Teacher Gifts
The holiday season is upon us, and, it’s time to think about how to handle giving gifts to your child’s teacher.
We talked about 5 Great Teacher Gifts last year, and, I’m glad you enjoyed those selections.
I have an interesting dilemma this year, though.
I had decided that this year we were going to just contribute to the classroom gift since, between my 3 children, there are 9 different teachers.
But, the school informed us yesterday that there won’t be classroom gifts, but, that we can give to a “general” fund, and, the money will be distributed equally among all the teachers in the school.
I’m a little conflicted about that, the way I see it, the flat sum is a “bonus” from the school, and, not an indication of parent goodwill and appreciation for their child’s teacher.
I could be wrong, since, money is money, but, I’ve just not come across this before.
What do you think?
Well, I appreciate your dilemma — just 2 kids, but easily could get to 10 teacher gifts, still being fairly exclusive with it.
The 2yo’s day care doesn’t do classroom gifts, either. They also don’t have a fund I can pitch in to.
My question is this [oh ye, who are the teacher expert]: Let’s say I can get a small gift card for the “main” teachers. For the others, what’s better: some homemade candy/other treat, or a note from my child [which I'm sure I will have to beat out of her [metaphorically speaking, people!!] but which would be good for her, nonetheless]???
We have talked about this before and I am so conflicted. I know you have a teacher in the family, and my mom and aunts are teachers, but I still think its about the present. I am just having a hard time with the new notion of Christmas being about the gift certificate. Its about the spirit of giving and not receiving, and a gift certificate seems to put some sort of price on it. I was at a meeting the other night and there was a teacher there talking about how so and so gave her a 200.00 gift certificate and so and so gave her an LCD tv… wtf?
Regardless, I don’t give apple gifts and I’m probably going to cave and do Target gift certificates with a small (non-apple) gift this year… my grandmother would be appalled.
As to your question, in my opinion it seems the school is using the parent base to do their job– pay bonuses to teachers. What if your child’s teacher is top notch and the parents really want to show her? Should the sucky teacher down the hall get the same thing? Nuh-uh. I don’t like that idea. I may not embrace the monetary gifts but I sure as hell am not letting someone else control what happens with it.
I think it’s important to appreciate your child’s teachers specifically. You could contribute to the fund then give cards to the 9 teachers. Or you could do something smaller. A Christmas ornament, cookies, etc.
I know teachers are overworked and underpaid, but I hate the whole idea of giving them Christmas gifts. I mean, how many “World’s Best Teacher” mugs can one person really use? I used to buy something the teacher needed for the classroom so s/he wouldn’t have to spend (even more) personal money. Now that my youngest is in middle school with many teachers, I’ll be honest: I just don’t bother.
I have always gone to the Dollar Tree and gotten the glass or clay ornaments. I then write the year and my kids name on it.
I don’t think it’s right to ask the parents to fund the bonus. I already give enough throughout the year.
I think that’s bizarre. I’ve been a teacher a decade, in three different schools, and I think that is a very strange policy.
I have to be honest (and realize, hubby and I are both teachers): I’ve received awesome gifts over the years. Some handmade, others giftcards. There have been individual gifts and class gifts coordinated by room parents, which usually included a book with letters written by the students. Others have been carefully selected, while some were thrown together as afterthoughts. Many parents give nothing, and I don’t really notice. Sometimes the lack of a *card* has been disappointing. Other times, I chalk it up to how busy and stressed everyone is…
My absolute favorite gift from a student was last Valentine’s: A box of hot cocoa mix, because the student knew that I have a cup every morning. Each year, a few parents take time to write me a nice card…really heartfelt sentiments that show my efforts are appreciated. Sadly, I haven’t kept most of the ornaments (no room — remember hubby and I both teach), and mugs have mostly disappeared. The cards with notes, however, and the letters written by my students, are in a box I refer to several times a year.
As for what my husband and I give, we give generously. We know how much teachers do (it’s like how former waiters/waitresses are often good tippers), and the teachers spend more waking hours with our children during the school week than WE do. It’s nice to give what we can Frankly, we give more than we spend on a few family members. But even when the budget is tight, we write a very detailed letter commenting on the things we appreciate about them. Take time to write a full-blown thank you card. I cling to those cards during stressful times, when I’m not sure if what I’m doing is working or worth it. I’m fairly confident that their teachers do something similar.
I think it’s good to have the option of both without an expectation or pressure for either.
That’s a tough one; if this were my situation I would contribute nominally to the overall fund, then still show my own appreciation monetarily to each teacher as I wished.