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I was lucky, I received a thank you from my son's teacher last year, actually on one of the note cards I gave her. Also, I received a thank you note from one of his teachers before I left the school that day. But aren't "WE" thanking "THEM" for a job well done? I thought that was the point of giving the gift in the first place. It is good ettiquete, yes, to thank the gift giver, but I don't really expect a thank you seeing my gift is already a thank you to her/him. To me, the work they put in throught the year is much more "thank worthy" than the time I took to make the present. JMO.
__________________ Karen
Coincidence is God's way of remaining annonymous
I have to agree - I'm a teacher's aide and ex-CCD teacher. Too many mugs, candles, ornaments, and candy (actually too much of any kind of food - cookies, candies, homebaked breads). I've saved every single note and drawing that any student has ever given me and am in the process of putting them all into a scrapbook with pictures of the kids. The mugs & ornaments break, the goodies get eaten up, but the notes & drawings are always there to bring a smile to my face when I remember the student. :-)
As a teacher I always write a thank you. I agree with no mugs, no bath products and want to add no ornaments. Totally agree with the "consumable" gifts note cards, school supplies, and I think the food is a ok idea, if a teacher doesn't like particular food or watching figure whatever can always share with family or put in teacher's work room (food is sure to disappear there). I also LOVE the gift cards! Regardless it is the thought that counts and the best are the cards letting me know the family appreciates what I do or the ones signed by the child.
I have received Thank You cards from both my DD (6yrs. old) teachers. Her Kindergarten teacher was a really nice young teacher and she appreciated everything we gave her an we always had a Thank You card in our mail box not the backpack. Even the teachers aid made it a point to send a card showing appreciation thinking about her. My DD 1st grade teacher just send a card home addresses to the entire family thanking us for our kindness and thinking of him and making him feel special. To make a long story short. I think even the busy teachers can find a few minutes to show their appreciation and write down a few words of thanks. It just shows what kind of person you are IMHO.
Printed out forms, not even signed ones, just show me that the person does not care and for me that would mean no more gifts. Sorry!!!
These are great ideas. (Tish's ideas --- see below) I am a former teacher (taught 14 years) and these were always my favorite gifts ---
1 - gift certificates -- Target, WalMart, even GROCERY STORES, book stores, Amazon.com, movies, resturants. I loved coffee and my kids knew it and I often received gift certif to the local coffee shop
2 - note cards -- hand made or store bought
3 - supplies for my room --- large chart paper, MARKERS, colored chalk, even notebooks and lined paper to add to my stash --- schools do not always supply these things (usually do not) and 1/2 way though the year, kids supplies and supplies from the beginning of the year start to wear out and this saves $$$ from my pocket!
4 - Magazine subscriptions for the classroom --- SI for Kids, Nature Magazines, etc
Of course for the crafty, it is fun to doll up any of these gifts as it makes them so much more special. Last year for my daughter's preschool teachers I did gift certificates to Target, but put them in little altered lunch tins that I got from the dollar spot. The gifts were adorable and I knew they would be used as well.
Oh, and by the way, I ALWAYS sent thank you notes, but have not always received them. I was raised that TYs are good manners. Now, I sometimes mailed them, but my last 2 years of teaching I had 50 students and postage would have broke me --- I sent them home with the kids in our Friday Folders. I really do not think it matters how the note gets there, as long as it does.
"I've made up packs of cards, envelopes and matching pens. Tie it up with a pretty ribbon and viola! you're done. They really seemed to like the monogramed cards.
If you can come across the old SU! popcorn bucket stamp set from a few years ago, I've also used that. Stamped popcorn out of the top, made a slit in the popcorn and inserted a BlockBuster Gift Certificate.
I've also given coasters and 6x6 scrapbooks (photo mat is blank) decorated and ready to insert photos. I only do about 5 refill pages which allows them approx. 8-10 photos. Not to overwhelming for the non-scrapper. With a package of 6x6 refill pages, you can make 4 books.
__________________
Tisha
Last edited by hjclemlap; 10-11-2007 at 05:28 PM..
Reason: added more information
I was lucky, I received a thank you from my son's teacher last year, actually on one of the note cards I gave her. Also, I received a thank you note from one of his teachers before I left the school that day. But aren't "WE" thanking "THEM" for a job well done? I thought that was the point of giving the gift in the first place. It is good ettiquete, yes, to thank the gift giver, but I don't really expect a thank you seeing my gift is already a thank you to her/him. To me, the work they put in throught the year is much more "thank worthy" than the time I took to make the present. JMO.
I agree with jakeandryansmom (Karen) --- TYs are good manners, but we are thanking them. If I did not receive a thank you for my gift, I would probably be a little miffed, but would not write the person off. If I feel that they are providing a caring and educational environment for my child, I will give that person a token of my appreciation at appropriate times.
I'm a big gardener - so my kids always want to bring flowers to the teacher. My 2nd grade dd took flowers in and the teacher sent a hand written thank you note back for them! First time that ever happened.
I thought it was such a lovely gesture and I made a point of letting her know that I used it as a teaching moment for dd.
So - I'm making her a pack of thank you notes so she does not have to spend any of her own money on them.
Coming from a 5th grade teacher- I always mail a thank you to the child's house. I figure it is fun getting a little mail, and I just would not feel right not acknowledging a gift no matter what the occassion.
