Buying a gift for a teacher is always tricky as there is a fine line between showing your appreciation and brown nosing. While teachers deserve a big, “thanks!” for coaching and guiding your child, you don’t want to go over the top with your gift and have it look like bribery! Two great, modest ways to show your teacher appreciation is to either ask the other students to “chip in” on a gift and/or to limit the gift buying to the following occasions: holidays, end of year, National Teacher Day, or a teacher’s retirement. While buying a gift for any of these occasions is not necessary, it is appropriate and well appreciated. Below you will find some helpful Q&A to guide you through teacher gift-giving.
Q. Who do you typically give a teacher gift to?
teacher notecards |
A. Daycare, Nursery School, Preschool, or Elementary School
teachers are the ones who you would typically buy a teacher gift
for. |
Q. How much should you spend on a teacher gift?
Dollar Sign |
A.Since you do not want to seem like you are brown-nosing, limit the gift price to $10-$25. If you would like to buy something that is more expensive, ask the other students in the class to chip in. |
Q. Do you need to buy your teacher both a National Teachers Day and an End of Year present?
Teacher Cookies |
A. Since they are so close to one another, many parents opt to acknowledge one over the other. We suggest that you consult with the other parents in the class to see which they are acknowledging or to see if they want to chip in on a National Teachers Day gift, and then you can buy an end of year gift yourself. |
Q. When should you absolutely NOT buy your teacher a gift?
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No Sign Image |
A. You should not buy your teacher a
gift “just because” or even for his/her birthday, as these
instances would be construed as brown nosing. |
Q. When should you buy your teacher a gift?
Teacher Gift |
A. As mentioned above, the appropriate times to give your
teacher a gift are holidays, end of year, National
Teacher Day, or even a teacher’s retirement. |
Q. What are appropriate gifts to give your teacher?
Apple Jar |
A. Something small and thoughtful is key when giving teacher gifts. We recommend teacher tote bags, personalized notepads or even personalized canisters that can be decorated with all of the student’s names. |
And last but not least, remember to include a note and spell-check your message! A perfectly written note will certainly please your teacher the most!
