Group gift for elementary teacher

[mrsg123]

Thoughts on this? I just got an email from the organizer, suggesting we send our contributions in envelopes to school with the money in it and her daughter's name on the envelope. This is a K class. Lololol.

[holly116]

They do this at DD's preschool, it's within an elementary school. They literally pool all the contributions school wide and then dole out gift cards. They ask that you send in a check totaling what you would spend on all the teachers/aides etc together.

I never know what the heck to contribute. I think I went big last year but I need to figure out what to do this year still.

[dragonfly08]

This is actually pretty common here.   I have no problem with it, and a lot of parents do participate, although that is absolutely voluntary, and FWIW I usually don't do it b/c I'm Type A and 99% of the time have already gotten a gift by the time someone gets around to organizing a group thing. Often it's the class parent, but if they don't offer to organize something, a smaller group of parents will sometimes get together and do it. In fact, the mom of one of #2s good friends asked me the other day about being part of a group restaurant GC for the teacher, and I would gladly have contributed if I hadn't already purchased a gift on my own.

[shellbear09]

What is the reasoning for this? Keeping teachers from crap gifts? Making sure those that give a lot or a little or not distinguished from each other? I would probably opt out.

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2014 15:32:52 GMT -5 shellbear09 said:

What is the reasoning for this? Keeping teachers from crap gifts? Making sure those that give a lot or a little or not distinguished from each other? I would probably opt out.

I'd say both of those. Plus teachers often have a $ value of gifts they can accept from an individual, and this gets around that.

[Deleted]

It's really common here.
I like it.
Shove some cash in an envelope and done. Why would I traipse all over town for a token gift my kid's teacher doesn't want in the first place when my $10.00 pooled get something decent/useful for the classroom/truly appreciated.

[hopecounts]

Dec 5, 2014 15:32:52 GMT -5 shellbear09 said:

What is the reasoning for this? Keeping teachers from crap gifts? Making sure those that give a lot or a little or not distinguished from each other? I would probably opt out.

Probably the crap gifts, while my mom always appreciated the thought some of the gifts she would get you can only use so many of (mugs/bath gel/etc)
Chipping in to get one good gift makes things easier and most likely nicer for the teacher.

[stealthmom]

Dec 5, 2014 15:32:52 GMT -5 shellbear09 said:

What is the reasoning for this? Keeping teachers from crap gifts? Making sure those that give a lot or a little or not distinguished from each other? I would probably opt out.

I like it for the latter reason. No favoritism issues with a group gift. I strongly oppose individual gifts larger than $20-25.

[6fsn]

I've heard a lot of places doing it. I was talking to a preschool mom and she mentioned doing this. I told her I'd already bought a Target gc.

[IrishBelle]

None of my DD's classes have done this but I would participate. I wouldn't be sending cash to school in an envelope though because I'm not sure it would make it to the right person. I would see if I could get the money to the mom another way.

[Deleted]

I think we'll be at the point where I can just email money to the class mom by the time my kids hit school. We're pretty close right (a few banks offer it free).

I wouldn't send cash with a K student, but I rejoice at joint gifts.

[frlcb]

Totally common around here, both in preschool and elementary. It isn't mandatory but I would say 99% of people do it. We either give money directly to room mom or send it in with child in an envelope with room mom/child's name on it.

[cjeanette]

We do this at my kids school. Backpack mail is what it is called. Kids even that young are good at giving their teacher stuff from their backpack and the teacher makes sure it gets in the backpack it needs to. I have been room parent K-4 so far and no check has been lost.

I do offer to have parents mail or get me the check in person.

[KKD]

Our preschool and elementary schools do this. I always contribute and then have my kids make their teachers cards to give them something personal from us.

[momof2boys]

Some years we have a "room mother" organize this and honestly I LOVE it! It ends up costing me less then if I buy a gift myself, and saves me the trouble of figuring out what to buy, having to go get it etc. This way I throw 10.00 in an envelope and we are done! I think the teacher usually gets better gives this way as well since the room mother usually spends enough time with her she knows what she likes, her interests etc.

[Willis Jackson]

This is very common. It's usually a gift card to a restaurant or shopping mall, IME.

[irishbride2]

They do it as an option. H is the class parent this year, so he sent out an email saying that if people wanted to do a joint gift, he would collect and get something. But he made it very clear that he was only offering to help people out and that it was hardly "required."

We actually never participate. We buy our own.

[Willis Jackson]

Dec 5, 2014 15:30:13 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

This is actually pretty common here.   I have no problem with it, and a lot of parents do participate, although that is absolutely voluntary, and FWIW I usually don't do it b/c I'm Type A and 99% of the time have already gotten a gift by the time someone gets around to organizing a group thing. Often it's the class parent, but if they don't offer to organize something, a smaller group of parents will sometimes get together and do it. In fact, the mom of one of #2s good friends asked me the other day about being part of a group restaurant GC for the teacher, and I would gladly have contributed if I hadn't already purchased a gift on my own.

This is me, lol. Although I guess I could take the gifts apart and spend the Target gift cards and eat the truffles myself.

[Deleted]

Totally common here too. My kids are in grades 2& 4 and every class has done this every year. It's almost always a small gift + gift certificate for a mall.

[auntie]

Very common.

Both my mom and MIL taught in elementary schools. My MIL had an entire closet filled with kitchen towels, owl figurines people erroneously thought she collected, #1 teacher mugs, glittery holiday pins and smelly stuff from Avon. I know they appreciated the sentiment, but commercial consumables and gift cards would have been nice. Especially for MIL who was a widow raising 3 kids. I suspect many younger teachers have student debt that impacts their discretionary income.

[shellbear09]

Interesting well I could see it being nice and easier with older kids.

[mrsg123]

Glad to hear the responses! Elementary school is a whole new world for me.