Teacher Welcome Gifts

Give a teacher a welcoming gift at the start of a school year.

Teachers deserve recognition for making a difference and filling young minds with knowledge. Thank a teacher in advance with a welcome gift on the first day of school or at the start of her new teaching position. Give a meaningful, homemade or hand-selected gift to show your appreciation.

Survival Kit

Welcome a teacher to a new school or teaching position with a handmade teaching survival kit filled with humorous, useful or meaningful items that could come in handy to a new teacher. Possible items include a sponge to soak up extra information, bath salts for relaxation, animal crackers for when the teacher feels like a zookeeper and flower seeds since he is planting seeds for the future. Other possible objects include pennies to represent the pricelessness of a teacher's job, an eraser for mistakes and marbles in case he loses his. Put the survival items in a decorative basket or a teacher tote bag with the school logo.

Edible

Give a tasty treat to a teacher as a welcoming gift. Purchase a gift basket filled with crackers, cheese, fruits or desserts. You can also bake or cook your own food items to share with a new teacher, and the classic apple for the teacher works well. A fruit basket filled with apples or homemade apple pie or muffins makes for a nice gesture. A box of chocolates or a pan of baked goods will have a teacher feeling welcome in no time.

Books and Resources

A good read or reference book is an ideal way to welcome a teacher. Reference books with lesson plan ideas or general teaching tips make a appropriate gifts from other teachers. The recipient will appreciate anything that can make her life easier and provide students with new learning opportunities. A teacher who is fond of reading in her spare time, especially an English teacher, will enjoy a book from the "New York Times" bestselling list -- a gift that will give her something to enjoy while away from the classroom, or a book to model reading while students have free reading time.

Personalized

Welcome a teacher to the profession or your school by presenting him with a personalized gift. Engrave teaching-related gifts with the teacher's name, the name of his school or a short message. Personalized gifts include mouse pads, coffee mugs, travel mugs, water bottles, tote bags, leather-bound portfolios, candy jars, clocks, clipboards, key chains, notepads, pens or pen cases. You can also personalize jewelry such as a pin, necklace, bracelet or earrings.

References

• Rexanne: Best Gifts For Teachers
• Kim's Korner 4 Teacher Talk: Survival Kit For New Teachers