off subject (sorry) - teachers out there...

[marcyinPA]

.....I knit, so last year I made my sons pre K teachers hats. (cheap craft store yarn, so only about $2 a piece, plus my time...). The best part is, my son likes to help me knit (he will help wind yarn, or occasionally try to knit himself, which usually consists of looping the yarn around the needle for me LOL) so I can honestly say that he helped.

This year in K he only has one teacher, so she is getting a scarf and a hat, in a lovely cable pattern.

I hope these kind of gifts are appropriate--I hope his teacher wouldn't be expecting a gift card of some sort ?!?!....

I think it's a very nice gesture....but for myself, I don't wear hats. I'd probably end up giving it to my mom, who does. I end up giving many of the gifts I receive away to friends or my mom. Some things I just can't use....but I still appreciate every gift I receive!

 

[waltskids]

In our school anywhere from $10-$20 is the norm, but homemade gifts are also very popular as well. Gifts I have received include gift cards, candles, and cookie trays. My husband and I teach in the same school (middle school) so since we have quite a few students in common, the gift card is sometimes combined (sometimes as high as $40 or $50 for both of us).

 

[5 for WDW]

I give the teachers a $20-$25 gift card to either Starbucks or Panera Bread for Xmas. They always seem to like them.

There is no way I could afford to go highter then that. My oldest is in 6th grade, he has 3 teachers since he switches classes. My 3rd grader has one and my daughter has 1 teacher and 3 aides!! (Each K class has two aides but, she also has a child with a seizure disorder in her class so, there is a one on one aide for him). I would go broke if I spent any more.

 

[sandycarroll]

I work on Long Island. Private school teachers are not paid well so this does not apply to them. My daughter goes to private school and I try to be generous with useful gift cards such as CVS or Target.

But I worked in a public school for many years and thought that it was very sweet that people wanted to give gifts, but there are only so many boxes of chocolate and candles you can use. I would leave them out for anyone visiting our house to take what they wanted.
(But I did love ornaments, although I know they are not popular, as I would write the year given and the name of the student and I still remember them when I do the tree each year.)

I would say that a kind note of thanks to me and/or my supervisor is the best. Donation to a great cause would be wonderful. I really didn't think that a gift was needed and would rather people spend their money on more useful things or save their money for their kids' education.

 

[Jack'sGirl5]

We have been very lucky in that my daughter has had a series of wonderful teachers. I have always brought treats to the office at the hiolidays to share with all but we also do give gifts to her teacher and some of the special subject teachers that have really meant something to her throughout the year. My daughter makes cards and we typically give pretty silver bookmarks and gift cards to Borders.

We did have one teacher last year that was so awesome and worked with us so much throughout the year on a couple of challenges that we felt we really wanted to give her something special. I tried to give something that meant something to that particular teacher or to the class. For the holidays we gave her the coolest enclosed ecosphere globe since they typically study ecospheres in that grade --- the class loved watching the live shrimp and it really brought the curriculum home. For the end of the year we gave her an annual membership for two to our local outdoor/indoor musuem (learned she had gotten engaged there in a conversation) and an engraved bookmark telling her how much of a difference she made in my daughter's life. It was a little pricey -- maybe around $160 total -- but it was worth it. We all cried when we gave it to her and I still stop in to talk to her every year and she makes it a point to have lunch with my daughter every year.

So my thought is definately try to show the teachers that you appreciate them in your own way, try to share some love with the whole staff if possible, and if a teacher really goes out of the way for your kid on a personal level, it is OK to go out of your way with a thoughtful personal gift.

 

[mickeymouse1017]

Personally, I LOVE gift cards. I do enjoy a nice candle too but I love being able to choose my own gift with a gift card. In fact, my birthday was this past Friday and I got the best gift of all - a class gift of four $25 Disney gift cards. I can't wait until my next trip. I will be sure to bring them back some treats.
P.S. - SAY NO TO MUGS AND APPLES!!!!!

