Teacher's Gifts

Hi G.,

I am a Special Education teacher and my favorite gifts (although they are few and far between since I teach high school) are cards with a heartfelt sentiment. I do not need money, although if you would like to do a gift card I would say about $10 to Borders or Barns and Noble. Also, anything for the classroom is appreciated. Another idea is a book with a message inside.

I have to admit it made my day even talking with a parent who told me her daughter loves working with me and she thanked me from the bottom of her heart.

Please don't feel like you have to spend moeny or get anything big.

Hope this helps!
B.

One more idea. I went to blockbuster and got a bucket of popcorn a few snacks and a $10 gift card so they can have a movie night at home. Total cost was about $15. They have the bucket popcorn 2 for $3 and candy is 2 for $2.22 so you can actual get all 3 of them something for under $40 total.

I also read from a former teacher that a parent and student wrote a note to her and copied the principal of how wonderful that teacher was and that gets put in their permanant file, as well.

Good luck chosing something!

As a former teacher, I loved getting plants. I still have plants and a cactus that I received from students the first year I started teaching. Every year I look at them and can't believe how much they've grown. It then makes me reflect on the student that gave it to me and I wonder where they are now. It really brings back great memories. If you live near Phoenixville or Downingtown, Produce Junction has nice things at a VERY affordable price. Good Luck!

Because they have probably worked a little closer with your son, I suggest something similar to what my friend did for her son's thank you notes for his birthday gifts. Let your son paint, draw or color a picture for each. Use it to make a thank you card. For the gift, find a nice inexpensive frame and include a picture of your son in the frame with the teacher if you have one by himself if you don't.

Alternatively, a small gift card to someplace like Starbucks or a Book Store would be nice. I am giving my daughter's teachers a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble.

Honestly, a gift is not necessary. And not everyone gives one. It is a gift so I'm sure they will be appreciative of whatever you give them. I think a personal note from you thanking them for what they have done for your son would probably be even more appreciated than any gift. I get this impression from talking to my sister (a preschool teacher) and my cousin (an elementary school teacher). Knowing that they have done a great job and made a positive impression on you and your son is more meaningful than a small gift. The gift is just the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae.

Good luck and hope this helps.

I agree with the ladies who posted about hand-made cards, but I've only got one son, and find it hard to find storage space for his 9 years' worth of wonderful creations!! I can't imagine how teachers find room for all the treasures they receive!!

Like G. posted here, I also have a home-based business, and teachers LOVE receiving gifts from their kids from my line of work!

It's food!! Everyone loves to eat, and our most popular product is our beer bread mix... you can add a packet of a seasoning mix so the teacher can mix it into a dip to enjoy with the cubed bread.

I'll be in your area on Saturday, the 14th, if you'd like me to deliver to you!! Normally, you'd order online, but I think you're pinched for time this close to the end of the schoolyear...

See what you think about Tastefully Simple ~ www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mmazer

As I said, everyone loves food!!! And the bread mix is only $5.49 with shipping.

Maybe you can give them gift cards to get a pedicure, maincure or something like that. It isn't too expensive and everyone loves to be pampered even if it's only for an hour. You could also try a gift card to target or a place like that. You get what you can afford. It doesn't matter how much you spent but it's the thought that really counts.

Hi G.,

I have a home based business which I LOVE! One of the items that the company offers are scented Gourmet Candles. They are made from a veg./soy bees wax base. The 16 ounce jars last between 80 and 120 hours. There are over 100 scents available. They are the perfect gift for anyone especially end of the year teacher's gifts.

I found it to be the perfect home based business. You can view the candles from my website: www.trisharaycandles.scent-team.com

A little about me: I'm a work from home Mom of 4. Married to my best friend!

I. B.

Speaking as a teacher, the best gift is a thoughtful note saying "thank you." Your son can help you write it or you can write some & let him add a sentence or two with your help. That really means a lot. If you feel you really need to give them something, I agree with some of the other simple suggestions - bake cookies or a small amount gift card to Panera, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble - if they are coffee drinkers, you can get away with a small amount that will treat them to a nice cup of coffee or tea or something.

To be honest, when I was in the classroom, I got a hundred and one little candles, ceramic things, mugs, etc. I ALWAYS kept the notes & I always appreciated the small gift cards that would by me a nice hot cup of coffee (my needed vice for the mornings!). I had lunch at a student's house one year - that was great, but maybe not for everyone. One year, a little girl gave me a very yummy loaf of zucchini bread. I got a nice small house plant from a boy one year that is still alive & trailing down my bookshelf today. A gift need not be extravagent to show appreciation - really, the notes, to me, were the best!!

I have been thinking about the same thing and have decided to just make personalized cards with a special note for each teacher inside and I am going to buy a couple of bunches of flowers, seperate them into smaller bunches, and wrap them in a preaty bow. I also have several teachers to buy for and thought this would be an inexpensive way to say Thank You, and being a teacher myself I would love to recieve it as a gift. I think the best gift you can recieve as a teacher is just a simple Thank You!

