End of year teacher gift suggestions? Teachers, now's your chance to speak up!

[missypie]

Okay, what do you teachers out there want for an end of the school year gift from your students? I bet none of you want another mug, or an apple paper weight. Here's your chance to suggest something...just try to keep it within most people's budget (I know you DESERVE two weeks at a spa after putting up with our kids all year, but most of us can't afford that!)

 

[Disney Doll]

I am not a teacher, but my next-door neighbor is. She likes gift certificates. It doesn't have to be $50...even $10 is nice to have. She also likes things that a teacher might need to teache...pencils, pens, crayons, papaer etc. There are a lot of things that are not supplied by the school system which teachers then have to go out an buy for themselves. Or how about a gift cert to an office supply store, where they sell that stuff...then she can pick what she wants.

My neighbor likes bookstores, getting her nails done once in a while, a pizza or chinese food occasionally, grocery stores, clothing stores.

She also would appreciate a heartfelt thank you note with no gift attached, written by you and your child, perhaps outlining how she made a difference.

 

[jx3smom]

Gift cards and certificates are great especially to bookstores, office supply stores, etc. Teachers also like receiving school supplies such as stickers and that kind of thing.

 

[Kewz1]

We give our teachers a Barnes & Noble GC. It can be used at the Starbucks inside also. I figure they might enjoy reading something for their own personal enjoyment over the summer.

Kristen

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd's teacher even said she likes GC from WalMart.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I buy 2 small garden hand tools, inexpensive garden gloves and wrap some raffia around them. I poke a hole through a small bag of seeds and string the raffia through it and tie it up. Then I take a miniature straw hat and sunflower (craft dept.) and glue it on the seed package. This costs less than $10.00 and looks like you spent a lot.

GC to a movie theatre, or movie rental store go nicely in a basket with drinks, popcorn and candy.

Lori

 

[CRB#33]

The nicest gift I ever got was a geranium that a student started from seed. I would love for students to give me an annual flower. I love gardening and even though it doesn't last forever, I just love something that I can put in the ground

 

[keenercam]

Blockbuster GC for $10 will get them a relaxing evening -- movie and ice creams or movie candy!!
DS10 goes to an all-boys catholic academy -- very hard to know what mostly male teachers would enjoy. Figured this gives them lots of options.
Another alternative is that we belong to hotwire and can get movie tickets for $4.50 that can be used at evening movie that would otherwise cost $8.50 -- a couple of these tickets in a card gives a teacher an evening out.

Kristen-- Personally, your idea is one I would LOVE!!! You know me and books and coffee!

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

I usually give a gc for Barnes and Noble and a picture magnet that I make. I take a business card magnet (3 1/2 x 2) then find a good closeup headshot of my DD and make it a 2x2 print. Then I print a "Thanks for a great year!" with her name and year on a 1 1/2 x 2 piece of paper. Then you peel the backing off the magnet and stick the picture and thank you on it. I put the picture magnet with the gc in a Thank You note.

I have done this for the last 2 years with DD5s teachers, and it is always a big hit! This year DD5 has 7 teachers and 1 childcare provider, and DD2 has 4 teachers/caregivers. I have a lot of those to make!!.

 

[Mishetta]

I started just giving a $20 gift cert to a popular Italian restaurant in town. It saves a lot of hassle & even if they don't like that restaurant, they can always "re-gift it." I think a nice relaxing evening at a nice restaurant is a good way to start off the summer! If I had the money, I would throw in a complete spa treatment because I know whoever has the 'joys' of having my DS in their class all day, certainly would deserve it!

 

[elemusing]

ok - I am a teacher and please don't flame me - I regift many of the gifts you all give me - as a matter of fact - I know lots of teachers who do this. Simply - we just don't need another paperweight. We just don't need another bottle of lotion. I have more bath products than I know what to do with. I do not need another Christmas ornament.

Do I appreciate parents who take time out to appreciate me? ABSOULTELY! But a card with a nice thought would be much more appreciated and alot less expensive for you. I still have a Christmas card that was written to me the first year I taught (10 years ago) from a set of parents who really wrote what they felt.

Now - gifts that I have really loved - gift certificates for teacher stores, or restaurants, fresh flowers (every teachers loves to get flowers at school - it makes the other teachers jealous.) Plants that can be planted outside (like a geranium) are good too.

You asked - so I told.

Angie

 

[HollyJoy]

For my youngest DD's teacher, one of the MOm's (who owns an embroidery shop) is making a quilt and putting all the kids names on it for both teachers... this is a class present. For my older daughter's first grade teacher, I'm putting together a small scrapbook for her with pictures from throughout the year. For Teacher Appreciation week, another Mom and I gave her a gift certificate to Old Navy. She loved it!

 

[ValerieK]

I loved getting Christmas ornaments. Every Christmas I remember those kids as I decorate our tree. I also had a parent who was an artist give me a watercolor painting she did. It is beautiful and sits on my fireplace mantle.

The last year I taught, I got the best gift ever. My room mom knew that we were going to Disney after school let out. She arranged for the class to pitch in for a Epcot Passport and about $300 cash. She made me promise to spend that money on sthings at Disney that I wanted. It was so much fun. I bought things that I would have never spent the money on.

I always try to get something for a teacher to use for her/his self. I would get money and buy stuff for the classroom and the kids, which is good, but sometimes it is good to spend it on myself, which I never did.

 

[lulugirl]

My sister is a teacher and loves getting gift certificates!
For family's that may not have much $$ a lovely note from the child is always appreciated.

 

[whirlsy]

Alcohol!

 

[CheshireVal]

I gotta tell you, one of my favorite gifts I've gotten was some DELICIOUS homemade hummus from one of my students (he was of Middle Eastern descent).

I also second the idea of gift certificates. LOVE those! Don't need any more mugs or trinkets but the thought is appreciated anyway.

 

[disdreams]

I was wondering if teachers even kept their gifts. My daughter got to pick something out of a treasure box at school (I think they get to do this when they have so many days where they are well behaved, or somemthing) and she chose a cute stuffed animal. When I looked at the tag it said, "for Mrs. so and so, from (a students name). My child just blushed, as if she just got someone elses gift.

 

[gshoemate]

Just picked up my GC's today. I bought a $20.00 gift card for DD's teacher and her bus driver for TGIF. The bus driver took such good care of her this year and he always says good morning to her.

 

[Sirius]

I must agree with many of the people in this thread. We, teachers, love gift certificates. A gift card to Barnes & Noble or Office Max makes a wonderful gift.

 

[suzannews]

We are giving my DD's 3rd grade teacher Disney Dollars.