Teachers - what do you want as a holiday gift?

[Rubyfruit]

Gift certificate to a department store?

A restuarant?

Homemade goodies?

Something else?

What do you think the appropriate amount is to spend?

Should the gifts to classroom aids be equal to yours?

Thanks.

 

[freakygirl]

We arent allowed to give our kids teachers any gifts whatsoever. The school district didn't want anyone offended...

My daughters school had their "winter concert" last night..

They sang a Hebrew song.. a few "winter" themed songs and finished with Frosty.


I don't remember school being so politicaly correct when I was a child..

They don't even get a Christmas party.. and Christmas break is now called Winter Break.. and what I knew as Easter Break is now called Spring Break..

 

[Rubyfruit]

Oh wow, I didn't even think about that, freaky. I don't remember seeing a memo about no gifts. I've always gave them before.

 

[girl]

You know what might be nice for the teachers, Ruby? I don't know if they allow volunteering in your kids' school, but something little, homemade or whatever, but then a coupon for a week's worth of volunteer time, or chaperone time for a field trip or something.

Just a suggestion. One of the reasons I refrain from having kids.


girl

 

[Rubyfruit]

Girl, that's a great idea. I've actually talked with the teacher about volunteering, because I'd like to but I have a problem obtaining childcare for my two younger ones. She seems to have a pretty good amount of parent volunteers, but I asked her if she knew of another mom in my position that I could trade childcare duties with so that the other could volunteer. She hasn't gotten back to me yet.

She may not really want me in the classroom because my son is very difficult and his attention would probably be even worse if I was there.

 

[p_p_man]

The cane....

 

[cymbidia]

A few suggestions...

These are some of the gifts i have gotten over the years that i most appreciated:

1. a gift cert ($5-$10) to a local bookstore for some "break reading"

2. a nice coffee mug filled with choco spoons with which to stir the coffee

3. a box of assorted teas

4. additions to my classroom collection of sand animals - reptile/insect shaped sandbags which i use as hall passes
(most teachers have some kinda collection of something going in the classroom - go look)

5. coupons for a breakfast (or lunch) at a local place - with wishes for me to relax and read the morning paper

6. anything "homemade": edibles to whatever
(i had a student whose mother's biz was making FABULOUS cloth holiday bags, jewelry to shoebox sized, and i got a bunch of those from my student Ivy one year... a pair of kids, cousins, came from a nationally known family of jam/jelly/other condiment makers and i got a selection of those kinda things when the girls were my students... another kid was from a family of organic apple farmers so i got a bunch of organic apple products... plus all the wonderful and so appreciated plates of fudge and cookies and popcorn balls and bubble wrapped homemade tree ornaments)

7. child-made holiday cards, all teachers *love* these. i still have many of them that were given to me over the years.

 

[sch00lteacher]

Seriously, you want to give a teacher a gift? Buy your children some books for Christmas. Then spend the time to sit down with them and read them. Keep doing this until your child learns to enjoy reading.

That would really make me happy.

 

[Gilly Bean]

Get some new childrens books, and donate them to the class room. Buy a big box, and stuff it with craft supplies the school doesn't supply, such as sequins in different shapes, pipe cleaners, standard things like toilet paper rolls, and paper towel rolls, Felt squares, popscicle sticks in colors (I have an awesome dollar store here in town that carries em in huge packs for only $1 in all different colors), foam squares and small foam shapes to attach to them. They come in tons of colors now, and patterns. Again, I find alot of this stuff at that one dollar store. Wal-mart carries back in the sewing dept bags of ribbon scraps for around $.99-$1.99 depending on the size of the bag, along with fabric scraps, and small butter dish sized containers of loose various buttons. All these are things a normal school doesn't supply, so the teachers don't have as much oppertunity to let the kids work with them.


Also, I forgot to add feathers. What kid doesn't like to play with feathers?

 

[lovetoread]

I usually try to get the teachers something that they or their kids would eat. (at my school we get to be friends with the teachers) but this year,I got the teachers gift certficates to go have a lunch and get away from the kids for awhile.

 

[daughter]

no gift

My daughter and I were excited about her teacher's gift. Then we got a note saying please don't buy her one. Bonk! We're giving it anyway. Teachers aren't paid enough, not respected , nor appreciated enough as far as I'm concerned. She has to take our gift.

We'll also do like we were asked, and bring a gift for the class. I bought them books for break time.

