One of the simplest but most appreciated gift to teachers is a teacher thank you letter. When I first stepped into a classroom almost 15 years ago, I started getting drawings and letters from students. Even when I taught middle school, I would still routinely getting many notes, coloring pages, and drawings.

As teachers accumulate many of these different student-made gifts throughout our teacher year, they are the most coveted and saved. I make sure to keep all my little student letters and drawings in a folder. Sometimes when I am having a rough day, I pull them out at read them. I smile just at how sincere they are.

The Best Teacher Appreciation Gift

Knowing this, I started a little activity for my students each holiday and end of the year season. I have my students write thank you appreciation letters to teachers. Now, I have turn my regular printable teacher thank you letter into a digital format.

When I give the teacher thank you letter template to my students, I lovingly tell them I know they all want to write a letter to me but cannot. I want them all to write to another adult in the building. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a teacher. For example, at a previous building I worked at, the students loved the custodian and the main office secretary.

Get your FREE Teacher Thank You Letter Printable and Digital Template

One of the best times to have students write a teacher thank you letter is around the holidays. I use to only have my students write the letters at the end of the year. I would then deliver the letters to teachers for the students usually on the last day of school. So if a teacher wanted to thank the student or have any correspondence it was too late.

Now, I have students complete a teacher thank you letter for the holidays too. This works out perfectly since the two most exciting and fun times of the school year is around the winter holidays and the end of the school year!

Teacher Appreciation Week or All-Year

Plus, if you want to continue to use the teacher thank you letter template can work for other occasions as well. Teacher appreciation week, retirement, going away – moving buildings/districts, or anything to show a little appreciation for a fellow teacher. Especially during this unusual teaching period.

Honoring your Teacher Virtually

The best part of being able to have your students write a teacher thank letter is that it can be delivered virtually! Now, students can honor their teacher from a distance and can send it privately to teacher. You might need to help students in elementary grades if trying to send by email.

Also, I have had students that wanted to reach out to teachers at different buildings or districts and I always do my best to try to find the teacher to connect them with the letter. This all depends on your time involved with this activity.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for more teacher appreciation gifts and ideas, check out these related blog posts:

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Teacher’s Amazon Wishlist