Whether you have a spouse, a good friend, or a mother-in-law who is an English teacher, rest assured, I’ve got you covered in this guide of gift ideas for English teachers. Even if you’re simply a student who wants to show a little extra appreciation to your awesome English teacher, and you’re on a limited budget, I’ve got something for you as well:) Read on.
Before we get too far into it, let me go ahead tell you that I do run a small business that serves English teachers, and so yes, I did put my offerings on this list. However, I know that what I offer (teaching resources) may not be the gift that you want to give this year, and that’s totally fine. Just wanted to get that out of the way so you don’t think I’m trying to be sneaky about anything 🙂
I’ve been teaching high school English for about 20 years (with a few years at home with my kids in there), and I now I also run a teacher membership with hundreds of English teachers, so I feel pretty qualified to tell you what the the English teacher in your life might like. Let’s get to it!
1.) Gift Idea #1: Books (But with a Warning)
Every English teacher likes to read–like 100% of them. So you might think that a book would be an obvious and easy choice. However….let me offer a bit of a warning: not every English teacher likes every book (this might seem obvious, but it’s still worth saying). Teachers are people (again, obviously) with preferences, and sometimes very strong preferences when it comes to reading.
So, it might be a good idea to take a glance at their bookshelves (if you are in a position to do so) and see what types of books they like. Do they like a certain genre: sci-fi, memoir, YA, or the classics? Maybe they like a certain author or series. These clues are helpful if you’re going to buy a book or two for the English teacher whom you love so dearly.
The safest bet is to find out what they’re into, and let that lead you. However, if I might just offer three quick books suggestions that I do think many English teachers would like and they probably do not have yet because they are all hot off the presses!
Suggestion #1 James by Percival Everett
This would be a great pick for many English teachers because it’s a novel spinoff from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but from the perspective of Jim. Goodreads describes it as “a brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view.”
This book has received outstanding reviews, and since many English teachers are familiar with the story of Huck Finn, this could be a great choice for a gift.
Suggestion #2: The Mythmakers by John Hendrix
John Hendrix has created a book about two people whom thousands of English teachers love deeply: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The Mythmakers is a graphic novel (of sorts) about Lewis and Tolkien’s friendship, and it is truly remarkable. Maybe I am biased because my love for C.S. Lewis dates back over two decades at this point, but still, I think many English teachers would find this book enchanting.
Suggestion #3: Sticky Notes by Matt Eicheldinger
I found Matt Eicheldinger on Instagram a few years ago, and I fell in love with his stories, which were short, powerful, and never self-congratulatory. He’s a middle school teacher who has saved dozens of stories about his students and his time in the classroom, and has now put them in this easy-to-read book. This is a great gift for any English teacher; it will inspire and reignite, trust me.
2.) Gift Idea #2: A bookish T-shirt
This might seem cheesy, but I have found that this is something most English teachers love: T-shirts about books. I personally am a big fan of the company Piper and Ivy. It’s a mother and daughter team and they are constantly coming out with new book T-shirts.
There is a book shirt for any book lover on this site. They offer sales all the time, so you are bound to find a good deal. Plus, their shirts are super soft and fit great (it’s not just another boxy T-shirt).
I have several of their shirts, and I love them.
3.) Gift Idea #3: Pens, Sticky Notes, and Journals
This is a great gift idea if you’re a bit limited on funds, but still want to show that you care. Many English teachers have a favorite brand of pen and using that pen literally lifts their spirits. I’m a fan of the class Pilot G2, and these Paper Mate pens.
Sticky notes are simply one of those things that English teachers can’t get enough of because they need them for so many things. Annotating books, making notes to self, or reminders about all of the things that are coming up (meetings, calls, paperwork, the list goes on). Get a variety of sticky notes in various sizes, and watch your English teacher light up!
Journals are also awesome gifts. Nearly every English teacher I know writes in their free time to some degree. This might be the novel they’ve been working on for the last 3 years during the early morning hours, or simply journaling on their Sunday mornings. But a good journal can really be a meaningful gift for a writer. My favorite brand is Paperage which is a bit less expensive than Moleskin, but still comes in lots of colors and different page counts.
4.) Gift Idea #4: Teaching Resources or Memberships
Ok I told you at the beginning I would tell you about my thing, so here it is: I create resources for high school English teachers. I founded the English Teacher Vault, which is an online vault of hundreds of teaching resources (think lesson plans, activities, slideshows, handouts, instructional videos, and more), so that teachers don’t have to create everything from scratch.
The reason this is a great gift idea: Many teachers spend their own money on teaching resources. And that can add up. When you give the gift of teaching resources you are saving a teacher money, but also giving them the gift of time (because they don’t have to create all that stuff!). If you’re interested in giving a membership to the vault as a gift, contact us at support@englishteachervault.com, and I’ll give you a 10% discount on any of our plans if you mention this post!
If the English Teacher Vault doesn’t sound like it’d be a good fit, consider MagicSchool AI or Brisk Teaching. These helpful AI tools offer very reasonable plans that can save English teachers a ton of time!
5.) Gift Idea #5: A Thank You Card or Letter
If you are a student on this page looking for gift ideas, let me just tell you that the best gifts I ever received were simply thank you cards at the end of the semester. My favorites were the ones that were hand written and personal. When a student would tell me that my class brightened their day or that they actually enjoyed reading now more than ever, these notes meant everything to me.
I still have every single note, card, letter, and email that my students gave me over the years. Never underestimate the power of a hand-written note or card.
Gift Idea #6: Story Games
All English teachers love a good story, and there are some really cool story games out there now. These can be used for the classroom or just for fun at home.
One of my favorite games that falls under this category is Storymatic. The premise is pretty simple. Players choose from a few different story cards (setting, character, conflict) and then have a time limit in which they must bring those things together in a story. It is a lot of fun for any age!
Gift Idea #7: A Decent Meal Out
If’s no secret that teachers don’t make a lot of money. I remember my first few years in the classroom when I had zero salary increase for 5 years (I’m looking at you 2007), and how I watched my bank account dwindle at the end of each month to the single digits.
So…if you are in a place to spend a little more, treat the English teacher in your life to a decent meal at a good restaurant. Maybe you find out what her favorite restaurant is, and you get a gift card for her and a friend or spouse to go on a date. Even if it’s not a fancy restaurant, find out what she likes. There were plenty months that I would have been over the moon with a Chipotle gift card.
Takeaways
If you are looking to show the English teacher in your life that you care, consider a personal gift: a book (but not just any book), a bookish T-shirt, teacher supplies, teacher resources (which will save her time), a handwritten thank you, a unique story game, or simply a decent meal out.
Are you an English teacher yourself? What would you add to the list? Tell us in the comments!
I have always liked the Barnes & Noble gift cards. That way, I could get a book for a fun read or a teacher’s helper book, such as the ones for reading or writing or vocabulary strategies. My bestie and I would do Barnes & Noble grading “dates” where we would spend a few hours giving feedback on essays, and we would reward ourselves every so often with a trip to the teacher shelves to peruse the offerings there. These are some of my favorite memories!
Absolutely!! Gift cards for the win.
A gift certificate for a “pampering visit” which could be a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, a facial… those things we would love, but can never afford to give ourselves.
This is a fantastic idea! I always feel guilty spending my own money on these things, but spending someone else’s money–no problem!