Schoolteacher, plenty of us buy our children books and read with them. My daughters get books every year for Christmas and most times, gift certificates to buy books. Everytime I walk in the bookstore(I have to put myself on a time restraint; I feel about books like some women feel about shoes), my youngest daughter believes she's suppose to get a new book, too.

We're rediscovering the library. My books are like art to me. I can't help but collect them. We don't have a large collection, but we enjoy reading in my house.

Peace,

daughter

 

[bluntforcemama]

I don't want any gifts! I have SO many mugs from kids, that I have to store most of them in the basement, that and really tacky ornaments. But hey, their kids... gotta love them for their youthful charm. Books are a good idea. I'm always adding to my library for my young readers. Harry Potter books are in high demand. They've all become hooked on Island of the Blue Dolphin, too.

 

[Smilodon]

My best present from a kid was someone from my form who came back from holiday with a really nice mug for me. Completely unexpected. And he looked so excited when he gave me it. What a sweetie.

But my favourite thing to get at Christmas from my kids is a home made card with a really nice message in it. I love these, and keep them year after year.

Smiley

 

[Rubyfruit]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

So it sounds like a jar of my homemade sugared pecans would be appreciated, perhaps?

 

[cymbidia]

Oh yes, Ruby.

And... i'm a teacher.
Shouldn't *all* teachers get some of those?
Spread a little holiday cheer, baby.

 

[Rubyfruit]

Absolutely cym. They are delicious. I'll make you a fresh batch when we meet.

 

[cymbidia]

I look forward to it, Ruby.



And Myst? Donate some of them to your local blood bank for that required after-donation jolt of caffeine. A retirement home would likely be glad to have some of them, too.

One cannot keep forever all the coffee mugs one gets as a teacher. It's some kinda law.

 

[Rubyfruit]

cym, you have a pm.

 

[lilminx]

Personally, I don't want any edibles. The holidays are a time for me where there is too much temptation, and the last thing I need is a box of chocolates or homemade food. Don't get me wrong; it's appreciated, but I just don't need the extra poundage and I feel bad giving away gifts that were meant for me.

I got two very interesting gifts today: a small blank book for my thoughts, and a fondue set. I thought both were great, and I think that the parents put a lot of thought into the gifts. Now, if only I had some interesting thoughts to write down in my book or some cool people to entertain with my fondue set...

Any amount is appropriate. To be honest with you, I work in an area where many of the parents are on welfare and don't have much money, so I really don't expect gifts. It's a nice surprise when I get something that is nice.

I don't think it matters if the classroom aides get something equal in value to the teachers. Give what you feel comfortable giving; if you are close with the teacher's aide and really like him or her, then get something equal in value.

 

[sch00lteacher]

Re: no gift

Schoolteacher, plenty of us buy our children books and read with them. My daughters get books every year for Christmas and most times, gift certificates to buy books. Everytime I walk in the bookstore(I have to put myself on a time restraint; I feel about books like some women feel about shoes), my youngest daughter believes she's suppose to get a new book, too.

We're rediscovering the library. My books are like art to me. I can't help but collect them. We don't have a large collection, but we enjoy reading in my house.

Peace,

daughter

I am so glad your daughter feels this way. Your an excellent mother, that is the feeling I get. I wish more parents were like you. Too many kids today do not read for recreation. They don't have to. The media takes care of their entertainment.

Now you don't even have to read the Lord of the Rings, you can see the movie.

There is a difference between knowing how to read, and wanting to read. I find the kids who want to read score better on their SATs and other major tests.

Daughter, I didn't mean to imply that no one reads to their kids these days. I did intend to imply that the number of people who do, is lower than it should be.

 

[daughter]

I agree

schoolteacher--

No offense taken. Sorry, if I sounded overly-sensitive. I'm a okay mother who's struggling to be a decent parent. I'll accept the compliment today. Come Saturday, my 16-year-old will remind me I know nothing, I'm mean and cruel, and I'm the worst parent on the planet. LOL

I read to my daughter, but I confess not as much as I thought I would be before becoming a parent. She's not with me full-time either so can you imagine the stress of parenting with someone in another household?

I had been telling her dad she needs to read more. He said I was overreacting. A month later, we got a note saying our daughter was being assigned a tutor.

I do have an advantage like you said. My daughter wants to read. I'm not a t.v. watcher. My vice is this screen. Fortunately, my kids are growing up with a parent who reads. I am glad I've done one thing right.

Peace,

daughter

 

[sch00lteacher]

Daughter

Do the best you can. Sounds like your best is pretty darn good.

Love the AV

Merry Christmas