The Truth about Teacher Gifts, Things NOT to Do

[madge]

While I'm almost 100% sure my snack mix doesn't get thrown away (teachers ask for more, and they always want the recipe ) ... I think you've provided some good ideas.

My youngest daughter is in first grade, and we've already gotten a note asking for much needed classroom items in lieu of teacher gifts. There are things listed in a variety of price ranges. The children are supposed to bring the items in, wrapped .. so they can open them at their holiday celebration.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I am a teacher so of course, I must weigh in on all this discussion.

I do appreciate the thought and care placed into each gift, but as others have stated:

Notes telling me how much students appreciate me really mean the most. I have kept every single letter a student has ever written me. They are so wonderful to look back on when I need a reminder as to why I teach.

Gift cards are wonderful.

Gifts that can be used in the classroom are great -- things like board games, card games, things that students will benefit from are much appreciated.

I love the idea about donations to charities -- that is something I may even consider doing for my children's teachers this year.

 

[MissyDVC]

Who wants a teacher ornament? Except a teacher and they probably have a hundred of them.

What would you do with 12 mismatched mugs (that was an average yearly haul of mugs). Who would buy them? Believe me - for a few years they went to the garage sale and people would not spend a nickel on them.

They are truly value-less.

Kind of off the main topic but it would fit this topic....these people NEED these types of items: Lupus Foundation of America. You can look at their site to see what else they need but they take donated knick knacks and sell them in bulk and use the money for research. You can see the site at www.lupus.org. Just click on "Donate" and then "Other Ways to Donate" and choose "Household Goods Donation" to see a list. Hope this helps those with lots of value-less items find a value for them.

 

[Elmo888]

I am a single mom on a very tight budget. My little one gets special help from two different teachers and she has a student teacher. I don't know if its rude not to buy for all of them. I just simply can't buy for all of them so i am sticking to just their main teachers. I would like to acknowledge them in some way. I am sure that they understand people just can't afford to get too much. I know one is a Dunkin Donuts fanatic, but since we are on a budget do you think a $10.00 gift card is too cheap? I don't want my daughter's to be the only one in their class that doesn't give their teacher anything so we will give something, but it can't be much.

I think that $10 is great, esp. for a Dunkin Donuts gift card. $10 can buy a lot of donuts! Personally, I think that any amount would be appreciated. I try to stick with gift cards, too, simply because the teachers don't get paid enough and can use the gift card as an excuse for a little splurge for themselves.

 

[an_evans]

Another teacher chiming in.....

Please no lotion, sweets (I am trying to stay healthy and set a good example for my kids and yours), ornaments, statues, or anything with an apple on it.

Small gift cards are fabulous! I especially enjoy the $5.00 ones for a quick lunch or a snack. Books for my class, games, school supplies, puzzles, gifts that honor me to charities are vey much appreciated. And never forget disney dollars!

 

[tessieg]

As a former teacher(sahm now to 3 dd's!), I vote for gift cards!! I LOVED when we got those--movie rentals, pizza delivery, fast food, movie passes,Starbucks, etc. I worked in a low income area and most were for about $5-10 , I always was so glad to get them.
Tessie

 

[momof296&02]

Last year I purchased GC's to the Gas station near our school. The teachers were very appreciative. I may do this again this year.

 

[kc10family]

Tis is great information. Thank you for the post.

 

[casjen]

and agree 100% with this post. I truly do appreciate all the thoughtfulness thsat goes into each and every gift I receive.

HOWEVER,

I have a ton of food allergies. Anything you bake for me is going into the teachers room or in the trash. I just can not even risk nibbling it. I always thank families and tell them it was delicious. I don't want them to feel badly for giving me something I would be horribly ill from. This is also true for any food item you may buy. Your child's teacher will never tell you they were allergic and never ate your gift.

I do not celebrate Christmas. It is incredibly insulting to someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas to assume the entire world does. My last name does not hint that I do not either. The whole world does not celebrate Christmas. Ornaments, santa themed items etc don't even make it home with me.

I have more smelly lotion and antibacterial hand soap (that everyone buys with the 5 for $10 sale) than I would ever need. I donate them all.

