Teachers - random question (may contain @ in thread)

[raangoli]

Nov 29, 2018 14:51:50 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Nov 29, 2018 14:49:33 GMT -5 akayf said:

I’ve sent in the menu to a local restaurant that delivers and tell the teachers to pick a day they would all like lunch and send me their order. I call in the order for delivery and prepay the total and tip.

Oh, that's a good idea!

Do you typically do it during the holiday season, or afterward? Because I might not be able to swing that in December, but a random day in January-February is doable.

What if you did the thank you note in December and add in the "IOU for a lunch in January". Maybe pick the date in advance (and add in a snow date since we know that will probably happen) and then a week prior to that follow up with the menu?

[W.T.Faulkner]

I’m in here as somebody who works at a school with a high poverty rate. I don’t get gifts for Christmas and I don’t give a damn (I’m actually pretty decently paid unlike some teachers at other schools/in other states). I don’t need a mug or tote bag or whatever.

I can’t stress enough how meaningful a handwritten note is. I keep every card I’ve gotten from a child or a parent, and I read my favorites when I’ve had a really rough day. It reminds me of what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, especially during a stressful time of year.

[UMaineTeach]

Nov 29, 2018 11:04:38 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Nov 29, 2018 10:58:29 GMT -5 jackie011 said:

But, also, any token is nice to receive. People love to feel appreciated and respected.

Of course, but also, people don't need more mugs. 

I have mused before that the government could ban further mug production and the country would be able to get by with the current supply in cupboards, retail, thrift stores, and yard sales.

[firedancer10288]

Just here to ditto everyone that said gift cards- target,amazon, B&N. I make a point to use them on stuff I need for my classroom.

I get more Starbucks cards than I can use in a year (and I go like once a week, it’s not a daily thing for me). I also get a ton of chocolates this time of year and I can’t eat those bc I have a nut allergy, so I leave them in the faculty room for others to enjoy. Mugs sit around for awhile, but usually get tossed at the end of the school year when I’m packing up. Same for lotions and candles.

[bugandbibs]

Truthfully, my most favorite gift ever was a case of Diet Coke. It was clear they really wanted to get me something that they knew I would like. I also like Amazon or Target gift cards.

I also keep all of the letters, cards, pictures from kids. I especially treasure the notes from kids who remember something I did for them (often I have forgotten about it myself).

[newboardnewme]

I usually do gift cards. But this year I got carried away and loaded my Penzys shopping cart up with boxes of spices (Joy of Cinnamon, Teacher Box, Welcome Spices and Welcome Seasonings boxes). Do you think those are ok? I guess they are re-giftable if they don't want them. But I thought consumable would be good (and tasty). And, selfishly, I love supporting Penzys.

[akayf]

Nov 29, 2018 14:51:50 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Nov 29, 2018 14:49:33 GMT -5 akayf said:

I’ve sent in the menu to a local restaurant that delivers and tell the teachers to pick a day they would all like lunch and send me their order. I call in the order for delivery and prepay the total and tip.

Oh, that's a good idea!

Do you typically do it during the holiday season, or afterward? Because I might not be able to swing that in December, but a random day in January-February is doable.

I actually usually do this for teacher appreciation week but if you send in the menu on the last day before Christmas break, then they will have to pick a day in January. Lol.

[lacey]

Two kids in daycare with 2 main teachers in each room. Those 4 teachers will be getting $50 target gift cards. My husband is tagging onto a work trip in December and we are going to Brussels. I was thinking about bringing back Belgian chocolate for the teachers as a little something extra. I'm seeing a lot of truffles and pieces that I would have to get packaged up at the store. I assume that is fine and I don't need to get factory packaged bars or something like that? Or is the dislike for food gifts high enough that I should just save my money?

[janetplanet20]

I want more books for my classroom library, target/amazon/Starbucks gift cards, mr sketch markers, and dry erase markers.
I like getting things to use in the classroom bc that’s what I spend a lot of money on (especially books!) and it makes me happy to have those things for my class.

[suburbanzookeeper]

My kids' teachers always get a GC with a handwritten note. Since I also coincidentally almost always end up as a room parent (or as DS's teacher refers to me this year, "her unpaid co-teacher") I usually give a little something for them or for the room. DD's TK teacher literally had a slew of broken staplers that were half-holding together and almost always failed - so I replaced them. It's been four years and she still mentions how excited a bunch of new staplers made her.

