If your profession has an “Appreciation Week,” it is either because you don’t get compensated enough for your effort or because your work is paramount for society. In the case of a teacher, it is both those reasons. Whether by helping each struggling student or simply being so passionate about teaching that they inspire their students to achieve more, teachers have again and again proven their crucial role in shaping the world. This is why teachers deserve all the appreciation they get from society, parents, and students alike. Keep reading to find out the best gifts to give teachers as a way to thank them!
National Teachers Appreciation Day
National Teachers Appreciation Day is a day where everyone can acknowledge the hard work teachers put in every day during the school year. It is a special occasion for teachers to get recognition for their untiring work as well as for everyone else to ponder upon the huge impact teachers have on society and their individual lives.
A brief history
Teacher’s day is a holiday, the date of which is set and differs according to the country. The history of National Teacher Appreciation Week started in 1953, when the former first lady of the US and activist, Eleanor Roosevelt, convinced Congress to pronounce a day for honoring teachers. Congress proclaimed March 7th, 1980, as Teacher’s Day for that year.
However, the National Education Association (NEA) carried on observinMarch 7 7 as Teacher’s Day for five more years, until 1985, when the National Teacher Appreciation Week was established. Nowadays, Teacher’s Day is celebrated during National Teacher Appreciation Week. The Teacher Appreciation Week is held every first full week of May, with the Teacher’s Day set on Tuesday. On the other hand, World Teachers’ Day is celebrated October 5th as set by UNESCO back in 1994.
How to celebrate national teachers day
As per its history, National Teachers’ Day is a day to show appreciation to teachers and educators everywhere. This is the day students, parents, or guardians, through various activities and presents, thank the teachers for their immense contribution to the education of young children. In the countries where this day is observed, people celebrate National Teachers’ Day in different ways. Here are some fun ways you can celebrate National Teachers’ Day with your favorite teacher:
- Show gratitude – A simple thank you in the form of a card, poem, gift, or drawing is enough to show your appreciation to your teacher when done with love.
- Talk to your teacher – Whether you are out of school or currently a student, communicating to your teacher their impact and importance on your life will undoubtedly make their day. Teaching is a truly fulfilling job, and having your students admit your significant contributions to their lives is the peak of fulfillment.
- Offer help to your teacher – Teaching is one of those professions where you can get overwhelmed pretty quickly. Just having someone offer to lend a helping hand in any way is something that most teachers will appreciate.
Other Holidays You Get a Gift to Your Teacher
Just because there is a set Teachers’ Day in your country, it does not mean that you have to wait for that specific day to show appreciation for your teacher. If your teacher is someone you love and value for everything they do, you treat them like every loved one and show what they mean to you through gifts on different occasions like other national holidays, summer and winter holidays, etc.
How Can You Thank Your Teacher
Whether it is for a special occasion like National Teachers’ Day or just an ordinary day, there are many different ways you can show your teacher you love them. Choose your way of saying thank you to your teacher based on their personality, your relationship with them, and the occasion. Below is a list of some excellent gift ideas for your teacher. Let’s dig in!
The best teacher gift is a letter or thank you card
A gift does not have to be extravagant or expensive to get the message across. Sometimes the message itself can be a marvelous gift if it’s from the heart. Such is the case with handwritten letters and thank you cards. Try to put into paper all that your teacher means to you and their impact on your life. Don’t be afraid to get specific as then your teacher will love your note even more, knowing how they helped you specifically.
Flowers or table plants
This is somewhat of an obvious option as everyone loves flowers, teachers included. Getting your teacher a beautiful bouquet of flowers will surely brighten up their day, even if yours is a male teacher. Flowers are such a universal gift, and you simply can’t go wrong with them. And if you want to take it to the next level, small and cute table plants are another great option. A brand new table plant will be a great addition to your teacher’s table as they’ll spruce up their working space and have something beautiful to lay eyes on when they are tired.
