Aside from my job at Baudville, I also work 24/7 as a mother of three little boys. My oldest is in kindergarten, my middle is in preschool, and my little one is just a year old. The oldest started school just last year so it was my first go-round with teachers from a parent's perspective.

Can I say just one thing? Teachers amaze me. Their patience, their planning, their ability to get excited about story problems, fractions, nouns, verbs, and sedimentary rocks...When they get excited, the students get excited. And when the students get excited, they learn!

As a mom, there is nothing cooler than seeing the work your kids bring home from school and watching them beam from ear-to-ear at their newfound knowledge and achievement. Teachers do that. It's the teachers that make that happen.

While our assembly of educators deserves recognition and appreciation for the work they do every day, there just so happens to be one week out of the year dedicated to them! May 6-10, 2013 is Teacher Appreciation Week.

You may or may not be on the PTA at your children's school, but don't let that stop you from appreciating your child's teacher come May 6th! Go out of your way to let Jack's teacher know how much you appreciate her. And be sure to tell Max's music teacher that he rocks! Has Mrs. Hendrickson been spending some extra time with Alaina to help her with her Algebra? Tell her she's making a difference! I guarantee your kind words and tokens of appreciation will be cherished.

Want to totally lead the charge? Talk to your school's administration and ask them what they have planned for Teacher Appreciation Week. Bring some ideas to the table!

Give everyone a Teacher's Make the Difference Travel Mug with a $5 gift card to your local coffee shop.

I used to think that teaching was an easy gig – spring break, summers off, in-service days...man, what a life! And then I had kids...and I only have my own three kids! I can't imagine spending 6 hours a day with 30 of someone else's kids! Teachers, I salute you. You're helping to shape the future of this country. You don't get recognized enough. THANK YOU!

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As a team member since 2005, Falon has worn just about every hat the 'ville has to offer. She's seen both sides of working life — as an employee and as a manager — so if it sounds like she knows what she's talking about, we're pretty sure that's why. When she's not juggling between the IDville and Baudville brands, she's been known to whip up a mean diorama - just like that!

Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated annually during the first week of May to honor teachers and school staff. This holiday is a great opportunity to recognize the efforts of teachers and the contributions they make in our communities.

At Baudville, teachers are some of our favorite people! If it wasn’t for them, we would not be here, creating products, providing excellent customer service, and writing tips for you! Each year, we strive to create a new recognition theme that expresses appreciation for their efforts. Over the years, we’ve developed quite a collection! Our recognition themes can be very helpful for your Teacher Appreciation Week planning. Here are 5 ways you can use a theme:

1. Plan your Teacher Appreciation Week events with a theme. For example, you can give the entire week a seaside theme with our Making a Difference themed items.

2. Give a meaningful gift with a recognition theme. Our new Teachers Make the Difference Twist Top Tumblers make a great gift item to kick start Teacher Appreciation Week.

3. Send consistent messages of appreciation. Communication about your appreciation is key during Teacher Appreciation Week! Use one of our recognition themes for coordinating ecards, pocket folders, and stationery that you can use leading up to, during, and after your celebration.



4. Present memorable and meaningful awards. If your school presents awards to teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, select a certificate paper or trophy that includes a theme. The theme will tie in with your activities and provide a more memorable award experience.

5. Create custom gifts. Our new custom theme gifts simplify the custom process and utilize the recognition themes you already love. Our pick for Teacher Appreciation Week 2013 is the Executive Sticky Note Holder in the “You are Truly Appreciated” theme.

Teacher Appreciation Week is an important time of the year to thank teachers for all their efforts during the school year. We’ve created lots of great themes to make your planning easier. Browse our recognition themes on the website or call a recognition specialist to find the best theme for your celebration!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

It’s the last week of school for many West Michigan schools, and I know both students and staff are looking forward to a much-deserved winter break! Before you pack it up for the holidays, be sure to show your appreciation to teachers and school staff for their hard work and dedication so far this year.

We’ve put together a board of creative teacher gift ideas on our Pinterest page. If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of gift giver, you will definitely want to take the time to check out our Gifts for Teachers board. There are several creative ideas for decorating with crayons! One of my favorites is this photo frame with crayons glued to the frame.

Photo courtesy of http://feltsocute.wordpress.com

The holidays are also a great time to recognize your teacher with a delicious indulgence. Share a plate of cookies or your favorite holiday candy, like fudge, brittle, or truffles.  I really like this idea of decorating Hershey Kisses, too, by adding a small graphic to the base. Put all the kisses in a jar, mug, or water bottle, for a display worthy – and tasty! – gift.

 
Photo Courtesy of http://jengrantmorris.blogspot.com/

To take your gift straight to the front of the class, focus on the presentation and packaging. One idea we found is to package cookies in a decorated Pringles container with a ribbon on top. Arrange candy in a basket or jar so it looks pretty when you give it. Or give one of our themed teacher gifts. The artwork itself makes beautiful packaging!

