End of Year Teach Gifts

As an educator, I can tell you that I keep every letter written to me by a parent or child. We get bashed alot publicly and personally. Having someone tell me that they appreciate the time I take for their child brightens my day and reminds me why I do what I do!

Teachers always appreciate new items for their classrooms, as most purchase things out-of-pocket. You could do a gift card to Targer or WalMart or a local teacher store. Kingergarten is especially financially "needy" when you consider the turn-over of toys and games due to germs and little ones breaking items.

I would write a note from you and have your son do one too and include a gift card.

Teachers seem to get tons of coffee mugs, ornaments, platters with handprints, etc., etc., so I recommend staying away from those types of things. If you know of a hobby, like gardening, perhaps you could get something that pertains to that. Or maybe a gift certificate to a local nursery so she can pick out something for her yard. If not a gift certificate, then maybe a flowering plant that could be planted in the yard. Seeds for an herb garden?

Our classes usually opt for an American Express gift certificate so she can buy herself a treat that suits her. Others have given gift certificates for a restaurant, a mani/pedi, or Barnes & Noble for readers.

Hope this helps.

*Additional idea: You could buy a few books for the classroom that she could use at story time. These are a gift that would last.

As a teacher for many years, my most treasured items are the handwritten notes from families sharing their highlights of the year and their appreciation. I treasure those letters!

As a former teacher, I would second the responses from the teachers below. No "teacher" items as I'm sure she already has many of these I'm sure. If you want to get something for future classes, I suggest a gift certificate to the local teacher store. Even if small in value, this is a HUGE blessing as parents have no idea how much in the classroom comes out of the teacher's pockets. This, with a nice handwritten note is great!!

Thanks for wanting to bless her. What an encouragement this will be to her!!

Hello K.,

When I was a Nanny, I initiated a group gift for my charges preschool teacher at Christmas. Instead of each family spending $10.00 on a teacher gift we pooled our money and I purchased a gift card to Washington Square Mall. Then the teacher could have a nice shopping day, family meal what ever.

We did this for 3 years and each year the teachers were THRILLED. Many tears fell.

I was a preschool teacher for many years, and while I appreciated the mugs and other gifts, they became overwhelming. I would often have 30+ kids, especially if I had more than one class, and that would turn out to be a lot of gifts, and I just could not keep them all.

I hope this is a helpful suggestion.

R. Magby

K.,

Ok, I won't tell you that you don't have to do it. I am a first grade teacher and a gross of glue sticks would be great if the school doesn't supply them. I don't know your price range, so here is a list that does not include books. Books are good only if you know exactly which book the teacher would like and can use.

Electric pencil sharpener! They come in all prices but an ajustable hole is needed if they use jumbo pencils in kinder. Spring loaded handled 3 hole punch. Blank flashcards-the long ones. Sentence strips. Colored pipe cleaners. Colored tissue paper.

How about a gift card for your local teaching supply store? Or online gift card for Lakeshore learning?

Many PTAs or PTOs now do a teacher inventory and keep it on file somewhere in the school of the teacher's favorites. As a former teacher, I loved the keepers too, things that were themed from my university, a picture frame, a surprise Starbucks. Even bring her lunch one day, or send her home with a basket of dinner (maybe on a Friday and tell her earlier so she can plan ahead). Gift cards to get nails done are fun too. Some people in my area will do a lamp base painted from the whole class. There are some pottery places that do this, or you could have each kid do hand prints or thumbprints all over it to personalize the item. Another whole class idea would be to give her a stool that his painted or whimsical (or a chair) that she could use in the classroom. Maybe make a digital scrapbook for the end of the year if possible (I never made one for myself, but I would have loved having one for each year I taught!).

And ditto on the books, you can never have enough! And even just volunteering for her is very memorable. Go and read to the class, many kindergartens have some computer time where having extra hands is a huge blessing, and even others do a "cooking" time where it is great to have help. Change bulletin boards too. Many of the moms that volunteered in my classroom I still count as friends, and I've been a SAHM for 5 years.

All of the ideas below are awesome, so just jump in, and do as much as you want to do even if others aren't.

At the end of each year, I buy my two sons' teachers gift cards to the local teacher supply store. They can choose what they need/want for their classrooms. I also write the teachers letters letting them know how much we appreciate them.

I agree that most teachers will tell you nothing is necessary. My husband is a teacher and doesn't expect a thing. But a great teacher is truly a blessing, and like you, I want to thank them.

i always do a themed- gift baskedt, last one was art supplies for the entire class (construction paper, water colors (different kinds), brushes, color palletes (sp?) and then a gift for the teacher, this one being more personal and just for her. My kids' teacher is young, upbeat, knows how to relate to kids, and i know my kids love her. So i go out of my way to express my appreciation.
I also will do gift cards to stores or restaurants