End-of-the-year teachers' gifts

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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goldrose

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 10:11 am

Is it a common practice to give the teacher(s) a gift at the end of the year? If so, what is appropriate?

I have a total of five teachers, for just two kids!

goldrose

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 10:13 am

I'm replying to my own post (!) -- I dont know if its a "done thing", but I did a google search and here are some interesting results:

Quote:

Favorite end of the year teacher gifts:

* A book to be used in the classroom. Inscribed with a note from the child.
* Donate a book to the school library inscribed with a dedication to the teacher.
* Gift certificate to a teacher or office supply store.
Unfortunately, due to budget restrictions, teachers find themselves paying for supplies out of their own pockets -- a gift certificate really helps.
* Board games that can be used year after year in the classroom -- Boggle, Scrabble, Pay Day, Jenga, Brain Quest...
* A personal note or scrap book written by the student.
My favorite event this year
How I felt the first day and now.
What I learned this year
Why I like my teacher
My favorite story this year etc....
On the cover be sure to add a picture of the child.
* One teacher received a bookshelf that the students had all helped paint and decorate. She has had this shelf in her classroom for ten years! -- what a great idea!
* A handmade floor pillow to be used as a quiet reading space.
* Magazine subscription - National Geographic World
(kids magazine), Ranger Rick, Highlights etc...
If all of the kids participate this is only 1 or 2 dollars per child.
* Posters with a message - motivation, poem, nature pictures...
* Personalized book bag with all of the kids names and the school year ( we filled this with pencils, markers, paper etc.)
* If you know that your teacher has a particular hobby or interest, gear the gift to that interest.
* Restaurant, coffee or movie certificates
* Houseplant

One thing to think of ...
In my opinion (not the teachers) most classrooms don't need more clutter. I try to make or purchase gifts that will be utilized instead of taking up space.

Crayon210

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 10:17 am

goldrose wrote:

One thing to think of ...
In my opinion (not the teachers) most classrooms don't need more clutter. I try to make or purchase gifts that will be utilized instead of taking up space.

As a Flybaby Tongue Out

, I was thinking this. While sentimental gifts are really nice, they can become clutter (even worse--guilty clutter--"oh that little yingele made me that, he was so sweet, how can I throw that out, even if it is his chasunah tomorrow"). Chatchkes are pretty bad too--how many mugs and paperweights does a teacher need?

Useful (like something for the teacher or the classroom) or clutter-free (like a gift certificate or a donation in the teacher's name) would probably be great.

chocolate moose

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 10:24 am

I'd rather stick to a chanukah gift, unles the teacher wasn't around then, or was unusually attentive.

it's really only expected at chanuklah time.

chen

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 10:26 am

and please no perfume or fragrant bath product sets--every teacher on the planet has enough to open her own store!
A gift cert to a store you know she shops at is nice. When I was a class mom, we'd collect $ from all the parents and give the teacher either cash or a gift certificate from the class as a whole.

Crayon210

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 10:35 am

A group gift is much nicer than individual soaps and picture frames.

But lots of parents like to be difficult ("No, I'd rather get Mrs. Cohen a totally useless or redundant gift instead of participating in the class gift of a large gift certificate"), so it is sometimes not worth the hassle of collecting.

koolmother

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 11:35 am

I'm bying a vase putting flowers in and delivering it on the last friday of the school, but the thing is I have 1 unmarried teacher, what shoud I get her????

chocolate moose

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 11:43 am

my kids used to snoop and see what snacks their teachers lilked, but that's more of a purim thing I guess.

chen

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 11:48 am

koolmother wrote:

I'm bying a vase putting flowers in and delivering it on the last friday of the school, but the thing is I have 1 unmarried teacher, what shoud I get her????

Unmarried women like flowers, too.

shalhevet

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 12:02 pm

In Israel, at least in the schools I know (and ganim) one or two parents collect a token amount from each family and buy a joint gift from the class (at the end of the year, never heard of Chanuka - could it be a particular non jewish influence in the US) The same if a teacher gives birth, gets married etc.

It's a great system just as long as I don't have to be the one who collects.
(twice were quite enough, there's always someone who thinks we shouldn't be giving, wants to buy her own gift, or thinks the amount we set is a chutzpa Exploding anger

)

MMEC123

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 1:34 pm

Make sure to write a nice note, that's the most important thing.