Looking for more teacher gift ideas? Download our Teacher Appreciation Ideas eBook for free from the recently renovated Recognition Resource Center.

What are your favorite teacher gift ideas for the holidays? Tell us here!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

I just attended a couple of creative writing workshops in one of my favorite places to visit: New York City! When I enrolled, I wasn’t totally sure what I would get out of the experience. I had done my research and found that the school had a great reputation; but it also seemed from the reviews that overall student satisfaction had more to do with the individual instructors than anything. Of course, I hoped I would get good ones.  

Despite a little hesitation, I was excited about the workshops and, like a big nerd, actually giddy about being given a homework assignment to complete before one of the workshops started.

Happy about homework? Crazy talk!

But, along with the assignment, the instructor had taken extra time to introduce herself and tell us a little about what we could expect from the class and what she would expect from us. Her message was infused with humor, heart, and energy. I couldn’t wait to get started.      

That’s the power of good teachers: they don’t just contribute to the quality of your education, they also inspire you. They make you want to work. They fuel your desire to learn. They feed your hunger for knowledge.

And, as with this creative writing institution, they also help build a school’s high standing in the educational community.

Whether you’re a student, parent, or school administrator, if you’re starting back to school in a few weeks, there’s no better time to show your appreciation for your teachers. Every day, they put their passion and energy into providing the best education possible to their students – and go the extra mile to motivate their students to care as much they do. These are the gifts our teachers give to us and our communities. What do you think about giving back?

Because they make a difference…

Because they’re essential…

For all they do, say thanks!

What are your favorite ways to recognize and appreciate teachers? Click the button below to share your ideas in the comments section!

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Allison is a self-proclaimed Copywriting Diva and has the certificate to prove it! She’s been writing for Baudville for two years and has worked in a variety of business settings for more than 17 years. Before becoming a professional writer 10 years ago, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!

The back to school season is here! Stores are stocked with notebooks, backpacks, pencils, and more getting students ready to return to the classroom. Teachers are already hard at work preparing lesson plans, prepping classrooms, and getting to know the names of their new class. Help ease the transition from summer to school by using a few of these back to school teacher appreciation ideas! Your teachers will love these small surprises and be motivated to jump back into the classroom!

1. Get to know your teachers. Prepare for teacher appreciation throughout the school year by having teachers complete a Tell Us About You form. The form will gather valuable information about how teachers like to be recognized that staff, students, and parents can access all year!

2. Choose a recognition theme for the year. To jump start your year-long teacher appreciation events, choose a recognition theme. Your theme will tie all your appreciation events together and make it consistent and effective. Introduce the theme to teachers by giving them a themed lapel pin they can wear.

3. Welcome teachers back to school with a gift. Put together a gift bag of items the teacher can use in the classroom and around school, like a tote bag, classroom supplies, coffee mug, and new pens.

4. Decorate the teacher’s lounge. Make sure the lounge gets a thorough cleaning before school starts. Add an air freshener, bouquet of fresh flowers, and a blow of mints for an extra touch of hospitality.

5. Give them a big “welcome back.” Express your appreciation for teachers by saying “welcome back” all over the school! Use chalk to decorate the sidewalks with your encouraging messages. You can say: “We missed you!” “It’s going to be a great year!” “Thanks for teaching here!”

6. Send teachers on a scavenger hunt. Send teachers on a hunt around the school to discover new resources, become familiar with room changes, and work as a team. Reward everyone with a small reception at the end.

7. Throw a welcome back party. Celebrate the beginning of the school year with a small party for teachers and staff. Have refreshments and give teachers a chance to catch up from the summer. This is great for building camaraderie!

8. Provide lunch during training. Teachers often have long days before school even begins. They go through training, orientation, and classroom set up. Provide some relief to the long days by putting on lunch for everyone. Host a potluck or have a local company cater. Your teachers will thank you!

9. Create stress relief kits. Being an educator is a stressful job! Give teachers a stress relief kit to start the school year that includes a stress toy, fragrant candle, coupons to a local salon or masseuse, and of course, chocolate!

10. Send a note on the first day of school. Write a personal note to your child’s teacher or the teachers in your school and deliver it on the first day of school. In your note, express how excited you are for the new school year, how you’re looking forward to working with the teachers, and thank them for their dedication. Your note will get the school year started on the right foot!

Bonus idea! Appreciate teachers with the gift of time! Create an online class volunteer signup sheet on VolunteerSpot.com and invite parents to help.

Like these teacher appreciation ideas? Get more in our Teacher Appreciation Ideas eBook! The eBook is full of ideas for back to school, Teacher Appreciation Week, and year round recognition your teachers will love!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.