ACOT Message Board

I know that Laura, Jenn, and Elsie are teachers.  Who else?  Janet? I'm wondering what gifts that you get too many of?  Pens?  Mugs?  Ornaments?  When my mom taught, she used to get a lot of mugs and magnets.Beth's thread got me thinking about this......

I was wondering what to get my kids' teachers.  I am leaning towards Bath and Body Works.  I really can't afford a lot. 

I'm wondering how much people generally spend??

As a college teacher, I don't receive as many gifts as elementary and high school teachers.  My students know quickly that I'm a big coffee drinker, so I have received too many mugs.  My favorite gift is a Starbucks gift card! I always give the kids' teachers gift cards, usually for a restaurant or for this great teacher supply store in our area.  Both of their teachers this year have been teaching for 25+ years.  I'm sure they don't need any more "things," but they can always use more supplies or dinner out.  This year Rosie's teacher is getting an Olive Garden gift card and Thomas's teacher is getting Starbucks (she always has a big Starbucks coffee with her in the morning!).

I'm a teacher - middle school band director for 14 years, now chorus teacher for the last 3 years.  My band directing years were AMAZING at the amount of gifts - I just love any and everything!!!!!!!  But...........I DO have piles and piles of Christmas mugs, and ornaments, and have gotten piles of candies and baked items over the years (which I love!).  Gift certificates are my fav gift, both as a teacher or a mom or a daughter or just me!Oh, I've gotten some neat jewelry over the years - i love holiday jewelry!I am giving dd's teachers gift baskets w/ things I've been picking up from CVS mostly all year - they will end up being nice, I think, cause I've collected all kinds of things!

I usually make something for the newer teachers, and give GC to the veterans.I always make stuff for the office staff.This year Kendall's teacher gets a handmade gift (because that is what all the kids HAVE to do, and I am throwing in a NICE bottle of wine)...Kiley's is getting a spa GC, one of Delaney's is getting a frame and vase, not sure about the other yet, and Evan's (he has 6) are getting GCs.the shared specialists are getting GCs (art, music, gym, health, gifted/talented)

I'm a teacher on hiatus!  I used to get a lot of mugs, candles, and lotion.  I got my fair share of ornaments too, but I still hang most of them on the tree.A teacher friend of mine got a Coach purse one year...I wonder if the kid was really obnoxious?

I still think the room mother should take up a collection and get a gc for the teacher to use for what she wants.   One big thing would be great (nope - not a teacher but I used to do this when I was room mother)

I'm not a teacher, I'm the truant officer...I just wish the little darling who took my windshield wipers would bring them back for Christmas!!!!!

Each year (K-6) my kids made ornaments for their teachers and signed and dated them..look in craft magaizine for ideas

You mean teachers get gifts?  LOL!  I'm a high school teacher....I'm lucky if I get some cookies from one sweet student...

I teach all day kindergarten.  My favorites would be items from Bath & Body, but I have received everything but the kitchen sink -from mugs to ornaments to candles to chocolates to a few scary items that I'm not quite sure what they were!

Mugs....we always get mugs.  Of course, I'm middle school so we don't get many gifts like elementary teachers.  I always tell the kids not to get me anything....put some money in the red kettles.

I get tons of mugs with Christmas candy inside, I also get lots of soaps and stuff from Bath and Body, which is nice.  Some of my kids this year have mentioned that they want to give me presents, and I told them how about getting a present for the class??  We could always use glue sticks, kleenex, lysol wipes etc. The third grade teachers at my school (I teach first) make a tree out of paper and put it on their door.  They hang paper lights on it and write on each light what they want...but it is stuff like movie tickets, spa GC and stuff like that.  I personally think that is tacky, but maybe that's just me.I got some really cute ornaments last year, I like those =)
Cari

Teacher here (middle school). Too many mugs and way too much candy. I usually give away all but one of the boxes of candy that I receive. Love to get gift cards for WHEREVER. A couple of $5 gift cards add up. One year I ended up with over $100 in Starbucks - which is funny because I don't drink coffee - but I used them to buy several pounds of coffee for my husband which I surprised him with over the course of the year. Honestly, I'd rather receive a heart-felt letter telling me that I am doing a great job educating your child. I save these in a file for those days when I feel like a sh---y teacher. When I know they come from the heart, they mean more to me than any gift ever could.

I teach middle school and for the most part we don't get gifts.  I've gotten a few cards this year and an ornament. My dd's school always does a class collection and a gift card.  They're only allowed to ask for $5 but most parents send a little more.  I sent $10 because I figure anything I got would be at least that with wrapping.  Technically it is in our contract here that we can't take gifts of monetary value from a student, but its OK if it is a whole class thing and the teacher doesn't know who gave what.My favorite is definitely a Starbucks gc but I never encourage kids to give gifts.  I learned a long time ago that you get tons of potpourri, candles and body lotions if you thank the giver in front of the others.Laura

My younger sister is a 1st grade teacher, and she's got a cabinet full of mugs!  So, I'd say no mugs! The room mothers have always asked for donations for one large GC.  I didn't do that for the first 2 years, but I did contribute $5 for a class gift this year (the room moms collected money for the whole year in September).  However, I feel the teacher deserves more, so I'm getting her another GC.  The room moms usually send out at the beginning of the year a list of all the teacher's favorites:  restaurants, department stores, flowers, colors, etc., but we didn't get one this year.

We do a room gift (a gift card) that everyone contributes too. But I always make the teacher something scrappy-ish.  Last year I gave Masons teacher a wood tree (the kind with the holes drilled for the lights) and did it with scrappy paper, did Diamond Dust (makes it look sugared) and put the lights in. She LOVED it. Her mother LOVED it. She has asked to buy one for her mom, but I can't find the blank wood parts anymore.I think this years teacher is getting a big frame.  Than she can put a pic of my cute kid in it!

I'm a teacher too. I have countless teacher themed ornaments, coffee mugs and other assorted apple shaped knick knacks. I appreciate candles, gift cards and teacher supplies (post its, pens, cool paper. etc.)I give my kids' teachers a hard cover book that is grade level appropriate so that she can use it in her classroom. The teachers LOVE it!

I am working towards an Early Childhood Degree ... but  I am not a teacher just yet! I get my kids teachers gift cards, generally.   I usually get them from somewhere like WalMart, Target, or a teacher's supply store.