Near and far, educators and administrators, tutors and teaching assistants have been working hard to make the most of an online school year. It hasn’t been easy; in fact, far from it. Here in North America, the semester is coming to a close, which is a cause for celebration, but no matter where you are in the world, the hard-working, dedicated educators in your life deserve your deepest appreciation. 

And so, whether you’re a grateful student or an instructor yourself who wants to celebrate making it through one doozy of a semester with your colleagues and admins, here are seven highly awesome ways to celebrate educators remotely. 

Write an actual letter.

In the age of direct messaging and Instagram, snail mail might feel, well, vintage. But, receiving a handwritten letter in your mailbox is nothing short of awesome. If you have the mailing address of your educator, grab a pen and snag a stamp. If not, you can always write a letter, scan and email it, or simply send just a thoughtful email to a teacher who has inspired or encouraged you this year. 

Craft a clever video to spread some cheer. 

You don’t have to be a film major or tech savant to put together a video that makes someone smile. Videos are the modern expression of playfulness and can be crafted, sent, and enjoyed in under a day. Take some time to put together a little something for the educator in your life, whether it’s an animation about SINE and COSINE for your math instructor or an homage to a Broadway favorite, sent directly to an unsuspecting music teacher. 

Send FOOD! Or rather, gift cards to local restaurants. 

Our neighborhood businesses need our patronage more than ever. And who doesn’t want a delicious burger, pizza, or gyro for dinner at the end of a long day? Look into which restaurants near you do take-out or delivery, then purchase a digital card and see the smiles (and full stomachs) ensue.

Stop and send the roses. 

These times are tough. And as it turns out, remote learning and virtual instruction are even tougher. Spread the love with colorful blooms and bold blossoms. Floom works with independent florists around the US and the UK to send bouquets of joy that are sure to please the senses. No mailing address? No worries: you can send digital buds, as well. 

Feeling spunky? Want to send something a little more unique? No problem. 

These days, you can get literally anything delivered. Seriously. Do you want to send an ice cream care package? How about a succulent box? Better yet, support a business that had to pivot to stay afloat during these unprecedented times. TheSnapBar went from being a Seattle-based photo booth start-up to now creating personalized care packages that they send nationwide to “Keep Your City Smiling.” 

Snag a gift card for teachers, by teachers. 

There are myriad ways to support educators right now and even more ways to find curriculum and materials for instruction online. Why not do both? TeachersPayTeachers (TpT) is an online marketplace that features over 3 million free and paid resources, created by primary and secondary educators. You can buy a gift card to TpT and send it to a teacher, who will not only get to purchase something for themselves, but the funds go directly back to the education community. Talk about a win/win/win. 

Take a minute and just. Say. Thanks. 

Educators and students alike are all overwhelmed right now. But taking just one moment to share your gratitude is worth it, especially for the educator on the other end whose day may brighten because of your thanks. Whether in a direct message or in a one-on-one conversation in Zoom, email or letter, phone call or text message, your simple words mean more to teachers than you could imagine. And the world needs all the love it can get right now. 

Posted on the Turnitin Blog on 19 May 2020. To read more great stories visit our blog.