What are you getting/making for teachers?

VTbride05

This is DS's first year in Preschool. He has a main teacher, an assistant, a special educator and an SLP. Before kids I was a teacher and loved gift cards, but I just cant afford to get them all more than $10 or $15 each. I feel like that's not enough. I think I'll do a $10 gift card to a local bakery and then local jam or honey or something like that.

What are you doing?

 

www.tryvermontfirst.com

 

MomEads

I'm a teacher too, but I think I see things differently than you. I hated getting gift cards... I think they are impersonal and don't really show any appreciation, but rather, "I was at the grocery store and in a passing thought remembered I needed to get my kid's teacher something to show they are appreciated... Let me pick up a Starbucks gift card and sign my kids name to it." Not my thing. My kids and I went to Ulta and picked up soaps, lotions, manicure kits, etc. We then went and bought gift bags together, baked cookies together, and made cards for each teacher together. They love being involved and are so excited to give their teachers their gifts.  It's not the cost of the gift, it's the thought. I've received hand written/drawn cards from kids with absolutely no other gift attached,and those are the ones that I have kept, that meant the most to me, and are the students I remember! 

 

Also, I'm not a big spender! I looked for deals and shopped when they happened.   

shannm

It is our preschool's policy that a collection is made and a gift is bought for the classroom.  They specifically state no gifts be given directly to the teachers.  So we will contribute to that.  Probably around 30 dollars.

For DD's center (where DS went for four years), we are buying lunch for all of the staff one day in the next few weeks.   There are 15 teachers and this is likely our last year there.  Many of them have been like family to my children and this is our way of saying thank you. 

ridesbuttons

Preschool teachers are getting $50 cash each and a card.

Kindy teacher is getting hand-made card.

lauren&matt

ridesbuttons:

Preschool teachers are getting $50 cash each and a card.

Kindy teacher is getting hand-made card.

I take it you're not very impressed with the K teacher

 

I'm the opposite of the pp.  I am also a former teacher and I LOVE gift cards. So I give gift cards Usually about $25.  Last year I did Target for Christmas and Kohls for an end of the year gift. 

the_jackpot

Another teacher who loves getting gift cards. I will probably go that route with my son's teacher too.

ridesbuttons

lauren&matt:

ridesbuttons:

Preschool teachers are getting $50 cash each and a card.

Kindy teacher is getting hand-made card.

I take it you're not very impressed with the K teacher

 

I'm the opposite of the pp.  I am also a former teacher and I LOVE gift cards. So I give gift cards Usually about $25.  Last year I did Target for Christmas and Kohls for an end of the year gift. 

i like the kindy teacher fine but she makes $50K at least with benefits and a pension, the preschool teachers work 12 months a year with no pension and limited benefits and probably top out at $30K.

The preschool teachers are under paid in my opinion and so I think a small holiday bonus is the least I can do. 

VTbride05

Thanks for the thoughts ladies.

I am going to do a small gift that I think each would like, personally picked for them. Then a small gift card so they can treat themselves. Plus a handwritten note from me and a card from DS (most important!).

Littlejen22

Ok teacher ladies, my friend is a teacher in Catholic school, she swears all Christian teachers like and would use a nice ornament, meanin store bought and not teacher related, I know most of the ladies from the "old" Parenting board would have likely cringed at this since their trees are filled with their own families stuff and they do not need more ornaments from kids. Thoughts? I am just curious, I would never do it unless I knew the teacher personally an really knew something they woul love which is not my case but I am curious.

I always give a GC to Target for my kid's preschool two teachers, probably 20 and a homemade card from DD same teachers DS had for 2 an 3 years. If the Kinderarten does a collection I will participate and buy a book for the class and have DS make a card which will be cool this year because his teacher has him loving to write so he can kid spell the whole thing on his own. If no collection I have no clue.

NerdyMama2

I'm a teacher and I love getting gift cards, espescially to Starbucks. I usually get GCs for DS's teachers.

golfbride11

Last year, DS had 3 teachers at day care.  I got them each $15 to Old Navy.  They are all young (20s) and I thought - what the heck - it's not a lot but it could buy a scarf or something cute there.  

As a teacher, I love gift cards.  So, that's what I went with even though I couldn't get each of them a significant amount.  

 

KathrynMD

almost every teacher I know, says gift cards and that they dislike getting soaps/lotions, notecards etc. they'd rather get a GC.

Last year, I got DD's main teacher a 50 GC to Target and the other teachers in teh same grade got 20 ones each.  I gave everyone sincere thank you notes too. 

mgrulke

A nice scarf and a water bottle w/ straw and I am fill it with pens and pencils.

WestCoastMommy

DS has a main teacher and then a teacher helper but they are both getting $50 gift cards to a restaurant.

jlw2505

At our school, we don't get the teachers gift but rather we buy something for the classroom.  We are getting the PreK class a Target gift card and the before care program a board game - both post a wish list of things they want.  Not sure what we are doing yet for the kindy teacher or the speech teacher.  OUr schools foundation did send something out that you can donate $25 to the school and they will send the teacher you list a basket from Caribou.  The basket is not $25 worth of goods but about $10 and the rest of the money goes into the schools foundation which in turn goes right back into things for the schools so it works all around either way.  I typically do a small end of year gift directly for the teachers (gift cards) and do the classroom item now.