token of appreciation for teachers

happy chick

Wed, Jun 11 2014, 4:44 pm

I would like to give my children's teachers a token of appreciation. nothing elaborate, something small just to let them know I appreciate their efforts all year. aside for a thank you note, what is nice to give that wont cost too much?

cs1

Wed, Jun 11 2014, 6:01 pm

How much do you want to spend and how many teachers do you have?
I gave my teachers a few weeks ago, a thank you card with my sons hand traced out (he's 2) which he then decorated. I wrote "Hands down, your the best teacher." You can give a hand cream and/or manicure wrapped up nicely.

Happy18

Wed, Jun 11 2014, 6:24 pm

As a teacher I can tell you it's really not about the gift. It's about the note. Take the time to write a specific thing or things that the teacher helped your child with over the year, not just a general thank you.

Do you have a specific amount you want to spend?

happy chick

Wed, Jun 11 2014, 9:19 pm

I forgot to add, my kids go to school on the bus, so it needs to be something I can put in their backpacks. fruit platters delivered to their homes on friday are such a nice idea, but theyre for sure not less than $30 a piece. cant really afford that. maybe we'll just have to stick to the choclates

Raisin

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 4:17 am

I spend about $20 on a gift. I've given costume jewellery (including gift receipt), gift cards to a make up shop, household items, (only once) chocolate or wine, and I don't remember what else.

This year one of my kids teachers is retiring after teaching 5 of my kids so I will probably get her something extra special. My daughter made her a bracelet the other day...maybe that counts. Smile

Of course, my kids always write notes to go along.

I don't like flowers or plants so would not give those. (but have often received those) Plants are not a good idea if teacher might be going away.

Avoid items like mugs, chatchkes, and other stuff. the teacher is getting gifts from many students and how many mugs or photo frames does she need?

Sarah f

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 2:52 pm

I once bought pens and made them into flowers with tissue paper and florists tape I put them in a plant holder and wrote notes thanks for helping my child blossom...some of the teachers still have them sitting on their desks!

granolamom

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 8:18 pm

I'm giving gift certificates for manicures this year. I write a nice note to go with it, but I dont fill in the gift certificate with their name or from me so that they can re-gift it easily if they arent the manicure type. its hard to know what teachers like if you dont know them outside of their 'teacher' role. but I did figure they all have enough mugs that say #1 teacher.

amother

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 8:28 pm

Not the op, but I appreciate this thread. I like to give a token of appreciation at the end of the year with a nice note. I just can't seem to get my words onto paper this year. Teachers out there, what were some of the nice things that were truly meaningful to you?
(Anon cuz I've recently discussed this irl)

amother

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 9:13 pm

As a high school teacher, although I know I'm not going to get gifts just reading this thread is so touching.
I agree with amother above about the letters being #1. Just last night I was crying from the most touching, emotional letter I received from a student. It's about seeing with your own eyes that something became of your hard work, that you changed someones life and made a difference... Nothing like it.

cs1

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 9:27 pm

Following as well.

I want to spend $20 for 5 gifts. The director, administrator and 3 teachers.

I could give a manicure, but would also like to give something tangible. Maybe a nice dish from amazing savings filled with chocolate? (In addition to the manicure)

Will they appreciate that? Or they dont need another dish? What do u think?

amother

Thu, Jun 12 2014, 10:28 pm

Im a teacher and I find that the things I appreciated the most were practical items, things I could really use , an umbrella was cute even if I already have can always use another. a corkboard with pushpins .
a mini chalkboard that said to do list. with a decorative frame around it and a hangar- beautiful piece.
a kitchen apron.
a colander filled with flowers, beautiful and could use dish afterwards. serving dishes are nice but I have so many, not as appreciated. salad servers fancy kind with jewled handles are more useful.
a set of hand towels.
most beautiful was a set of parsha books I can use in my classrooom but obviously very pricey.
most incredible was a calendar parent made with pics of my students as the 12 pages..she had gotten the pictures from my assistant. if you follow online sales they are not even so expensive.
an insulated hot cup.
if teacher has little kids a set of popsicle molds espc cuz summer is coming and those tend to disappear summer to summer.
no candles, mugs or photo frames those are overdone. though if I do get those I appreciate the time and effort and money from parent in buying it. No gift is unappreciated.. no matter what I recieve what touches me the most is knowing the parent spent time and effort and thought getting it. its not really about the gift.
anon cuz got many of these gifts recently.

Fox

Fri, Jun 13 2014, 11:41 am

Another vote for a really nice letter.

Like Happy and various amothers, I still take out letters and teacher evaluations dating back to the 1980s and re-read them when I'm feeling down.

Just an aside: take some time and even get help if writing's not your thing. Mention specific things the teacher did ("My daughter still talks about how much she loves math because of the trick you taught her to memorize multiplication tables.") rather than just, "Thanks for being such a great teacher."

A really great letter and a $5 gift card to Starbuck's or Dunkin Donuts or 7-11 or the popular local watering hole will be far more appreciated than even the most creative gift!

amother

Fri, Jun 13 2014, 12:16 pm

[quote="Fox"]

Just an aside: take some time and even get help if writing's not your thing. Mention specific things the teacher did ("My daughter still talks about how much she loves math because of the trick you taught her to memorize multiplication tables.") rather than just, "Thanks for being such a great teacher."
[/quote]

I'm the amother from 7:28. I fully agree. And since I am having a mental block, and simply unable to put the words together, I was hoping to hear from some teachers, some of the nice notes they have received. I, of course, wouldn't copy verbatim, but I was hoping it would give me something to go on.

Ruchel

Fri, Jun 13 2014, 1:06 pm

cs1 wrote:

We don't know. We can't know.

Me, I wouldn't really appreciate the mani but would love the chocolate (if it's high quality). The dish, meh. Only if you know my taste.

My mom may have use for the dish but not for the choc or the mani.

Etc