Teacher gift ideas?!

[The Disney Bunch]

It is getting to the end of the school year! Any ideas for teacher gifts? Thanks!

 

[HerdOHuds]

There was a thread about this not too long ago somewhere. I know that when I taught I dreaded the seasonal influx of candles, mugs and teacher jewelry.

My favorite gift was almost always a gift card to a bookstore, teacher store, movie theater, restaurant, or Walmart/Target. I especially liked to get a nice note from the family as well. I kept the notes in a special file that I would pull out after an extra trying day.

Though I loved teaching, after 12 years of gifts I really didn't have a place to display a photo from every class or something that sits around waiting to be dusted. Despite being thoughtful gifts, they were not the ones that I hung onto. I really just wanted a handwritten note.

I don't know any teachers (and I do know a whole bunch!) that felt any differently than I did.

 

[jack hannah bananah]

I agree with HerdoHuds. As a former teacher, I too don't have room for all the mugs, frames, etc. Gift card to craft stores, book stores, even food places are great. I especially appreciated the words of kindness that go along with them. They definitely helped me get through the tough days. You may even want to go together with other parents to get one large gift card to one place. Then write the note separate.

 

[tiggerzpalz]

How about something related to a hobbie or to the area where you live? We live at the Jersey shore and my DS's teacher and her assistant love the beach. So, as a class we got 2 beach chairs and had the kids put their handprints on them with their name right below it. Then we put 2008 in the middle. It was a huge hit.

 

[ChrisAlli]

I'm taking up a collection for DS Kindergarten class and getting a Spa Certificate and some flowers. For the preschool teachers for DD I got bowls at the Target dollar spot, candy, two bags of microwave popcorn, two sodas and a $5 gift card to Blockbuster. I'm making three bowls (3 teachers) for around $30 total. I figure they can have a movie night with their families.

 

[mamita]

One year I got them all lotions or shower gels from victoria`s secret (about 9 bucks each) and asked for individual little bags and tissue paper for each so they looked all cute. they all loved it when I arrived to school with all these little pink bags and handed them each one, as I gave them each their bag I said " don`t get to excited it`s not a thong" really they all loved them

 

[dogodisney]

This year I got my daughter's teacher a scrapbooking kit. I also gave her extra "school days" pages along with pics of the kids in class. She likes to scapbook and she loved it.
For the assistant teacher a got her a nice box of children's birthday cards that are for different ages and sex, along with some of her favorite candy. She was thrilled. She told that she had always wanted to get a box of the cards but never did.

 

[pbharris4]

This year I got the teachers (and there's alot of them 2 preschool teachers and 8 middle school teachers!) a big sippy water bottle with a cover and filled it with shiny blue shreds (to look like water) then stuck a mini personal fan, and a gift card to Rita's Ice in there. I added a thank you note card (a beachy theme w/ a pail, flip flops, and sunglasses) and it will say something like Hope you have a "COOL" summer. I'll have DD fill them out.

 

[christianne]

The class usually chips in for a group gift card, but it's still traditional where we are to also buy an individual gift (!!) So looking back on my teacher days, one of my favorite gifts was a really nice beach towel...I just picked up some really nice one from TJ Maxx for $9.99.
I also agree that teacher themed gifts are only really enjoyed by first year teachers...the teacher mugs,tote bags, desk caddy, etc. get very tired after the first year . HTH!

 

[daisyduck123]

Hi! 1st grade teacher here

I absolutely love & appreciate gift cards.
Even the small $5.00 ones are better than $50.00 worth of scented bath stuff, picture frames, & coffee mugs.

We still have a week of school left, but last week a student gave me a $25.00 gc to Michael's. Can't wait to use it!

 

[mom2d&b]

Every year I ask all the parents to send in the $ they would spend on a gift & I pool it for a Walmart gift card. To make the card special, I take a class pic to be put on the frint of the gift card. For only 88 cents, you can create a custom gift card in the photo area at Walmart. Actually today I am going in to get the cards. Last year I did not do this and the feed back I got from the teachers made me revive the end of year gift. The walmart gift card can be used for groceries, gas ir stuff for the classroom. And even reloaded by the teacher.

 

[debilovesmickey]

Hi,
I teach Kindergarten and I agree too! The mugs, frames, etc get very old after you have been teaching for years-- I have taught since 1984--except 7 years at home and a non professional job to raise my own 2 DSes.

Gift cards are always appreciated as teachers spend a ton of their own money on things for the kids and the classroom.

