School’s out for summer…

Or at least it will be in a few short weeks. Teachers are wrapping up lessons, cleaning out classrooms, writing final report cards, and scrambling to finish up the school year. They have worked hard all year teaching children the ABCs, 123s, social niceties, and more, but are looking forward to the summer break as much as any of the kids are.

Before the school bell rings for the last time, why not show appreciation for all the hard work they have put in over the school year with a teacher appreciation gift? After spending all that time with your little angel/devil, they deserve a little recognition for their efforts. There are plenty of ways to show it which don’t necessarily require you to spend a lot of money or buy items which a teacher might not need cluttering up their own home.

So while Load of Rubbish is happy to take excess junk away, we support clutter-free gift giving to avoid junk in the first place. Here are some clutter-free ideas for teacher appreciation gifts to consider for your child’s teacher.

mgyQU3YClutter-Free Teacher Appreciation Gifts

  • gift cards – Sometimes the perfect gift is a gift card. Your child knows your teacher in the classroom setting, but not necessarily outside of it. A gift card takes the mystery out of what to buy and can be as simple as a $5 gift card for a local coffee shop, or as extravagant as a pamper-me session at a local spa. The choices are endless and will be appreciated.
  • food/drink – The way to many people’s hearts is through the stomachs and teachers are no exception. Instead of cluttering up the teacher’s home or classroom, an edible gift can be appreciated, but not a hindrance to then find a home for. Think cookies, chocolates, a fruit basket, a bottle of wine, or maybe a specialty item from a local artisan. Options are as varied as your imagination. If you want to get more personalized, ask the principal or fellow teachers what your child’s teacher likes best.
  • class party – Why not treat your child’s teacher with a party? As the last weeks of school wind down, life gets busy for teachers with report card writing, cleaning up classrooms, and trying to keep kids interested, despite the lure of summer. Make life easier for an afternoon by buying a pizza for the class. Or send in drinks, cookies, muffins, a fruit tray; whatever might work the best for your child’s teacher and the class. The festive spirit will benefit everyone, including your own child.
  • school supplies – Nowadays teachers often outfit their classrooms out of their own pockets. They buy pencils, crayons, erasers, rulers, glue, even facial tissues. A teacher gift pack of school supplies is therefore a welcome gift for the hardworking teachers in your child’s life that will let them know you understand all they do for your child’s class.
  • books – Like school supplies, books are always a welcome addition to any teacher’s arsenal of teacher tools. Most teachers buy their own books to read and share with their class, and over the years they see wear and tear. Help to restock the classroom library with some of your child’s favourite books for future children to enjoy.
  • plant/flowers – Teachers spend many hours every day in their classrooms; whether it be during school hours, before or after school doing prep and marking papers and assignments, as well as taking the time to make it look more homey and welcoming for everyone who spends any time there. Add to the environment with a potted plant or flowers to brighten up the space.
  • homemade gift – Not everyone can afford to go out and spend money on teacher appreciation gifts. Teachers appreciate the thought, but don’t expect families to break sometimes limited budgets on teacher gifts. A homemade gift shows that you appreciate all that your teacher has done over the course of the year, plus illustrates your willingness to put in the time and effort to create something for them. Whether it be a hand-print card, homemade jam, a personalized clay figurine made by your child, or a hand-knitted scarf, your efforts will be appreciated and remembered fondly.
  • donations – Some teachers are heavily involved in causes of their own and would welcome a donation to their cause of choice. Perhaps the school is doing fundraising for new climbers, that you could donate to in their name. Maybe they are active in diabetes/cancer/heart/poverty/’insert cause here’ research/runs and you could support them with that. Take the time to figure out a little more about your child’s teacher and their interests. Show your appreciation in a truly personalized way with a donation in their name.
  • Thank You letter – At the end of the day, we all appreciate recognition for a job well done. Gifts are welcome and appreciated, but the gift of words is sometimes the most heartfelt of all. Skip the do-dads, tchotchkes, and trinkets, and give your teacher a piece of your heart. Tell them exactly why you appreciate all they have done with a handwritten letter. It just might be the gift that is appreciated long after the rest of the gifts are gone.

Enjoy your summer!