The Liebers: The Do's and Don'ts of Teacher Appreciation

I've had some great teachers in my life. I like to think I was a pretty good teacher when I served my time in a classroom. I am thankful for the wonderful teachers my kids have had so far. But how do you adequately thank a teacher for what they do?

I surveyed some of my teacher friends to help you answer that question. From there I came up with a list of Do's and Don'ts for Teacher Appreciation.

Do

Show your appreciation in some way. Teachers work hard and deserve a thank you.
Think about teachers as individuals. It might be easy to buy them all the same gift, but does that gift suit all of them?
Give from the heart. Teachers love to receive notes that specify the ways in which they have helped your child.
Let your kids get involved. Child made gits are often kept for years. I still have a magnet on my fridge from an Emily I taught my first year of teaching 13 years ago.
Think about the classroom. Lots of teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies. You could, instead buy something they might need for the room and let them save their own money. And Teachers Pay Teachers offers gift cards!

Don't

Assume everyone drinks coffee, or wine, or uses other specific gifts cards. Sometimes a generic gift card (or cash) that a teacher can use in lots of places works better.
Overwhelm the nose: lotions, candles, etc. Not everyone likes every scent, and some people have issues with all scents.
Buy clutter. Every teacher I know has at least three "#1 Teacher" coffee mugs that they really don't use. Knickknacks usually equal clutter.
Forget to include the resource teachers that help your kids. I know it can get expensive buying gits for the music, PE, art, foreign language, and other teachers. Maybe you can let your kids pick the one who has impacted them the most this year.
Get too personal. A monogrammed necklace might not be her style, and she's probably not going to be able to re-gift it either.

Remember, teachers spend a huge chunk of time with your kids through the week. A parent's job can be pretty thankless, and teachers are next on that list. And if you're really at a loss for ideas, try this one on for size:

JUST KIDDING!!!