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We are new to the area-Chapel Hill- and recently we had Teacher Appreciation Day. I knew there was a luncheon for the teachers and my daughters came home saying all the other kids brought in candy, gifts, flowers etc. They were confused about why as nothing was told to me or them about this being required or the custom. I just told them to remember we always send the first daffodils to school and we will write a note at the end of the year. Now we have been asked to contribute to a Pizza End of Year Party and Teacher Gifts. I think it is all a bit too much.
I have had 7 kids in different schools and I'm used to sending some appreciation to teachers but frankly in this hard luck time I think it is a bit too much. Do you know how many little piddly, cheap angels, key rings, towels, boxes of candy, etc. teachers end up getting over the years? OK I know it is to teach the kids to show appreciation but why does it have to cost money? Wouldn't a heart felt note or picture teach our kids that showing love and care does not have to cost money?
What do you think? BTW we give only one nice gift at Birthdays and just a few at Christmas as I think we all have way more than we need or use.
Just one day? At my kid's elementary school in CH, we have Teacher Appreciation Week, with something scheduled for each day. A memo was sent home with the kids outlining the events for each day.
My family and friends of the family are all teachers, and you are correct, the crap gets tossed out. A simple card expressing what an impact and difference that teacher made in the student's life means so much more, and is likely to stay in the house or desk much, much longer. Couple that with some free wild flowers picked at the park (or the front of the school on the way in), and it makes a nice, rememberable gift.
This may be OT, but if you want to show your appreciation for a teacher, send them money or ask about something they can use to outfit their classrooms with tools for the kids, rather than candy or other useless stuff. The teachers I know all spend a good chunk of their personal income on their classrooms and kids - they are underpaid, under-supported, and could use the aid.
Like CHTransplant, we also have Teacher Appreciation Week where we have a week full of activities, meals, raffle prizes, etc. for the teachers. I even chaired the event one year when my children attended Montessori. It can be overwhelming, but the school had some outstanding and extremely hard-working teachers, so it was worth the extra effort.
I think you need to do what feels right for you and your family. This year we didn't participate in the week of themed activities (e.g., bring candy, wear teacher's favorite color, flowers, etc.) My children have had some truly amazing teachers, and I'm prone to do something special for them. This year my kids designed their own cards (on construction paper) and wrote special notes to their teachers. I got $25 gas cards for their main teachers, and purchased a gift certificate for a manicure (just $18) at a nearby spa for the music teacher, whom they adore. I always give $25 gas cards or $25 Target gift cards for the holidays, and they may not be glamorous gifts but they are practical and so appreciated by the teachers. By using my Visa or AmEx points to obtain the gift cards, I'm not spending additional money on them. Instead, I'm just forgoing some of the points for my own personal use. On the last day of school, my children will take some fresh veggies and herbs from our garden to their teachers on that day -- inexpensive and something the kids work to maintain. Good luck.
I think a lot of classes around here collect donations for a teacher's gift of a cash card or gas card or something (that's what my kids' classes have always done). Occassionally they have purchased a higher end gift for her class that the teacher requested and it is donated from the class. One year her teacher wanted a set of special puppets for her classroom that taught feelings or something and were sort of expensive. The school wouldn't pay for them, so the "class" bought them as an end of the year gift for her. Other years the teacher received a $100.00 gas card from the class or a $100.00 GC to Stone School Supply or the Teach Me store.
It's 100% not necessary to donate if you can't or just don't want to and it's 100% OK to just have your child draw a picture and write a note!
It's pretty common around here to do that stuff for teachers at the end of the year, but you shouldn't feel like you have to.
My boys go to a small private school. Today, my wife left early to get a big bag of fresh bagels (and used a coupon) and had one of my boys take the bag in to the office with a note of thanks to each administrator and office personnel. That's gonna have to do it. Money is tight, there is a line that can easily be crossed with the extreme gratitude, and I am completely in agreement that a personal note means much more than a cut rose. JMO.
My boys go to a small private school. Today, my wife left early to get a big bag of fresh bagels (and used a coupon) and had one of my boys take the bag in to the office with a note of thanks to each administrator and office personnel. That's gonna have to do it. Money is tight, there is a line that can easily be crossed with the extreme gratitude, and I am completely in agreement that a personal note means much more than a cut rose. JMO.
This is a nice idea, but to the OP, this would cost more than what your class is doing. I ran the CH "fund" for end of year teacher appreciation, and helped w/teacher appreciation week. It is true that some parents bring in extra gifts, but by no means do all. And some bring in home made items (anything from cookies to cards, or bring in flowers from the garden, etc). In terms of the collection, it is FINE if you do not put any money in or if you put in $5 or whatever you want. When we collected for this I can assure you NO ONE was judged on it, we understood that people are able to/desire to contribute at different levels. The end of year gift comes from the whole class. The card with it does not say "except Jane Jones who didn't give a #$% nickel".
Seriously, it's fine if you contribute nothing, but it's a way of making sure teachers don't end up with as many cheap trinkets they throw out. The money was going to be spent by some parents anyway, so this way they get, as has been said, a nice gift certificate or something they have actually stated they need for the classroom.
I only have one child so that makes it easier financially but I normally send two gifts per year - christmas holiday time and the end of the year - I normally get gift cards to local gas stations, gorcery stores or walmart/target....No assumptions about what they like, etc. The Gas cards last year went over well with the price of gas last summer
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