I like to give small plants have have the child decorate the pot.

what about a nice dinner at your new home?

not only does it say 'thank you' but it also increases the bond your teacher has with your child, and with you. your child can help with the preparations. one of my proudest moments i can remember as a kid was picking the recipe and making the dessert (chocolate mousse) for my teacher-dinner.

my family did this for several of my teachers, and i'm happy to say we formed great relationships out of it - 28 years later i still keep in touch with my kindergarden and 6th grade teachers.

they were always very grateful for the time and the thought.

just a thought.

As far as gifts go you could get a pretty votive holder and then put a votive candle in each for each teacher and wrap it up really pretty in a tulle bag with a ribbon.(you can get candle votive holders anywhere even the dollar store.) Very inexpensive and practical.Or if you check your supermarket, ours has beautiful plant arrangements cheap too.
When it comes to gift cards-we gave my son's teachers a $20 gift card and then the aides got $10 each.
Hope this helps.J.

Hi G..

My husband is an elementary learning support teacher and while gifts are always nice, he always loves hearing any positive feedback on how he's helped a student. I think if money's tight you should write them each a personal note telling them how much you appreciate the work they've done with your son. It's really hard to know what each person would like for gifts so your appreciation for them might be gift enough?

what about a gift certificate to get a manicure or pedicure at her favorite salon.

As a former teacher, I agree with many of the response to send a heartfelt note. I appreciated the notes and the thought that went into them much more than any gift I got. If you still feel the need to purchase something, a $10 gift card to a office supply store or teacher store would be much enjoyed too.

Teachers always appreciate gift cards to book stores or teaching supply stores (US Toy in Montgomeryville is a great one, or Becker's). I wouldn't worry about the amount; every little bit helps supplement materials they buy out-of-pocket over the course of the school year, and just acknowledging that they could use such an item will be a nice thank you. Tuck it in a card that your son can make/help make, maybe even with a picture of him, and that would make a very thoughtful gift.

Well...here is an idea...take a teracotta pot, and make flowers out of cardstock and put them on dowel rods....put a box of malted ball candies in there (representing dirt), stick the flowers in there...your children can color the flowers and write things on there, why they are thankful for that person...etc....it makes a cute little gift and when your kids help make it, simple of enough project to make them feel a part of the gift. Have fun!

For Christmas, we gave my son's 2nd grade teacher an ITunes card for his I Pod (I had my son ask him beforehand if he had one!). It was either $10 or $15. I can't remember. For the end of the year, I was going to do the same thing but instead I am going to give him a gas gift card! Well probably a WaWa gift card but he can use it for whatever he wants. (our WaWas in NJ have gas).

I worked at a daycare center for 3 years and we always appreciated cash gifts or gift cards. $20.00 or more is the normal for the head teacher. If money is tight you can buy them all a nice box of chocolate and wrap it along with a thank you card. Even a $10.00 gift card to a restaurant for lunch is nice so you can give them all the same thing. It's always better to give everyone in the room the same gift if possible, unless they are not their all the time. This way their are no hard feelings. Just think food or money and you can't go wrong! You will be surprised how many parents don't give anything to the teachers, so just your thoughtfulness will be appreciated. P.

For the teacher and the nurse, I put a dishtowel set, hot pad, and handsoap in a bag. It cost me under $10. They seemed to really like it. Practical and inexpensive.

Hi G.,

I hand make jewelry and have sold several teacher bracelets. I have several themed charms that you can see on my website. jewelry and gifts by R.. You can pick the color of beads to be used and what charm you want then I put things together for you. The bracelets are a new item and are not yet pictured on the site but you can see several other items to get an idea of my work. These bracelets sell for sixteen dollars. If your interested, shoot me an e-mail and we can work things out.

R. Neiderer

I don't think you should worry about "looking cheap"! It IS the thought that counts after all! Just decide what you CAN spend and go from there...I think almost anyone would appreciate a gas gift card (any amount!), or a Starbucks or Panera gift card--a $5 or $10 card would buy several morning coffees! Make sure a personal note to express your specific appreciation and maybe tie it in with the gift--like "a little something for gas so you can continue getting to school to make a positive impact on more kids, next year!"

what about making some jumbo chocolate chip cookies and put them in a nice gift box. Go to AC Moore or Michaels, get a large white candy box (cake decorating aisle) or one of those cute colored chinese take out boxes, some colored tissue paper and nice matching ribbon. Put it all together and it will look nice. One year at work, I was given chocolate covered pretzels wraped in a pretty pink chinese take out box wrapped in beautiful ribbon and i thought that was the best! I'm an artist and I've been told countless times how much people appreciate handmade gifts because they are so personal. i used to think i was being cheap... but apparently my gifts were extra thoughtful. Before my son was born, i would make Xmas cards (with paper, rubber stamps and scrapbook stuff) for all my friends at work, i made like 60 cards over a 2+ month span. Well, those cards are STILL on peoples desks! It's fun to make stuff... esp. if you have your son help out.

