and a curtsy*
In all seriousness though, Teacher Appreciation Week is coming quickly (May 5–9, 2025) and teachers deserve to be celebrated and thanked. But before you place that order of notebooks and coffee mugs that read some version of “Best Teacher Ever,” here are some suggestions directly from teachers.
READ: What School Teachers Wish You Knew
What Teachers DO Want
I asked several educators, “What do you actually want from parents and students during Teacher Appreciation Week?” and here are the responses:
- Gift cards (Amazon, Visa, favorite restaurant or store, etc.)
- Their favorite snacks/treats/beverages.
- Lunch or coffee brought to school that week.
- Gift certificate for a spa day.
- A break where parents volunteer to supervise field day, chaperone field trips, read to the class, proctor a test, etc.
- Lottery scratch-offs.
- Thank you cards with a family photo so they can look back and remember them after the student has left their class. (This answer made my eyes all damp.)
- Nice tumblers or water bottles.
- Donations of popular/new books.
- Homemade art.
- Needed classroom supplies (and/or other items from their Amazon Wishlist).
- Healthy snacks to keep in the classroom.
- A random coffee or tea at drop-off.
- “I love when parents do something little each day. Like one day is a nice card, one day a snack, favorite drink, etc. (This is what I do for my kids’ teachers!)
- “Just a simple, genuine hug and thank you. Teaching is tough.” (My eyes are wet again.)
- “A simple handwritten note from a student is one of the best gifts. I can’t tell you what gifts came from whom 20 years down the road, but I keep every single one of those notes and letters. Whenever I do a mass reorganization or move to a new space, I find the folder and look through them.” (From a former teacher of mine… so sweet!)
- Funding the teacher’s Donors Choose project (If you’re not familiar with this, it’s a platform that allows teachers to create a project and fundraising goal to accomplish it, then it connects donors to that project. A huge way to support teachers!)
- “Just a thank you. Literally, that’s it!”
What Teachers DON’T Want
In addition to asking what they do want, I also asked them what they don’t want. Before I share those answers, I want to make a point to say that every teacher is different and none of these wants or non-wants are true for every teacher. I encourage you to ask your kids’ teachers what they do and don’t want (I have a tip/tool for this later in the post) and use that in combination with the ideas in this post to guide you.
- Nothing that takes up space or needs to be stored somewhere (like tote bags, cups, baskets, little stuff from Dollar Tree, etc.)
- Nothing with apples on it.
- No mugs, please.
- “I don’t personally like general teacher gifts, coffee mugs, or flowers. I would rather you use the money for a gift card.”
Something else teachers have shared with me on many occasions is that they really love being appreciated and supported throughout the year and not just during Teacher Appreciation Week. When I was a preschool teacher, I had parents give me a “Favorites Form” at the beginning of the year, and they would bring little surprises throughout the year to show me their love. It was one of the best ways I’ve ever been thanked, so when I became a mom, I did this for my kids’ teachers as well. Below is a picture of the form that I send in with my kids, and you can download a copy of it here.
Teaching has never been an easy career, and in today’s world, it’s harder than it’s ever been. The last way that we can support educators and schools is by remembering our teachers and their well-being, safety, pay, hours, support systems, other school services required for them to be able to teach, etc. when we go to vote. Whether an election is for school board seats, local government, state, or federal level seats, our votes matter and impact the availability of high-quality teachers and schools where our kids will be loved and can blossom into the adults that we hope they become.
For additional teacher appreciation ideas that I love, visit my Pinterest board!
