04-05-2025
When is Teacher Appreciation Week 2025? How to celebrate the educators in your life
Second to parents, teachers probably spend the most time with youngsters, playing a huge role in shaping the minds of tomorrow. And now it's time to show them a little love by celebrating them during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Here's what to know about Teacher Appreciation Week and what you can do for the teachers in your life.
In 2025, Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5 to 9. It's always the first full week of May, according to Teachers of Tomorrow.
The week is a time to show teachers and educators appreciation for their dedication and hard work. According to Teachers of Tomorrow, they take on a "tremendous responsibility" shaping the minds of their students and preparing them for the future.
In the 1950s, a teacher named Mattie Whyte Woodridge began a push for a national day to honor teachers, according to Teachers of Tomorrow.
Eleanor Roosevelt took up the cause, and in 1953 persuaded Congress to establish a day of recognition. Then, in 1986, the National Education Association successfully lobbied to turn it into a full week.
Teachers of Tomorrow has many suggestions on how parents and students can show their appreciation.
Students can write a letter to their teacher or create a presentation. They can bring a meaningful gift, like the teacher's favorite candy, a personalized coffee mug or gift certificate to the teacher's favorite store. Students can also organize a surprise celebration or a class gift.
Teach Appreciation Week isn't just for students.
Parents can volunteer at the school, write a letter or create a social media post supporting their child's favorite teacher, or help decorate the classroom.
The National PTA also suggests donating school supplies. The PTA has a toolkit available to help throw a little creativity into cards, certificates, fliers and social media graphics to thank teachers.
The National Education Association is looking for stories of extraordinary educators. You can submit one online as well as share a message on social media, tagging @NEAToday, and using the hashtag #ThankATeacher.
Teach for America has a long list of deals available for Teacher Appreciation Week, including:
: For faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels, Apple offers a range of special savings and pricing on Apple Music, Macs and iPads, select accessories, and more.
: Avid's software is an industry leader in video mixing, sound engineering, and music writing. The company offers educational pricing on Avid's Media Composer Ultimate, Pro Tools Ultimate, and Sibelius Ultimate.
: Teachers can receive free custom quotes for their classrooms, special pricing on shipping, bulk orders and more when they sign up for the BAM Educator Card.
: Costco provides a Costco Shop Card worth up to $40 to teachers who join as new members.
: Save 10% year-round with HPB's Educator's Discount Card.
: Create beautiful instructional walkthroughs and explainers for students using Loom's video messaging tool. Sign up with a .edu email address to get a free Loom Education plan.
: Teachers get 15% off purchases at the craft superstore.
: Find affordable Windows 10 devices that are built for education and get access to offers and discounts on software and tools designed to meet the needs of every student.
: Educators can get up to 45% off classroom subscriptions.
Meanwhile, Teachers of Tomorrow's list of deals includes discounts for vacations, software, school supplies and more. The organization said these were the best deals of 2025:
Office Depot/OfficeMax: Offering 30% back in Bonus Rewards on qualifying in-store purchases. This is a great opportunity to stock up on classroom essentials.
Staples: Teachers can save 20% off their in-store purchases at Staples by showing a teacher ID and using a coupon. You can also earn rewards through the Staples Classroom Rewards Program.
Buffalo Wild Wings: Buffalo Wild Wings offers teachers and school staff a 20% discount on their entire order with a valid ID.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Teacher Appreciation Week 2025: Deals, discounts, gift ideas and more
