Lunch time!

A group of friends and I share a tradition of taking our kids’ teachers lunch during teacher appreciation week. We tally up the amount of lunches we need, notify our teachers and then gather in the morning to assemble the lunches. One friend makes delicious chicken salad, another brings croissants for the sandwiches, one brings fruit, another makes wonderful pasta salad and another awesome brownies. I take care of the packaging. Last year I made these sacks. This year I made oilcloth lunch sacks.

I first made a pattern out of cardboard measuring 15 x 12. Cut a 2 1/2 inch square out of each bottom corner.

Take two pieces of oilcloth right sides together and draw around your template. Cut out. I used small clothes pins to hold the pieces together.

I used pinking shears to cut across the top (very optional- I thought it gave the edge a finished look)

Sew down each side and across the bottom. I used a stitch length of 5 and 1/4 inch seams on the entire bag. My machine handled the oilcloth beautifully, but If you have any troubles, Sew Mama Sew has a wonderful article on sewing with oilcloth.

Fold in bottom of bag bringing bottom seam and side seam together

Pin bag bottom to bag side with clips

Sew across on each side

Turn bag right side out and fold in top of bag about 1/2″ and then top stitch

Measure about 2 1/2 inches from middle side seam on all four corners, finger press, clip with clothes pins

Top-stitch closely to the corner fold on each of the four sides

Finished!

Appreciation 7 days a week

This year for teacher appreciation week we will be giving each teacher a “days of the week” pill box filled with little treats and sayings. I found the pill boxes at the dollar store.

You may download the sayings if you like –

teacher-appreciation-sayings

(I didn’t use the “We are lucky to have you for a teacher” saying. It would go nicely with a lottery ticket!)

Fabric covered tacks fill one of the compartments to tell them they are sharp!

I used Jessica Jones’ fabulous instructions to make the fabric covered thumbtacks

Some purchased colorful clips fill the next compartment

Next up marble magnets

These are simple to make with glass gems (floral department at the craft store), E600 craft adhesive, a 3/4 inch hole punch, 3/4 inch magnets and decorative scrapbook paper, wrapping paper and or magazine scraps. First punch out a circle and glue it to the back of the glass gem. I removed air bubbles by moving paper in a circular motion to distribute glue evenly and then pressing hard. Allow to set. Next glue the magnet to the back of your papered gem. I found it necessary to sort my glass gems to find the largest ones with no scratches or imperfections. If your glass gems are smaller try using a 1/2 inch hole punch and 1/2 inch magnets.

A measuring tape tells our teacher that they really measure up

Change for the soda machine fills another compartment

Small little post-it notes (the kind for marking a page) just fit to say, “Just a note to let you know we think you are a wonderful teacher!”

Some mints to say thank you

Wrapped all up with a little gift tag that reads:

A daily gift for all you do,
Teaching my child each day through.
Making a difference without taking a rest,
As a teacher, you’re one of the best!

teacher-appreciation-gift-tag-for-pill-box

Hopefully our teachers will feel appreciated each day!

More Teacher Appreciation Ideas

National Teacher Appreciation week is the first full week in May.  National Teacher  Day is May 6, 2008.

Here are some ideas that can be done for the entire teaching staff at school.

Place a large poster in the Teacher’s lounge that says, “We think you are ‘souper’!” and serve a soup lunch. We do this for our teachers on a day that there are no classes but they are required to be at school— like for parent teacher conferences or an in-service day. We place little notes in the box ahead of time inviting them to the special lunch. Parents are asked to send a crock pot of soup so the cost for this is very little.

Late fall or winter place a basket of hot cocoa mixes, instant flavored coffees and spiced cider packets in a basket with a sign that says, “You warm our hearts!”

You can ask parents to donate homemade breakfast goodies and invite the teachers to “A breakfast of champions!”

Supply the teacher’s lounge with cupcakes decorated with lots of pretty frosting and post a sign that says, “Our teachers are the icing on the cake!” or make cakes and have the sign read, “Our teachers take the cake!”

