6 Creative Ways to Celebrate Your Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week
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National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 8th - May 12th, 2023. Let’s take the opportunity during this special week to thank our wonderful teachers that help our children and impact their future.
Research shows that when our teachers feel appreciated, they are more satisfied with their profession and overall happier. Showing our teachers appreciation has also been proven to improve staff morale and the overall work environment.
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Here are 6 creative and inexpensive ways to celebrate your teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week:
1. Write a letter or leave sticky notes.
Never underestimate a good word. Leave daily sticky notes of appreciation in their classroom or on the check-in computer. If you still give paper checks, include a sweet sticky note with their payroll check.
If you have more time, consider writing a hand-written letter to each teacher or staff member telling each one what you appreciate about them. Mention a character trait or good quality that you admire. For example, if you have an infant teacher that NEVER calls in sick, tell her that you appreciate her faithfulness. Tell that always happy morning teacher that you appreciate how she cheerfully greets the parents in the morning.
2. Get your parents involved.
Post a flyer about Teacher Appreciation Week for your parents to see. Make a post on your social media. Ask them to get involved by bringing a special treat each day. You may want to offer a specific guide for them to follow or just allow them to be creative and do their own thing.
3. Plan a special treat for each day of the week.
This one is not free but can be done with a small budget. Pick something each day of the week to give to your teachers with a cute sign to display beside the goodies. For example:
Monday: Offer donuts with a cute sign that reads, “Donut what we’d do without you!”
Tuesday: Display a tray of cookies (homemade or store-bought) with a sign that reads, “Thanks for making our kids such smart cookies!”
Wednesday: Have a nacho bar during lunch (or just chips & cheese) with a flyer that reads “Nacho average teachers”.
Thursday: Offer a fresh fruit basket or a fruit tray with a sign that reads, “We couldn’t have picked better teachers”.
Friday: Order pizza during lunch. Place a sign beside the pizza that reads, “You have a pizza our heart”.
4. Make a “Staff Shout Out” display.
Use a poster board or turn a bulletin board into a wall of appreciation. Ask teachers to write little notes of appreciation to each other using sticky notes. Ask parents to write a note of appreciation to their child’s teacher. Have them place them on the board daily and fill the board throughout the week. Make sure they put the name of the person they are writing to and who it is from. Everyone will love walking by daily and reading the words of encouragement. Collect the sticky notes and give them to each teacher at the end of the week. Learn how to make the "Staff Shout Out" display on Pinterest here.
5. Hire a masseuse to give 5-minute chair massages.
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Our staff LOVED this. We hired a local masseuse to come to our facility at naptime (12:00pm-2:00pm) and give 5 minute chair massages in our break room. She brought her own massage chair and played relaxing music. She charged us $80 per hour (prices will vary of course). We have a staff of 20 so we could only allow 5 minutes, but you’ll be surprised how relaxing even 5 minutes can be. If you have a smaller staff, consider 10 or 15 minutes. Trust me! This idea is a winner!
6. Arrange a visit from the “candy fairy” or “chocolate fairy”.
Order a toy crown and fairy wand off of Amazon, fill a basket with candy or chocolate and walk around from class to class one wearing the crown and holding the wand. As you enter the class, say “greetings from the chocolate fairy! I’m here to bestow upon you a gift of chocolate!” or something fun like that. Allow them to pick something out of the basket. This is a fun surprise and a great afternoon pick me up! Be sure and take pictures to post on your social media.
Click here to see other Pinterest teacher appreciation ideas. Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for other great ideas.
Conclusion:
However you choose to celebrate your teachers, the most important thing is to make them feel special and loved. You’ll be surprised at the impact even the smallest acts of kindness can make.
What are some creative ways you have celebrated your teachers? Let us know in the comments below.
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