Happy Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Teachers devote their lives to our children. They make sure that students are educated and not just for success in the classroom, but also for their future career and even life. Have you thanked your teacher recently for their hard work? Put it on your calendar for Teacher Appreciation Week. You can make a commitment to one of the ideas below to show your appreciation to teachers in the world around you.

What Is Teacher Appreciation Week?

Teachers Appreciation Week is an opportunity designated in May to honor teachers. The celebration that lasts for a week is one of the outcomes a 40-year campaign to establish a nationwide celebration of teacher appreciation. The National Education Association (NEA) the first Wisconsin educator known as Ryan Krug began writing to the political establishment in 1944 concerning the need for a national holiday to acknowledge teachers for their tireless work and dedication to their students. Arkansas Teacher Mattie Whyte Woodridge joined the cause. The teacher wrote Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded Congress to establish the date as National Teachers Day.

“I have always felt that we did not give an honorable enough place in our communities to the teachers,” Roosevelt wrote in her newspaper column “My Day,” after Congress declared the first day of the month of March to be National Teachers Day. “Next to parents they are the most important people in our communities.”

In 1985 The National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week. The NEA later voted to celebrate National Teachers Day on the Tuesday of the Appreciation Week.

When Is National Teacher Appreciation Week in 2023?

We all are aware that every day is the perfect day to thanking teachers. Since 1985, the celebration of teachers takes place in the beginning of the full week in May each year, culminating with National Teacher Day on the Tuesday of the week. The Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 begins on May 8, Monday and runs through May 12, the day after Friday.

Simple Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Are you looking for a unique method to express “thank you” this Teacher Appreciation Week? These suggestions for principals, parents and caregivers are certain to help teachers appreciate they are valued. Look out our Virtual Teacher Appreciation Ideas for more ways to honor educators.

Make a Thank-You Video

Create an invitation to call to “thank-you” videos on your school’s Facebook page, website or on Twitter or Instagram accounts. Your invitation could read like this: Do you have a teacher that is inspiring to you? Tell them! Write yourself or your child’s thanking an educator. Make use of one of these prompts:

Thanks, (Teacher’s name) Thank you to ______ .
(Teacher’s name) made a huge impact in my own life by _____ .
Thank you to (Teacher’s name), I’m now capable of “_____ .

Thank You with Thumbprint Art

Principals and parents, caregivers, and teachers Pay attention. Here’s a creative method to say “thank you” to the teachers in your life. You can give them an work of art based on the thumbprints of their students. Print and download onto cardstock the thumbprint templates below. Below the words “Thanks for Lifting Us Up” is the picture of a person who is holding balloon strings. Students’ thumbprints should be placed above that balloon string. Use colorful tempera paint or ink pads to create thumbprints that look like balloons. We’ve included the example completed thumbprint art work that which you can download.

Discounts, Deals, and Freebies

A lot of local and national companies offer discounts, deals and even freebies during teacher Appreciation Week. Conduct some research and provide teachers with a complete list of the items they can avail. You can include the HMH’s free teaching materials as well as holidays activities as well as lesson programs in your list. Also, think about asking to a local company to offer muffins, coffee, or tea or even lunch as a gift for teachers. Ask parents, older students or caregivers as well as school personnel to look up offers for teachers, write notes for local businesses asking for assistance in by honoring teachers, and then send “thank you” notes to businesses who step up.

Give a Teachers a Break!

Principals, we know that teachers are doing their best in the classroom and at night. Offer them a bit of “me time” to show your gratitude. We’ve designed coupons that you can give to your teachers. Choose from the four Coupons for Teacher Recognition that offer teachers:

Protection for one class time
Aid with classroom activities like putting up a poster board or marking papers
Permission to skip one or more meetings of their preference
Lunch, relief from recess or any other duty

Print out the coupons and start spreading joy throughout your school. Do you have enough coupons to give to each teacher? Think about giving them away.

“Thank You” Door Décor

Decorate your classroom’s doorways for teacher Appreciation Week. Get volunteers involved. Here are some suggestions:

Super Shutouts: Cut out block letters that say: Shutouts to _____________(teacher’s name), and tape them to the teacher’s door. Every student is given an A-Z notepad. Write down one thing on it that they love regarding their instructor. Be sure to sign their name. Then, cover the door with notes.
Flowers Power Then, cut out blocks of letters which read “Thank You for Helping Us Grow!” Then, ask students to make the flower out made of paper and then write their name in the center of the stem. It is also possible to put an image of the child photo from the child in the center the flower. Then, tape the letters and flowers on the front door.
Wishing on the Star: Cut construction paper into stars. Each student will be given a star. Ask them: What is your wish regarding your teacher? Let them write it on the star and then sign their name. Place the stars in the front door.
Help Teachers: Have students trace their hands onto construction paper and cut the paper out and write down a ways their teacher has helped them. It is important that they make sure they sign their names. Then, cover the door with handwriting on the paper.

Fulfill a Wish

Send out surveys to discover out what materials your teachers need to complete an activity that requires hands-on. Are you unable to purchase the materials? Make an offer to write an award to help fund the project via Donors Choose. Ask staff, parents, caregivers as well as friends to assist out.

Cover a Class

Take a break for teachers. Retake a lesson of a teacher during the duration of a class period. Make use of the time to let students write a note or card thanking teachers, or to schedule speakers during the class. You could also have a town-hall for every grade (this allows you can give several teachers an opportunity to take breaks simultaneously) to see how students are doing and how their school work is progressing and what improvements could enhance their learning.

Read All About It!

You can check out an advertisement in the local paper to celebrate the commitment of teachers in your district or school. The advertisement could include student testimonials about the ways their teachers have influenced them. Inspire the whole community to express appreciation by posting shutouts on social media platforms, by writing thank-you letters or cards, or gift certificates to local businesses to teachers they’ve met.