High School teachers - grad. parties?

[locodemickey]

What do you do for all the grad parties that you're invited to? Do you just give cards, or do you give gifts or money? It's expensive if you're invited to many (I have 7 invitations this year - some years more, some less).

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Not a teacher, but as a parent, I'd have no expectation a teacher would give a gift to any of his/her students. Never woudl occur to me to invite them to a grad party (only because so many kids, how could a teacher attend them all?), but think a card {perhaps with a thoughtful note} would be more than sufficent!

 

[englishteacha]

I teach 7th grade but last year was invited to a former student's graduation. His mom was making a scrapbook for him, and I created a page for it. I did not attend the party. I think a nice note in a card would be sufficient. How nice to be invited!

 

[amid chaos]

A short note that comes from your heart would be more appreciated than a gift. You were invited because you obviously meant something to the student, take the time to tell them how proud you are of their accomplishments.

 

[Minnie_me]

I'm not a high school teacher -- I teach Kindergarten and get invited to at least 5 grad parties every year. I do not attend, unless I have remained close with the family through the years. Some are neighbors, some go to our church, etc.

ALL of my former Kindies who graduate from HS get a card from me with photos from their year in Kindergarten. So I don't worry about sending additional gifts. Amazingly, even though I send out 16-20 of these cards with photos every year, I usually get only 1 thank you note each year.

 

[Cinderella94]

A short note that comes from your heart would be more appreciated than a gift. You were invited because you obviously meant something to the student, take the time to tell them how proud you are of their accomplishments.

As a high school student, I agree!

 

[DisneyMim]

My husband had been a high school teach in a well-known school for over thirty years. He has never attended any party, but he gets about 30-40 students each year asking for recommendation letters for college. He writes every one! And, I will add, there are no "form" letters, they are all written for that particular student. This is his way of helping his students and showing them he cares.

 

[Inigo]

My husband is a very popular high school teacher, and gets invited to a lot of grad parties every year. (Ironically, neither of our kids wanted a grad party.)

He goes to some of them, for the kids he really felt a connection with. He doesn't give a card or a gift to any of the students. He just goes to tell the kid how proud he is of them, and to tell the parents how proud he is of the child.

I was the same way when I was teaching.