Creative Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Inexpensive and Easy Ways to Thank Your Teacher

Parents, organize a classroom cleaning bee: Most teachers spend so much classroom time helping students, writing lessons plans and grading work that they don't have time to really clean and organize classroom supplies and materials properly. Offer to come in when class is not in session and help get the classroom in order. Be tactful and let the teacher know that you appreciate the time they take with the students. This is a huge help for teachers. Clean classroom furniture, counters, sinks, art supplies, classroom pet cages or tanks, computer screens and keyboards, etc. Gather materials to recycle. Assemble student work into packets for teacher. Put away the litter of things that get misplaced in a school day. Repair broken games and supplies.

Parents, volunteer to help in class: Offer to come in and read to students or share with them. Have you traveled? Lived in another culture? Have a talent or hobby to share? Do you participate in a sport or speak a foreign language? Offer to come in and share with students about your experiences. This will bolster material, curriculum and content. It will also provide the teacher with some time to get caught up on any lesson planning. Elementary teachers frequently have little or no prep time in school. Parents have come into my classrooms and shared collections, talents and career information. Kids really like it and are proud of their parents. I have lived in Alaska, for example, so I often come in to my children's' classrooms and share my story and show artifacts.

These Teacher Appreciation Week ideas will be greatly appreciated by teachers themselves!