Inspired by gifts for daycare workers...How about gift ideas for Teachers???

[Disney_1derland]

Being this is our first year in school, I have no idea what is appropriate to spend on a gift for my childs teacher, nor do I have any idea what to buy her. She is also getting married this weekend, not sure but I feel like we should acknowledge that in some way too.

Also, do you do gifts for your children's 'other' teachers??? My child has two PE teachers, two music teachers and an art teacher that she sees each of them 1-2 days a week. I've never met any of them except the head music teacher and head PE teacher.

HELP!!!

 

[robinb]

I give gifts my DD's main teacher, the "teachers" at her after school care, and her swim team coach. I give them $20 gift certificates to the local fun Mexican restaurant.

 

[Disney_1derland]

I give gifts my DD's main teacher, the "teachers" at her after school care, and her swim team coach. I give them $20 gift certificates to the local fun Mexican restaurant.

Okay....we know her favorite restaurant is Red Lobster! Any other ideas???

 

[daisyduck123]

IMO...gift cards, no matter what size, are definetely the best way to go.
I have yet to see a teacher who did not love one (and greatly appreciate it).

 

[Debi]

• Gift certificate to local teaching supply store (if there is one in your area)
• Book store gift certificate
• Gift certificate to favorite restaurant
• A gift certificate to your teacher's favorite store (if you know which store that is)

Enjoy!

 

[liamandcaili]

At my son's school, all the parents from the class give $10-$20 to a general present fund, and then the room mother gets a gift certificate or something for the teacher from the whole class. That means instead of getting twenty $10 presents, the teacher gets one $200 present. In my experience, the teacher is very grateful. (Of course, a lot of the children also bring in individual cards and such.) Last year, I believe the money was also used to buy smaller gifts for the paraprofessionals who were regularly in the class, but I don't believe the specialists, such as art teacher, were included.

 

[WDWMom]

This year I am making a basket full of homemade goodies for DS9's teacher. She is having a baby right around Christmas so I am makin g bath salts, sugar rub (for hands), homemade salsa I made, cookies, and some other stuff.

Other GC that would be nice are Bath and Body Works.

Not sure what to do for DS10 since he has a male teacher.

 

[MinnieM3]

As a teacher, I love gift certificates especially to a teacher supply store or Barnes and Noble. As for actual gifts, I love all kinds of Christmas decor stuff, but then again, I'm a Christmas freak.

I don't care to receive ornaments, mugs, candy (except Godiva).

I REALLY like the year that many parents got together and sent one meal per week to my house. Now THAT'S an awesome gift for a working mom!

Even as a teacher, I don't give gifts to my kids' special area teachers unless it's a very close relationship, like DS that's the music freak and his music teacher. She always went above and beyond and encouraged him to no end!

 

[daisyduck123]

Not sure what to do for DS10 since he has a male teacher.

Just an idea...every male teacher I know loves giftcards to a bookstore.

 

[aprilgail2]

Well since many of my relatives and both my neighbors are teachers I know whatthey tell me they don't want/need...ornaments, mugs, cutsie "teacher" knick knacks, more than half dont' want/need any more candles, and most I know won't eat anything homemade that is sent in...In my daughter class they take a collection of 5.00 per kid ,we give to that but I also send in a 25.00 gift certificate to Macys for the teacher. The office staff I buy a platter of chocolate for from a chocolate company I do work for...bus driver this year is getting a blockbuster movie bucket wit ha 10.00 gift card to blockbuster and a tub of popcorn packed with soda, candy, chips etc...

 

[daisyduck123]

aprilgail2: those sound like terrific gifts!

 

[mommytotwo]

Not sure what to do for DS10 since he has a male teacher.

A gift card to Jamba Juice or Starbucks would work also.
They could get a drink or they also have pasteries.

 

[luvmyfam444]

My dd is 2nd grade & the last 2 yrs the room mom heads up the gift giving...she usually asks for $ & pools it together for gift certificates. The kindergarten teacher was a tennis fanatic so she got her a gc to the tennis shop & then gc to local favorite restaurant. Can't remember what they did for 1st grade teacher...same sort of thing. I sent something small in last year (didn't care for kindergarten teacher much so don't think we did anything for her)...1st grade teacher collected cows so dd found a cow pillow & bought it for her (maybe $5 or so). AGain this year I don't particularly care for her teacher so I don't think I'll do anything extra over the class.

One thing I wouldn't do is teacher stuff--they get so much of the "teachers have class" & stuff, unless this is a beginning teacher - but someone who's been teaching a while has all that stuff.

You could have dd make an ornament for her or buy one from dd....I'm the one up for goodies 'cause within the next 2 yrs that teacher will have probably forgotten your child (unless teacher moves grade levels or bumps into child often) so the presents won't mean much unless they are useful (books for class libray or for personal reading)or collected(like the cow collection dd teacher had) or edicle(goodies or giftcertificate)

HTH

OOPS forgot to answer your other questions...no you usaully don't give gifts to the specialty teacher (music,art,ec) unless your child has a real special bond with them-talks about them nonstop & probably has dragged you to meet them.
As far as the wedding I'd ask the room mom, I think it's perfectly ok to do something but only as a class, @ least a card congratulating her. IN this case I wouldnt' buy anything since she'll be registered somewhwere & get WAAAY too many gifts but I would do a giftcard for a romantic restaurant or for a local bed& b'fast something like that from the whole class.

 

[Karel]

I was thinking about buying my daughter's teachers an amaryllis bulb for Christmas. It won't bloom until January but they are easy to care for and really pretty.

Any thoughts on that??

 

[daisyduck123]

I was thinking about buying my daughter's teachers an amaryllis bulb for Christmas. It won't bloom until January but they are easy to care for and really pretty.

Any thoughts on that??

Although I've tried...I have killed every, & I mean every, plant a student has ever given me.

But they have always been greatly appreciated.

 

[Nik's Mom]

My ds is autistic and has a whole team of teachers. He has 2 teachers, a speech therapist, ocupational therapist, physical therapist, APE teacher, and a bus driver. We really try to keep the costs down. Last year I bought gourmet candy apples. They are huge, and so yummy. I figure, they don't need another coffee mug or picture frame. Movie tickets are also a good gift. If I didn't have to buy for so many, I'd do a gift certificate.

 

[drayke]

My parents were teachers (4th and 5th grade) and I recall they received many gifts of tolieties, the occasional tie (dad) and nice stationary. These days, given how much teachers have to pay out of their own pockets for school supplies to supplement their classroom materials, probably a nice gift card for office max, office depot or staples would be appreciated.

 

[Duchie]

My SIL is a teacher, and I always use her as a reference as to what to get, but more importantly what NOT to get. They always get too many bath products (bubble bath, salts, shower gel, etc.), candles, "Teacher" personalized items (anything with apples or rulers or stuff like that), home-made goodies, and Christmas ornaments. It's not that those aren't nice gifts, but they get SO MUCH of them. Believe me, I've been to their house after school gets out and seen the pile of stuff she gets. You could have lit the entire church with all those candles!

Her best advice to me was to get gift cards. Teachers love them and can use them to get what they really need. The best advice is to find out what they like and get a gift card to that store or restaurant. Our school has teachers fill out a profile sheet listing their favorite colors, restaurants, stores, what they want for the classroom, etc. You might want to call the office of your school and ask them if they have this available.

 

[golfgal]

We always gave to their homeroom teacher and any aides in their classroom. I always give gift certificates to the book store.