When I was teaching, the best gift a student could give me was a heartfelt, honest "thank you" note at the end of the semester or year. Completely unexpected but so appreciated, these notes—even if just a few sentences long—meant more than any mug, gift card, or candle ever could.
I still have a box of thank-you notes from students and parents that occasionally I look through when I need a pick-me-up. Truly!
It's never too early to begin with your children the tradition of writing their teachers an end-of-year thank-you note. It's a chance for the child to reflect on the year and to extend to his or her hardworking teacher an expression of gratitude. Honestly, it will mean more to that teacher than you may expect.
Use this simple template as a starting point, as a guide, or as the thank-you note itself! To print this template, click on the image below.