 

[Hayloburger]

We go to a small private school. Our teachers LOVE gift cards for manicures and pedicures!!! THAT IS ALL THEY WANT! Oh, and chocolate!

 

[bkreitzel]

the candle thing CRACKED ME UP!!! so guilty! my daughter makes candles in door county every summer and always makes one for her teacher for the following year! I will cross that off the list!!!
We try to spread it out throughout the year...I usually try to make a coffee shop drive thru once a month and drop off a chai or hot chocolate (she doesn't drink coffee) for her at the time the kids go to their special class like PE or Music ...that way she knows all year long that we appreciate her. And, we know SHE can't leave to do this for herself.
Last year we did a gift card for her hobby, which is scrapbooking, at the holidays for like $30. Then at teacher appreciation time, my daughter ordered a bead retreat kit in the colors her teacher wears and made that bracelet and put it in the pocket of a Webkin and gave it to her teacher (she was in K).
Honestly - she seems to appreciate most the work I take home for her and the extra things we do at school, as well as the coffees. I think it is the little things all year long to make their life easier, not just one big gesture.

 

[lntsmom]

Here is the end of a news article I got today:

A principal could walk out of a school with a piano on his back and not be questioned.But woe to the teacher who absconds with a #2 pencil after an Extended Day nightmare and there will follow an interrogation that the KGB would envy. They will be over his shoulder, in his hair, under his skin and at his throat.

Chancellor Klein clearly feels that teachers are far more prone to corruption than are other folks and can be assumed to put their souls on market for a silk tie and thus must be protected from their impulses. That was the reason that a few years ago, during the holiday season, he ruled that teachers may not accept gifts worth more than 5 dollars. He extended the definition of contraband to include tokens of love, gratitude and cheer that exceeded 5 dollars retail.

The chancellor, unlike the commissioners of police and fire and other agencies, despises his workforce and assumes the worst of them. That is his calling card and that is why a book is missing like a prophet from the stacks at Brooklyn Tech."


Here's the link:

http://ednews.org/articles/30089/1/Fair-is-Foul-and-Foul-is-Fair/Page1.html

I guess we all need to check our district policies on gifts before making any purchases. I know if I taught in New York City I'd have a "no gift" policy. It isn't worth losing your career over a few trinkets!

 

[daisyduck123]

I guess we all need to check our district policies on gifts before making any purchases. I know if I taught in New York City I'd have a "no gift" policy. It isn't worth losing your career over a few trinkets!

Thank goodness I don't teach in NYC. I get a lot more than a "few trinkets". Last year, I got a class gift card for over $200.00.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

I liked getting gift cards. My favorites are $5 to starbucks. I also really liked getting Christmas ornaments. I love putting them on my tree each year and remembering that student. No candles, after 4 years teaching I was up to my eyeballs in candles

 

[Dallas_Lady]

My oldest just started JH, and I just can't afford to give all 7 of her teachers gift card

I'm a middle school teacher, and since all the kids have 7-8 teachers, most of the gift cards I got were $5-10. I once got one for $20, but that was once and totally unexpected.

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm a middle school teacher, and since all the kids have 7-8 teachers, most of the gift cards I got were $5-10. I once got one for $20, but that was once and totally unexpected.

My DD14 is in high school & has 8 teachers. We give each one a $5.00 Starbucks card.

 

[pajules]

Thanks everyone for all of the ideas! I am like most and tend to do gift cards for DS's teachers, but I have strayed from this in the past. My favorite gift was when DS was in Kindergarten. We gave his teacher a basket of books. Each child and brought in a new or gently used book that was age appropriate and reflected something about their child.(I had extras for those who forgot or couldn't afford) For example, my DS loved Thomas the Tank Engine at the time so we got a Thomas book, but the books varied from child to child. Then we took a picture of each child and taped it inside the cover with their name and the year. I thought it was a great way to add to her classroom library and be a momento of each of her kids for years to come.

