Teacher Appreciation Week just happened. I know this because it took all of my might to restrain myself from making these awesome little gifts that involved Chinese take-out containers from the dollar store, a large bag of chop sticks, and home made fortune cookies.
It is with great pride that I can tell you instead, I bought a pretty box of thank you cards, and wrote personal letters. To all 9 of the people I felt were worthy which is everyone A.P. has any sort of contact with. Apparently it made quite a little stir. In a good way.
I’ll admit that the prospect of organizing the gift projects for the teacher’s birthday party (which is next week) probably was what tided me over. It’s just lovely, really, and the children are all involved. I’m all a-flutter thinking about it, but that’s not what I want to blog about today.
I wanted to see what you all were doing for year-end teacher’s gifts, if anything. In A.P.’s preschool, I gave ‘kits’ both years. One year was an ice cream kit, with bowls, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, etc. The next year was a BBQ kit you can read about here.
Do you ‘do’ year end gifts in elementary school? Some time in mid-February, I bought some cute paper BBQ napkins on clearance for real cheap and I am assuming I had planned to whip up a teacher’s gift with them.
So what’s the word? Yay? Nay? Help a sister out.
I would love to read the comments to this question, too… as we had our preschool graduation today and I wasn’t sure the “protocal”.
We didn’t do gifts, but we did two personalized thank you cards. Using photoshop I created a little 4×6 page with kiddo’s pic & note. Then created another 4×6 with scanned picture/thank you that kiddo drew himself. Ordered them (Walgreens = $.80) & connected with string for two cards.
Love the idea of looking for teacher gift throughout the year… and will have to look into the “kit” idea. Thanks!
Last year I got a plant for Noah’s kindergarten teacher. I want to do something more special this year since his first grade teacher was a MAJOR BLESSING to us. I am not sure what though.
Speaking from the other side, I used to get teacher appreciation gifts from the families I teach piano to, but ever since I changed to teaching in Wyoming instead of Ada, I don’t get them anymore. The lack of “gifts” doesn’t bother me, but the lack of kind words telling me that they appreciate the hard work is hard to get used to. I try to make an effort to show appreciation to everyone who has contact with my kids, including teacher aides and coaches. A kind word goes a long way.
(sorry for the novel)
I’ve always gotten our kid’s teachers restaurant gift cards for anywhere from $25-60 each. (From my years doing day care, those were always my favorite gifts.) I know that’s a big range, but it depends on our finances at the time AND how much I know the teacher puts into her job from her own money. $50 is probably the average amount we do, and for catechists we’ll usually do $25. Not every year, but some years I’ll also give $5-10 gift cards (to coffee shops) for the bus drivers, art teacher, secretaries, etc.
I have good friends and a sister who are teachers, and I know that they all spend HUNDREDS of dollars of their own money (if not much more) on all the many things they do for their kids that the school doesn’t cover. I think they do much more than most of us ever know.
Here’s an example of what my friend, Megan, did recently. She teaches 4th grade and the school did a Relay for Life fundraiser. For $5 the kids could walk (all the kids did, though), and for $10 they could get a Relay t-shirt, too. Meg bought ALL the kids a shirt who didn’t have the money for one, just so no one would be left out. I know not all the teachers did this, but she does stuff like that all the time. Sorry this is getting long, but here’s another example. She’ll have a “contest” every year and the kids from very poor families always “win” and she takes them out for a day and treats them to things they’ve never done like bowling or movies and eating at a restaurant, etc. Isn’t that so cool? I could give you many more examples – and Meg is over the top with her big heart, but most teachers DO spend a lot of their own money. Not to mention the time beyond school hours that they put into their job.
Once our oldest got to a certain age (middle school), he was too embarrassed and wouldn’t let me get his teachers gifts anymore, and he had at least 5 teachers by then, so I didn’t push it! I feel bad that those teachers probably get a lot less gifts, but I think (not sure about this) that those grades are a little easier anyway – less money and extra time involved.
Sorry for the novel.
Kelly
OK, I just noticed the “novel” comment on the above commenter, too, but mine was even more obnoxious!
Our room parent collects money from students/parents and gives a big gift card and something tangible the kids can see and appreciate. As a former room parent, I thought it was a relief for the other parents not to have to go out and get something, and it cuts down on mugs and 20 other trinkets the teacher would get and wonder what to do with. It has been the tradition in our school to do this at the end of year (the holiday time is optional). It is stated that it isn’t required to participate since there are some creative parents out there that like to make it more personlaized.
When did the room parent thing, I collected money and had the kids write thank you cards, took their picture on the playground and made a bound book with each note on the same page as the kids photo, including pictures taken on field trips. The last page was a “have a happy summer” page and included the gift card attached to that page.
signed,
Long Winded
love the “kit” ideas…but alas, it’s too late for me to get my act together this year. next year, i’m going to try to do this…but for this year, it’s going to be personalized notes, and probably a group gift for the teacher.
thanks for reminding me to get it together!
I definitely do a year end gift. I’ll probably do some sort of plant.
I was really good about this when the girls were in preschool – but then I knew the teacher they both had so much better since I saw her every time. Somehow the end of school seems to sneak up on me lately, and I tend to forget until it’s too late. Thanks for the reminder – I should probably do something this year since both girls absolutely adore their teachers. Maybe plants, that’s what I’ve done before. And I have had them make cards – something the girls love to do anyway.
I always get teachers/coaches gift cards to Target. I just think that everyone can use a gift card there. I also have my children write them a note (or color a picture) to put with the gift card.
I think that people need to think a little bit before getting something like a mugs, candles or ornaments. They get so much stuff, keep it something useful. I mean do you really think that in 5 years the teacher is going to keep the mug with your kid on it? Probably no.