I LOVE handwritten cards and items the children make for me. A drawing of me is always treasured (I love to see how the children perceive what I look like). This is a wonderful, free idea your young child can give to his/her teacher.

I appreciate gift cards but understand they are not the norm. In years past all families have donated $5 each for a gift card to Target to use in the classroom. This is also a cheap way to give a useful gift. I don't have to spend my own money that month when I get a giftcard. I am in charge of the collection for both of my boy's teachers. We are asking for $5-10 dollars, or whatever a family is comfortable with.

I also LOVE getting books for my classroom library. Order an inexpensive book (under $5) from the Scholastic book order. Write a note in it or have your child sign it. It will be cherished forever and is so useful. I would never expect an expensive book. I love books, so having multiple copies of a book is fine with me. Plus, 2 children can read the book with their own copy.

I hope this helps.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

You're right. My mom was a teacher and we had a million "#1 Teacher" mugs and almost a whole tree filled with apple and school house ornaments.

I'm giggling over this one ... my Mom was an elementary teacher as well. And this was AGES before everyone felt compelled to buy teacher gifts and way back when homemade food was not under suspicion!

 

[Pigeon]

Dh is a teacher and he completely agrees that a nice note wishing the teacher well and (if true) stating some appreciation is the best gift. He doesn't want people who are having a hard time making ends meet spending their money on trinkets.

As for donating all the teacher mugs and other junk, well, maybe. But what you're doing with those gifts is basically creating a headache for the teacher and requiring them to spend their own money packaging and shipping the stuff to a charity. We do donate to charities of our choice, but that's not the way we chose to do it.

 

[MissyDVC]

Dh is a teacher and he completely agrees that a nice note wishing the teacher well and (if true) stating some appreciation is the best gift. He doesn't want people who are having a hard time making ends meet spending their money on trinkets.

As for donating all the teacher mugs and other junk, well, maybe. But what you're doing with those gifts is basically creating a headache for the teacher and requiring them to spend their own money packaging and shipping the stuff to a charity. We do donate to charities of our choice, but that's not the way we chose to do it.

I am not telling people to give MORE trinkets to teachers, I was just simply showing a way to get rid of "trinkets" that were ALREADY given to teachers. And FYI, an old box is all you would need to package up the "value-less" items and the charity would pick them up--free of charge. I have no connection to this charity, I just happen to know that they take "trinkets".

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

What we have done that the teachers enjoy. One parent send letters home to all the children asking for a donation of what ever they plan on spending or what they could give (anywhere from $1.00 up). Ask another teacher or if you can one of their family members what the "teacher" really wants or likes. Then purchase something within your budget that the teacher will use.

 

[BridetobeDisney]

I am a single mom on a very tight budget. My little one gets special help from two different teachers and she has a student teacher. I don't know if its rude not to buy for all of them. I just simply can't buy for all of them so i am sticking to just their main teachers. I would like to acknowledge them in some way. I am sure that they understand people just can't afford to get too much. I know one is a Dunkin Donuts fanatic, but since we are on a budget do you think a $10.00 gift card is too cheap? I don't want my daughter's to be the only one in their class that doesn't give their teacher anything so we will give something, but it can't be much.

While I do agree that you should only buy for the two main teachers if you are on a budget, please have your little one write a note to the student teacher to tell her how much she is appreciated. She is working so hard right now. Imagine spending all day in the classroom and then taking up to 18 hours of class a week, plus homework, elaborate lesson plans, and a portfolio and maybe even a family. It's so worth it but it's hard. I just graduated in May with my B.S. in early childhood and special ed. I was in a first grade class room all year last year, all day long. I worked just as hard as the other two teachers in the classroom. We worked in small groups so we all taught separate groups at the same time. I was a part of the classroom. That said, it was so nice when I got sweet notes from the kids and from parents about how much I was appreciated. I'm sure your student teacher would cherish a note from your child.

