Creating a “Teachers Favorite Things” Form: A Guide for Schools

In any educational community, recognizing and appreciating the hard work of teachers is essential. One great way to show appreciation is by understanding and celebrating their favorite things. By creating a “Teachers Favorite Things” form, schools can easily gather and share this information with parents and student supporters. This helps in personalizing gifts and tokens of appreciation throughout the school year. Many PTSO and PTO organizations love to help generate this as an easy way to gather a list of teachers’ favorite things to send out to all the families and students’ supporters with ease, especially for those families that have more than one child at school.

Please note that teachers do not ask for gifts or things, but if a student supporter wants a favorites list to give the best gift they can, even a kind note, we can make this easy on them. This is also a great way to include all staff members so other staff members can give a kind gift as well. My school does a fun thing where each teacher can get the name of another teacher to support through the year, and this list will work for that as well.

Additionally, I love that this is a free Google Form that can be used digitally to get a digital download. You can access the list of teacher favorites whenever you want to with ease. 

Why Use a “Teachers Favorite Things” Form?

1. **Personalized Appreciation**: Knowing a teacher’s favorite snacks, hobbies, or colors allows parents and students to give thoughtful and personalized gifts.

2. **Community Building**: Sharing this information fosters a sense of community and connection between teachers, parents, and students.

3. **Ease of Access**: A centralized form makes it easy to collect and distribute this information efficiently.

Steps to Create a “Teachers Favorite Things” Form

1. **Set Up a Google Form**: Google Forms is an excellent tool for this purpose as it is easy to use and free.

2. **Design Thoughtful Questions**: Ask about favorite snacks, beverages, stores, hobbies, colors, and other personal preferences.

3. **Share the Form**: Distribute the form to all teachers and encourage them to fill it out.

4. **Compile and Share the Data**: Once all responses are collected, share the spreadsheet with parents and student supporters.

Sample “Teachers Favorite Things” Form

Below is a sample Google Form template that you can use. Feel free to copy and modify it to suit your needs.

**Teachers Favorite Things Form**

*Please fill out the following form to let us know about your favorite things. This information will be shared with parents and student supporters to help them show their appreciation throughout the year.*

**1. Name:** [Your Name]

**2. Favorite Snack:** [Your Favorite Snack]

**3. Favorite Beverage:** [Your Favorite Beverage]

**4. Favorite Color:** [Your Favorite Color]

**5. Favorite Store:** [Your Favorite Store]

**6. Hobbies and Interests:** [Your Hobbies and Interests]

**7. Favorite Restaurant:** [Your Favorite Restaurant]

**8. Any Allergies or Dietary Restrictions:** [Your Allergies or Dietary Restrictions]

**9. Favorite Flower:** [Your Favorite Flower]

**10. Any Other Favorite Things:** [Any Other Favorite Things]

Also, consider looking for paper and printable templates by going to the site Canva and searching for “teacher’s favorite things” to see if a free template or printable questionnaire comes up as well. 

How to Share the Form and Spreadsheet

1. **Creating the Form**: Go to [Google Forms](https://forms.google.com) and create a new form. Copy the questions above into the form.

2. **Sharing the Form**: Click on the “Send” button at the top right, and choose the method you prefer (email, link, or embed in a website).

3. **Collecting Responses**: Monitor the responses in real-time. Google Forms will automatically compile the responses into a Google Sheet.

4. **Sharing the Spreadsheet**: Once all responses are collected, share the Google Sheet with parents and student supporters. Ensure the privacy settings allow access to the intended audience only. To share this form, I went to “File”, then “share”, then “publish to the web” so we could share that version with families.

You can also use the FREE Template of the Google Form I created this year if you would like to start with a template and ideas already generated. Grab that link here. 

Tips for Success

– **Encourage Participation**: Remind teachers to fill out the form by highlighting the benefits of personalized appreciation.

– **Regular Updates**: Update the form and spreadsheet periodically to include new teachers and updated preferences.

– **Respect Privacy**: Ensure that the information collected is used solely for the purpose of showing appreciation and not for any other reasons.

Best Times to Use the “Teachers Favorite Things” Form

– **Beginning of the School Year**: Collect information at the start of the year to use throughout.

– **Teacher Appreciation Week**: Use the information to celebrate teachers during this special week.

– **Christmas Gifts**: Personalize holiday gifts with specific preferences.

– **End of the Year**: Show appreciation as the school year wraps up.

– **Special Occasions**: Birthdays, anniversaries, or other milestones.

Creating a “Teachers Favorite Things” form is a simple yet powerful way to foster a supportive and appreciative school community. By knowing what makes each teacher feel special, parents and students can express their gratitude in a meaningful way, making teachers feel valued and recognized for their hard work.

Editable Google Form Template

To make things even easier, here’s a link to an editable Google Form template you can use: Teachers Favorite Things Form Template]

Feel free to copy, customize, and distribute this form to suit your school’s needs. Happy appreciating!

By implementing a “Teachers Favorite Things” form, you are taking a significant step towards building a more connected and grateful school community. Happy teaching and happy gifting!

Additional Resources

– **Favorite Things Questionnaire**: Printable versions for those who prefer a physical form.

– **Teacher Gifts Ideas**: Suggestions for thoughtful and personalized gifts.

– **Gift Cards**: A popular and versatile option for teachers.

– **Digital Downloads**: For easy sharing and accessibility.

– **Resource Library**: A collection of free resources to support teachers.

Conclusion

The “Teachers Favorite Things” form is the perfect way to gather and share valuable information about your child’s teacher. Whether you’re a room parent, room mom, or simply looking to express appreciation, this form simplifies the process and ensures you have specific information to make each gift special. From the first day of school to the end of the year, these little things can make a big difference in creating a great school year for everyone.

The post Creating a “Teachers Favorite Things” Form: A Guide for Schools appeared first on Sharing Kindergarten.