First time buying a gift for a teacher - cost?
Greetings! This is my first year buying a gift for a teacher. It is a preschool teacher and I am probably going to attempt to organize a collection with the other 3 parents. What amount do people normally spend for teachers gifts? I'm a bit clueless. I'll probably collect cash and just buy a gift card from the group. Total class size is only 4 kids if that helps you in answering my question. Thanks!
Antimony Under $10 is what we usually spend. But your child might also make something. Really its the thought and the appreciation that counts. Some schools also have programs where you can make a donation to support the school in the teacher's name.
One year when my daughter was older she put together a music playlist of holiday tunes, a combination of new and old, and burned them to a CD. Then she made a decorative label and case for each CD with her name and the year. Teachers came up to me even a couple years later to tell me that was one of their favorite gifts that they used year after year. She gave me one too, that I still play.
Good luck!
hktownie I know one of my bosses in the past used to spoil the teachers...she said that her daughter was in their care for many hours a week. She was convinced it would help out her daughter and sad but she is probably right.
I remember she bought Coach wristlet with pedi gift card for Christmas she would also buy them gifts for Vday, Easter, Halloween, and whatever else.
nosila The best gifts I got were gift cards to places like Michael's, Staples and Office Depot. Made a huge difference in the supplies I was able to get for my classroom. Usually, I would get amounts from 10-15 dollars.
Trying to Help For the holidays I've made a nice tin of cookies, etc. At the end of the year I traced my son's hands on flower pots, painted them and filled them with cookies and brownies.
Blackcat Oh these are all wonderful suggestions too :) I suspect I'll go the gift card route just because it seems the most useful. I was thinking a visa gift card and that way she can use it wherever she would like. My old landlady used to be a teaching asst. and she ended up tossing and re gifting a lot of what she received. I remember one year she got an insane amount of soaps, lotions and candles - like 5-6 of each! She appreciated the thought, but there is only so much of that stuff you can use I guess. I think I will also look around this week and see if there is something small my daughter can make for her. Maybe an ornament or something.
For elementary school I would agree that $10 is fine. But if the preschool teacher is really more of a full time babysitter, I would up it to $20 at least. The gift card is a great idea.
maja $0. Would you tip a cop? These are public workers with market rate salaries, Summers off, Cadillac benefits including a pension...
iJay iJay,
From what I'm reading, this is probably a private preschool teacher who makes $11-12 an hour. Try to keep in mind that most preschools are private. Very few public schools offer preschool. Oh...and no pension.
PianoGirl It is a private not for profit preschool. She only goes 2.5 hours a few days a week. I was thinking around 10-15 seemed right, I just did not want to lowball it.
Frankly I'm surprised that teachers are still allowed to accept gifts. Most public employees aren't, or so I thought.
Gadfly 
PREDATOR I am a teacher and I love gift cards. It's a nice surprise to be remembered during the holiday season. Many get bonuses or a gift from the boss... We don't. So to be thought of during the busy holiday season is truly touching and appreciated. Heck, I even leave my mail lady, garbage man, newspaper delivery person a small token so they too know they are appreciated. I think it's very kind to remember all, especially during the holiday.
I give my children's daycare teachers a $25 gift card and small gifts to all of the aides.
Enrsjr The amount you spend on a gift should reflect the grade you want your kid to be GIVEN. A's cost at least a $100.00
aguy There are 4 in one class for 1 teacher at the preschool level. I think a great gift card for 25 bucks a piece which would equal 100 bucks is a great gift for the time she gives. More then likely you will go back there next year and your time at the center will expand and this person will end up helping your child more then you know. I think thats fair.
Steve-0 I do believe that either cash or a gift card is the most appropriate gift. I had a friend who was a 6th grade teacher and each holiday season, he would display his collection of great teacher coffee mugs in the classroom to make a point that he really didn't need another! From what I understand the collection was quite extensive.
This year, we are giving a travel coffee mug and a gift card to Dunkin or Panera. These seem to work well. A little bit of both - a gift and a gift card.
One year, at the end of the school year, my daughter made a report card for the teacher on how great she was. She came up with the topics and the grades (all A+++++++ or better!). The teacher loved this and made a point to show it to her parents to see if her parents would give her money for the great grades... lol
At the Pre-School level, you can have your child make a small gift and give a gift card. It really is the thought that does count. Preschool teaching is a tough, low paying job, it is nice to be appreciated.
Coralie I have always given teacher gifts to show my appreciation at the holidays, and I always struggle with what to give, how much to spend, etc. Especially when you see that others spend a lot! (Coach wristlet? Wow!)