Place a pack of gum in each teacher’s mailbox and say, “You’ve chewed through 1/2 the year. Keep up the good work.”

Place a Power bar in each teacher’s mailbox and a note saying, “We hope this energizes your day.”

Place some store bought tins of flavored popcorn, homemade caramel corn, or packages of microwave popcorn in the teacher’s lounge with a note that says, “Have a popin good day!”

Have the student council or a group of parents wash the teacher’s cars or only car windows. A few days before let teachers know you are planning to do this by putting a note in their mailbox that says, “Thanks for making everything ‘clear’ We are treating you to a free car wash!

Make a sign that says, “Our teachers are the sweetest.” Have parents bring in sweet treats or provide a chocolate fountain and fresh fruit.

Hire a few massage therapists that will come to the teachers lounge and do chair massages. Usually massage students are willing to do this for a reasonable rate. Let teachers know about this special treat by sending them a note that says, “You deserve a pat on the back!”

During parent teacher conferences we put boxes of of conversation hearts in each teacher’s mailbox. We included a note that said, “Hoping your ‘heart to heart’ conversations are sweet!”

Conversation hearts or any other heart candy could be placed in the teacher’s mailboxes with notes saying, “Thanks for putting your heart into teaching.”

At Easter put candy filled plastic eggs in the teacher’s mailboxes with a note telling them they are ‘Eggstra’ special teachers.

Put a lottery ticket in each teacher’s mailbox with a note saying, “We are lucky to have such great teachers!”

Other ideas can be found here

Back to School

I can’t believe summer vacation is over. My kids headed back to school today(well two out of three ain’t bad). I sent them each with a little hand lotion or hand soap  (on sale now at Bath & Body) for their new teachers and a note that said, “If I can give you a ‘hand’ this year, please don’t hesitate to call me,” and then included my home and cell number.

I just think this is a great way to start the year and open the lines of communication. This is our first year to have a man teacher. I was going to fill a work glove with candy for him, but I decided that since he has a sink in his room he would still probably appreciate some hand soap.

Thankful beyond words!

Our final gift for Teacher Appreciation Week

I want my blog to be a fun, creative and beautiful place. I need this little spot here in blog world. Sometimes it is a counter balance to a stress filled life. Our oldest son is on the Autistic Spectrum and often our days are long and trying. Our hearts and minds have been opened, stretched and blessed by our son. We have been challenged in what seems to be beyond our limits most days, but yet somehow (truly the grace of God and support from friends, family and our schools) despite all of our parenting inadequacies this child is confident and believes he has something to offer to all of us. He can finally see value in his disability. We could have never done this alone!
I put this all out there for you to in some way give words to the deep appreciation we feel for our son’s amazing and supportive teachers and school staff. Last year was unimaginable—difficult beyond words. This year because of a phenomenal special ed teacher, an awesome autism consultant (and her special para professional) and our son’s extremely capable and caring para professional— our son has bloomed.

Let’s do lunch

My friends and I got together to make sack lunches for our children’s teachers today. We decided how many lunches and what each of us would bring ahead of time. We then gathered in the morning to assemble them. Each lunch goes into this bag.

Take a colored lunch sack and place a napkin folded in half over the top edge of the sack. Place two hole punches in the top center and then feed 18 inches of ribbon through the holes. Tie on a fork and then add any embellishment. I used a little flower that had an existing sticky dot on the back. Make sure it is easy for them to retrieve their fork. Fill the sack with a yummy lunch and stick the plate in the top. Our lunch included a chicken salad sandwich, pasta salad, fruit and double chocolate chip cookies.

Very Fortunate Wednesday

These plastic flowered Chinese containers (from a dollar store) are filled with fortune cookies (found at a grocery store). I slit the center of the flower on the top and bottom and fed the ribbon through like a belt buckle.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.  ~Henry Adams

Out of this world!