But I also agree with a note of appreciation. Parents in my community can be very demanding and act entitled. I LOVE when parents and /or the children write a note letting me know my work was valued.

Hope this helps!
Debi

 

[DevilDuckie]

I am the room mom in my kid's class and have gotten to know the teacher pretty well. I will be organizing people to make a donation to Heifer International in her name as that is something I know she will love.

 

[Stinkerbell317]

I usually get our teachers a Brighton bookmark (they have many, many different ones and they are all very pretty) and a gc to Borders. I figure most teachers like to read, and with them having all summer and not working, they most likely read a lot.

 

[marcyinPA]

Hi! 1st grade teacher here

I absolutely love & appreciate gift cards.
Even the small $5.00 ones are better than $50.00 worth of scented bath stuff, picture frames, & coffee mugs.

We still have a week of school left, but last week a student gave me a $25.00 gc to Michael's. Can't wait to use it!

I agree with you!! Preschool teacher here, and our last day was Friday. I have 30 kids (spread over three days). I really appreciate gift cards, especially those to places I normally wouldn't indulge myself, like Panera, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks (we just don't have the money for those places, so they are "special" if you will!). I did get a few picture frames and candles, but I got tons of those at Christmas too. I live in a small house, without much room for knick-knacks. I appreciate the thought, but the candles, frames, mugs, etc. usually end up in my yard sales!

 

[MM27]

One year I got them all lotions or shower gels from victoria`s secret (about 9 bucks each) and asked for individual little bags and tissue paper for each so they looked all cute. they all loved it when I arrived to school with all these little pink bags and handed them each one, as I gave them each their bag I said " don`t get to excited it`s not a thong" really they all loved them

The scary thing is, I got a red thong for Valentine's Day last year from a student.

 

[DevilDuckie]

The scary thing is, I got a red thong for Valentine's Day last year from a student.

Uh... do you teach high school?

 

[Lucky'sMom]

Gift cards, gift cards, and more gift cards! I am not a teacher, but come from a family with many of them, and know that this is the most appreciated gift by a mile. I just hate it when the room moms spend the money collected on some dumb planter with all the kids names on it, or a plate with their thumb prints on it. The teachers don't need to remember every class they ever taught with some "keepsake". Give them a great summer instead with gift cards to restaurants, stores, movies, etc. I contribute if there is a class gift, and also purchase a gift card for each teacher. I also write a personal note to her (haven't had a him yet!) telling what I appreciate about her and what my child loved the most about her class.

 

[Aardvarks]

Well, maybe this only works in the UK as we are pretty liberal about alcohol

In senior school my boys always took in a nice bottle of wine for favourite teachers. In addition my wife makes home made rum truffles and each teacher received a hand made pouch of rum truffles. We tried to select wines to match where they had been on vacation or that had names with links to their hobbies or interests. We never had a bottle refused. My youngest son had a lovely teacher who was a muslim and so my wife used no alcohol in her truffles and we bought her alcohol free sparkling fruit champagne.

My eldest lad who now works in IT had a lot of support from his music teacher who did not drink wine but drank beer. We used to spend a good few hours driving and walking around the wine cellars looking to put together a selection pack of 6 beers from micro breweries around the UK and Europe.

In junior school it was rum truffles plus a small bouquet of flowers (most teachers at these grades were women)

Really extra special teachers were invited home to dine with us, my wife is a great cook, and I would act as taxi driver so they could have some nice wines with each course including some Sautern with desert or one of my favourite Brown Bothers late bottled Muscat

 

[marcyinPA]

Well, maybe this only works in the UK as we are pretty liberal about alcohol

In senior school my boys always took in a nice bottle of wine for favourite teachers. In addition my wife makes home made rum truffles and each teacher received a hand made pouch of rum truffles. We tried to select wines to match where they had been on vacation or that had names with links to their hobbies or interests. We never had a bottle refused. My youngest son had a lovely teacher who was a muslim and so my wife used no alcohol in her truffles and we bought her alcohol free sparkling fruit champagne.

My eldest lad who now works in IT had a lot of support from his music teacher who did not drink wine but drank beer. We used to spend a good few hours driving and walking around the wine cellars looking to put together a selection pack of 6 beers from micro breweries around the UK and Europe.

In junior school it was rum truffles plus a small bouquet of flowers (most teachers at these grades were women)

Really extra special teachers were invited home to dine with us, my wife is a great cook, and I would act as taxi driver so they could have some nice wines with each course including some Sautern with desert or one of my favourite Brown Bothers late bottled Muscat

After the year I had this year, I would have gladly accepted a nice bottle of wine!