6 teacher gifts that don't suck

From the Community…

• 
  Posted by St.JimmyHavok Fri Jun 5, 2009 2:52pm PDT

  In my highschool years, I had a really awesome art teacher. We still keep in touch today. Anyways, for X-mas, I made him a huge stuffed bat that held a picture of us when he took me to an art fair in its wings, and he gave me a book of M.C.Escher's atrworks. I went to visit him 3 montsh ago, and that bat is STILL taking up half of his desk!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by __A_YAHOO_USER__ Fri Jun 5, 2009 3:15pm PDT

  Those are really great ideas....!!!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by opiniononly Fri Jun 5, 2009 4:07pm PDT

  Teachers at all grade levels are increasingly needing to supplement school budgets with their own purchases of classroom supplies. Although the personal item ideas are nice, consider giving your kids' teacher gift certificates to places where s/he can purchase items used during the school year. Teacher's don't make huge salaries (and I recognize most of us don't either) but it is one profession where out of pocket expenses for standard items used during a work day are skyrocketing as school budgets shrink. Think of how much you would be spending each year if your company made you buy paper, desk supplies, etc instead of supplying them to you.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by arscuore Fri Jun 5, 2009 4:33pm PDT

  Love the article, love the comments. I am a teacher, and I can tell you in these economic times, we certainly don't expect gifts, but if you are going to give, PLEASE give a handmade card or a picture instead of something from the dollar store! All of the ideas in the article would be great to get, and considered very generous. I'm a mom, too, and I still struggle what to get my son's teachers and parapros!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Lydia Fri Jun 5, 2009 7:38pm PDT

  Great ideas! I'm a teacher, too, and though we never expect gifts, handmade cards are ALWAYS appreciated...we can reread them whenever we get down on ourselves. If you'd prefer to buy something, I would definitely go with either gifts suitable for classroom purchases (like lakeshorelearning.com or reallygoodstuff.com) or gifts that acknowledge their personal lives (like a Starbucks travel mug with pictures of your child or a gift card to Target or Michaels). Another good way to get ideas is to ask your child about things she likes - or better yet, VISIT THE CLASSROOM - and look around for the teacher's personality. Are there butterflies everywhere? Does her desk have all blue accessories? Does that CD player she brought in from home look a bit beaten up? Do you always smell the same scent coming from the Glad plug-ins? One last idea is to donate age-appropriate books to her classroom library, or a box of school supplies (wide-ruled paper, #2 pencils, folders, markers, stickers, anti-bacterial gel, tissues, Ziplock bags, and notebooks). THANKS TO ALL THE SUPPORTIVE AND CARING PARENTS OUT THERE!!!! WE REALLY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!!!!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Lydia Fri Jun 5, 2009 7:40pm PDT

  **That's "Glade" plug-ins. =)

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by MissK Sat Jun 6, 2009 4:16pm PDT

  A gift for your child's teacher to use in the classroom is not a gift for them, it's a gift for your child. Candy and cookies - great gift! Wine - even better, especially if it comes from the parent of a trying child. Gift cards are awesome. Just a thought - if your child attends a catholic school, be aware that your child's teacher makes a sad and small salary, so cash or gift cards are not only appreciated, but also much needed. I had one parent give me $100 in cash, which paid my cable bill for the summer. Great!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by SonyaG Sun Jun 7, 2009 6:20am PDT

  OK so may be totally off base but considering the current economy this year each of my kids teachers got cash and card. Always the right colour and size! I am not a big fan of gift cards.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by HotCrossBuns Sun Jun 7, 2009 3:33pm PDT

  Last year my gift to all 3 of my kids' teachers was a 1 gallon galvenized bucked (to be used as needed), swizzle sticks from the Dollar Store, plastic pool-side summer cups, paper drink umbrellas and a few cans of Bacardi Dacquiri mix!! Oh...and some all-natural foot soak. I wasn't sure if a GC to the liquor store was all that appropriate so I skpped that part. This year a I know better. I might need bigger buckets!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by HotCrossBuns Sun Jun 7, 2009 3:37pm PDT

  PS..our teachers have recently taken an 8% pay cut, so for many little luxuries like "drink buckets" are things that get taken out of their household budget. In such situations nothing says, "thanks for the job you do" like a frozen drink and a foot soak to start the summer! (PS. I know these teachers well and have forged personal relationships with them over the years, so I am certain that alcohol is okay to give. And after having my kids for a year, highly appropriate!!)

  Report Abuse