Monday was out of this world but not in a good way.  We had too much rain! Teachers  were to receive a Milky Way candy bar telling them they were out of this world, but school was canceled due to flooding (YIKES).  The water is normally only on the other side of those trees.

For the teacher appreciation treats I  printed the words on card stock then lightly scored the paper to fold nicely around the Milky Way candy bar.  I wrapped  a ribbon around the sides and finished off with a cute mini clothes pin clip.

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is national Teacher Appreciation Week. Both my sons have great teachers and I love this opportunity to thank them. My oldest son has a team of teachers that help him through the day. There are four in particular that I wanted to thank each day with a small something. Here are some ideas I am thinking about:

• “You are out of this world” tag attached to a Milky Way or Mars candy bar
• “You deserve an extra payday!” tag attached to a Payday candy bar
• “There is no ‘sub’stitute for you!” tag attached to a gift card for the local sub shop
• “You are ‘extra’ special” tag with a pack of Extra Gum
• “Thanks for helping Blake ‘bloom’” tag with a bouquet of flowers
• “We appreciate the ‘mounds’ of work you do!” tag attached to a Mounds candy bar
• “Thanks for giving Blake a hand” tag with hand lotion
• “Thanks a ‘latte’!” tag with a gift card from local coffee shop, special coffees or travel mug
• “You are ‘souper’! – soup mix, custom decorated soup bowls or homemade soup
• “Thanks for holding everything together” tag with fun paper clips
• “Just a note to say you are special” custom made note pads , purchased notepads or post it notes
• “You are a ‘treasure’ tag with Treasures candy
• “You really measure up” tag with a cool ruler, yardstick or measuring tape
• “You are ‘sum’body special” tag with a calculator or math game for the class
• “You are the apple of our eye” with a basket of apples (construction paper leaves with nice sayings—A+ teacher, you’re special etc. can be hot glued to the stems)
• “You are ‘tea’rrific!” tag with a selection of teas
• “You deserve a ‘break’ today! Thanks for your hard work” tag with a Fast-Break candy bar or McDonald’s gift certificates
• “You are a smart cookie” tag with homemade cookies
• “Thanks for a ‘picture’ perfect year” tag with movie coupons or nice picture frame
• “Thanks for making our school year bright” tag with a package of highlighters
• “Thanks for helping Blake grow” tag with flower seeds
• “You are o’fish’ally the best!” tag attached to Goldfish Crackers
• “Thanks for lighting the way” or “You light up our world” with a flashlight or nice candle
• “We are your biggest ‘fan’!”with a cute desk fan, hand held fan or paper fan.
• “Thanks for the ‘time’ you spend with Blake” tag on a cute clock, fun watch or pretty appointment book
• “We are fortunate to have you!” tag with a Chinese take out box filled with fortune cookies
• “You have been a ‘bright’ spot in our year!” tag with a package of highlighters
• “You are a joy!” tag attached to an Almond Joy candy bar
• “Thanks for giving Blake a hand!” tag attached to work or garden gloves filled with candy
• “You have been just ‘write’ for Blake!” package of nice pencils or pens in a case or container
• “You rock!” tag with pop rocks, rock candy, Rock Star soft drink or painted rock for a paperweight
• “You have been ‘key’ to Blake’s success!” tag attached to a key ring, maybe a pretty handmade beaded one
• “We are ‘nuts’ about you!” tag attached to some nuts
• “You ‘float’ above the rest” tag attached to a balloon or a fun pool float for the summer
• “You are worth more than a 100 grand to Blake!” tag attached to a 100 Grand candy bar
• “You ‘mint’ so much to us this year” tag attached to some mints
• “You were ‘mint’ to be a teacher!” tag attached to some mints
• “Here is a ‘pat’ on the back for doing such a great job!” tag attached to a gift certificate for a massage
• “You are an ‘amazing’ teacher” tag attached to an Amazing candy bar

Do you have any ideas that you have used to thank your children’s teachers? I would love to hear about them!

 

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.

~Cynthia Ozick