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Teacher's Holiday Gifts - Gift Cards??

Posted December 3rd, 2007 by jmcglasson

gifts & gift giving

Calling all teachers...I'm getting ready to shop for gift cards for my children's teachers. What would you apprecaite as a gift? I don't want to do lotions or soaps - who knows what fragrances they like. I was thinking $25 gift cards to somewhere...on my list was either Target or Westcor malls - that way they have a wide variety of choices. Is that a good idea? Any other ideas or suggestions?

JenM

$25.00??? I wish I had your

On December 3rd, 2007 twinsmom says:

$25.00??? I wish I had your kid in my class! The most I've ever gotten is $10 for Starbucks (although I was a high school teacher and gifts are not common from teenagers). I love Starbucks and $10 is plenty, but a $25 card to Target would be fabulous too! I hate going to the mall so I wouldn't find the Westcor card as useful as Target, but I'm sure most teachers would appreciate either. I think it's wonderful you want to show your appreciation for your child's teachers and whatever you decide to get is great!

When I taught Kindergarten,

On December 3rd, 2007 sdebralh says:

When I taught Kindergarten, I really enjoyed the gift certificates to Starbucks and Blockbuster. What a great treat!
It was better than something else sitting around collecting dust.

One Happy Mom in Arizona.

I think gift cards are

On December 3rd, 2007 momofboys says:

I think gift cards are always appreciated. Target is a great choice because you can buy just about anything there. I used to teach preschool, and there are some things I got way too many of... coffee mugs, candy and ornaments. Of course I appreciated all the thoughtfulness, but gift cards are so much more useful.

Debbie Akers, a northeast Phoenix mom of three young sons, is a member of the Arizona Republic's Parent Advisory Panel.

I think you and others

On December 3rd, 2007 differentdrum says:

I think you and others shouldn't over look the playground aides that stand outside wih your kids and try to keep chaos from happening,, that seems like such and unrewarding job,, I was talking to one of them, and she and her husband had decided that she stay home to raise the kids and now she works a couple hours a day at the playground,, in the short 20mins I had talked to her, she had to deal with, tattletaling, tying shoes, wiping noses, and some outright disrespect from the 2nd and 3rd graders that she caught doing something they weren't suppose to (I saw them too) and they just lied and blamned each other on it.. it was pretty sad..But most of all is that the parents, look down on the aides and make condesending remarks to them...So don't overllook these women and men that look out for the safety of your kids on the playground.

" just my Opinion"

Although you are right about

On December 4th, 2007 twinsmom says:

Although you are right about aides that may watch over the kids on the playground and how their job seems thankless, it would just become too much to buy something for everyone who contributes to a child's day at school. Don't forget about the many cafeteria workers that feed the kids, the office staff who keep everything running and deliver those messages to kids from their parents, the nurse who takes care of them when they get sick or hurt on the playground, the librarian who helps a child to love to read, the crossing guards and bus drivers who make sure they get to school safely, even the custodians who attempt to pick up after hundreds of children to keep their school clean and safe. There are so many people who contribute to a child's day at school in addition to their teachers. I wish it were financially possible for everyone to recognize all of these people, but unfortunately that's not the case for most.

I would suggest that you

On December 4th, 2007 differentdrum says:

I would suggest that you take a week of your childs lunch recess and see what these people do..I think a small card made by your child would mean a whole lot, how much can that cost? but some time and some use of their crayons... I would think that parents would rather the same dutie aide be there day after day, year after year, instead of the just leaving after a month of disrespect from parents, kids and staff..Cafeteria workers are making food, they arent inner mingleing with your kids, and the kids dont' approach them when there is a problem in the lunch room or playground..neither do they approch the janitor or the office staff, crossing guard of busdriver.. These are the people that day after day are on the playground with your child, and I do believe a small thank card, like I said before, made by your kids would mean alot... I CHALLENGE you to go everyday to your childs school and spend it on the playground, and not when your kids is on the playground, but another grade..I can bet you won't obviously like I said before, it's an ungrateful and thankless job.. No wonder this lady told me that when they have gone through 4 aides already, and they were moms that just said "forget this, they don't pay enough to put up with the BS"....

" just my Opinion"

Maybe you misunderstood my

On December 4th, 2007 twinsmom says:

Maybe you misunderstood my comment. I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you. I AGREE with you. Aides do have a thankless job as do most other individuals who work with children at schools. I do, however, have to disagree with you that cafeteria workers, office workers crossing guards or bus drivers don't interact with students and that students don't appoach them when there is a problem. That is just not true. I am a teacher and have seen those relationships first hand. My point is that all of these people deserve recognition for the impact they have on children every day. Your last comment proves my point that those types of jobs are thankless and that most parents don't appreciate what they do and the interactions they have with your children.

well I also go from school

On December 4th, 2007 differentdrum says:

well I also go from school to school and I do see what goes on, but I suppose at the schools I go to, the kids do not approach the ladies serving food because they are in the back preparing the food the door is shut and there is no room in the window for the kids to complain to them.. the kids to complain to the dutie aides that work in the lunch room and the playground.. and yes they do approach the janitor when the toilet is overflowing ect.. but, the aides I see are 2 maybe 3 in a large area, playground/lunchroom, dealing with 75 to 100 kids that are letting out all their energy, because in the class room there is only 20 to 25 sitting at their desk, learning and yah maybe a small problem here and there, but not what these aides see and put up with in the lunchrooom and playground.. The ladies in the office are always recognized by pto staff and volunteer parents,, the women serving food don't even know the parents and,, probably the only one that is looked over like the aides is the janitor, but even he or she do not put up with what the aides do... Why do you teachers like yourself dont want to do duty on the playground.. Back in the day that I was a kid 38 years ago, there were no aides and the teachers watched there own class in the class and on the playground. If your a teacher you should know that the aides put up with alot on the playground were all the kids let out all their energy and agression.. and this isn't picking a fight, this is obviously two ppl how obviously disagree.. As for me although my youngest is in MS, she will be giving a card and a $5 gift card to starbucks to the aide, who my daughter says has to get in the middle to break up fights and gets called a B and such by disrespectful kids. It's all in the thought.. ppl now days and kids now days are so much more thoughtless..

" just my Opinion"

Many moms have discussed

On December 4th, 2007 tink says:

Many moms have discussed this. You might get some ideas from those discussions. Here are the links:

http://www.arizonamoms.com/blogs/teacher-gifts

http://www.arizonamoms.com/momtomom/my-life/finances-money/holiday-gifts...

http://www.arizonamoms.com/momtomom/shopping/gifts-gift-giving/teacher-g...

http://www.arizonamoms.com/momtomom/education-%2526-development/elementa...

My son informed me last night that he wants to get his teacher a webkinz. I thought that was interesting since his sister is addicted to webkinz and he's always willing to help her play the games.

My daughter picked out a cute target gift card, though I'm thinking of swapping it out with a barnes & noble card. I'm thinking starbucks for my son's teacher. She's almost always has one in her hands.

One of the moms in our son's

On December 4th, 2007 aprodz25 says:

One of the moms in our son's preschool class is collecting money to buy gift cards for the teacher and aide. I'm so glad she's coordinating this because it'll be so much nicer for the parents and teachers.

Patricia is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com. She and her husband live in Phoenix and are raising a 4-year-old son they adopted as an infant.