It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, a time to recognize the people who play such a significant role in the lives of millions of children every day. We hope you are finding time to honor and celebrate those on the front lines who are helping our children learn and grow.
Here are 10 ways to show your appreciation:
1. Coordinate with other families to create a poster (perhaps using Post-It notes) or a thank-you book for the teacher. Check out this blog that details how to make a teacher appreciation poster. Its suggestions such as using a bunch of ribbons or adding torn fabric or yarn in a knot to add a pop of dimension and color!
2. Send a gift card to you child’s teacher. Many centers send out lists of a teacher’s favorite things. Ask your center if they will be sharing this kind of information. For example, this teacher’s favorite things form allows teachers to share their favorite restaurant, sports team, snack, flower and more!
3. Encourage your child to write a letter noting something special that a teacher has done for him or her recently. Young learners in ECE may be better equipped to draw a picture and have a family member write a note.
4. Find out and drop off the teacher’s favorite treat. If you’d rather not give a gift card to a teacher’s favorite restaurant, consider dropping off a treat you know he or she loves! You can enlist your child’s help on this one to ask the teacher about favorite desserts or snacks. In general, it’s a good idea to buy pre-packaged foods from a store.
6. If money is tight, you can get creative to share your appreciation in ways that don’t cost anything! Record a video of your child sharing his or her favorite thing about the teacher. Consider asking your child to dance or sing a song that includes the teacher’s name, or keep it simple by recording a message that your child can ab lib!
7. Write a letter expressing your gratitude for all this person does.
“Writing a personalized letter to a loved one requires time, patience, and energy, which is why they are much more cherished. So many hold onto handwritten letters as long-term and thoughtful gifts that they can reread them repeatedly,” writes blogger and happiness life coach Seriah Sargenton. “Also, people enjoy looking at the little details that went into writing this gift, such as the curves, tiny punctuation hearts, and even the shapes hidden between the letters.”
And if you prefer, sending an email to express your appreciation is nice as well.
8. Share posts on social media of how this person has impacted your child’s life and include the hashtag #ThankATeacher. Search this hashtag on your preferred social media channel for ideas of how to word your post if you’re struggling.
9. Offer 30 or 60 minutes of your time that the teacher can cash in for extra help in the classroom. You could offer to lead story time or do a craft with kids!
10. Coordinate a fundraiser to raise money for next year’s classroom supplies. Not only does a fundraiser help a teacher buy needed supplies, it also builds community by fostering a sense of belonging and collaboration. Children can learn valuable life skills such as teamwork, creativity and the importance of giving back to the community through participation in fundraising activities! Check out this blog to get child care fundraising ideas for each season of the year.
Thank You, Teachers!
Procare Solutions values the work of ECE teachers and we want to extend our sincere thanks for all they do to nurture and care for young learners!
We are proud to support centers through Procare’s staff management tools that help centers and schools schedule, track hours and benefits, manage staff clock in/out, administer daycare payroll and maintain staff information easily and seamlessly.
We understand that staff is the most important asset of a child care operations and spending time on managing schedules means less time available to train and nurture teachers. Procare’s staff management capabilities streamline these tasks so directors and owners can spend time more time on mentoring and managing their professional development.
Learn more about how Procare can help with staff management, including maintaining payroll records, managing staff schedules and keeping handy important staff records including timecard hours, immunizations, employee profiles and more!
