Teacher retirement poems celebrate a lifetime of service and dedication. Teachers are integral to the learning experience of all children, and these professionals influence dozens of children every year. Use one of these original retirement poems to express what's in your heart.
Poems From Students to Retiring Teachers
Students are, perhaps, the most affected when a beloved teacher retires. These poems could be included with a parting gift from a retiring teacher's class and presented during a school party.
We Are Your Garden
By Kelly Roper
As our teacher,
You planted the seeds of learning in us.
You nurtured us with the water of knowledge
And fed us with your creativity and enthusiasm.
You pruned us when we got off track
And shined the sunlight of your approval on us.
And now it's time to reap the harvest
You've tended so carefully over your career.
You've earned your retirement.
We are your garden. Sit back now and watch us grow.
Haiku for a Retiring Teacher
By Kelly Roper
The greatest teacher
Is one who lifts his/her students
And watches them soar.
To the Best Teacher Ever
By Kelly Roper
To the teacher who made us smile
Still helping us learn all the while.
To the teacher who explained things again,
Not once or twice but ten.
To the teacher who would stay late
Tutoring us to improve our grade's fate.
To the teacher with the biggest heart
Who encouraged us all to feel smart.
No words will ever do
To let you know how we feel about you.
Thank you dear teacher and
Happy retirement to you!
Teacher Retirement Poems From Co-Workers
Students aren't the only ones who are going to miss their teacher. Fellow teachers and other staff might also like to express their sentiments about the pending retirement.
You've Been Our Inspiration
By Kelly Roper
Teachers are a dedicated lot.
They do more than required,
And work until over-tired.
But once in every generation,
Comes a teacher whose dedication
Is the source of inspiration
And deserving of more acclamation.
That's what you've been to us,
So please endure while we make a fuss.
We couldn't let you leave
Without making sure you perceive
The respect you have achieved
And how you've helped us all believe
So sincerely in what we do.
With utmost gratitude,
Your Fellow Teachers
A Teacher's Presence Lingers
By Kelly Roper
You may have retired,
But your presence will linger,
Inspiring us all.
This School Will Never Be the Same
By Kelly Roper
I simply can't imagine looking into your classroom
And not seeing you there with your students.
I can't imagine watching them head to classes
Without you there directing traffic and telling them to walk.
And I really can't imagine hitting the teacher's lounge for lunch
And not being able to exchange "war stories" with you.
But I'll tell you what I can imagine.
You enjoying the morning sunshine as you work in your garden.
You traveling to the places you've talked about for so many years.
You sleeping in once in a while, although that's a little harder to imagine.
And I also like to imagine you'll come back and visit us once in a while,
Check in to see how we're doing and give us some sage advice.
I can only imagine what this school will be like without you,
But I know it will never be the same.
Retirement Poems for Teachers From the Administration
Administrators also have relationships with the teachers who work for them. These poems can help them acknowledge their gratitude for the years of service.
A Note From the Principal
By Kelly Roper
It's never easy to say goodbye,
Especially to a teacher like you.
You've made my job so much easier
Because of all you do.
You have the admiration of your colleagues,
And most especially mine.
You're practically impossible to replace,
The right person will be hard to find.
So enjoy your well-earned retirement,
Live life to the fullest each day.
And if you want to come back and visit,
Please do; you know the way.
A Heartfelt Thank You
By Kelly Roper
To our amazing (teacher's name),
Happy retirement
And best wishes.
Never think for a moment you'll be forgotten.
Kids and staff will remember their time with you in the years to come.
You have our respect,
Our admiration, and our
Undying gratitude.
About Teacher Retirement Poems
Teachers help children discover the wonderful world of books, reveal the mysteries of math, untangle the web of history or behold the wonders of science. When a favorite teacher of yours or your child's is preparing to retire, you want to honor them. A retirement poem is one way to demonstrate your feelings. It can be serious or funny or somewhere in between.
Write an Original Teacher Retirement Poem
You can write your own poem or encourage your child to create a poem. It could be as simple as:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
My school has the best teacher,
And that would be you!
By Cassidy (Age 8)
This next poem looks at a teacher who teaches a very specific subject:
History's mysteries left me with brain blisters.
Mr. Smith worked tirelessly to make order from chaos.
He taught me how to delve into the twisters.
Mr. Smith made history fun and on this award I emboss.
By Brock (Age 12)
This poem mingles the longer form of prose with poetry:
Dear Mrs. Heard,
You heard me when no one else listened.
You read what no one else saw.
You asked instead of assuming.
My understanding of grammar you broadened.
The frozen tundra of ignorance you began to thaw.
I owe you for every act of writing.
You solved the mystery of grammar, of adverbs, adjectives, and dangling participles.
It's so hard to believe that before you, I was constantly baffled.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Particularly since I spent so many years with the horse in front of the cart!
By Andrea (Age 18)
Recognize the Dedication
Teachers are among the most fundamentally necessary and fundamentally underappreciated class of workers in the country. A career in teaching is a commitment to lifelong education, patience and creativity. Teachers inspire, create, devote, explore, and reveal to their students. They deserve all the recognition they can get, so don't let their retirements go unnoted. Celebrate by giving them a heartfelt poem.
