Last updated on April 26th, 2024 at 11:42 pm
Right before a teacher packs up his clsasroom for the summer, something glorious happens.
(Or– depending how it’s celebrated– a week of lackluster attempts at fanfare comes and goes.)
However a school or classroom of families celebrates a teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week, it can be a five-day period that shows educators some well-deserved appreciation for all they do.
If you’re looking for a memorable but useful gift, something to bring a radiant smile to that special teacher’s face, I’ve got some gift ideas for you. Let’s dive in!
Why even give a teacher appreciation gift?
I’ll preface this article by saying that students and families should not feel required to give teachers gifts.
Teachers are paid professionals, after all. And giving exorbitant gifts can sometimes put a teacher in an awkward position. I mean, you can imagine how Jimmy’s report card started looking after his parents donated thousands of dollars to the classroom…
Gift giving can pose a conflict of interest at times, in a field that’s supposed to be made as fair as possible. Teachers need to think of their entire class, not just one child. Playing favorites isn’t something that should result from gifts.
Despite these situations, I’m still a major fan of teacher appreciation gifts. I think when given genuinely, and not excessively, they can be a perfect item to cheer up or help out an educator in your child’s life.
Some people may not think twice about tipping the barista that made them a latte at the press of a button. But what about their child’s teacher– a person likely overworked and overwhelmed– who has been a source of instruction and inspiration day after day, despite the numerous obstacles?
A person who has stopped children from eating school supplies
and tied countless pairs of shoes
and held in curse words when absolute mayhem ensued
and has cheerfully taught your child along with a whole class of children, day after day.
I think it’s a great idea to let a teacher (or a few!) know that their important work is not unseen, that it is appreciated.
Teacher appreciation gifts by personality type
Ideas for the minimalist teacher
This is the type of teacher who is afraid of clutter. Though she appreciates all of the student artwork that gets gifted to her, she is really one of those people described in the Marie Kondo books that can thank the artwork for its purpose, and, two seconds later, throw it in the trash.
Because clutter.
Full disclosure– I would like to be this kind of teacher and human. But I am not. I’m a sentimentalist!
The minimalist teacher will have no problem driving unnecessary gifts straight to the thrift shop drive-through lane. Who can blame him? He’s got a lot to deal with already in that classroom. So show your appreciation by giving her things she’d truly use:
- Fresh flowers (These can be enjoyed for a short time and then discarded)
- Gift cards
- A classroom item or material she’s expressed a need for
Ideas for the tired teacher
Alright, so this describes most teachers.
The job is pretty demanding. Maybe this fits the bill for a teacher who is also a mom to littles. Or a Kindergarten teacher. Or a third-grade teacher, who also, on the side, directs the spring musical every year.
It’s not hard to spot these teachers. The tired teachers will be forever grateful for any and all help. Gifts especially precious to tired teachers are:
- Coffee, coffee makers, coffee making supplies, coffee shop gift cards
- Gift cards for massages, other self-care options, and convenience options like Grub Hub and Instacart
- Dinner. In to-go bags or gift cards or an invitation to your house. This teacher probably daydreams about someone cooking for her after a long day!
- Volunteer to show up and take any task off their plate. Give them time to really think about how best to use you, but know that any classroom help will truly bless this teacher!
The fun-loving teacher
This teacher loves to have a good time! She always seems to be telling the kids stories about her adventures and excursions. If it weren’t inappropriate to bring a bottle of wine onto school property, I’d totally recommend that as a gift for this hoot-and-a-half! But I won’t, because you’ll probably get her in trouble, which is the reverse of what you want to achieve here.
Some gift ideas for the fun-loving teacher include:
- An at-home movie bucket filled with movie snacks, popcorn, maybe a fun DVD if they still make those
- A tongue-in-cheek, funny T-shirt, like this “Teaching is a Walk in the Park” (Jurassic Park, that is!) tee!
