Featured: End-of-the-year gifts for teachers?

Well, the end of school has come and gone, but I thought I'd share.  I have a 2nd grader (recently promoted to 3rd!) and we've been in school since 3 year olds.  We like to give her teacher's little gift baskets put together with things I've found on clearance or good deals on. Often times we use stuff from the dollar store.  We gave a beach bag, flip flops, and a water bottle with some of the powdered drink sticks one year.  This year we had two teachers and I included the teacher's aids also.  I found an insulated cup with a straw and ended up filling it with gum, nuts, powdered drink sticks, emery boards, pens, chapstick, and a journal.  They seemed to enjoy them and they worked out to about 8 bucks apiece.  We're on a fixed income, so I usually don't spend over $10.  The teacher's at our school usually don't accept of keep homeade baked goods, though I'm not sure of any others.   I think of it as a tip, if you think the teacher did a good job, let them know!

We aren't there yet, but my best friend is an elementary school teacher. She appreciates the gifts she gets, although doesn't expect them. The most useful tend to be gift cards to a place like Target or Barnes and Noble especially since she frequently has to use her own money for classroom supplies. Knowing her, a Starbucks gift card would probably also be welcome. I would avoid mugs and the like, especially if they say "World's best teacher" or something like that. How many of those can one person use? Otherwise, I think baked goods are nice if you know that the teacher likes sweets.

I'm totally guilty of being one of those moms that gives teachers a gift for even st. patricks even if it's just homemade cookies or hot cocoa mix. For end of the year and Christmas, I do go a little further though. I've never not liked my daughters teachers so far with the two in school. I usually give them a gift card to Target or a restaurant and then make whatever I'm into at that point like for Christmas this year I made cookie mix in Christmas mason jars, hot cocoa mix in bags, and the Target gift card. For end of the year I made cake pops decorated as owls and apples and got them a gift card for the Cheesecake Factory. It's just those small things that makes the teachers feel loved but also my girls because they have come home excited that that day Ms. Tate started using the mug we gave her and mentioned it in class etc. 

The fruit tree is funny, a bit over the top for sure. I would have chosen apple trees though I always wonder if teachers get tired of apple gifts. A friend of mine has family in Europe and always gives a pair of apple bakers shaped like apples to the teachers with a recipe tucked inside. They are Polish pottery and are pretty and unusual. They have always been received well. I think it is a really cute idea but I still wonder about teachers and apple gifts. I have seen stores selling Polish pottery in the US but I think it is a bit pricey unless you are actually buying it in Poland.

Since we moved, our kids have been homeschooled until they could interview/get accepted into their school. But, they've been tutored twice a week so we're giving their tutors gifts. I'm not sure exactly what yet, but these are some of my ideas I've come across. (:

My daughter's school district has a $25 cap for gifts, unless home-made.  Though, that $25 can be given more than once in a school year.

Yeah. A fruit tree. An established citrus fruit tree, nonetheless. 

Marc coaches little league and one of his teams just ended (he coaches more than one) and he got a bunch of stuff from the collective parents of the kids on the team. He got a session at the batting cages paid for for free (probably about 40 bucks value), a 20 dollar gift card for a sporting goods store, a garden stake with a cardinal on it (the team was the Cardnials) and a bouquet of sunflowers. The team had 5 coaches and they all got the same. They are volunteers though, not paid like teachers. 

Seriously?? A fruit tree?! I laughed out loud, that's insane.  My mom is a preschool teacher and a lot of her end of year gifts (if she gets them which she doesnt from every kid) are mugs, candy, chocolates, flowers etc.  Nothing big by any means, most of the parents are not well off at all and for them to give anything might mean that they skip some food for the week.  They are extremely generous in relation to their income.  I think the idea of a gift card is perfect, especially if you happen to know a place they love to shop.

I usually give a gift card to Target and then I make them jewelry or sew them something for their house. 

 i cant speak to other schools, but Gigi's school is in a affluent neighborhood and the few dealings i've had w/ the PTA made it pretty obvious that these people are just really materialistic and trying to one up each other. that being said, unfortunately we do live in a society where he who tips best gets the best service.

for me i guess it would depend on WHY the gift. my nephew has some learning disabilities and there have been several teachers that really went to the mat for him. my sis has given each of these teachers gifts, but pretty modest b/c they cant afford a small orchard. could i afford fruit bearing flora, i might consider it if the teacher had really done great things for my kid. but it does reek of one-up-man-ship to the casual observer.

No, I do think that giving gifts to teachers have turned into a big thing. I have several friends that are reporting on Facebook daily about the techers gifts they are getting. One person got large, fairly mature, potted fruit trees...that can be taken home and planted in their back yard. Those things are expensive. Obviously it isn't something that a child can bring in and present to the teacher either, they had to be delivered in a truck. Everyone was replying about how "great a gift" it was and that they wished they would have thought about it. I can't help but thinking that this is overkill. Shouldn't it be something from the kids?

I also don't want to say anything out of line to these people that are my friends, but when teachers are sharing what loot they got for the end of the school and comparing with each other, I think it tends to be going in a direction of "too far". I'd much rather see coffee mugs that are cute made by kids, or clever little cards...but that doesn't seem to be the most of what I am seeing. I don't say anything because I fear I might just be totally out of the loop or something, and that time and tradition has passed me by. :-)

my daughter's teacher SUCKS, so i havent really thought about giving her a gift, but around here about 1/3 of the parents send gifts.

We just did a handmade card from the little one and a starbucks gift card. I feel like it was a little impersonal but her teacher is a 19yo young man who often mentions that the kids will love coffee some day. He only taught her gymnastics, she had a freakout over preschool, he is amazing, though, and deserved a little thank you.

I would only give a gift if the teacher was somewhat special and I don't spend a whole lot.

Good question! I've heard people mention them and I remember seeing posts about them in the past but didn't pay attention since we weren't there yet. If they're not maybe I'll just do really heartfelt cards. ;)