Ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week
Editors Note: Original post updated for 2012 with more ideas!
Teacher Appreciation Week is just two weeks away...are you ready?! Teachers work hard all year (for way too little pay) and are charged with the awesome responsibility of guiding our children's learning and inspiring their passions. They definitely deserve a week in the spotlight!
Some schools go all out and plan daily celebrations with banners, raffle prizes, luncheons and fanfare. Others take a more personal approach and invite parents and students to write thank you notes and send small remembrances to their beloved teachers.
If you don’t have plans yet, or are looking for an idea or two to round out the week – we’ve got you covered! We know that choosing a sweet surprise for teachers is not as challenging as planning the actual event and coordinating volunteers. Never fear! VolunteerSpot has you covered on that front too! We want to make sure that your teacher appreciation week planning is simple and stress-free.
Cindy H.M., a 4th grade mom in Asheville, NC sums it up:
“VolunteerSpot made it so easy to sign up to bring items for our teacher breakfast. What an easy way to be a working mom and stay involved! Great site!! Thanks for finally having something like this for all to use - and it's free!!”
Here are a few simple, tried and tested appreciation ideas that are sure to make your teachers smile and feel loved!
- Adopt-a-Teacher – Parents and administration take turns watching the class during the week so teachers can go out for a nice lunch. Ask a local restaurant to provide a special teacher discount.
- Community Bouquet – On a designated day, each student brings one flower (paper, from the garden or store...anything goes) to add to a class bouquet.
- Home Cooked Dinners – One family per day arranges to provide a home-cooked meal for the teacher to take home. Even something as simple as a pasta casserole and a green salad makes a teacher's day of appreciation carry over to her home.
- Morning Surprise – Every morning a different parent brings the teacher a steamy cuppa joe and breakfast treat (here in Texas it's gotta be a hot breakfast taco!). Teachers will be boosted with enough energy and love for the rest of the day!
- Random Acts of Kindness – Perform random acts of kindness for teachers. Whether it’s cleaning the classroom windows or reading to the class for an hour so that the teacher can take a break during the day, they will definitely feel appreciated.
- Teacher Lounge-O-Plenty – Families and local businesses can donate an array of baked goods and fruit to keep the teachers’ lounge totally packed with goodies all through the week.
Looking for more low cost/no cost teacher appreciation ideas? Please check out our free eBook: The Greatest Gift for Teachers (click here).
Would you like to save time (and sanity) getting everyone signed up to help during Teacher Appreciation Week? Please take a live or video tour of VolunteerSpot and get started today.
Hope this Teacher Appreciation Week is fun for everyone!
Please share your creative and fun Teacher Appreciation Week traditions by clicking "Comments" below - thanks!!
For more low-cost/no-cost ways to say Thanks, please see our free eBook: Volunteer Recognition from A-Z.
