Teachers have to step back from teaching for all sorts of reasons, and when that happens, our students get to experience class with a long term substitute. These teachers can be real blessings with extraordinary patience and the ability to form strong relationships in such a short amount of time.
When a substitute teacher has to go into your child’s class and teach for an extended period of time, you might want to consider giving them a gift. Of course, this is optional, but it’s always nice to let someone know you appreciate their hard work! Thank the substitute teacher for their long term effort with these great gift ideas that will keep them wanting to return to the child’s classroom.
Best Gifts for Long Term Substitute Teachers
Long Term Substitute Teacher Coffee MugWith this gift your child’s long term substitute can sport their profession with pride. This adorable mug features the cutest llama surrounded by a funny yet supportive message. With the language used this mug is probably one that your long term substitute teacher will want to keep at home though.
Teacher Survival Kit BagHelp your child’s long term substitute keep their desk and their bag perfectly organized with this embroidered “teacher survival” zipper bag. The teacher survival kit is stylishly designed and the perfect size to keep essentials handy and within reach, especially when the teacher has to move around from classroom to classroom.
Daily Planner SetDaily planning can be a bit more complicated when you’re a substitute, whether long term or short term. This daily planner set takes a different approach than a typical plan book, allowing your child’s long-term sub to take planning on a more day-by-day approach. This will help them stay on top of tasks, even when they move on to more short term assignments.
Substitute Creacher by Chris GallThe troublemaking students of Ms. Jenkins' class arrive at school one day to discover a substitute creacher has come to put a stop to their monkey business! He regales them with mind-boggling stories about his former students who didn't follow the rules: Keith the glue-eater, Zach the daydreamer, and Hank the prankster, to name a few. But even this multi-tentacled, yellow-spotted, one-eyed monster's cautionary tales about the consequences of mischief-making can't seem to change the students' wicked ways until he reveals the spookiest and most surprising story of all: his own.
Teacher Appreciation NotepadsTeachers are always writing themselves notes. They could be reminders, notes to parents, notes to other teachers, notes to students…they are always writing notes. Help a public school substitute to write their notes in style with these notepads that show how much you really appreciate them.
Subbing Is My Superpower T-ShirtHelp your long term substitute dress to impress with this stylish shirt. What teacher doesn’t love wearing a fun and stylish teaching t-shirt? This shirt comes in men’s and women’s fits, multiple sizes, and sports the phrase “subbing is my superpower”. The faded design and retro text is enough to please any teacher.
Desktop Organizer ToteWhether they’re in a long term substitute teaching position or a short term position this desktop organizer tote will be the perfect gift for your child’s substitute teacher. Easily portable, this tote will keep all of the teaching essentials handy. Just like a desk, just without the desk.
Expanding File FolderTeaching requires lots of paperwork. Permission slips, graded papers, other assorted documents that teachers and substitute teachers alike are responsible for. Help your substitute keep all of their files and documents organized even between positions with this gift of a stylish expanding file folder.
Teacher Appreciation Pot HoldersThere’s nothing worse than burning your hands on your lunch because all you have with you in your classroom are school grade paper towels. These teacher appreciation pot holders make a great gift. The phrases are fun, the colors are vibrant, and they are extremely useful. Never again will your long term substitute burn their hands trying to pull a tupperware out of the microwave.
Vintage Feather BookmarkIf you know that your child’s long term substitute teacher is an avid reader, this is the gift that you want to go with. This vintage style bookmark is made of metal and shaped like a feather. The design is unique and useful, saving progress in a book without damaging the pages or structure of the binding.
Super Teacher TumblerEducators run on coffee. Large amounts of coffee. Sometimes tea or other hot beverages as well. Help your long term substitute enjoy their hot beverages to their full potential with this gift. This large tumbler is branded with teacher appreciation phrasing and keeps drinks warm (or cold) for long amounts of time.
Stainless Steel Pencil DispenserIf you've built some sort of relationship with your child's sub, you might have an idea about the kind of thing he or she would like. But if you're not sure, or if you know the sub only casually, here is another interesting idea. This gift makes a great addition to any classroom, even if the teacher is only there temporarily. Students always need pencils. This stainless steel pencil dispenser works to dispense pencils one at a time when students need them and can hold tons of them. Save any substitute from the dreaded “can I have a pencil question” forever.No products found.
Teacher Appreciation BraceletEven though substitute teachers work on a temporary basis, they are still teachers and deserve respect and appreciation. Is your sub full of colorful personality? This colorful bracelet is the perfect accessory to say thank you in a fun, stylish way. The beading is fantastic to match any bright outfit and the pendant is sweet enough to lift the spirits of any hard working teacher.
Thank You for Helping me Grow OrnamentIn addition to everything else they are responsible for, long term subs have to learn the culture of the school, the curriculum and assessment methods of each class and navigate parent-teacher interactions all while continuing to meet the needs of their students. This is an awesome gift for teacher who subbing in your school that will help them feel appreciated and valued for the hard work they do. This nifty ornament is a great way to show any sub how much all the work that they put in is truly appreciated. This ornament featuring a kind “thank you” message can be displayed on the wall, a desk, a bag, or even on a Christmas tree.
