Teachers...

[Rex Rules]

We are giving DD's teachers gift cards for Starbucks and insulated coffee mugs. We love Starbucks, but it is expensive, so it is a special treat at our house. Her teacher is a man and I know it is hard on what teachers are paid. He is so dedicated and reall is the best teacher DD has ever had. He is the kind of teacher that makes kids love learning. Honestly, he is amazing and we appreciate him so much.

 

[DianeV]

I think this was discussed before but my daughter is in middle school now with 6 teachers..how do you handle that? Buying each one something can get expensive although if I made it a $5 gift card for somewhere that may not be too bad...but would it look weird?

 

[disneyfanz04]

I think this was discussed before but my daughter is in middle school now with 6 teachers..how do you handle that? Buying each one something can get expensive although if I made it a $5 gift card for somewhere that may not be too bad...but would it look weird?

Maybe just pick one or two of the teachers that she likes the best??? I know that is what I did when I was in school, not sure now though that was forever ago

 

[Teacher03]

I agree with the gift card idea, but I really do like the handwritten notes and cards. They remind me why I became a teacher. As for the high school/middle school teacher, I am sure they would love a small gift or card. I think they are not thanked enough.

 

[Karel]

Once they hit middle school, I stopped with the gifts. My kids won't even take them a card - too embarrassed.

Though I did get the Spanish teacher a GC at the end of the year. She was great with my LD son, made sure he had a tutor, reworked tests for him.

Sorry middle school/HS teachers. Most of them I don't even know.

 

[MagicalMom]

I guess I'm cheap. I usually just gift Aunt Annnies pretzel gift ceritificates to the teachers. I buy for 4 teachers this year. DD 14 doesn't give to her teachers; guess it's not cool, plus she has a ton of teachers.

The teachers always say they love the GC & use it at the mall while they do their holiday shopping.

 

[rae662000]

Thank you for this thread I was wondering the same thing. Last year for my DD's pre-k class I gave gift cards at the end of the year but gave candy mugs for christmas. I will give gift cards for christmas and end of the year. I like the movie passes idea.

 

[binny]

DD1s teacher is a first year so I bought her a little stuffed bear that is holding a pillow that says " Teaching is a work of heart" that is right up her alley
I will also throw in a gift card to Starbucks for her that should make her really happy!


DD2s teacher is getting a cookie in a jar mix in a basket with a towel and cookie cutters, I hope she will like that.

DS' teacher I have no idea what to get her. Probably a GC somewhere. I was going to do the cookie in a jar thing but I dont think she would really like that.


The bus drivers and aids are all getting homemade coffee mix in a nice mug. Its easy and easy to mass produce. But still looks nice. I put the mix in a baggie and then put the baggie in some Christmas fabric.


Ive heard the apple thing so many times too. "PLEASE no more apples!" LOL

 

[chrissyk]

My mom is a teacher, and I can answer this one pretty well. She'd rather receive a heartfelt card than more "stuff"! If you feel that you must buy something, please, please, please don't buy some cutesy "apple for the teacher" ornament Growing up, we had an apple-covered XMas tree, LOL!

I think a GC to a bookstore, discount store like Target, or coffee shop would be great. I know that my mom spends on supplies for her classroom, so she could probably use a GC to Target or Wal-Mart for stuff like that.

 

[fiveforall]

I am a middle school teacher who teaches 90 students each day. It certainly is nice to be thought of at Christmas! I love getting gift certificates to school supply centers and book stores. It's always great to get movie certificates or restaurant certificates! I also like homemade goodies and heartfelt cards. Last year a mother gave me a peanut butter pie, and another student gave me a wonderful tray full of yummy candies. But believe me, since I so seldom even hear from a parent, a simple card of "thanks for teaching my child" would mean more than anything.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm psyched this year because my twins told me their teacher comes to school every day with a Dunkin Donuts coffee. I know she'll like a DD Gift card and I think I'll put in some of her favorite bakery cookies, too.

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

Sounds like the likes and dislikes from teachers are as varied as snowflakes! This is what I do:

I have 3 kids, 2 in middle school and 1 in elementary.

