Hooray for teachers! Teacher Shelly wrote into the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE last week asking, “Is there anything I could do to help celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week this week at my school?” Below, check out our Helpliners’ free (or almost free) ideas to celebrate and show appreciation for your teacher colleagues!
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Create Wordles about your coworkers and mount them on cardstock. “Teachers love them.” —Diane M.
Give them a break! Ashley H. shared this awesome idea: Give your fellow teachers bathroom breaks. One day of Teacher Appreciation Week, spend your prep period visiting other teachers’ classrooms, letting them take a little break while you watch their class. You could also “take their kids to lunch and recess to give the teacher an extra-long lunch—just tell her in advance, so she can plan!” —Marcie R.
Write a letter. Ask your students to write letters to their favorite teachers, explaining what they like best about their classes. “Then post the letters on the teachers’ doors.” —Terri M.
“Write a handwritten thank you note to a coworker. Include an uplifting quote or share a great story of how our kids need them in their lives.” —Kim M.
Mobilize the parent community. Susan W.’s school had parent volunteers take over recess duty, while Jacky B.’s PTA had parent volunteers deep-clean the teachers’ room. “The custodians just don’t have time to really scrub it,” she says. Yes, please!
Have a May Secret Santa. “Draw names secretly and then decorate each other’s classroom doors.” —Marilyn G.
Incorporate appreciation into your lesson. “Last year, as a warm-up, I gave every student an index card. I told them to write a name of a teacher at the school and then write what they appreciated about that teacher. They could remain anonymous or write their names, and then I put the cards in the teachers’ mailboxes. It was free and took five minutes!” —Rebecca M.
You could also use one of these 35+ freebie teacher appreciation printables in your lesson.
If all else fails, give the gift of savings. Forward this post to your colleagues for the skinny on teacher deals and freebies to cash in on this week!
