What’s the secret ingredient to a truly successful school-wide reading challenge? Teachers! When you gain their support, spark contagious enthusiasm, and motivate them to model strong reading habits, their participation inspires students in ways nothing else can.
Given the many demands on their time, librarians and school leaders must take a moment to celebrate the educators who go above and beyond to make these initiatives shine.
Below, we’re sharing simple, meaningful ways to reward teachers, foster camaraderie, and strengthen your school’s reading culture—one shout-out, prize, or bulletin board at a time.
Why Teacher Recognition Matters
Celebrating teachers during a reading challenge isn’t just a kind gesture—it’s a smart strategy that builds momentum and excitement throughout your campus.
When educators feel appreciated:
- Morale gets a boost, fueling continued engagement.
- Participation grows across grades and departments.
- Students see positive reading habits in action.
- Reading transforms into a school-wide celebration, not just a student-focused effort.
At Rolling Hills Elementary, student engagement surged after media specialist Meghan Murphy spotlighted top-performing teachers and grade-level stats in the weekly newsletter. “When other teachers saw their colleagues getting recognized,” said Murphy, “they wanted to be part of it, too.”
Recognition Ideas That Go Beyond Gold Stars
Ready to level up your appreciation game? These creative and doable strategies make teachers feel seen, valued, and celebrated.
Shout-outs and Spotlights
Public praise can go a long way in building morale and team spirit.
School Newsletters & Announcements: Dedicate a section of your weekly newsletter to highlighting teachers who go above and beyond. Include specific examples of their creative ideas or reading challenge milestones. Use morning announcements to give quick shout-outs and share the why behind each recognition.
Digital & Physical Displays: Create a “Reading Challenge Champions” showcase. Whether it’s a high-traffic bulletin board, a feature on your school website, or a spotlight in Beanstack, visual recognition helps inspire others and build pride.
In-Classroom Celebrations: Surprise classroom visits with small tokens, like certificates or fun bookmarks, can have a big impact. Public acknowledgment shows students that their teacher’s efforts matter.
Real-world Idea: At Rolling Hills, weekly infographics highlighting top-reading classrooms and staff were shared via social and email, extending the reach of their recognition.
Reader Leader Awards
Make appreciation fun and personal with playful awards and student involvement.
Create custom superlatives like:
- “Most Enthusiastic Promoter” – for hyping the challenge school-wide
- “Challenge Cheerleader” – for uplifting students every step of the way
- “Best Book Talker” – for getting kids hooked on great reads
Let students vote for their favorite “Reader Leaders” to strengthen student-teacher connections and create shared ownership of the challenge.
Real-world idea: At Bethune Academy, staff joined the Beanstack challenge alongside students. Media specialist Leigh Knapp stocked a Little Free Library in the staff lounge and rewarded badge earners—students and teachers alike—with weekly prizes. The result? A reading buzz that took over the school.
Certificates and Swag
Small, thoughtful tokens can make a big impression.
Personalized Certificates: Go beyond standard templates. Mention specific contributions, like highest participation or creative classroom activities, and encourage teachers to display them with pride.
Creative and Practical Swag: Choose fun, inexpensive gifts that celebrate teachers’ love of reading:
- Custom bookmarks with quotes or your challenge theme
- Book-themed stickers they can keep or trade
- Literary mugs with clever puns
- Classroom supplies (always a welcome treat)
Real-world idea: At Ventura Elementary, the principal delivered goodie bags filled with bookish items and essential supplies to teachers who brought classes to the library. The result? A boost in both circulation and morale.
Celebrate Publicly and Playfully
Keep the fun visible and ongoing to build a vibrant reading culture.
- Reading-Themed Events: Host a staff lunch or celebration with a book swap, themed decor, trivia, or read-alouds. It’s a festive way to honor educators and bond as a team.
- Student Appreciation: Encourage students to write thank-you notes or draw pictures for teachers who’ve inspired their love of reading. Display them publicly or present them during a special moment.
- Door-Decorating Contest: Launch a school-wide contest where classrooms showcase their reading pride. Add prizes, enlist judges, and share photos on your website or social media to spread the excitement.
- Capturing and Sharing the Moment: Catch teachers in action—chatting excitedly about books, helping students choose a new read—and post it with a fun caption on your school’s social media. Use hashtags, tag the teacher, and keep the positivity flowing.
Staff Favorite Reads Wall: Set up a library or front office display where teachers can share their top book picks and mini reviews. This will encourage connection and inspire new readers.
Build Friendly Competition and Collaboration
Channel a little healthy rivalry to fuel participation and joy.
- Leaderboard Showdown: Post a leaderboard in the staff room or online to highlight teacher and class participation. Update it weekly and recognize milestones during meetings or emails, like the first to hit a reading goal.
- “Read With Me” Buddies: Pair up teachers and students to log reading together. This strengthens relationships and reinforces reading as a shared, joyful activity.
- Grade-Level Teams: Reward collective efforts. Track reading by grade level and celebrate the top teams with a group lunch, special activity, or shared prize.
Real-world idea: At Clearfield Elementary, a staff-specific challenge sparked friendly competition—and drew the whole school into the fun.
Keep It Sustainable
To keep the momentum going, aim for authentic and lasting appreciation. Recognize not just top performers but also creativity, consistency, and heart. Ask teachers what kind of recognition resonates with them—you may be surprised by what matters most.
Most importantly, make teacher appreciation part of your school’s routine. A quick shout-out in a staff email, a celebratory stat in the morning announcements, or a fun photo post can go a long way. As Meghan Murphy from Rolling Hills put it:
“It wasn’t about adding more to their plate—it was about showing them how Beanstack could support what they were already doing.”
Let’s Go!
Start small with one or two ideas and build from there. When teachers feel seen and celebrated, their joy spreads. Students notice. Reading takes root. And your school’s culture begins to transform—one book at a time.