For the middle school staff I make a huge platter of homemade baked goods and bring it to the teachers lounge with a greeting card with our best wishes. No gifts.

For the elementary school I do the same and let my daughter get a gift for her home room teacher. I try to get something generic like kitchen towels, soaps or pot holders.

Nothing with apples!

 

[MayMom]

Her teacher is a man and I know it is hard on what teachers are paid. He is so dedicated and really is the best teacher DD has ever had. He is the kind of teacher that makes kids love learning. Honestly, he is amazing and we appreciate him so much.

Make sure you write this all down on a card for him...as a teacher for the past 6 years, this would mean more to me than any gift that you could buy.
I have received and loved:
1) a big poinsetta (delivered to the school - made me feel like a million bucks!)
2) gift card for Cracker Barrell (I loved this because it gave me options, I could have breakfast, dinner, buy things from the gift shop, buy their food items, etc.)
3)a GC for Barnes and Noble with instructions to buy a special book for the class.

I thought those were great gifts!

 

[pamouselover]

I love candles...so send me all you get this year.
WAWA is really big around our area, so now that they have gift cards, I buy them for my teachers.

 

[gottaluvdis]

Make sure you write this all down on a card for him...as a teacher for the past 6 years, this would mean more to me than any gift that you could buy.
I have received and loved:
1) a big poinsetta (delivered to the school - made me feel like a million bucks!)
2) gift card for Cracker Barrell (I loved this because it gave me options, I could have breakfast, dinner, buy things from the gift shop, buy their food items, etc.)
3)a GC for Barnes and Noble with instructions to buy a special book for the class.

I thought those were great gifts!

I love the big poinsetta idea. My DD is in 3rd grade and I think she would get a kick out of seeing this delivered to her teacher during the school day knowing that it came from her. I'll also have her write a nice note to give to her teacher in a Christmas card as well. Thanks for the ideas everyone!

 

[twingle3]

i like this thread. my daughter (age 10) has 9 teachers that she gives gifts to and my 5 year old twin boys are in their last year of preschool. The boys are giving the preschool teacher a g.c to a local pizza restaurant for her family to have a dinner out. For my daughters teachers we found some liz claiborne comfy soft footies. I hope they will like these. For the janitor and PE teachers who are male she is having her dad make his homemade salsa and giving a bag of Scoops.

 

[djm99]

My students know - anything Disney is a great gift for me!! It really doesn’t matter; Pencil holder, coffee cup, pencils, pens, socks, T-shirts - and my all time favorite Disney dollars. They all know I'm Disney obsessed!!! Three of my students gave me DD's last year!!! $5 and $10 dollars worth - but still DD.

 

[newtowdw1]

As a hs teacher I expect nothing. Many times my students will include me in their Xmas card list, which I think is very sweet. The kid destined to be EVERY teacher's pet is the one whose Mom or Dad brings in a tray of cookies and a note to the faculty lounge. If one teacher has made your child's top 10 list of all time, you might let them know with a card.

Now my DH gets goodies all the time He chortles like the merry old elf as he scarfs down his treats!

For my kids, I let them choose. Last year DD8's teacher talked about Snickers candy bars all the time. Maura bought her a candy bar with her money and made her a card. Her teacher had real class, and wrote her a thank you note, even this Halloween when Maura gave her (now last year's teacher) all her Snickers bars!

DS gave his Preschool teacher a new copy of his favorite book. When I saw all the treat bags they had, I was glad we'd gone with a book.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

We're in a low-income area so I went with school supplies for each classroom (3 kids) and 5 books apiece that I got from bookcloseouts.com. For my son's wonderful speech therapist I got a Yankee candle I'm rethinking that one, but I don't think she gets very many gifts since she isn't a homeroom teacher, but I really wanted to get her something because she really has gone out of her way to help with my DS.

 

[Teacher03]

I forgot one of my favorite gifts! One of the moms (who had 4 students in our school) had pizzas, wings, and pop delivered to the teacher lounge during lunch. We loved not brown bagging it, and we ate leftovers for a couple of days.