61 Teacher Appreciation Sayings & Quotes to Start the School Year

  • Jul 30, 2020

Teacher appreciation shouldn’t be just a day or week. It should last the entire school year! Whether it’s elementary, college, high school, or preschool, teachers rock and deserve something special!

Do you want to get custom gifts for your teachers, or even the entire school staff? Be inspired by these cute sayings about education and other catchy quotes and phrases.

Here are 61 teacher appreciation sayings and quotes you can print on gifts to kick off the new year.

61 Teacher Appreciation Sayings and Quotes

  1. Real heroes teach [insert subject here].
  2. Teach. Shower. Repeat.
  3. First teach, then the beach.
  4. You’ve got class!
  5. Saved by the bell.
  6. Live & Learn.
  7. Move over Batman, teachers are the true heroes!
  8. Only the brave choose to teach.
  9. I teach, therefore I am.
  10. I’m not like a regular teacher, I’m a cool teacher.
  11. May your coffee be strong and your students be calm.
  12. Ready to teach – rain or shine.
  13. Born to teach.
  14. A++ Teacher.
  15. Talent Energy Awareness Compassion Humor
  16. Teachers like you come along once in a blue moon.
  17. If you can read this, thank a teacher.
  18. Have you thanked a teacher today?
  19. You’re one smart apple.
  20. I help create light bulb moments.
  21. Too cool for school.
  22. You rock!
  23. My teacher is a rockstar.
  24. How sweet it is to be taught by you.
  25. World’s best teacher.
  26. Teachers change the world.
  27. Teachers change the world… even on Mondays.
  28. It takes a big heart to shape little minds.
  29. Best teacher ever.
  30. #1 teacher.
  31. There is no substitute for you!
  32. Forget Disney World, your classroom is the happiest place on Earth!
  33. You make learning sweet!
  34. The influence of a teacher can never be erased.
  35. You’re one smart cookie!
  36. Keep calm and teach on.
  37. Teaching MVP
  38. “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” – Japanese Proverb
  39. “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese Proverb
  40. “I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks.” – William Shakespeare
  41. “Today was good, today was fun! Thank you, thank you everyone!” – Dr. Seuss
  42. “Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
  43. “The road to freedom – here and everywhere on earth – begins in the classroom.” – Hubert Humphrey
  44. “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.” – Maya Angelou
  45. “When the raindrops come tumbling, remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine.” – From Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
  46. “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Adams
  47. “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” – Oscar Wilde
  48. “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
  49. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
  50. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
  51. “You can’t stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it.” – J.D. Salinger
  52. “I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” – Robert Frost
  53. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – W.B. Yeats
  54. “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King
  55. “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids to work together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.” – Bill Gates
  56. “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” – Confucius
  57. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle
  58. “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
  59. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
  60. “It is the supreme art of teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein
  61. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

Do you want to include any of these messages with your teacher’s gift? Add a small clipart image next to the words! For example, a cookie next to “You are one smart cookie!” or a little heart next to “It takes a big heart to shape little minds.”

Check out over 1,000 free downloadable images in this Clipart Library!

What Are the Best Teacher Appreciation Gifts?

Are you looking for gift ideas for teacher appreciation week? After all, gratitude can only go so far, but a good gift is forever. Pair any of the teacher sayings and quotes from above with these well-loved items and you have an A+ gift every time!

Here are some excellent teacher appreciation gift ideas:

Large Travel Mug

Chemistry teacher travel mug

It’s impossible to grade all those papers, deal with discipline, and sharpen minds without a big cup of coffee! Any teacher would love to receive a stylish travel mug as a gift.

Teacher Saying: CA is for Caffeine

Stylish Tote Bag

You're tote-ally amazing tote bag

A stylish tote bag can be used every day to bring school supplies and other odds and ends to the classroom. It also can work overtime and be used on the beach during summer vacation!

Teacher Saying: You’re Tote-ally Amazing!

Stress Ball in a Fun Shape

Teacher Appreciation stress balls

Teachers are human, and with so many demands from parents, faculty, and the state, it can get extremely stressful to do their job. Show them you appreciate all their efforts with a stress ball in a unique shape like an apple, pencil, or heart.

Teacher Saying: Thanks for “squeezing” in so much time for learning.

Screen Printed Tee

World's Best Teacher t-shirt

A nice soft, casual tee will be any teacher’s new favorite item. Pick an eye-catching, neutral color and print a design or message on the front.

Teacher Saying: World’s Best Teacher

Sweets & Treats

Teacher candy jar

Whether it’s a jar of candy, popcorn, or mints, everyone loves a snack! Treat your teachers to something delicious that they can snack on during passing periods.

Teacher Saying: It’s Been a “Treat” Being in Your Class This Year.

Paperweight

diamond paperweight for teachers

Who wanted to look at a beautiful paperweight on their desk every morning? Put a smile on your teacher’s face with this special gift!

Teacher Saying: Great teachers are forever.

Elegant Red Pen

grading red pen

A red pen is a hallmark of any great teacher’s supply bag. Make sure to choose one with smooth ink that won’t run out until the end of the school year.

Teacher Saying: Excuse me, I’ve got grading to do.

Neoprene Lunch Bag

My favorite subject lunch lunch bag

Mmm, it’s finally lunch time in the faculty lounge! Keep your favorite teacher’s PB&J’s and bananas nice and chilled with a trendy neoprene lunch bag.

Teacher Saying: My favorite subject… Lunch.

Hardcover Journal

You don’t have to be an English teacher to love using a hardcover journal. Hand one out to the entire teaching staff, from the science nerds to the history buffs.

Teacher Saying: #1 Teacher.

Kitchenware

After a long day at school, your teachers still have to go home and make a healthy meal. It will be so much easier if you give them nice kitchenware as a gift.

Teacher Saying: Cooking up new ideas.

You can print any of the teacher sayings or quotes on tags and attach them to the gifts, or print the words directly on the gift instead. A promotional products company like Quality Logo Products® can do it for you!

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to know for certain what the future holds for education. If the COVID-19 pandemic proved anything, it’s that we could be looking at a future of e-learning and technology in our classrooms.

Still, that doesn’t mean we should stop appreciating our teachers. There are currently 3.2 billion people that work as teachers in the United States, and every single one is molding minds and making the world stronger.

A tangible gift like a personalized coffee mug or nice t-shirt is the least you can offer for all this hard work. The teachers will love using them again and again, whether it’s at school or on those much-needed weekends!