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Teacher Appreciation Ideas
by Deborah Taylor-Hough
As the years go by, it seems to become more and common for parents to be
expected to give gifts to their children's teachers at school.
For many families, there's a fine line between showing appreciation and
going broke. Finding just the right gift -- at just the right price --
can be challenging at best. And besides, how many apple-decorated key
chains or coffee mugs can one teacher use?
Gina Dalquest, a California mother of four, says, "Every teacher
appreciates school supplies. Often teachers spend a lot of their own
money stocking their classrooms. Pencils, paper, whatever I can get
inexpensively or in volume. I bought a big cube of construction paper
and sent half to my son's class. Last year at the holidays, we made
decorated glass ball ornaments by pouring several colors of acrylic
paint into them and swirling the balls around to look marbled. It cost
less than $2 per gift."
With the end of the school year looming on the not-so-distant horizon
once again, here are suggestions for helpful -- and often inexpensive --
teacher appreciation gifts for the end of the year (or any other time
when a gift for the teacher might be appropriate):
1) Shoe-box sized plastic storage box full of school and classroom
supplies that you can stock up on throughout the year at sales,
clearance stores, etc.
2) Bag of popcorn and a flavored salt sampler.
3) Gift certificate for a video rental.
4) Homemade fudge in take-out meal containers (or Biscotti, or
gingerbread men).
5) Pencils printed with their names on them.
6) Painted glass ball ornaments.
7) Flavored coffee or tea mixes.
8) Coffee and cup decorated by your child.
9) A candle and candleholder.
10) Anything for the classroom: games, writing equipment, books, rulers,
things to decorate or theme objects.
11) Handmade items from the students (potholder, pencil holder, etc).
12) Movie theater passes.
13) A small basket of lotions or soaps.
14) A letter from the student (and/or parent) telling what they enjoyed
about the year or the teacher's input into the child's life.
15) A small plant potted in a thrift store coffee mug or tea cup.
16) A child-made apple-shaped something or other (although over the
years many teachers end up with more apple decorations than they have
room for in their house or classroom).
17) Baked goods (bread, cookies, candies, quick breads, etc.).
18) Chocolate dipped pretzels.
19) Chocolate anything.
20) Christmas ornament.
One woman online said, "There are too many people who get left out and
probably feel bad about it, such as the P.E. teacher, the principal, the
secretary, the kitchen lady who knows your child by name, the teacher's
aide who listens to them say their numbers or helps with reading, etc.
And then there's the Awana leader, the Girl/Boy Scout leader, the Sunday
School teacher, and the private teachers like piano and dance. A parent
can't possibly buy/make gifts for all these people."
Her unique suggestion to deal with this large number of potential gift
recipients? Donate a book to the school or the public library "in the
names of all the people who have been part of your child's life this
year. Then give a card to each individual telling them why they were so
important to your child and how this gift will help other children as
much as he/she helped your child."
It's been my experience that people in volunteer helping positions (such
as Sunday School teachers or nursery workers at church) are often
completely overlooked when it comes time to give out thanks. Each year
my husband and I try to invite our children's Sunday School teachers and
their families to dinner at our house to thank them for all their hard
work and dedication throughout the year. It's never ceased to amaze me
that I always hear comments like, "No one has ever done anything like
this for me before and I've been teaching Sunday School for twelve
years." Even just a simple Thank You card given at the holidays or the
end of the school term could be enough to bowl them over in shock.
Remember: it isn't a competition to see which child or parent gives the
teacher the best or most expensive gift. Showing appreciation to
assorted teachers should be an expression of heart-felt thanks to the
dedicated people who've touched our lives and given of themselves to our
children.
About the author
Deborah Taylor-Hough (mother of three) is the author of several popular
books including 'A
Simple Choice: A practical guide for saving your time, money and sanity'.
She also edits the free email newsletter, Bright-Kids, for parents and
others interested in the educational development of the children in
their lives. You can visit Debi online at:
http://hometown.aol.com/dsimple/ Subscribe to Bright-Kids by sending
a blank email to:
subscribe-bright-kids@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
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