I have come to the conclusion that everyone's situation is different, so you spend what you feel most comfortable with. As a former classroom teacher and current Sunday School teacher, I have been touched by gifts of all kinds...those that maybe cost a lot and those that were gifts of the heart.
Between school, dance, Sunday School, and other activities, we have a lot of teachers and coaches to give gifts for (almost 20!) So I can't spend a lot on each one...I'd go broke. If there isn't some sort of joint gift, here's what I do. At Christmas, I give a Christmas dish (usually from Kohls, just a few dollars on sale) filled with Hershey nugget chocolates. I print personalized labels to wrap around the chocolate. Between the dish and the chocolate, it comes in under $10. At the end of the school year, I go to Bath and Body Works during their semi-annual sale (held early in June) and I get soaps, lotions, etc. Again, it comes in under $10.
One note about joint gifts...my daughter's first year of preschool I organized all the parents (about 12) to contribute to a joint gift, and we got a gift card to a local bookstore. I was shocked when I came in that day and some parents also had individual gifts! I guess some parents wanted to individually express their thanks as well, but it really put me off because then it made me feel bad that I didn't get something extra as well. But really, if you're doing an individual gift then why do the group gift at all? I have never organized a group gift since! :) Just an FYI for those parents who are new to the whole thing.
Finally (I feel like I've written an essay here, sorry!) for those who don't think teachers should receive gifts, then don't give one. I have never thought more or less about anyone because of the cost of a gift received or whether a gift was received at all.
Jersey Girl Personally, the teachers get all the "apple" mugs, paper holders, pen cases, etc, they can handle. In my experience, get an Amex gift card or Visa gift card (same as cash) - then they can spend it on whatever they want. Ask yourself, what would you like that you don't get a million of or haven't gotten a million of already? If the 4 families each chipped in $12.50, you could give her a $50 gift card, a nice gesture.
TerryLynn As a former teacher, the best presents I ever received were things that reminded me of that particular child or class. One was a water-bottle that had the class photo on it (taken at a class trip, informal and very cute), another was an ornament that the child had put his handprint on (along with his name, adorable and still hangs on my tree each year), Although I have to say: my first year teaching I was expecting the standard teacher's mug and although I did receive many beautiful gifts and thank yous that year, I didn't get a single mug! LOL I was a little disappointed! :-)
And in my opinion, save your money and don't bother with the soaps, lotions, and candles. I was getting so many of those that I would end up donating them to the Lupus foundation regularly. Plus, its difficult to match a specific scent to a person's likes or dislikes. Having your child make something is the best present of all.
If you really want to get something, the giftcard is the best bet. But keep it simple (Teacher's store, visa, DD), I received a few giftcards for individual small businesses that I was never able to use and I hate to think of the money going to waste. Parents were very kind to me, but gift cards for spa appointments at local businesses, for example, sound great, except most teachers do not live in the town in which they work, so they are often not used.
Just my two cents :-)
I gave my kids teachers supplies. Anything to take some of the burden off of their paychecks. You can do alot at the dollar store. pens, pencils, markers, post its, construction paper, staples, glue etc. The list is endless. Put it all in a basket and they will appreciate that more than another mug that says #1 teacher on it!
Jaybird I am a private art teacher, so have to give gifts to all the students as well...25! If I spend $10 on each child (not likely, will spend more) - that's a pretty hefty amount as well. I worry that if I make cookies, parents will think I am cheap. It goes both ways!
acl76 I never expected gifts from teachers for my kids. Ever. They're already spending 8 hours a day with them teaching them. That's gift enough. And the cookie and goody gifts are out the window. Not for being cheap, just allergy risks.
I always got my teachers and aide's gifts for every holiday, usually small, but the thought that counts.
I was never a teacher but I can say, having a classroom full of kids (many that give teachers a hard time!!! haha) it is nice to show them that your appreciative and gives them peace of mind I think that you took the time to think about them, when they work so hard day and night to teach and take care of you.
I disagree that you DEF. SHOULDNT give them anything, bonus', pensions whatever, show your appreciation to them..I'm sure you all would want the same in return. :):)
Britt63 Does anyone give the middle school teachers a gift? Once you get to the middle school, the student sees a few teachers throughout the day.
grapes grapes, I stopped giving gift when my daughter entered middle school. Just to many teachers.
As for giving a gift to the elementary school teachers, gift cards were always a hit. When I was homeroom mom we would send a note to all the families asking for up to a 5.00$ contribution to the class gift. We usually wound up with a decent gift card.
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