Dear Fellow Room Mom,
It’s that magical time of the year for field trips, class performances, end of the year celebrations, planning summer activities….and teacher appreciation week. Just when you think that things can’t get any busier they do.
I totally understand!! I have been the room mom for multiple classrooms over the past few years so I have gotten this week of craziness down to a simple list of activities for each day. Typically I send home a paper listing all of these activities a week or so in advance, but an email would work too!!
1. Flowers
Whether real or homemade, encourage students to bring a flower {or bouquet} for their teacher. As the Room Mom I grab a flower vase from the dollar store and drop it off in the morning so that the teacher has somewhere to put all of her wonderful flowers. Each flower is going to be as unique as the students in the class and makes a really fun bunch.
2. School Supplies
This is the time of year when most teachers are out of back up pencils, have a drawer full of dried out markers, and not a post-it note can be found. I like to fill a basket, or encourage families to send in, school supplies to refill the teacher’s desk. Let’s be honest…our kids are the ones who used up everything that he/she bought back in August.
3. Sweet Treat
I am a baker so I like to send in cookies or muffins and ask families to send in a bag of mini candy bars, mints, or another yummy treat. This is usually the day that I pick up some Starbucks for the teachers so they can have a mid-morning pick-me-up!
4. Handmade Happiness
Teachers love things that are homemade! I encourage families to send in cards, posters, and homemade gifts of all sorts to show their teacher home much he/she means to them.
5. Something Special
Throughout the week if you’ve given little gifts, consider giving one bigger GIFT gift. I typically try to take up a collection so that I can purchase a gift card or something personalized like a monogrammed tumbler, but some years the classes just are not very responsive to this. Those years I encourage the kids to give their teacher a hug or a high five and offer a big THANK YOU!
I like this simple plan for teacher appreciation week because it offers kids and parents some options about how to let the teacher know that they are appreciated without being too specific. Families can participate as much or as little as they want or are able.
Looking for some more ideas for teacher gifts? Check out these DIY Gifts, DIY Gift Basket, and Holiday Gifts for even more inspiration!
What are some of your tips for tackling teacher appreciation week in addition to all of your other commitments and the busyness that the end of the school year creates? Do you go in with a plan, or play it by ear depending upon the teacher and the families in your class?
