13 Fun Back-to-School Gifts for Teachers (Or Anyone Who Works in Schools!)

If you work in a school, you know that being tired and overwhelmed is pretty much a way of life. The last few years of teaching through a global pandemic and managing the expectations of society against what we think is best for children has sparked a mass exodus from the profession. And it was hard before 2020! Teachers are trying to deal with trauma in the form of lost loved ones, lost experiences, lost milestones, all while guiding children who have experienced the same and dealing with unthinkable pressure to “catch up.”  All this to say, educators deserve presents. Someone get these educators some presents.

Back-to-school season is so interesting as an educator. Once the year is really going full swing, crisis management is the first priority. There is never not a crisis. It’s only really in the lead up to the actual school year that things like aesthetics and presentation get a lot of focus. This is the time that teachers dream up bulletin boards and plan out decorative themes. This also happens to be the time that 90% of the teachers you know are reaching deep into their own pockets to craft comfortable and appealing learning environments. It’s a lot of work! It’s also exciting and optimistic. Anything feels possible! It’s time to think about pretty and funny and punny! Especially after the last few years, this is one of the highest points of the school year cycle, and it needs to be celebrated.