Top Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas and Themes
Teacher Appreciation Week has served as a time to honor teachers and educational staff in schools America since 1985. It’s a great way to recognize their hard work and dedication, and to express gratitude for all they do to make your school a success.
If you’re looking for unforgettable ways to celebrate your teachers and staff, here are some interesting, resourceful, and cost-effective ideas for you and your students to show appreciation. Try one of the concepts below to recognize your faculty’s dedication, whether you’re welcoming teachers back from summer break, observing a birthday, or holding a special celebration.
What to do for Teacher Appreciation Week
• Invite your teachers to a before-school appreciation breakfast. Attach invitations to mugs and place them on teachers’ desks. Have a coffee cart ready in the teachers’ lounge the morning of the breakfast, and provide healthy options for the menu like fruits and whole-grain items, including bagels or English muffins. And coffee, of course!
• Get students involved by letting them show off their creativity. Have kids create a fun project to thank their teacher for all they do to help them learn and succeed. Whether they make a scrapbook of the school year, write a special poem about how much they admire their teacher, or decorate the classroom door with special mementos, students are sure to want to be included.
• Give out special teacher appreciation gifts to the members of your faculty featuring heartfelt recognition slogans and beautifully designed artwork. From colorful t-shirts and stylish bags to handy drinkware items and supplies, there are so many ways to praise your teachers and staff!
How to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week
• Let them scream for ice cream! Hold a good old-fashioned ice cream social one day of Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week. Stock the celebration with a variety of popular ice cream toppings, such as hot fudge, sprinkles, cherries, cookie crumbles, and fresh fruit. Be sure to get at least five flavors of ice cream to cover everyone’s favorites.
• Create a special edition of the school newsletter and distribute it every day of the week to recognize a different Teacher of the Day. Have students provide quotes and testimonials about the teachers, or have faculty fill out a questionnaire giving everyone fun info like their background, favorite book and movie, or favorite vacation spot. You can also acknowledge a different staff member each day during the morning announcements.
• Hold a pep rally to surprise teachers on the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week. Get the student chorus, band, and drama club to create special songs or skits for entertainment. Some students can also make short, fun speeches and present teachers and staff members with gifts of appreciation.
Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas & Themes
• Hold a poster contest where each classroom or group of students can compete to see who makes the most creative appreciation posters. Get senior staff members to be judges and announce the winners on the last day of the week. Reward the winners with a pizza party or special Field Day that celebrates both the class and the teacher who inspires them.
• Feature your teachers in the school hallways by designating a space near the principal’s office spotlighting a different teacher each day. Create a poster of the teacher and a short bio, with information on their teaching background, hobbies, and inspiring quotes from students. Decorate the area with themes such as “Our Teachers Rock”, “A Teacher’s Influence Can Never Be Erased”, or “Great Teachers Inspire for a Lifetime”.
• Invite parents to an open house at your school during a special celebratory evening for teachers and staff. Encourage parents to write thank you letters and place them in small gifts or bags that can be distributed at the end of the event. Have members of the student government give short speeches about the faculty for some extra recognition.
• Give teachers a reason to show off their talents outside the classroom! Whether they can sing, dance, play music, or any extracurricular skill, creating a Teacher Talent Show will provide an unforgettable event filled with dazzling fun. Invite students, parents, and staff, possibly turning the night into a fundraiser for a future catered reception thanking the wonderful teachers on your team.