Desk Caddy OrganizerLet the long-term sub know they are appreciated by giving them a small, compact, and stylish desktop caddy organizer. It is an excellent little item to get for your child’s subs teacher to show that you care. Since they work on desks that aren’t their own, this red and white design organizer is small enough to keep their items organized without taking too much of their borrowed space.
Funny Teacher Coffee MugThis mug is fun and appropriate for display on your substitute teacher’s desk. The funny mug features a black cat with the phrase “I’m silently correcting your grammar”. A humorous (and probably accurate) sentiment on it makes this mug pretty funny.
Water BottleSubstitute teachers are usually underappreciated, and a small token of your appreciation makes their day just a little bit brighter. This large water bottle (30 oz.) is an awesome gift to brigt for a busy sub. The clear water bottle features a flower design surrounding a teacher positive quote. This water bottle will help your child’s long term sub stay hydrated throughout the day.
Motivational Grading Stamp KityGrading is an important part of any teacher’s duties. Grading can be even more difficult for a long term substitute teacher as they’ve got to not only grade work, they also have to build relationships in a short amount of time. These motivational grading stamps are fun, encouraging, and a great way to make grading more effective and more positive for the teacher and students.
Fresh Coffee Scented CandleWho doesn’t love the smell of fresh coffee? Keep your substitute teacher’s desk smelling like their favorite go-to beverage so they can enjoy a little slice of peace while they work. This candle is large enough to get many long hours of flame and strong enough that even unlit it can make a space smell great.
Thank You BlanketA substitute teacher is not just an individual who steps into a classroom, and takes over a teacher position for a period of time, they are an important part of your classroom community and deserve a gift to let them know you appreciate their hard work! This soft teacher appreciation blanket can be used by your child’s long period of time subs teacher in the classroom or at home. The blanket features a message of thanks for all the hard work the teacher puts in and can be used to keep the teacher warm during long grading sessions or during their at home movie nights.
KindleThe holiday season is just around the corner, and we’re already getting prepared to shop for all of our teachers. Here are a few special items that you can give to your long-term substitute that will let her know how much you appreciate her! She probably doesn’t have a lot of time to read during the school day, but she might want some entertainment for after school or during the weekends. Why not get her a Kindle? It’s slim and lightweight, so it’s super easy for her to carry in her purse or backpack, plus it has a battery life of up to six weeks with wireless turned off.
Stainless Steel Coffee MugThis stainless steel coffee mug doesn’t feature any funny quotes or adorable designs but it has an even more useful property. This mug makes is a terrific because it comes with a lid for portability and with its stainless steel material it can keep hot beverages warm for long periods of time.
Tea Sampler Gift SetSpeaking of hot beverages, keep your child’s substitute teacher good health with flavorsome teas freshly sourced from India's famous tea gardens.. The tea sampler gift set comes with all the different types of tea that the teacher could dream of. These tea treats will definitely help boost their mood and energy during one of your classes!
Coffee Sampler Gift SetLong term substitute teachers can be an invaluable part of a school community. They bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the classroom, which can be especially helpful if the teacher they are replacing has been in that same classroom for many years. They will need a lot of energy to cope with all the obligations they have as subs teachers. And nothing moves teachers better than delicious coffee. Keep your long term subs teacher caffeinated with this coffee sampler set. Pair this set of coffees with any of the mugs or tumblers on this list and the teacher will be forever grateful. Not only are you going to be supplying them with delicious coffee options, you will also be providing them with a stylish way to drink it.
Teacher Appreciation Wallet Key ChainTeachers already have to carry a ton of stuff around on a daily basis. Substitute teachers have it more difficult because usually they have to carry around their whole desk with them. Take away some of that burden by letting them keep the contents of their wallet on this stylish keychain.
Substitute Teaching from A to Z by Barbara PressmanBecome the go-to substitute teacher that every school district is searching for. Ask any school administrator: a top-notch substitute teacher is golden, and this book gives you the Midas touch. Substitute Teaching from A to Z is a one-stop resource, whether you’re a full-timer, just breaking in, or starting out as a career educator. Reinforced with true life tales from real substitute teachers and the stories of how they solved their biggest challenges, this book is a comprehensive guide written by a veteran teaching expert who specializes in training subs.
Fleece Lined Slipper SocksCan’t settle on anything else on this list? These fleece lined slipper socks are a great for anyone. Especially with this cold winter, help the teacher keep their feet warm and cozy when they’re finally putting their feet up after a long day wrangling children.
Funny Coloring Book for TeachersThis gift is a hilarious option that is sure to bring your child’s long term substitute teacher hours of laughter as they unwind with the detailed coloring pages. The pages feature funny quotes and phrases, many of which will leave them exclaiming “I can’t believe I’ve had to say that before!”.
What Do You Meme? Teacher EditionWhat do you meme is a hilarious card game that has players put together phrases and images to create the perfect meme. The teacher edition of this game is a amazing gift for a substitute teacher that will bring them hours of joy and laughter. The game cards are all focused on teacher related issues and utterly hilarious.
Don’t Forget to Buy Gifts for Substitute Teacher
Substitute teachers are often over looked when it comes to gifts. They don’t have time to get attached to their students and they often come and go without being noticed by parents. However, sometimes a substitute will stay with a class for several weeks at a time or even longer! If your child has had the same sub for several weeks, you might want to consider giving her a gift as she leaves. The gift will show appreciation for her hard work and dedication.
