Free Teachers Favorite Things Survey Form (Editable!)

Use this teachers favorite things form to help solidify your spot on the teachers good side. Not that I am suggesting bribing teachers, but, when it comes to things like holidays and teacher appreciation week, giving a teacher something they will enjoy instead of a another mug is a great way to make their day.

Teachers deserve to be spoiled when they do so much hard work all year. Whether it’s teacher appreciation day, their birthday, the holidays, or some other sort of special occassions – it’s worth finding a way to show your appreciation for your child’s teacher in some way (even if it’s just a $5 gift card).

But please, step away from the apple-themed handmade by you (the parent) gift. Yes, you, Pinterest Mom (don’t get me wrong, I love Pinterest Moms, I’m one myself). As a former teacher, I can tell you that gifts are always appreciated (we actually love hand-written notes just as much as gift cards – really).

But… some gifts just aren’t their thing. Another mug. An apple magnet. A cute little apple picture frame with the pretend child from the store inside. 

Unless it’s made by the student themselves, some of those cutesy teachery gifts aren’t actually very teacher-friendly. Instead, they just become clutter that the teacher has to find a way to donate or take back. There are better ways to express appreciation. 

Teachers, like all people, have likes and dislikes. They don’t all love coffee (gasp – I know). They aren’t all chocolate lovers (I haven’t met one yet but I know they’re out there).

So, instead of having no clue what to get your child’s teacher this year for the holidays, ask them. This form takes the guess work out of finding the best gift for your teacher. 

It’s an easy way to find out valuable information about your child’s teacher. Seriously – it will make holiday, end of year, and teacher appreciation gifts, so much easier when you know the teachers favorites. Their responses will give you lots of teacher gift ideas – including little things you could get them as pick me ups during the school year.

Learn about Allergies & Dislikes

In addition to getting a favorites list from your kids’ teachers, you’ll also learn their allergies and dislikes (if they’re comfortable sharing that information). It’s the perfect way to make sure you don’t give them a gift that could put them in danger. 

3 Types of Forms Included & Directions, too!

Here is what you get inwith the free downloads. 

• Printable questionnaire pdf file
• Editable pdf file to send digitally
• Google Forms file
• Handy letter to print with directions for the school staff
• Suggested email template of directions to copy/paste and edit with your specifics 

Plus, I included my old version of the forms, too. I had an original version (which may have been the version that led you here from Pinterest). But, after years technology has changed and I was able to make an editable version and digital version.

Google Forms Option

Would you prefer to have an email template to not waste the school’s already scarce copy paper supply? Use the FREE Google Forms version. 

All you have to do is grab the digital download of the the Google Forms pdf. It has a link that you can click that will open up the a Google forms page asking you to make a copy of the Google Form so that it is your own form. 

Next, you can customize the questions, add additional questions, remove questions, etc. Once it’s ready, you can email a link out to your teacher (or your entire school staff). 

Collect the responses and even export them into Google Sheets. 

Can You Customize the Favorite Things Form?

Yes! You can customize the teacher’s favorite things form. You can edit it to include or remove anything you’d like. Currently. it asks:

• Favorite food & favorite drink
• Favorite color
• Favorite restaurants
• Favorite places to shop
• Their Birthday
• What they do for fun
• What their favorite things are
• Food allergies & dislikes
• Things they’re not a big fan of/have enough of
• Their family & pets
• What their classroom could always use more of

But you could change up any of the above statements with other things like: favorite scent, favorite charity, favorite chips, favorite candy, etc. 

What Do the Forms Look Like?

Here is what the current printable & digital PDF version looks like.

This is a snippet of what the Google Forms version looks like.

This is what the old version of the printable PDF looks like.

How can I Download the Free Teachers Favorite Things Survey?

You can click here to access the Google Drive folder with all of the free files.

When Should you Send Out the Teachers Favorite Things Form?

I suggest sending it out toward the beginning of the school year. But not the first day of school or even the first week. Teachers are super busy at this time so you may not get as good of a response. But you definintely don’t want to wait until the end of the year.

I would just make sure to have it done before the holidays so that it can be used for Christmas gifts, teacher appreciation gifts, and other teacher gifts throughout the year.

Use for Just One Teacher OR Use it for the Entire School!

If you’re just one parent wanting to get information on your own kid’s teachers, use whichever method works best for you.

Room Parents

If you are a room parent, I suggest getting your teachers favorites using this form. Then, you can send out your teacher’s answers by email or you can print them to send home with the students.

Directions for PTA/PTSA Members

Are you part of the parents that run the school (you know what I’m talking about – PTA, PTSA, Boosters, room mom, etc)? Help collect this information from all willing staff members. Then, you can put it in a place that parents can access to obtain the information. 

Here are 3 ways I suggest passing out this information to an entire school staff.

About the Teacher – Google Forms Digital Version

This is the easiest and most environmentally friendly way to collect all of your teacher survey responses.

1. Download the Google Forms free pdf. 
2. Open it and click the link. It will open up the a Google forms page asking you to make a copy of the Google Form so that it is your own form. 
3. Customize the questions, add additional questions, remove questions, etc. 
4. Email a link out to your school staff. 
5. Collect the responses.
6. Export the responses into Google Sheets. 
7. Share the file with the school community in a way that works for your school. Our school puts ours on our PTA’s website (which you need a log in to access, making it more secure).

About the Teacher – Teacher Binder

1. Make enough copies of the favorite things pdf and directions sheet for each staff member to have one
2. Pass out the favorite things sheet/directions towards the beginning of the year. 
3. Ask the teachers to place it in a set place (such as the PTA’s mailbox)
4. Take all of the sheets and hole punch them and place them into a binder alphabetically by last name.
5. Place the binder in a  safe place in the school like a copy room, or commonplace for volunteers to visit
6. Let the parents know that the binder is there and available to access

About the Teacher – Digital & Fillable PDF Copy

1. Download the fillable teacher survey PDF.
2. Edit the questions if desired.
3. E-mail out the directions e-mail and the favorite things questionnaire pdf
4. Note: Send it out at the beginning of the school year
5. Teachers can download the PDF, fill it out, and save it to their respones. 
6. Collect the responses through the designated e-mail address (best if it’s the same one you send it from)
7. Either print the responses and place them in a binder like above OR place them the responses into a password or private drive such as Google Drive. Then email out the link (or password), to the parents.

Don’t Make it Mandatory

Not all staff will be comfortable sharing this type of information with the school community. Understand that having a teacher fill this out is optional.

Include ALL School Staff!

It’s important to make sure the papers are given to every single teacher AND position at the school so they can fill out their own teacher questionnaire survey. Sometimes special education teachers, paraeducators, student assistants, specials teachers like band/art, and general instructional assistants are forgotten about. You want to make sure everyone has a great school year so it’s important to make sure everyone is included.

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Looking for some ways to make back to school special? Check out this list of 25 ways to get your kids excited about back to school.

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