At SchoolSphero Team
Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas: 4 Ways To Celebrate in 2021

While Teacher Appreciation Week 2021 might look different than years passed, that doesn't mean there aren't dozens of ways to express gratitude and celebrate their hard work. This year, Teacher Appreciation Week is from May 3rd until May 7th. Now is the time to find ways to say thank you to the teachers in your life who shape the lives of our future. This guide covers Teacher Appreciation Week ideas and the importance of showing gratitude.

What Is Teacher Appreciation Week, and Why Is It Important?

Teacher Appreciation Week is a week-long celebration during which teachers receive recognition for their hard work and the contributions they make. Every year, parents, PTA members, staff, and students come together during the first week of May to thank the teachers in their lives.

Working as a teacher can at times be a tireless and underappreciated profession, so this week is when teachers receive much-deserved praise and recognition. Teacher Appreciation Week is an opportune time for parents and students to reflect on the tremendous role teachers play in shaping young lives.

4 Ways To Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week 2021

This week is all about expressing gratitude; and also about the heartfelt sentiment behind these gestures. Don't know where to start in showing your appreciation to the special teacher in your life? Here are four fun ways to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week:

1. Photo and Video Thank Yous

Here's where parents and PTA members can take the helm by asking students to create short thank you videos for their teachers. They can email these videos or post them to a social media page or group designated for this special week.

If students don't feel comfortable making a video for their teacher, ask them to draw a picture depicting gratitude for their teacher to hold up in front of them for a photograph. Then, use those photos to create a collage or slideshow to send to the teacher or post on social media.

2. Be a Substitute

No matter if students learn face-to-face or remotely, teachers need a break. Parents and PTA members can give teachers a break for a few hours during this week. During that time, substitutes can:

  •     Continue working with the teacher's existing lesson plan
  •     Host reading hours
  •     Have dance parties or virtual parties with students
  •     Play online games
  •     Work on STEAM activities using materials from around the home

3. Start a Yard Sign Campaign

With some poster board, markers, and small wooden stakes, communities everywhere can host a yard sign campaign. Here's where parents, PTA members, and staff can show appreciation to teachers. They can create colorful signs and post them along the front of their lawns. Signs can read, "Happy Teacher Appreciation Week," and then list the teachers teaching their children and add a small note of gratitude.

If participants don't want to post these signs on their lawns, they can hang them in their windows or doors. That way, teachers and other community members can still see how much they're appreciated and what they mean to their students.

4. Start an Online School Supply Fundraiser

Teachers spend up to $745 for school supplies annually. Communities can come together and help support teachers by hosting an online school supply fundraiser. Use sites like GoFundMe.com or DonorsChoose.org to host the event or find classroom support.

Coming Together To Show Appreciation

Teachers find innovative ways to teach children no matter what situation they face. Similarly, there's never a better time than now to come together as a community to show appreciation for your teachers. At Sphero, we know the important role teachers play in a child's life and recognize this excellence with our Sphero Education Ambassador Programs.

Thank you, teachers, for all you do! 


References:

[1] https://www.idahoednews.org/voices/teacher-appreciation-week-has-special-importance-in-these-trying-times/

[2] https://sphero.com/blogs/news/to-teachers-love-sphero

[3] https://sphero.com/pages/activities 

[4] https://www.adoptaclassroom.org/2020/06/15/teachers-spend-745-a-year-on-supplies-the-cost-of-distance-learning/

[5] https://www.gofundme.com/c/blog/school-supply-drive

[6] https://www.donorschoose.org/

[7] https://sphero.com/pages/ambassador-program

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