I did appreciate reading the OP about the "specials" teachers, music, gym, art, library. Honestly, I have never gotten them anything, and I'm sure I'm not the only person who forgets they are teachers too. I liked the idea of bringing in coffee and treats for the faculty room for everyone to enjoy. I can't afford to bring in something individual for everyone, but I can certainly spend part of my weekend baking and then grab one or two pound bags of specialty coffee.

 

[michael's mom]

what do you like receiving for christmas as gifts from the students?

The gift that I love getting (although not expected) is my Dunkin Donut's gift cards. Any gift card really. They come in really handy (esp. in Summer without pay).

Restaurant GC's are also pretty popular in my school (meaning, parents get them often for us). But, as I said, I love my DD tea and getting a DD gift card is awesome!

 

[shaunaluvsdisney]

I personally spend no more than $10 on a teacher. If you have the disposable money to spend more and want to spend more, why not do a gift card and then donate to a charity in their name. For example, there are many websites that help with providing tutors, school supplies to kids in neeed in our country or even other countries. You could donate a flock of chickens in her name to feed a family in Africa. I love the thought that a gift in my name can make the difference in someone else's life.

 

[pyrxtc]

Question ?? What about a teacher that you have known for a few years and has had more than one of your kids? We are on the same wave-length and I'm sure will be hanging out outside of school soon. Also she is pregnant, due in March, so won't be finishing the school year with my DS. I know a few things that she likes and one is she collects African art, spent some time there too. I'm thinking a sculpture of two adults with a baby in their arms, I've seen similiar in AKL. My Aunt is knitting a baby blanket, car-seat size, and an expecting ornament from Hallmark, I can't find it online but they used to have one. Would that stuff be out of line ? I know I'll be getting her a nice gift bag of stuff once the baby comes and we know if it's a boy or girl.

Also, my other DS's teacher, I'm not sure what to get her. This is the first year I am meeting her. She has one child who is special needs and 7 months old. I want to get something personal since I already give so much to the classroom thru the year.

I'll probably do $5 gift cards for my DD in middle school with so many different teachers.

 

[Pomlover2586]

Gift cards are great! But please no Starbucks or Jamba Juice..........we get 20 a year.

 

[wlwilliams9]

This doesn't really answer the OP's question, but my most memorable gift was a pearl necklace one of my second graders had picked out especially for me from the $1 store. He was so excited about how he thought I would love it. He even wrapped it himself. I have received many, many gifts over the years, but that necklace is still the one I remember most.

 

[RobinFabulous]

Finally, it bothers me that there are teachers who rarely get these little perks. Rarely do the art, music, pe, and speech teachers get recognized. I've never seen counselors or therapists get a gift. And, I'd be amazed if any parent ever sent gifts for the custodians or lunch ladies. Yet, if any one of those people wasn't there, the children's education woudl suffer.

That's what I HATE about gifting. Where does it end? Someone always gets left out. My middle child has special needs and one year both of my little ones were at Easter Seals. Each had two "teachers" Jonah had a SLP, an OT, & a PT, plus the lunch room people, two directors, and on & on.

I gave to the secretary who was there EVERY morning at 6 am to open the doors for those kids, and she told me Iwas the first person to give to her at Christmas (She had been there 5+ years!!!)

It's hard when you're limited as to what you can do.

We've had the same kindergarten teacher for 3 years now, so this year I bought her a really pretty personalized ornament (of her family) I have no idea what I'll get the SLP and his Special Resources teacher & her aid. Hannah's teacher is a man, with 5 small children, so I think I'm giving them some type of GC, maybe to the movies, or a video rental place or a restaurant....

I've had to cut mine down a lot, but I still try to buy a bag of candy and write a thank you note to the ones I can't do more for

This year I have Hannah's teacher, her gifted teacher (& her aide)
Jonah's teacher, his SLP, his Special Resources teacher (& her aide)
& each of them have a PE teacher

Hannah & Allie's dancing teacher (Allie has an aide as well)

&
Allie's preschool teacher (& her aide)
That's 12 teachers!!!
I don't know how people with more children do it