Teacher Appreciation Month: 8 Ways for Educators to Show Self Care
Teachers work hard.
So hard in fact, that an entire month is dedicated to celebrating the work that educators put in day in and day out. Students, parents, friends, family, and building administrators come together every year to show their gratitude to the educators in their lives, but sometimes, a little self-pampering is the best form of appreciation.
Here’s eight ideas to hold your own personal celebration of you for Teacher Appreciation Month:
- Schedule a day for pampering
This may be an obvious one, but really, who can argue with a fresh new haircut, relaxing massage, or luxurious mani-pedi? Pick an evening and make an appointment for the works at your favorite salon or spa. The “me time” is more than deserved.
- Pack lunch—with your favorite take-out
Yes, you only have 20 minutes (hopefully) to shovel food into your mouth before the kids come knocking on your door with questions, crises, or just a story they need to tell you. Squeeze as much enjoyment as you can out of every bite this week (and remove the stress of meal planning) by treating yourself to your favorite take-out meals instead of the usual leftovers. Even better, lots of restaurants offer educator discounts and deals for Teacher Appreciation Month and Week—be sure to ask.
- Indulge in your favorite show without shame
How often do you get home from a long day in your classroom and stare longingly at your couch and TV, only to make the motivated choice and drag yourself into the kitchen to cook dinner, off to the gym for a workout, or right back out the door to run errands? We applaud your productivity (and generally encourage it) but this week, give in to the pull of relaxation. Throw on those sweats, curl up with a blanket, and shamelessly indulge that show that’s been on your watchlist for months, that new video game, or the novel you can't wait to finish.
- Splurge on new classroom supplies
It’s the blessing and curse of all great teachers—you never stop thinking about teaching. Embrace the obsession this week and spring for those cool new posters, art supplies, library additions, or flexible furnishing options that you’ve been eyeing for your classroom. Michael’s craft supply stores offer an awesome teacher appreciation discount!
- Organize a happy hour
It’s awesome to treat yourself, but it’s even more fun to treat yourself in the company of friends. And, who appreciates the labor of love that is teaching better than your fellow educators? Pick a brand new, extra tasty, super swanky, or tried-and-true restaurant (don’t forget to ask about those Teacher Appreciation Week deals) and round up your colleagues for a happy-hour or dinner. If you can’t meet face-to-face with all your favorites, schedule a virtual gathering and download a game everyone will enjoy, or just leave work-talk at the door and let the conversation flow. Laughter and stress-relief guaranteed to ensue.
- Indulge in retail therapy
No, you should not max out your credit cards on a massive mall run. But, this week is the perfect time to make a big purchase you’ve been considering for a while, or simply find a couple summer additions for your wardrobe. Let this be the sign you’ve been waiting for to finally get those new athletic shoes. Plenty of retail stores offer deals and coupons for Teacher Appreciation Week too!
- Take a walk down memory lane
For all of the frustrating, stressful, and difficult moments in the classroom, there are just as many interactions with students that make it all totally worth it. And, you’ve probably got plenty of little tokens collected and given to you by students through the years as mementos. Get them all out, grab a box of Kleenex, and relive those endearing and self-affirming encounters.
- Go on an adventure
We all need to break up the regular routine from time to time—it’s refreshing, invigorating, and helps us return to our day-to-day with new enthusiasm. So, treat yourself to the gift of a little adventure this week. Think of an outing you’ve been wanting to find time for—whether it’s visiting a museum, checking out a park, or taking a day-trip to a nearby town—and make it happen.