Oops, hit enter too soon. I also wanted to say there are wonderful, generous ideas on this thread. These teachers are lucky to have such thoughtful families in their classes!
Location: In WI. My avatar is of ds in baseball halloween costume before I stuffed it!
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My ds teacher is a big time stamper and has a ton of SU sets and every ink color and marker (su) imaginable! She has the tissue box cover etc....Any cool ideas for her?
Here's a quickie gift: http://paperfriendly.blogspot.com/ Another magnet project is labeled Magnet/Bling. Also have some small boxes and decorated pens (some are covered with air-dry clay and others with left over paper).
I appreciated receiving pens and bookmarks when I was teaching...never seemd to have enough of them.
Here's a quickie gift: http://paperfriendly.blogspot.com/ Another magnet project is labeled Magnet/Bling. Also have some small boxes and decorated pens (some are covered with air-dry clay and others with left over paper).
I appreciated receiving pens and bookmarks when I was teaching...never seemd to have enough of them.
Opps! Would have been if I had included the link to the magnetic bookmark...
My ds teacher is a big time stamper and has a ton of SU sets and every ink color and marker (su) imaginable! She has the tissue box cover etc....Any cool ideas for her?
If she is a big time stamper like you've said, you could give her something that she can alter. Maybe some tins or a lunch tin for those Thank You notes that she sends home. What about a baskt with some sticky tape and other glues and such?
Just some ideas, we all go through that stuff like crazy right?
I've made up packs of cards, envelopes and matching pens. Tie it up with a pretty ribbon and viola! you're done. They really seemed to like the monogramed cards.
If you can come across the old SU! popcorn bucket stamp set from a few years ago, I've also used that. Stamped popcorn out of the top, made a slit in the popcorn and inserted a BlockBuster Gift Certificate.
I've also given coasters and 6x6 scrapbooks (photo mat is blank) decorated and ready to insert photos. I only do about 5 refill pages which allows them approx. 8-10 photos. Not to overwhelming for the non-scrapper. With a package of 6x6 refill pages, you can make 4 books.
I loved all three of these ideas. I taught 20 years and collected plenty of treasures but storage gets to be an issue. These consumable gifts are a wonderful idea.
How about adopting a pet project for the class and supply the expertise and/or materials needed.
Yes, (as a teacher) I think teachers should send thank you notes for Christmas or "Teacher Appreciation" gifts. Is it necessary to send a thank you note for an end of the year "thank you?"
I think not.
A gift, no matter what its intention or "purpose", should be given a proper thank you to the gift giver. It is a small courtesy and overlooked by many.
__________________ ~ Carol
I'm a Fan Club Member, Are You?
Oh, and by the way, I ALWAYS sent thank you notes, but have not always received them. I was raised that TYs are good manners. Now, I sometimes mailed them, but my last 2 years of teaching I had 50 students and postage would have broke me --- I sent them home with the kids in our Friday Folders. I really do not think it matters how the note gets there, as long as it does.__________________
Tisha
This is exactly what my granddaughter's teachers do. They have notebooks to write assignments along with parent and teacher comments. Her teacher always adds a thank you in the notebook when presents are given.
As far as the generic photocopied thank you letters, I'm not sure what to think about those. Maybe the teacher openly thanked his/her students in person but wanted to send something home immediately to let the parents know the gifts were acknowledged.
A teacher gift doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. A personal note, gift card for lunch, or a couple cookies are great gifts.
I taught full time for 3 years before moving out of state. My favorite gift I received was an altered notebook for an end of the year thank you gift. I only had this student once a week for a gifted class so the fact that his mom thought of me was really nice. She decorated the cover of the notebook and included my name on it. Then on the first sheet of paper, she wrote a personal thank you note for teaching her son. In it, she said that she asked him what his favorite thing was about each teacher and class. For me, he said that I made him think. She commented on how great that was and so on. I saved the cover of the notebook and the note. I've been subbing since moving out of state and it's been frustrating. But when I feel like that, I pull out that note and I remember why I do it.
And yes, I send home a thank you note. What kid doesn't love receiving a personal letter?
But if you gave a thank you gift, are we to thank the thank you? We'd be making so many cards! I don't think you need to thank a thank you gift-however anything homemade should be remarked upon.
I used to be a teacher for about 5 years. I would say go with a handmade card - but not a handmade gift. A lot of that sort of thing will get tossed. Homemade goodies are nice - but usually if the children help make it the teachers won't eat it.
The best gifts I received were - potted plants, gift cards - movie buckets with popcorn, candy & a gift card to blockbuster (you get the idea). One year all the parents got together and pitched in to get me a gift certifcate to a spa or to have a pedicure & manicure - very nice by the way.
I'm a big gardener - so my kids always want to bring flowers to the teacher. My 2nd grade dd took flowers in and the teacher sent a hand written thank you note back for them! First time that ever happened.
I thought it was such a lovely gesture and I made a point of letting her know that I used it as a teaching moment for dd.
So - I'm making her a pack of thank you notes so she does not have to spend any of her own money on them.
That was the first time you ever received a thank you note from giving a gift to a teacher?! Wow!! I always sent thank you notes to the children in my class. I know their parents appreciate it and the children love getting mail from me! Flowers are a great gift for teachers.