Since money is tight, most people appreciate the effort into homemade treats, cookies, brownies, whatever is your baking specialty. If your son helps it makes it even more special. Good Luck

HI G.!
My m.i.l. has been a 2nd grade teacher for 30+ yrs and every year, gets a bunch of stuff she can't use and just re-gifts. I would suggest a heartfelt thank you note on some beautiful paper, and perhaps invite her to lunch or an after dinner drink (homemade iced tea or lemonade?) sometime over the summer so she can relax with you and your son and see how well he is doing after the year with her, plus lunch or drink is not as much fuss nor as pricey as dinner.
hth.
smiles,
L.

My son is in private preschool, so this is what I am doing for year end gifts this year...teacher is receiving a nice beach towel and a paperback book. The assistant, a $10 Michael's gift card.

Also, last year my son was in a church based preschool so I made a donation of new boardgames, books and art supplies...definitely more $, but felt it was the right thing to o since the church programs are always so inexpensive and the teachers are not there for the $.

Hi G.!
I am not sure how "limited" your finances are but I know, as a teacher, gift cards are the best! Some of the best gift cards I received weren't a lot of $ but were for something I used every day. For example- a $10 or $15 card to Blockbuster, Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Barnes and Noble or Borders were some of my favorites. It isn't how much you spend but the act of appreciation that really counts!
Hope this helps.
R.

For my son's pre-K special ed teachers, I gave the "class" a $25 gift card from Target before we moved. I figured that this way the teachers would be able to buy the things they would need for the class for the rest of the year.

I think that anything would be meaningful. I don't know where you live, but if you have any "chain-type" stores in the area where people can get coffee, sandwiches, etc. they offer gift certificates for as little as $5.00. I am a Realtor and our boss gives us $5 gift certificates for bringing in extra business, etc. and it is always a thrill for me to be able to get a "free sandwich" or a couple of free iced coffees.

A nice thank you note is the way to go. It is the thing I appreciate most as a teacher. I have kept all the cards I've ever gotten. If you feel the need to get a gift too I agree that a $10 or $15 gift card to Starbucks or Panera would be great. Special coffee has become a luxury these days!

I jsut did a movie themed gifts for my kids teachers. $10 or 15 to blocbuster with some candy and popcorn. I found really inexpensive popcorn bowls but small baskets would work just as well. I will have my kids write a thank you as I will also. I hope this gives you an idea.
L. R

Hi G.,

I have been a 5th grade teacher for 10 years now and have always appreciated gifts with meaning--a baby quilt made by a student herself, a key chain and knit hat with my favorite football team's logo on them, a card with a really meaningful sentiment about how I helped during the school year. Gift cards to bookstores and WaWa are always nice, too. (Even $10 is enough to get some kids' books or a few cups of coffee!)
Hope this helps!

This may surprise you but something that would be nice is find a small item that you and your child can do together for them. Something that is made means more than somethings you can go out and buy. The aides, learning support teachers and the regular teachers will enjoy this more than you may know. My daughter is in the same field as you are wondering about and she loves it when the children give hand made items.

I was a teacher in the public school system for 10 years; however, I taught at the high school level, so I didn't receive many end-of-the-year gifts. If I were to give you advice, I would say to stay away from the typical (I mean how many mugs and pen sets can one woman use?!) The gifts that meant the most were personalized. How about having his classmates write a thank you letter/what I love about 4th grade/pictures, collect them, take a few pictures and turn the whole thing into a calendar for the next school year? You can personalize it with dates that are already publicized through your district's website(cute sayings on half days, clip art for holidays, quotes, etc). Each teacher/aide can get a great, thoughtful gift that will remind them of your son every day next year.

We had no extra money this year, I was planning on going to the Pottery Place, and having her make a pottery piece for her teacher, she is in a multiage class and has had her for 2yr, and she has had some emotional issues, so I really wanted to thank her. Instead, we made her a book, I printed pages online, ( just google teacher appreciation printables) and I found a page that had My teacher is great because, and that sort of thing, and then I found a cute poem, I had Brit copy, and we put a pic of her in first and second grade,I also printed out a poem that said I am teacher, it was so true of this teacher, and then I wrote a poem, and put it on the last page with a thank you letter.She loved it, I thought it was nice, because it is something personal, I put the pages in one of the folders with the clips in the middle to hold it in. It was inexpensive and showed how much we truly cared. Hope that helps.

I would say at least $20.00

I had this same problem this year. We have 4 school age children and as they get older, they have more teachers. I read somewhere about taking donuts in on the last day of school. I ordered them the night before and took them in early the next morning. Also, I found cute thank-you cards at the dollar store. The teachers really liked this and there was enough for the secretaries as well.

The aides/teachers appreciate anything you give to them! I have had the same situation in the past, and my supporters are just so overwhelmed when we have given them tokens of our appreciation. You might consider a gift from Bath & Body Works in a nice decorative bag, gift card from CVS or a chain of restaurants, along with a little box of candy.

Good luck!

Twins Mom