Our shopping lists seem to get longer the older we get. But one person on your list spends more time with your child than almost anybody, and will likely play a huge role in your child’s development: his teacher! Be sure to let teachers know their investments of time and energy haven’t gone unnoticed.
The trick, however, is getting something the teacher will really appreciate without repeating the gifts given by the other 24-40 students. I polled my teacher friends to see what tops their wish lists for student/parent gifts, and the answers might surprise you.
1. A “Thank You” note
No kidding! Almost every teacher I asked mentioned how he or she has treasured genuine, heartfelt thank you notes. One friend told me she keeps a box full of notes she’s received from her students and/or their parents. She recommends letting your child write whatever they want, so resist the urge to dictate their note.
A friend who teaches at the college level was touched to receive an extra blue exam book that served as a makeshift yearbook from the class. “It kind of makes the whole teaching + grad school thing seem all the more after-school special awesome,” he told me.
2. Handmade gifts
I remember painting the rim of a terra cotta pot to look like a ruler and filling it with chocolates for a teacher in seventh grade, and I was so proud when she displayed it on her desk for the rest of the year. A friend who teaches pre-school said she treasures framed finger-painted pictures and another said her tree has several handmade ornaments. If you’re crafty, you might consider making something for the teacher, too.
3. Gift cards and certificates
My teacher pals said cards for Starbucks, Target and restaurants are much appreciated; another said her best gift ever was a pedicure gift certificate.
4. Gifts Specific to Teachers’ Interests
In fourth grade, I picked out a vintage book of Ogden Nash poetry for my sweet teacher, Mr. Hobbes, who used to reward us for reciting poems on Mondays. One friend said she’s received sports memorabilia and gear related to her favorite teams; another friend who teaches music said she was gifted an ornament made from sheet music.
5. School supplies
It seems counter-intuitive to give teachers supplies they need for work, but a surprising amount of my teacher friends said they’d love to restock their collections of loose paper, pens in different colors for grading, art supplies and cute pencils. Jump drives, which make it easy to move files around or save students’ work, are also great.
6. Teacher Care Package
Stock a gift bag with the essentials to get through a day with 30 kids: Advil, hand sanitizer, crackers, packages of cookies, post-its, stickers, moist towelettes and Tide pens. Nice lunch bags and water bottles are great, too!
Any teachers out there care to weigh in? What’s the best gift you ever gave a teacher or received from a student?
