Help settle this discussion: End of Year Teacher's Gift

[Green_Tea]

I'm a teacher. It's 6:53 am and I am already at my desk .

Nothing is better than being thanked with a lovely, heartfelt note. I can still remember what some of the nicest notes I received said, even many years later. If you want to add something, Starbucks GCs or DD GCs are nice. $5 would get me an ice tea on my way to the beach! But it's not necessary.

[acmom]

I'm a teacher. It's 6:53 am and I am already at my desk .

Nothing is better than being thanked with a lovely, heartfelt note. I can still remember what some of the nicest notes I received said, even many years later. If you want to add something, Starbucks GCs or DD GCs are nice. $5 would get me an ice tea on my way to the beach! But it's not necessary.

Yes, I felt the same way when I taught!


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[khalloc]

I probably wouldnt buy anything. I think your volunteer work goes above and beyond. Honestly I dont get all of the teacher gifts that are happening these days. Teachers (at least where I live) are making GOOD money, and they pay way less for their health care than I do. PLUS they get a pension. I really dont think its necessary to buy them gifts for every holiday, end of the year, Teacher Appreciation Week, etc...

If I really loved the teacher and it wasnt going to hurt my wallet I might pick up a giftcard and a thank you note. I just dont think people need to be gifting teachers all the time. I dont think that goes on at our schools, but I read about it alot on here.

[ckso]

Do you have some time and are you crafty? My biggest teacher gift hits have been Decoupaged clipboards and crayon (or pencil) initial monograms. Both super inexpensive but teachers have loved them. DD just finished 6th grade and her first grade teacher STILL talks about how much she loves both of these gifts. I also always do a handwritten note. If there's a class gift collection I contribute a small amount to that, as well, but regardless I always try to make a homemade gift.

I'm very crafty. Can you give me an example of what you mean? Or a link? School is out next Thursday so I don't have much time


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[ckso]

I'm a teacher. It's 6:53 am and I am already at my desk .

Nothing is better than being thanked with a lovely, heartfelt note. I can still remember what some of the nicest notes I received said, even many years later. If you want to add something, Starbucks GCs or DD GCs are nice. $5 would get me an ice tea on my way to the beach! But it's not necessary.

Thank you. It's always great to hear a teachers perspective


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[IansMom]

I don't think a GC is necessary. I think a nice note will suffice. DS had an outstanding teacher this year. I gave $10 for the class gift. Then I wrote a nice note and gave her a pack of thank you cards in her favorite colors--she writes these wonderful thank you notes whenever she's given something from a student.

[ahisma]

I probably wouldnt buy anything. I think your volunteer work goes above and beyond. Honestly I dont get all of the teacher gifts that are happening these days. Teachers (at least where I live) are making GOOD money, and they pay way less for their health care than I do. PLUS they get a pension. I really dont think its necessary to buy them gifts for every holiday, end of the year, Teacher Appreciation Week, etc...

If I really loved the teacher and it wasnt going to hurt my wallet I might pick up a giftcard and a thank you note. I just dont think people need to be gifting teachers all the time. I dont think that goes on at our schools, but I read about it alot on here.

Where on earth do you live?

I can understand not being on board with all of the gifting that goes on (especially the Pinterest phenomenon), but I wouldn't base that on teachers being well compensated.

[WitMom]

Not sure how much time you have. But these look neat and are very affordable/

https://www.penzeys.com/online-catal...4/p-1571/pd-gb

[NCGrandma]

Where on earth do you live?

.

Definitely NOT North Carolina!!


Sent from my iPad using Baby Bargains

[doberbrat]

I've seen the contract for teachers in our town - teachers with a Masters + with multiple certifications ie ESL, SEI etc can make 100k eventually. and in our town, the benefits are generous. and yes, they do get holidays and summers off but I cant tell you how often I've emailed a teacher and gotten a response at 9, 10 or even 11pm. or 7am. Most teachers are putting in hours LONG after 3pm. Never mind lesson plans and grading stuff. there are 4 early release days for conferences during the year. so thats 8 hours worth of conferences. 20 kids @ 15min each - thats plenty right? well some kids need more than 1 conference. some parents cant meet during that time or divorced parents need meetings at different times. All other meetings must be outside of school hours - unpaid time. Those awesome class books that teachers put together - hours of work on their time. Mothers/Fathers day projects that kids bring home.... cant even tell you how much outside time gets taken up on those things. tutoring, talent show, concerts - the lead teacher might get a $500 stipend but everyone else is unpaid. and $100k is alot of $$ but we're in a HCOL and thats after years on the job of putting up with all sorts of cr@p.

I don't often give gifts but its not because their teachers dont deserve it.

If you think being a teacher is easy, volunteer on a regular basis in a classroom. You might come to believe (as I do) that there is NO amount of $$ sufficient to be paid to good a teacher.