5 gratitude ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week and beyond
In celebration of teachers’ hard work and dedication, we’re sharing five easy ways to say “thank you” during Teacher Appreciation Week and beyond.
When we think about our favorite teachers, they’re often people who have impacted our lives in some meaningful way. From igniting passions to teaching everyday acts of empathy, educators dedicate their lives to helping us build ours. But how can we even begin to thank them? Good news: We’ve started to do the thinking for you.
Idea for teacher appreciation #1:
Start their day with a cup of coffee and ✨clean energy✨
It’s important to kick off a new day on the right foot with a fresh, clean space that promotes productivity. Taking a few minutes out of your morning to wipe down desks, organize bookshelves, and clean whiteboards checks multiple things off your teacher’s very packed to-do list. Bonus points for bringing them a freshly brewed cup of coffee. While they sit back, relax, and sip, we hope your teacher pictures themselves sitting at a small outdoor café in Florence or New York City (we are a student travel company, after all)—or at least can get a head start on their lesson plans or grading tests.
Idea for teacher appreciation #2:
Send a handwritten note of gratitude
A few kind words of appreciation can leave a powerful, lasting impression. Taking the time to write your teacher a short letter shows them just how much they mean to you and makes them feel special. Did they take extra time to help you understand a math problem? Do they run an after-school club that you’re in? Is their class the one you look forward to the most? They might not know that their small gestures make a positive impact in your day or overall experience at school.
To start, we’ve created a notecard that you can print out and write on
Idea for teacher appreciation #3:
Curate a personal playlist for them
Sharing music is an unexpected (but super great!) way to connect with your teacher. Are they leading students on one of EF’s 250+ educational tours soon? Create a travel-inspired playlist for them to download and listen to on the plane. Does your teacher have a study hall block that they dedicate to grading papers and catching up on emails? Craft a relaxation playlist that helps them focus. Do they have a long commute to school? Curate a morning boost playlist with some upbeat tunes for them to listen to in their car.
Idea for teacher appreciation #4:
Check in with a past teacher
Spend some time during Teacher Appreciation Week paying it forward back (literally). If there’s an elementary school teacher who made a lasting impact on your life, they would love to hear from you! While writing an email or a letter is always appreciated, it’s much more personal to schedule a lunchtime or free period visit to their classroom in the coming weeks. You could even plan an afternoon to read a picture book to their current class and give your former teacher a break during their busy day.
Idea for teacher appreciation #5:
Make a paper appreciation chain with other classmates
Gather your friends, print out our pre-made paper links, and start thinking about all the amazing things you can write about your teacher. Whether you’re counting down the days to their next EF tour or simply sharing small notes of appreciation, each day your teacher can tear off a new link from the chain you create and read a thoughtful message underneath. The best part about this gift is that you can create a huge chain, giving them a small token of gratitude that can extend way beyond Teacher Appreciation Week.
Want more ideas for teacher appreciation?
Follow us on TikTok and post your own to #EFTeacherAppreciation.
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