Time to start racking your brains--end of year teacher gifts

[debster812]

Folks,

My DS has been at the same day care center for 3 years. He is currently in the Private K program and will be graduating in June, staying through the summer for the Camp Program, and then moving onto Public School in the Fall.

I cannot say enough good things about the staff, teachers, and the Center in general. I really really want to get his teachers, and the staffers who have helped DS in these 3 years. He has come up by leaps and bounds, and I really want to get them something nice.

Most of the teachers are women, but there are 2 men as well. I was thinking flowers for the women, but not sure how the men would take it.

So, what ideas have you all done, and teachers, what GREAT gifts have you received. We already havd DS starting on some 'books' for them, telling them how much he has learned, and what his favorite parts have been. But, I would also like to get them something material, these folks are underpaid, underappreciated, and have been caring for my son 7 hours/day 4 days/week, and I cannot thank them enough for that.

So, ideas, lets have em!

Debbie

 

[kejoda]

How about a basket filled with assorted items.

 

[cgcw]

I've done gift certificates to a book store. That might go along with the special books your son is making.

 

[JasonLyons]

we got my daughters teacher a Grumpy shirt last year, she loved it, put it on and wore it all day

 

[jamsmom]

Gift certificates to nice resteraunts, gift certificate to teacher store, gift certificate to spa for massage... these can add up to $$$, though



one of the mugs from a craft store that your son colors and then it is protected by a plastic covering... something they can keep

 

[janette]

Since you want to do something for all the teachers maybe a lunch or something? A catered subway type lunch probably wouldn't be too expensive and a nice way to say thank you to everyone. I imagine there is also office staff etc and that would include them too.

 

[Kteacher]

The best gifts I've ever received are the notes thanking me for all I've done for a child that year, and telling me that I made a difference in a child's life I also treasure the hand made books I've received that are illustrated by the kids- my favorite is one where I child drew me with wheels instead of legs because I move so fast

 

[Mskanga]

OMG, is it that time yet?? where did this year go? My dd's kindergarten teacher has been wonderful , actually all of our teachers have been wonderful so far. It's going to be difficult for my 4th grader's teacher to get something, what do you get a man?

 

[lisajl]

My DS teacher for third grade, gets nothing but a "Boy am I glad we are outta here" from us.
She is a terrible teacher. No compassion, no patience.
I will make sure my DS 5, never gets her.


On the other hand, both my boys have gone to the same preschool. The teacher was a neighbor and is a friend of mine.
What on earth can I get these three wonderful women that have helped my boys so much?

I have no idea....I guess I better start looking now and start picking up a few things.

Lisajl

P.S. Thanks for the headsup Debster!

 

[aprincessmom]

DD and I were in the same situation as you and your DS last year. Many of these teachers had been with her since infancy -- we had basically seen them for most every day of her life. Hard to say good-bye and thank them.

We ended up doing the following (there were 10 teachers). DD and I bought terra cotta pots and painted them with butterflies and ladybugs made from her fingerprints. Around the lips it said "Thank you for helping me grow". The teachers had gone to a stamping class that one of my neighbors had given so I asked her what they were interested in. Each teacher got a set of stamps with an ink pad in the pot along with a packet of sunflower seeds, a charm bracelet with a heart charm and a gift certificate to Hammetts. They all really liked it and we found out they all still wear their charm bracelets.

We also bought a gift for the center from DD -- we hired an ice cream truck to come and everyone got to have something. It was a huge hit and everyone could have something, even the kids with allergies so no one was left out.

 

[Libbysmom2000]

Last year I my DD had a wonderful teacher at her daycare center. I got a gift certificate but wanted to give something a little more personal as well. I got an inexpensive glass bowl and had DD tear bright colored tissue paper in small pieces which we glued onto the bowl with Modge Podge (sp?) and then painted over the paper with the Modge Podge mixed with glitter. Once the bowl was dry I filled it with Hershey hugs and kisses candy. I signed the card "hugs and kisses" from DD. It was a really easy thing to make.

 

[bananiem]

I always liked getting the cards from parents saying how much their child enjoyed their time with me or things the kids made. I also liked gift certificates to a local teacher supply store. Sometimes you can ask another teacher if they collect something and you can add to the collection.
I got embarrassed when parents spent "alot" of money though.

 

[hocksocmom]

I did the clay pot idea last year - they actually sell colored markers for clay pots and we had each of the children sign their names. Around the top border of the pot I wrote in cursive "Growing Great Readers" (it was for a multi-age 1st/2nd grade class). I filled in spaces around the children's names with green vines. If you do this, be sure to use spray on glaze to preserve the pot and give it a great shine. Te markers, pots and glaze were in the same aisle of the craft store.

We brought them in to the 2 teachers and inside each pot added a gift certificate to a local nursery. We also brought in dirt cake in pails, served with shovels. It was all really cute. The best part is, 1 of the teachers lives in our neighborhood so we get to see the pot out on her porch.

 

[princess lovers mom]

Last year for my daughter's K teacher we made "thank-you" notes. My daughter drew 2 simple pictures and wrote thank-you on the front. I scanned them into the computer and printed out several thank-you cards with envelopes that the teacher could use for her personnal thank-you notes throughout the year. We are planning on that for this years also. For my younger daughter who is in a nursery achool we usually buy something for the classroom that the teacher want but cannot afford...computer game, set of toys, books etc...

I like the pot idea though..might add that this year!!

 

[StampMom]

What if you tried to take (or ask the other parents for) pictures of all of the kids in the class, to make a scrapbook for each of the teachers? This would be a really cool gift to "go in on" with the other parents, if that's a possibility. You could do one set of facing pages for each child, and have a pic or two of the child (or even better, the child with the teacher) on one side, and let the child decorate the other side.

 

[Piglet]

Last year my DD's K4 class was her teachers first class, so some of us (parents) got together and made the terra cotta pot with the kids thumb prints made into little bugs and their names and then painted "You're thumbody special" across the rim. I then planted a flower in it and we presented it to her at their K4 graduation. We also made one for the teachers aide that helped in her class room.

This year my DD's K5 teacher has a rose garden. So I am thinking of getting her a rose bush.

She is an awesome teacher and has really sparked an interest in learning and reading in my DD.

Any ideas for something special we could make to go with it??

Melinda

 

[RUDisney]

Last year was the first I was presented with this quandry, so when I found a 13" round platter in Ross Simons catalog for $20, I called my sister who was a teacher and is now a principal. It was glass with an American flag on it. She said she thought it was a great idea. She said that she's sick of getting movie tickets because you can only go to so many movies. She has enough coffee mugs and ornaments, and even gift certificates sometimes go to waste because she forgets about them or can't find anything she likes in those strores.

The teachers loved them, especially since it was still during my kids' first year in America. Since we had bought them Russian stacking dolls (matryochkas) for Christmas, I thought we should have an American theme for the end of the year.

My sister said that hardly anyone ever gets serving pieces that can be used outside during the summer, and you always can use this type of thing.

BTW, for the male teachers, you might want to get them a nice bird feeder, if they have their own house, or a nice candle lantern for outside... or something for a sport that they like.