Back To School Gifts For Teachers They Can Actually Use

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Even though I am on maternity leave for the start of this school year, Colorado starts in early August as opposed to the East Coast post-Labor Day, I still feel the stress of my fellow teachers as they research new lesson plans, attend a week of teacher meetings, dust off desks, and arrange their classrooms just right for the new troupe of incoming students.

After 10 years of teaching (I cannot believe it has been that long), there has been a litany of interesting teacher gifts I have received myself and have seen others receive. For instance, Victoria Secret perfume. As teachers, we truly appreciate any gift from our students and their parents. It makes us feel validated, appreciated, and possibly a little kinder towards your student. However, there are a few things that teachers can actually use in their classrooms and truly want for themselves besides coffee and liquor. Whether you are buying a start of school year gift, Christmas present, or end of year thank you gift, consider a few of these items. Your teacher will thank you!

A few guidelines when determining teacher gifts:

• Avoid smells. Perfumes and lotions often go to the wayside as smells are highly personal, many of our students are allergic to too much scent, and we are too busy lesson planning and grading to enjoy a luxury grooming session at home.
• Make it practical. Teachers struggle with being under caffeinated, not having enough school supplies for their students, not having time to prepare healthy meals, keeping our patience throughout the day, and not being able to take a break when we need to. Anything that can solve those problems for us is ideal.
• Limit the paper. We have piles and piles and file after file of paper. While we adore your student’s drawings, we really cannot fit another sheet of paper anywhere in our classrooms, trunks, or garages.
• Keep it healthy. There is that will get you to your food fundraiser quote quicker than teachers grading at their desks at 3pm on a Thursday afternoon. We are likely to buy and eat anything. Please keep your gift out of the junk food arena (chocolate, baked goods, etc), as our willpower is zero by the end of the day and we are trying to stay as healthy as possible.

A good quality travel coffee mug. While I personally do not drink coffee, or caffeine daily, everyone else does. Almost every teacher walks comes in before classes start with a travel mug of coffee in hand that they often are not able to finish until the first class ends, so it is vital to have one that keeps liquids hot for a long period of time.

While school supplies maybe be an obvious choice, it may not be obvious why. Sure, in the lower grades teachers send home a supply list for the students, but if a student loses his or her materials or cannot afford an item, the teacher has backups that are often bought with personal money. Helping the teacher stack her supplies is always much appreciated. Just be sure to include receipts so she can exchange it for items she may have a higher need for. Things that always get low first: pencils/pens, highlighters, Post-It notes, whiteboard markers, and an assortment of  color pens for the teacher’s use.

With all the grading and lesson planning that comes with teaching, teachers are constantly schlepping tons of papers home and back. A sturdy tote would make this process much easier.

Teachers do not only provide school supplies to their students using money from their own pocket, but they provide snacks as well. Students who miss a meal for whatever reason (finances, late buss, after school activities, a hungry day), know which teachers they can go to for a snack. And that is most teachers. ‘’Help the teacher stock her snack pile with large boxes individually wrapped items like granola bars and crackers.

Similar to snacks for the students, teachers also use their own money to buy cleaning supplies for the desks, tissues for the students, and hand sanitizer (the big one) for everyone. A gift full of these items would be absolutely adored for its practicality and saving on a few less items we have to pick up.

The start of the school year is not just a hectic time for students, but for teachers as well. We are busy lesson planning, attending meetings, learning who our students are, and getting back into the work schedule. Often times, we run out of time to prepare dinner at home as we put in extra hours to make the start of the year just right for our classes. Gifting a teacher a meal delivery service like Sun Basket is a great way to ensure your student’s teacher is still eating so she can put her best foot forward in the classroom.

If your student’s school is small enough, providing breakfast or lunch for the teachers is also a much appreciated gift. Leave a card to place with the food to let us know who we have to thank for the generosity! Try to keep the meal as healthy as possible so we do not hit an afternoon slump. We will be much friendlier and more focused for our afternoon classes with a healthier lunch option.

Many of our class schedules do not allow us a break for multiple hours to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. It is vital for teachers to have a large water source with them in their classrooms. Gifting a water bottle in general, but especially one that stays cold, would ensure we do not get cotton mouth in the middle of a lecture. Plus, the more water you drink, the fresher your breath!

Join in on a bit of teacher humor and get a gag gift. A little pot that says “Ashes of students past” always gets a nervous look or two from students. Another fun one is a mug with the saying, “students’ tears”. Not to worry though, we absolutely adore your child, but we like to have our fun too.

Many of our classrooms do not have windows to the outside world. Some have windows into the hallway, but many do not even have a window on the classroom door which often makes our work spaces feel dark and dungeon like (trust me, ask us come mid-January). A pre-potted little succulent or other indoor plant can go a long way to brightening a classroom and teacher’s mood. Plus, having a living thing in the classroom is proven to improve the atmosphere, air, and mood of a classroom. It not only benefits the teacher, but your student as well!

When all else fails, gift cards are always a safe bet. Opt for ones that involve coffee (think Starbucks or breakfast spots) or school supplies (Target and Amazon). That way, you can ensure your student’s teachers are energized and have enough materials for all the new and engaging lesson plans they are excited to try this year!

Whatever you decide to gift to your student’s teachers, whether at the start of the school year, around the holidays, or as a thank you for a full year of teaching, we are appreciative of the recognition for our work. Make sure you include a card with your gift so we know who to give a few extra bonus points to! (I am kidding about that…kind of.)