National Teacher Appreciation Week
Since 1984, National PTA has designated the first week in May as a special time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating our children. PTA events at the national, state and local levels celebrate the outstanding contributions teachers make.
Teacher Appreciation Week offers the opportunity for citizens to reaffirm their commitment to parent-teacher partnerships. The decision to teach often comes with low-to-moderate pay and around-the-clock hours. Support from families can ease the difficult work teachers do. PTA Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to personally thank your students’ teachers for their sacrifices and support for children throughout the year. While appreciation alone will not reduce the challenges teachers face, it will let them know their efforts are not going unnoticed.
National Teacher Appreciation Week is the First Full Week of May:
Check www.pta.org for the current year’s theme.
Appreciation Ideas for students, families and PTAs
- Create and display posters, banners, and fliers in schools and in the community promoting Teacher Appreciation Week or any other time you want to show the love
- Discuss ways to honor teachers with students in your PTSA and work together
- Brainstorm with your school principal about significant ways to honor the staff through the year
- Contact area merchants, business, and community groups to invite their participation
- Plant a tree or flowers on the school property
- Bring bouquets to school
- Provide a nutritious brunch
- Wash cars or windshields
- Give teachers positive feedback on their teaching by sending a thank-you note
- Design a resource file for your school that includes names of parents and family members who are willing to use their expertise to assist teachers on projects and activities
- Publish proclamations in the PTA newsletter and post them in the school
- Request that your mayor or county board of supervisors issue a proclamation in observance of Teacher Appreciation Week
- Coordinate an event for teachers sponsored by community organizations and invite press and media coverage
- Call in to radio talk shows early and tell the host or hostess what your PTA is doing for teacher appreciation
- Think about beginning a year-long project to tell your teachers how important they are
Teacher Appreciation - It's more than just a week!
Teachers deserve appreciation more that just one week in the year. Teacher appreciation is a great way to involve parents who might not otherwise be involved.
Other Teacher Appreciation Ideas:
- Monthly teachers lunches with themes – collect recipes from lunches and give a recipe book during teacher appreciation week in May
- Weekly or monthly treat in their mailboxes (example: piece of candy with a note attached saying “Thanks for being a SWEET teacher”
- Back to School breakfast or lunch
- Parent/Teacher Conference dinners
- Thank You Thursdays – Have students and parents write notes on a specified Thursday each month
- Teacher Grant Program – Have a budget line item when teachers can apply for a grant to offset a special project or event in their classroom
- School supplies – what teacher can’t use a new box of dry eraser markers or pencils?
- Lunch during teacher in-service training
- Massages during lunch
- Breakfast cart once a month
- Create an emergency volunteer list for teachers to use in a pinch
- Nominate for Utah PTA Outstanding Educator of the Year Award and other awards found in your area
TIP: Teacher Appreciation is hard for one person to oversee. Have a committee to distribute the work. Use online volunteer sign-up programs to involve ALL parents.
See UTAH PTA on Pinterest for more teacher appreciation ideas.