Personalized mugs or bags
The chances are that you have never seen your teacher when they aren’t holding something in their hands. As they are always on the move and in need of energy, a functional bag or a mug for their coffee are always great gift ideas for teachers. And since you are always looking to take things a level higher for your favorite teacher, you can go ahead and add a personal touch to them. Ways to personalize a mug or a bag for a teacher include their famous catchphrase, an inside joke between your teacher and their class, a quote about teachers, their name, etc.
Personalized work tool kit
This is another excellent gift a teacher can make use of in their classroom. As most of the time, it is the teacher personally the one who is funding the classroom in terms of supplies, a work tool kit will be much appreciated by them. A work tool kit might include things your teacher needs around the school for different types of activities. A personalized work tool kit with their name on it might consist of their favorite colored pens for grading papers, markers to write with on the whiteboard, paper clips, stickers, a stationery kit, etc.
Notepads
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Though many of us like to collect pretty notebooks, but never write a single word on them, a teacher is someone who actually needs them. A cool, personalized notebook or notepad might be just what your teacher needs to get their notes, calendar, schedule, etc., organized. A notepad doesn’t have to be just a notepad as you can always add your personal touch like inspirational quotes, jokes, cool stickers, your teacher’s name printed on the cover, etc.
Thank a teacher: Acrostic Poem
And if you want to get extra creative with your gift for National Teachers’ Day, we suggest an acrostic poem. You might already know what an acrostic poem is or have come across one without knowing it. An acrostic poem is a type of poem where the first letter of each line forms a noun or a specific name. If you want to compose an acrostic poem for your teacher, you can use the letters on their name to start each line, the noun teacher, or an adjective that best describes them.
By opting for an acrostic poem as a gift for your teacher, you get to show your creativity and talent, use expressions and words your teacher taught you, and show love and appreciation for your teacher all in one.
Books
Even though most of the time, they are busy as they come and might not always have time to sit down and read for fun, no teacher will say no to a book as a gift. To many, a book might be just a book, but when you give it to someone as a gift, it can have various different meanings. With a signed copy by their favorite author, you show your teacher you listen and remember things about them. Or choose a special edition of their favorite book, write them a note, and you have got the perfect gift.
Last but not least, there are a lot of books on the market that are directly related to teachers and teaching. A great idea for a gift is the book “Knock Knock Why You’re The Best Teacher Ever,” a hardcover book you get to fill in for a personalized gift that your teacher can save and cherish forever.
A Caution About Gifts
While everyone loves getting gifts, certainly not all gifts will make you feel the same. People’s main concern when getting a gift for someone is whether or not the receiver will like it. Unfortunately, that is not the only concern in the matter. Giving and receiving presents can sometimes be quite tricky, especially when the exchange is between a teacher and their students. But what can be so tricky about giving someone a present and them accepting it? Here are some common “issues” that arise when teachers accept gifts from students:
Gifts may raise concerns about ethics and fairness
While it is considered okay to accept small and thoughtful gifts from your students, sometimes that’s not all teachers get. Every once in a while, a student will show up with an expensive gift for their teacher, and this is where several issues may arise. Accepting such a gift might give students and their parents the wrong idea that the expensive gift will grant the student special treatment and privileges.
On the other hand, declining gifts, especially from young children, might hurt them emotionally as they might not get the reasons behind the decline.
This is why it is best for parents and students to steer clear of expensive gifts or even those that are too personal to avoid any awkwardness. Instead of something expensive, teachers will appreciate something they genuinely need and can make use of in the classroom or in their everyday lives, or even better, something that shows the true love and appreciation of the student towards the teacher.
Final Thoughts
As it has been established over and over again, teachers are indeed pillars of society as they help shape young minds and get them ready for their roles in the future. Doing what a teacher does requires hard work, dedication, and love for what they do more than any other profession. This is why giving gifts to teachers to show appreciation has become a norm in today’s world. Though it’s an unwritten rule that teachers will love any gift from their students, there are always ways to ensure you get it perfectly right every time. Such is the case with simple personalized gifts straight from the heart of the student.