teacher gifts

[pixxi]

Do you guys give gifts for the teachers at the end of the year? If so what are cheap/easy ideas? I have 4 kids. I am also trying to save money since I'm worried about having enough to pay off the Disney trip next month.

 

[ntink]

here - typically the homeroom Mom will ask for a contribution towards a year-end gift but it is totally optional. If you are looking for a great gift that is free, have each of your children write a note to his or her teacher telling what they like about the class and him or her.

 

[VanessasMom]

Yes, we do give gifts to all 8 teachers that help my daughter at school. This year, I gave them each a $25 restaurant.com gift certificate and her 2 main teachers got a 3-month gift certificate of $25 each month from restaurant.com. I used the promo code FLAG over memorial day to get 80% off and paid just $2 for each gift certificate ($6 for the 3-monthers). There is a 80% off code out there right now, it is SAVE.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Gift cards are always good. If you don't know what the teacher might like specifically, then stick to Target/Walmart/Barnes & Noble/Borders/Staples. If you know the teacher has a Dunkin Donuts cup on her desk a lot, or have another clue as to something specific, that would be a good idea too. Even a $5 gc is good if you're on a very tight budget.

MORE importantly though, is a letter/card from the parents/student to go along with it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Gc's and/or letters from your kids, or a note of appreciation from you.

 

[SaraJayne]

No, I don't give teacher gifts.

 

[piglet33]

Yes, I always give teacher gifts (including dance teachers). It's way to say Thank You for everything they have done throughout the year. I usually give Visa gift cards if I don't know what they like or restaurant gift cards.

Last year we gave the bus driver a Dunkin Donuts gift card (doing it again this year), and she was so excited and surprised that someone remembered her.

 

[vettechick99]

I'm a 1st grade teacher. You don't have to give gifts; we certainly don't expect them. I would say 25% of my parents give them.

Anyway, a nice thank you note is sweet. Or if you want to give something tangible, a $5 gift card to Office Depot/Wal-Mart would rock. Post-its get expensive! LOL

 

[fakereadhed]

Do you guys give gifts for the teachers at the end of the year? If so what are cheap/easy ideas? I have 4 kids. I am also trying to save money since I'm worried about having enough to pay off the Disney trip next month.

This year I'm not(I don't like her-long story) but in the past I've given plants or flowers with a tag that said Thanks for helping me grow this year, or chocolate bars decorated with pattererned paper and Thank You stamped on them. I stick to something small because we have bus drivers, classroom helpers, therapists, etc and I usually(not this year!) buy for 10+ people.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

Honestly, we don't give end of year teacher gifts. Some years the class moms have asked us to contribute towards a gift card but this year they didn't wahooo!! In May, we had the kids write a note about why they like their teacher since it was teacher appreciation week so maybe you could have your kids do something like that. Saying why you liked her class too. I have heard that teachers really appreciate a note like that! Plus it's really budget = free

 

[Whistle]

I am an elementary school teacher, and I get gifts from about 25% of my students. It is a lovely treat for the end of the year although it is not expected by any means! :0)

Some favorites include: a gift certificate (even 5.00), a mug, a note from the child/family, a picture frame, etc.

One of my favorites last year was a cute beach tote, a beach towel, a water bottle and a "girly" magazine to read at the beach.

 

[hffmnheidi]

As a daycare teacher, notepads in a generic style are great for sending notes and reminders home. As well, as Sharpies and post-it notes are always a welcome idea. If you're really stumped, a gift certificate/card for a teacher store or catalog is always needed since teachers buy so much out of their own pocket. Even an amount like 5 dollars is appreciated by the teachers-it's not the amount, but the thought and appreciation that the teachers like.

 

[AndreaDM]

I did, my daughter loved her teacher. My husband runs a garden center so we just gave her a small potted plant that she could plant outside if she wanted to. My DD also gave her a card that she wrote herself. Just a little token of our appreciation.

 

[vettechick99]

I'm a 1st grade teacher. You don't have to give gifts; we certainly don't expect them. I would say 25% of my parents give them.

Anyway, a nice thank you note is sweet. Or if you want to give something tangible, a $5 gift card to Office Depot/Wal-Mart would rock. Post-its get expensive! LOL

I am an elementary school teacher, and I get gifts from about 25% of my students. It is a lovely treat for the end of the year although it is not expected by any means! :0)

Some favorites include: a gift certificate (even 5.00), a mug, a note from the child/family, a picture frame, etc.

One of my favorites last year was a cute beach tote, a beach towel, a water bottle and a "girly" magazine to read at the beach.

You copied my post!

 

[alexaveryq]

I'm an 8th grade teacher, so I get very few (if any) end-of-year gifts, which is perfectly fine. I certainly don't expect them, especially from 14-year-olds.

However, my daughters are in elementary school, and I always do some small gift, along with a thank-you note from our entire family. I always try to do something "summery". Last year it was coconut-scented bubble bath; this year it was ocean-scented candles. I know by the last week of school I'm dreaming of the beach, so I run with that for my kids' teachers, as well!

 

[Iri920]

This is my son's first year in school and I really liked his teacher and the aides so I made a movie night gift basket. I bought a big bowl that said popcorn on the outside from Crate and Barrel, I later saw some at the dollar store which would've worked too, and filled it with some candy boxes, popcorn and a $5 dollar gift card to blockbuster. I also included a thank you card that my son made for them in each one.

 

[CarlisleMom]

I do gifts for all DD'd teachers (including specials), library & classroom aides, school sec, nurse, bus driver and principal. This year it numbers 11 so I try to keep it small. I do the nurse, secr and principal before I am a PTO board member and they help with communication (sending things to and from school to/from other parents)

Her main teacher, who has kids about the same age as DD, this year is getting a $1 beach bucket from michaels with 3d sidewalk chalk (she never heard of it last time we talked), webkinz cow with cow klip (she likes cows, kids can have the codes) and the 5x7 magnetic message board that I made with 3 magnets made by DD.

Everyone else is getting the message boards that only cost me about $2 each to make.

 

[daisyduck123]

1st grade teacher chiming in here.

Gift cards (any amount, even $5.00) with a note of thanks are the best, IMO.

Please don't give "stuff"....picture frames, apple stuff, candles, etc. All that stuff ends up in my annual yard sale, which, by chance, I am having the day after school lets out.

I've got to go get the gift cards for DD15's & DS12's teachers. All of them are getting Starbucks or Borders gift cards.

 

[aprilgail2]

Everyone chipped in 5.00 but I don't feel that is enough so I got her a 25.00 starbucks (which I know she goes to every day) and 25.00 to a spa gift cert. (a place I know she goes to). Her teacher has been wonderful this year going above and beyond for my daughter-I wish I could give her more!

 

[uswall]

I also have many "teacher people" to buy for. This year I bought at the Christmas Tree Shops small 3" garden rocks that say "WELCOME" on them. On the back side of the rock I removed the $1 price tag sticker and this week my children are working on writing in sharpie the teachers name and a thankyou and their own name. Small inexpensive...can be used in a garden or as a paperweight and hopefully they will always have my kids name on it to remember.