This year DS's teacher and I pickup Starbucks for each other and after lamenting about her quest for decent dry shampoo is getting a dry shampoo sampler box in addition to her Target GC and a thank you note for being a badass.

[erbear]

Nov 29, 2018 17:50:32 GMT -5 newboardnewme said:

I usually do gift cards. But this year I got carried away and loaded my Penzys shopping cart up with boxes of spices (Joy of Cinnamon, Teacher Box, Welcome Spices and Welcome Seasonings boxes). Do you think those are ok? I guess they are re-giftable if they don't want them. But I thought consumable would be good (and tasty). And, selfishly, I love supporting Penzys.

I got the Cinnamon ones for all of the specials teachers last year too and they seemed to like it. I'd love that gift!

[kaybee85]

I'm a bit late, but here to echo one of pixy's points which is the whole waste aspect! If you really feel weird giving a 5 dollar gift card, and that's what your budget is, I'd rather have something consumable (food -- insert annual confession in which I admit to eating all the baked good given to me. ::shrug::, BUT spices, candies, w/e are great ideas) or even just a note written by you or your child are appreciated. I always felt guilty with the stuff that I wasn't really interested just collecting dust, getting thrown away, etc.

Another note - every year my good friend got tons of sbux gift cards, but she hates coffee. I'd avoid sbux unless you know the teacher drinks it.

[jenna]

We usually do a Barnes & Noble gift card to buy books for the classroom.

Target gift cards to everyone - bus driver, Librarian, 3 PE teachers, Music, OT, SLP, etc.

[katfco]

Nov 29, 2018 17:23:21 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

I’m in here as somebody who works at a school with a high poverty rate. I don’t get gifts for Christmas and I don’t give a damn (I’m actually pretty decently paid unlike some teachers at other schools/in other states). I don’t need a mug or tote bag or whatever.

I can’t stress enough how meaningful a handwritten note is. I keep every card I’ve gotten from a child or a parent, and I read my favorites when I’ve had a really rough day. It reminds me of what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, especially during a stressful time of year.

Ditto. I rarely get gifts from my students, but any time one of them draws me a picture, I save it. I’ve only ever once gotten a thank you note from a parent, and I treasure it.

Because I rarely get gifts, I also don’t usually think to give my kids’ teacher gifts. When I do, I usually have the kids help me make cookies and write a note.

[AndyCohen]

Nov 29, 2018 12:35:25 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Nov 29, 2018 12:12:52 GMT -5 smock said:

We've always done a card with cash for preschool and daycare teachers. Here's a question: can you still give cash as a gift once they're in elementary school? Is there a limit on the size of gifts public school teachers can accept?

Technically, we are not supposed to accept gifts of $50 or more (NYC city employees). 

I've never received a holiday gift, so take that for what it's worth, but I'd do a gift card.  Absolutely no food of any kind. 

Is the $50 limit from an individual? Our class parent said: “Any gift to a teacher must be from the entire class, not from specific members of a class. These are rules set by the NYC Department of Education.” So I just assumed we can’t give gifts. But the teachers definitely get more than $50 each but it’s pooled from 27 kids (I’m saying in our school. I know not all teachers get $50+ in every school in the city).

[formerlyak]

When I was room mom I collected gift cards from the parents and put them all in a stocking we presented her. She loved that ... only one thing taking up space in her desk and lots of gift cards. Our PTA published a list of favorite places for each teacher and let us know which of those gift cards were available via scrip to support the school. Double win!

One year we knew the teacher was using her home iPad to teach some things so we all pitched in (suggested was $10 to make it reasonable for all, but most people gave $20-30) to get her a new one. We ended up with like $400 so we got her the iPad, a case and an iTunes gift card for apps. She cried when we presented it. It was a hit.

For my younger son’s preschool teachers, we give them wine. I’ve know some of those teachers for 10 years though because they also taught my older son. So I know they drink. Actually, last year the director said they all got so much wine from parents they could restock their bars. And they were all happy about this.

