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Home / Online Teaching / 16 Holiday Gift Ideas for the Online Teachers in Your Life

Have an online educator on your holiday shopping list this year? Not only do I work with a team of talented remote educators, but I’m also fortunate to have several educator friends and family members in my circle.

I know firsthand how tough it’s been for many teachers to make the shift from in-person to remote instruction, so this holiday season, I wanted to show them some extra love.

That’s why I rounded up this list of 16 gift ideas to make the online teaching experience easier, better, and, yes, more fun.

Managing multiple screen tabs while teaching is tough. I know a few teachers who have started using a second monitor to stay organized and efficient. This DUEX Pro dual screen laptop monitor would make remote teaching less stressful for the teachers in your life.

Educators often rely on their phones to make quick videos and virtual demos. This UBeesize Tripod with Bluetooth remote for cell phones means teachers can film hands-free anywhere, anytime.

Speaking of video, we all know the hippest online teachers have the most interesting Zoom backgrounds. Help a teacher friend up their digital background game with this removable green screen that easily slides on and off the back of a chair.

Online teaching isn’t only slide decks and videos. Teachers often need to model hands-on concepts in real time. This Thustand USB Document Camera could be extremely helpful for annotating a text or demonstrating a scientific principle.

Drinking coffee from a mug is an underrated luxury, but many coffee drinking educators have to opt for insulated thermoses to ensure hot coffee while they’re constantly on the go. Why not have the best of both worlds with this Ember self-heating mug? Whether in-person or online, teachers will love the option to sit and sip at their leisure.

Just like when they’re teaching in person, online teachers work non-stop with little time to eat. When they can’t get to the fridge, they need portable snacks to keep hunger at bay. Educators deserve the good stuff like these gourmet desk snacks from Mouth.

For many teachers and administrators, the sudden shift to remote learning meant a sudden shift to a more sedentary lifestyle. This sit-to-stand laptop holder helps educators move between sitting and standing positions for more physical movement and variety during the day.

When educators do have to spend long periods of time sitting, a comfortable desk chair is a must. This Ergoal chair is certainly a splurge item, but if back and neck pain are serious problems, it is a worthwhile investment.

Increased screen time is also taking its toll on the eyes. Consider buying your favorite educator a pair of on-trend blue light glasses from Warby Parker. After all, teachers shouldn’t have to sacrifice style for vision health.

More practical than posh, this USB Computer Headset minimizes background noise with a noise-cancelling mic. Enhanced digital audio means enhanced communication between teachers and students.

Sometimes ambient noise can be a good thing. Bring the soothing sounds of nature inside with a tabletop fountain and help the online teacher in your life unplug and unwind.

Candles may be cliche, but really, who doesn’t love a luxury scent? A softly flickering candle on the desk is a small perk of teaching from home. Educators won’t mind getting one of these upscale Byredo candles or one of these intoxicating fragrances from The Black Home by Neffi Walker.

Online teaching schedules are complex and often fluid. An erasable wall calendar decal is a must-have home office addition for teachers who need to stay organized, yet flexible.

We know that remote teaching is likely to continue throughout the winter. Make working at home cozier (and more fashionable) with these furry slippers from The Confetti Boutique. Or for next-level comfort, try these Tempur-Pedic slippers.

For the ultimate in home office hygge this winter, consider gifting your favorite online educator a Microplush electric throw blanket so they can stay toasty while teaching.

Finally, as both my wise sister who is a math teacher, and my gifted sister-in-law who teaches special education reminded me, whether in-person or online, we are all still the same educators and willfully accept gift cards to Teachers Pay Teachers, Amazon, Starbucks, and Target.

I had fun assembling this list for my fellow educators, but in the end, I have not forgotten that the best gifts we can give teachers — the ones they truly deserve — are livable wages, affordable health care plans, and professional respect.

If you plan to show your love with one of these gift ideas, consider, too, how you will support and advocate for teachers through civic engagement in the new year.

Should we go fully digital, use paper copies, or use a hybrid model? How will we assess the technology needs of our students? Should we arrange for meal pick up, delivery, or some combination? How will we manage and monitor student learning? How will we continue to meet the social-emotional needs of our students? These are just some of the questions that school leaders faced as they developed their plans for continued learning after school doors were shuttered for the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

True collegial groups among teachers, in any context, still remain the exception and not the norm in many schools — especially for online teachers.

In our last post on instructional leadership, we touched on the issue of professional development (PD) and the necessity of providing online teachers with ongoing training, support, and PD. This post will expand on the critical importance of PD for new online teachers and ongoing PD for all online teachers.