Xmas gifts for middle school teachers?

[Pastamom]

First year in Middle School for us.

Do you get your kids' middle school teachers a gift? If so what?
DS has 4 "core" teachers and a bunch of "encore" so I'd want the gift inexpensive without looking cheap...

Ideas/ Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[disneychic2]

First year in Middle School for us.

Do you get your kids' middle school teachers a gift? If so what?
DS has 4 "core" teachers and a bunch of "encore" so I'd want the gift inexpensive without looking cheap...

Ideas/ Thoughts?

Thanks

Personally, I stopped with the teacher gifts when they hit middle school. I had four kids and even cheap gifts for multiple teachers x 4 would get expensive. If you want to continue to give gifts, I'd say make a batch of fudge or cookies and send those. Also, an inexpensive journal might be appreciated. I have friends who are teachers and let me just say, they have a lifetime supply of mugs and Christmas ornaments. Nice of you to be thinking of them. Good luck!

ETA: Perhaps just a nice card saying how much you appreciate what they do would be good. I think teachers are heroes and don't get nearly enough positive feed back.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Gifts for teachers in middles school are not the norm, but a small recondition is very nice if its in the budget. My sister teaches middle school in a very low income area and I teach younger kids in a upper income area school. She works MUCH harder than I do and gets VERY few gifts. When DS 19 was in middle school, we often did a VERY small thank-you gift and card at Christmas. I would buy the tiny (think 4 pieces) of the whittman's chocolate or some other tiny ammount of decent chocolate and a dollar store card where we wrote a nice note to each teacher. 1.50 each for six teachers plus a few special administration people still was not very much and it meant so much to them. One year DS struggled with some health issues and the team of teachers he had were out of this world wonderful! We bought 25.00 gift cards for them. Yep, it was a lot but we were so thankful for thier support.

I would advise against homemade goodies, unless the teacher knows you personally, changes are she or he will not eat the food. Sad but a necessary precaution for many teachers.

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

I normally give each of my middle/high schoolers 3 DD $5 or $10 Gift Cards. I tell them to give them to their favorite teachers. The teachers that they really like, that they chat with. It doesn't have to be the big subjects. One year one of my kids wanted to give a card to the security guard! He never had any official dealing with the guard, but they would talk before school/between classes.

 

[Aliceacc]

Lots of ideas here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2822084

 

[2girlsR2good]

I still have EVERY personal note ever given to me by a student over the years. I'm grateful that the box is getting full, but that is what matters the most. I don't remember who gave me which mug/candle/flowerpot with a couple of exceptions. But I treasure those notes. Middle school is a hard age to teach as well, I love teaching that age, but boy is teaching HS easier. I've also really liked it when a family made one donation to a charity "in honor of X and X's teachers" and then photocopied the donor card and wrote each of us a note on the photocopy to say thank you and tell us about their gift. I've seen this done with a local homeless shelter and heifer international.

 

[EKW]

Nothing homemade. Sorry, but that's the reality.

Last year I did gift bags with a bag of a dozen of Eileen's Cookies...a local cookie chain...and a bottle of sparkling cider. Each bag cost about $8 to put together.

Another idea is to send a card a couple of weeks ahead of time telling them lunch will be on you one day...and include a menu from a restaurant that delivers. Ask them to e-mail you their menu choice and you'll have lunches delivered on the given day. (Obviously, it works best with Jimmy Johns or similar sandwich place, since hot food might get cold if the teachers don't all have lunch at the same time.) Preorder and prepay...makes it easy for you!

When I taught Middle School I usually got $5 Starbucks cards. Since I'm not a coffee drinker I'd get my kids snacks there.

I agree it's hard to gift Middle/High school teachers.

 

[englishteacha]

Thanks for thinking of us! I have kept every note from every student and parent I've ever gotten. They mean so much. I agree that a card is nice, especially with a note from the parent or student inside.
I still remember a parent calling me out of the blue one day when I was still a fairly new teacher, just to say that he thought I was doing a great job, and saying he was so glad his daughter was in my class. I have a note on my fridge from 4 years ago from a parent thanking me for all my hard work with her son. Letting us know that we're appreciated is by far the best gift we can get. Most communication we get from parents is negative. The positive sticks with us. I've been teaching middle school for 10 years; it's a tough job, but I love "my" kids.

If I were to get an actual "gift" I'd love something I can use in my classroom: glue, pencils, pens, tissues, etc. I also enjoy chocolate, so even a Lindt truffle or a Hershey bar taped to a card will be very much appreciated! (Teaching middle school requires a steady supply of chocolate. Trust me.)