- Restaurant or experience gift cards
- Gear for an upcoming trip she’s announced (Flip flops for a beach vacay, knit beanie for a snowy trip!)
The sweet-toothed teacher
This one describes me. I’ll always appreciate food gifts (hence: the blog title, Chocolate for the Teach!).
With these types of teachers, you can’t go wrong wrapping up fanciful chocolates or hot chocolate bombs or macarons…. you get the picture.
The sweet-toothed teacher will appreciate:
- Coffee or tea
- Coffe creamer, condiments for her mini fridge
- Cold drinks like sodas, kombucha, seltzer waters, etc. for her mini fridge
- A mini fridge, compact cooler, or Keurig if she doesn’t have one
- Restaurant gift cards
- Food gifts, including boxes of chocolates, Edible Arrangements, homebaked goods, upscale spices or other desserts
The sentimental teacher
I have a hunch that most elementary teachers (unless a minimalist, see above) fit this category. Maybe because teaching little people can be so gosh darn cute and special and hard at times. We like to hold onto the precious memories, right?
The sentimental teacher is possibly the most easy to please of the bunch. He’ll appreciate:
- Handwritten cards from the student
- Artwork by a student or the class
- Framed photos of the student or class
- A poem about teaching in frames
- Little figurines that will sit on the corner of her desk collecting dust, but when she looks at it, she’ll remember your family and all of those fuzzy feelings!
The crunchy teacher
I’m not sure there are tons of crunchy teachers out there, but I have to go for it.
You’ll know the teacher is crunchy if she doesn’t use microwaves, wears all-natural fibers and talks about grounding, using less plastic, and purifying water. She probably has a small jungle of indoor plants in the room and at least one recycling station.
The crunchy teacher will enjoy:
- Organic, locally-sourced flowers in a mason jar
- A homemade (or Farmer’s market bought!) boule of sourdough
- Homemade anything
- Kefir grains or kombucha
- 100% organic cotton or linen reusable napkins/tissues
- Tallow candle
- A nice basket
- Wooden items
- Local, raw honey
What not to get a teacher for teacher appreciation week
I’m usually in the it’s-the-thought-that-counts camp when it comes to teacher gifts. One of my favorite student gifts in the world was a mug that said “World’s Best Grandma.” It was special to me because he used his own money at the school holiday shop on that, for me.
I’ve been the recipient of many strange and wonderful gifts, and I’ve seen the beauty in them.
Even still, there are a few things I’d keep away from. These things are the most likely to go unused by the teacher. At worse, it creates more trouble for the teacher because then he or she has to find out what to do with it.
I’d stay away from:
- Personal care/hygiene items (Each person’s preferences are so vastly different when it comes to these– you are not likely to get it right. Don’t foist some awkward bunion cream on the teacher that she now has to rehome.)
- Anything that creates more work for the teacher (Yes, complicated classroom materials may seem like a great gift, but leaving the teacher in charge of setting it all up in her spare time will leave her wishing that maybe you didn’t…)
- Anything offensive or suggestive
- Mugs (Unless he or she is a first-year teacher. After that first year of teaching, each teacher suddenly owns 246 mugs. It’s a rite of passage, and they usually don’t need more.)
A teacher to appreciate and remember
This Teacher Appreciation Week, I’d implore you to not get caught up in the weeds scoping out the perfect gift. Honestly, the job of teaching is super tough these days, but most teachers are relatively easy to please.
Practicing simple kindness, saying thank you, offering to lending a hand, and supporting the teacher and your child in the midst of their behavior issues instead of defaulting to combativeness are all wonderfully effective methods for lightening a teacher’s load– which translates into better education for the children overall.
Gifts are thoughtful, appreciated, and can even be loved for years to come, but outsized kindness and helpfulness will bless the socks off any educator. Try these first, then pursue gift-giving if you feel lead, and see how you can help out the wonderful teachers in your life.
Oh, and if there are substitute teachers around on Teacher Appreciation Week? Be sure to thank them, too!