[formerlyak]

Nov 29, 2018 12:19:33 GMT -5 tessalb said:

8th grade teacher checking in.

Please consider a thoughtful thank you note with your gift. Those mean a lot to me. Stick a coffee shop gift card or Target or Amazon.

Best gifts ever.

I’m glad to know the notes are appreciated. Last year I forgot and sent electronic Starbucks gift cards to the teachers via email with a note about how much I appreciated them.

[pantsparty]

Nov 29, 2018 11:23:27 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

If you look at this purely from an environmental standpoint, how much trash are we generating from pointless gifts? Yeah, you're giving someone stuff, and making it look like a lot, but to what point? They're going to trash or regift, and honestly most regifted gifts just get trashed at some point.

To mb's point, if you have a good idea, more than likely 6 other people have had that idea as well.

Summary: Just give a gift card or cash.

This is how I feel about most gift giving. I don't get why some people get all up in arms about the greatest gift in the world, the ability to buy MY OWN gift. Most people are not good at giving gifts. Take the easy path and everyone wins!

This reminds me I need to get to Target today for gift cards for my brothers.

[redheadk]

Dec 2, 2018 9:05:50 GMT -5 AndyCohen said:

Nov 29, 2018 12:35:25 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Technically, we are not supposed to accept gifts of $50 or more (NYC city employees). 

I've never received a holiday gift, so take that for what it's worth, but I'd do a gift card.  Absolutely no food of any kind. 

Is the $50 limit from an individual? Our class parent said: “Any gift to a teacher must be from the entire class, not from specific members of a class. These are rules set by the NYC Department of Education.” So I just assumed we can’t give gifts. But the teachers definitely get more than $50 each but it’s pooled from 27 kids (I’m saying in our school. I know not all teachers get $50+ in every school in the city).

I would take this to mean that you can’t only list the names of contributors if you do a group gift; it has to be from the whole class. Not that you can’t give an individual gift. Our district has a similar rule.

The limit in our district is $100 from an individual over the course of a year.

[stephm0188]

I'd be so pumped to get a Chipotle gift card.

As the librarian, I don't really get many gifts, but when I do it's either a mug or Starbucks gift card. I don't drink coffee.

[mrshandy]

Amazon gift cards and a nice note for everyone usually. It's easy and I can print from my own house.

[konapoppy]

This is validating my choice of gift cards (Sephora for the makeup fans and target for the others) and notes for our daycare providers.

[UMaineTeach]

Got a mug today. From another teacher...

[dancingirl21]

I always do a target gift card, Lindt chocolate and a personalized note from my kids. It goes over very well.

I try to put myself in teachers shoes and know I wouldn’t want more junk, but candy and money (gift cards) are always good with me.

[notreal]

Dec 7, 2018 11:25:42 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

Got a mug today. From another teacher...

I bet it was a regift.

[bigoleworm]

I'm late to the party, but a note and/or a gift card is perfect.
I hate chocolate. I don't like the taste at all. Every year I get Lindt chocolate or Godiva chocolate and it immediately gets regifted or tossed.
I am a big scarf fan and kids get me those all the time. But they know I like them so that works for me. My one teacher friend hates scarves and gets them all the time so it doesn't work for her.
One year I was having an issue with my breasts. I kept going for doctor appointments, mammograms, ultrasounds and a needle biopsy. You never know who is listening (I taught middle school at the time) and a child got me a breast cancer guardian angel ornament with a moving note. It has a place of honor on my tree every year.

[firedancer10288]

I threw away my first gift of the season yesterday. Cranberry almond cookies- I have a severe tree nut allergy. Stay away from giving food unless you really know what the teacher likes.

[sugarbear]

Dec 8, 2018 13:31:41 GMT -5 firedancer10288 said:

I threw away my first gift of the season yesterday. Cranberry almond cookies- I have a severe tree nut allergy. Stay away from giving food unless you really know what the teacher likes.

I never understand, in this day and age, why people insist on doing this. Between nut allergies (those cookies wouldn't even be allowed in my school!), dietary restrictions, and personal preferences, a baked good is almost never one-size-fits-all.

[KateAggie]

Dec 7, 2018 11:25:42 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

Got a mug today. From another teacher...

Total regift. 😘