 

[Aliceacc]

Gifts don't have to be expensive-- I would be thrilled with something like this:
http://www.verabradley.com/product/...lor/Barcelona/pc/785/c/0/sc/729/p/1001005.uts

 

[spacemountainmom]

In my school, there is a parent who brings a huge assortment of homemade goodies for the teacher's lounges every Christmas. Trust me, they are eaten and appreciated. The teachers have already been discussing that her last child is in 8th grade so it will be the last year for the goodies.

There was another parent who also brought a shirt box full of various homemade cookies and candies for each of her son's teachers. I was lucky enough to have her son in my study hall. It was a wonderful and much apppreciated treat.

I always brought in a huge bowl of holiday themed candy for the teacher's lounge and it was well received. I also agree with the note for a teacher or even an email. It can bring a smile to what might have been a rough day.

 

[Disneygal27]

my mom is a teacher, and nothing cheers her up (sometimes even years later) like reading notes from past students and teachers. Honestly, most teachers don't eat homemade treats (my mom has only ever eaten them from 3 students, because she worked with their mom). And unless the teachers are new, they have enough ornaments/decorations/bath kits to last a lifetime. Small gift cards are always welcome, my mom loves them because she can use them for a little treat after work. Also as someone said, donations to the school/classroom are great (and practical). I'm sure you'll find something awesome

 

[Aliceacc]

Nothing homemade. Sorry, but that's the reality.

.

I've heard that before.

It absolutely is NOT the reality in my school. Homemade goodies get inhaled.

 

[daisyduck123]

We have always gotten each middle school teacher a $5.00 gc to Dunkin' Donuts.

There are two nearby, both less than a 5 minute drive to the school.

 

[Bren's Mom]

My ds is only in 1st grade, but I would want to continue to get gifts for his teachers even in middle/high school...they work hard too!

The past couple years (K and preschool) we did Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks GCs for the winter holidays and end of year. $5 ones. And I did not only the head teacher but the full time para, plus the 'specials' (librarian, gym, music, technology and art teachers). That was $35.

For Christmas I attached Starbucks gcs to a decorated chinese food box of fudge I made myself.

For end of year I put the DD gift cards in a coolatta cup filled with orange/pink tissue paper, with the orange/pink straw in it and a tag attached to it that said 'Hope you have a cool summer! Love, xxxxxxxx'. The teachers loved that! (DD charged me $.10 for each cup.)

I did the same for the bus driver, only made his $10 gcs.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Do you get your kids' middle school teachers a gift?

Yes. Same with high school. Also, private lesson teachers (piano, etc.)

If so what?

Chocolate or other candy. Sometimes we buy Ghirardelli truffle bags when they are on sale. This year we are doing candy tins.

 

[andymattmom]

Regarding food and homemade 'goodies' for teachers at any grade level.

You don't know the likes/dislikes of the teachers.
You don't know of any food or nut allergies of the teachers and/or their families.
Do you know if the teacher is on a special diet....diabetic, watching cholesterol, etc. etc.

In some cases even the best tasting, well meaning item might get discarded in the trash. The teacher would NEVER tell you that....just say your food was fantastic! Just like we were taught to do .....

Even a small gift card of $5 is better IMHO than any food item.

Same goes for scents, candles, body lotions, teacher themed items, body soaps, Christmas ornaments, mugs, bags, etc. etc. Teachers have a ton of that.

In these days probably the best is classroom supplies or a small gift card. I sub and can tell you I see cabinets stuffed full of mugs, teacher themed items and body lotions that are just sitting there (of course NOT where the kids can see). The food that one child brings in for the teacher usually finds its way to the staff lounge so everyone can try....and at holiday time the tables are 'overflowing' and not all gets eaten.

I am sorry if I offend anyone but really, really think before doing the homemade goodies. IF the teacher is a great, fantastic personal friend then go for it. But if not go for even a nominal amount gift card!

 

[dmonroe]

We stopped doing Christmas gifts when my oldest hit middle school. Instead, I wait until Teacher Appreciation Week and send something in then. It's in April, so we're far past the "Christmas Crunch" and I am able to spend a little more on his teachers. He has 5 teachers, and I try to do $20 gift cards to Starbucks or something like that.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Good thread! My oldest just started ms. I don't want to leave them out because they work as hard as elementary teachers. I'll probably do gift cards. I may just drop them off at the office.

For what it is worth, I loved homemade goodies when I taught! I used to have a parent bring me cinnamon rolls once a month. Whenever there were trays of cookies in the teachers' lounge, they were inhaled. I also had a Korean student who brought me sushi once. Yum!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

I've heard that before.

It absolutely is NOT the reality in my school. Homemade goodies get inhaled.

Yep. Same at my school. Some brownies or cookies are always appreciated! Thank you notes or gift cards are also a good idea. I have more "knick knacks" than I know what to do with.

I taught 8th grade for 5 years. Now that I teach 11th and 12th gifts, notes, etc. are few and far between. It is nice to know that someone thinks if us big kid teachers too.