 

[pjb0216]

What our room mom does every year since my DS's started school is take a collection up for Christmas. People give what they feel comfortable with (be it 1.00 or 5.00) and then she gets one gift card from the class to the teacher. My Ds's always include a card they make to the teacher. It seems to work well and from talking with other mom's it appears to be a school wide thing. I like it because everyone can contribute what they can afford and a whole classroom makes for a nice gift card!

 

[bopper]

We do the same thing...The room mom organizes a collection of around $5 per kid (x 25 kids and that is a nice gift). My daughter would often make something hand made as well. The only time we did not donate to that gift was when the teachers went on strike and I was miffed. Of course donating is optional.

For the afterschool care ladies we do:
"Movie Night" in a bag. I get a $5 gift certificate from BlockBusters (enough or almost enough for a movie), a bag of microwave popcorn, a few Hershey's minatures. Sometimes you can get those bags that look like popcorn bags, but sometimes we decorate a lunch bag ourselves. Everybody seems to like them as they are "consumable".

 

[MissyDVC]

What our room mom does every year since my DS's started school is take a collection up for Christmas. People give what they feel comfortable with (be it 1.00 or 5.00) and then she gets one gift card from the class to the teacher. My Ds's always include a card they make to the teacher. It seems to work well and from talking with other mom's it appears to be a school wide thing. I like it because everyone can contribute what they can afford and a whole classroom makes for a nice gift card!

We do the same thing as I am the Class Mom this year

 

[mom2faith]

I know that sometimes the truth is hard to hear, but with so many people talking about making food gifts as a way to save $ I think that the time has come to bring this up.
1. Don't make food gifts. Most teachers and schools have a rule that ALL homemade food gifts are/must be thrown away. Although your child's teacher will thank you, and tell you later how good it was, chances are it ended up in the trash. I know that this is a sensitive subject, but here goes. For those of you on foodstamps or other assistance that make cookies etc as gifts because you don't have to use your limited cash to buy a gift, please consider this alternative. You could donate a bag of canned food items to your local shelter or food bank in the names of all your kid's teachers. You can write them a note to go in the card your child made that says in appreciation for all the help they give, a donation has been given to ___ to extend that help to even more. I would suggest this to all of you that are on a tight budget. If you have 10 teachers to buy for and want to keep it at $2 each, a $20 donation of cash or food would go a long way. You do not have to mention the dollar amount on your note, just that a donation has been made in lieu of teacher gifts. Even if you are not on a budget this is a great idea.

2. No coffee mugs. Teachers end up with 100's of these things and pitch most of them, ESPECIALLY the ones with a teacher theme.

3. Don't BUY christmas tree ornaments, again especially the ones with a teacher theme. Ones made by your child will be appreciated, but not the "handmade" ones from the craft shows.

Don't think you HAVE to give a gift. Your child can make a card so they will have something to give along with the other children, along with a note of appreciation from you is much better than more junk to toss.

I have to respond with another side....

My mom is a teacher and has been for years. Although I agree with your first point on the food, every other point does not affect my mom.

My mom has a 7 1/2 tree at the cabin dedicated to her ornaments from her "kids" . After 30 years of teaching, she can also tell you which kid gave her which ornament - for every one!!!

She also has all of the knick-knacks and coffee mugs and uses them as storage in her sewing/craft room. She cherishes all of these gifts. And, like I said above, can still tell you who gave her each and every one!!

Some teachers really do appreciate all of the stuff the their "kids" do for them.

amy

 

[emh1129]

I just have to ask about the candle thing.. why?
We just bought some Yankee candles with their B2G2 sale on the big jars. I thought those would make lovely gifts for ds's teachers.
If the teacher doesn't like the scent, those are easy to re-gift. But I thought everyone loved YC!

 

[mjkacmom]

What our room mom does every year since my DS's started school is take a collection up for Christmas. People give what they feel comfortable with (be it 1.00 or 5.00) and then she gets one gift card from the class to the teacher. My Ds's always include a card they make to the teacher. It seems to work well and from talking with other mom's it appears to be a school wide thing. I like it because everyone can contribute what they can afford and a whole classroom makes for a nice gift card!

This is done in each and every class at our school ($5), plus most families give a separate gift (I've known families who give $50 gc's). I usually get a $20 gc.