In response to the question about what to get a single teacher- when I was single I used to laugh at the gifts I got and how I had no use for them (think tea sets, platters, serving dishes, etc.). Of course I saved them and use them now. But I always think a gift certificate is nice. Depends on the teacher but I personally always liked gift certificates to get my nails done.

Raisin

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 3:07 pm

As both a teacher and a parent gift certificates win hands down. As a parent I don't have to spend time agonizing over whether this teacher likes jewellery, flowers soap or what.

As a teacher I do not like being landed with soap sets, (rarely do I like the fragrance) chocolates (fattening, but at least I can keep it for shabbos dessert) flowers (just not a flower person, and get on average 2 bunces a week from shabbos guest, often on shabbos so the wilt without water. I do like flowers growing in my garden) plants (don't thrive in my house, maybe beacause I forget to water them) photoframes (too much junk already). I wouldn't say no to nice (costume) jewellery but then again, people have individual tastes. I did buy jewellery for my daughters teachers last year.

One lovely parent gives me a gift certificate chanukah and end of the year without fail to marks and spencer. (how does she know it's about the only shop I can find tznius clothes in?)

ONLY drawback is you are revealing how much you are spending.

I think it is nice chinuch for the kids to give a gift themselves.

imaamy

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 3:55 pm

Well I often think the amount is chutzpah. We've been asked for $25 or more per kid. The teachers just got store gift cards in a generous amount a month ago for teacher appreciation week. What do other people give as in amount?

chocolate moose

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 4:04 pm

they can ask whatever they want. I uised to give whatever I wanted to.

the teachers never know if you it/s all given together.

roza

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 4:17 pm

The school is done here, in the Wild West, so this is what we did.

Mothers from PTA here asked each parent from each class to contribute something - about 10$ (or less if it's too much). Then they bought gift certificate for each teacher.

In addition to this, I asked my children to write a 'thank you' card (thank you for teaching me...and so on..) for their teachers and I include with each card a Starbucks gift card for 5$

They all were very pleased Very Happy

luv2beamother

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 7:50 pm

two parents gave me a cookbook last year. I loved it. I hope I get another one this year Tongue Out

TzenaRena

Wed, Jun 14 2006, 8:01 pm

mummyof6 wrote:

Chanukah Gelt for teachers is a minhag yisrael.. If you will check the Chanukah threads you will see sources for that. Among sefarim that mention a related minhag is the sefer haTodaah by Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov, how the Rabbonim would go out to the villages to teach Torah to the youth, and create ordinances for their chinuch, Chanukah being from root of chinuch, it was a time of emphasis on chinuch.

Another minhag brought in the Sefer Matamim is that the Rav and the public servenats of the kehilla would receive chanukah and Purim Gelt, because it says that Yaakov cursed shevet Shimon and Levi and said "I will divide them amongst Yaakov, I will disperse them amid Israel", that from shevet Shimon there would be Shamoshim, Chazzanim and Sofrim and Melamdim of children, since they participated in Mechiras Yosef. In Parshas Meketz it speaks about Yosef and also the Nes of Chanukah and Purim was through the Torah, and therefore we give them their renumeration.

shalhevet

Thu, Jun 15 2006, 7:12 am

SaraYehudis wrote:

mummyof6 wrote:

Chanukah Gelt for teachers is a minhag yisrael..

Giving money (on Chanuka) is a minhag yisrael. I also heard that it is connected to the fact that the Greeks wanted to put non-Jewish images on the coinage at the time.
But gifts? Sorry, it reminds me of something else that goes on in
December in Chutz La'aretz.

downsyndrome

Thu, Jun 15 2006, 7:35 am

CASH HAS CLASS! Anything that can be used to purchase what one likes on their own is the best gift, I.e. cash, gift certificates, etc.

I also like the book 'Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul', but of course would only give it if can be exchanged/redeemed at store of purchase in case teacher read it already, or wants to exchange for something else.

chen

Thu, Jun 15 2006, 9:50 am

downsyndrome wrote:

CASH HAS CLASS!

as my mom always said, it's always the right brand, the right model and the right color, and it always fits.

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