Teacher Showers: How to Show that Special Teacher Your Appreciation!

We've all attended wedding showers and baby showers, gift giving occasions that help set up a couple for life or prepare for a the arrival of a baby. A new twist on the idea of "showering" someone with gifts is the teacher shower.

Whether the teacher to be honored is a new teacher just beginning a career or the teacher is your child's classroom teacher for the upcoming year doesn't matter. What does, however, is the idea of expressing appreciation to those very special teachers in our lives by supplying them with much needed items for the classroom.

Today's economy and budget cuts in most school districts make it hard for teachers to supply their classrooms. Many teachers are forced to spend out of pocket to provide necessary items to teach our children so a teacher shower can be the answer to a teacher's prayers.

Parents can go together and have a teacher shower for a classroom teacher and older students could band together to do the same.

What do you give a teacher at a teacher shower? Well, the sky is the limit. Things like post-it notes, pencils, pens, Sharpies, paper, chalk, and grade books come to mind.

Elementary level teachers could benefit from the gift of books to build a classroom library with each student or parent contributing a volume or two.

Magazines for a teacher are another gift option and there are many to choose from. Check out teacher's professional associations like the National Council of Teachers for ideas.

Physical education equipment like jumping ropes, rubber balls, kickballs, volley balls, or soccer balls are another option that can make for hours of fun on the playground.

Another idea includes things like flash cards, educational posters to decorate the classroom, bulletin board supplies like push pins or thumb tacks, or even wipes to help keep small hands clean. Hand sanitizer products are popular in today's classrooms to help prevent the spread of germs.

Baskets of supplies can be put together for an attractive yet useful gift.

Art supplies are another idea as well so think about watercolors, washable markers, a supply of crayons, and drawing paper.

Personalized notepads are another idea.

We put our children in the capable hands of teachers each year so why not show a little support and appreciation for these special educators with a teacher shower!

It is an idea whose time has come!