What do you think about this idea for a teacher's gift?

Too impersonal.

There may also be something in the teacher’s contracts that prohibit them accepting cash, checks or other forms of money from students. Also, there is usually a rule that teachers aren’t allowed to accept gifts worth more than a certain amount and it may keep people from getting a group present. That’s why sometimes you’ll see large groups of students all donating to a classroom or library, but not the teacher.

As the librarian, I got less than most of the other teachers, but I got my share of mugs, staplers, rice crispy treats. An air plant might be cool, as they are low maintenance and small. Gift certificate to Staples might be a good idea if they let you do 5$ amounts.

I don’t teach K-12, but I imagine that I would feel a bit awkward receiving a paycheck from the parents. I would prefer that they go vote during elections and represent that the distribution of funds to education is lacking.

Since teachers spend a good chunk of their own money on supplies for the classroom, I think that would be the best to contribute as a gift. Even if its white board markers, stickers, or staples. There are tons of DIY options available around the Internet too for ways that you could make these things a little more personalized.

I like @muppetish answer better than mine!

I hadn’t considered it might be against policy to receive money. That is probably the case, especially for public school teachers.

Voting is not direct enough in my opinion, and risky. The vote does not always go your way.

I don’t see the difference between a gift card or cash, except that the teacher can only use it in one place. But, if that gets around the rule, and I do understand teachers use some ofntheir own money sometimes (which I think they absolutely should refuse to do) then a big GC card to where they buy a lot of supplies might work, but it sounds like there are probably too many obstacles to my idea of pooling money.

Tricky subject I guess, because it can be like bribery I guess. Be seen as money to influence, but really, if it is limited to $5 or $10 per child, whatever the limit is, it should be ok I would think?

When I was in HS, we did a teacher appreciation gift of some office supplies for the teachers. One cynically commented that we should have just given them the money. If it’s a small amount, maybe get a variety of gift cards and let them trade.

I’ve always given Barnes & Noble or the like, gift cards.

When I was in school we had some teachers & some departments make lists of things they really needed in case people felt like giving them gifts.

Personally, I prefer the pooling. I’ve had many teacher friends say they could do without another mug, ornament or pen set. The pooling wouldn’t have to remain cash. It could be a made put into a gift card(s).

Other things we’ve pooled for in the past for classes or schooling: drinking fountains, trees & flowers, signage, supplies (usually after the would be recipient has made mention that they typically pay for the supplies out of pocket).

Why a gift?
A lovely letter outlining your thanks would be something memorial for these teachers etc
Why materialistic?

As one who already abhors the idea of tipping people for doing their jobs, I’m opposed to extending the practice to (usually) public employees who do earn a generally fair salary. I’m thankful that my parents never bought into it and that I haven’t perpetuated it.

As a parent I was always involved directly in my kids’ education, attended school functions and parent – teacher nights, and as a student the teachers knew that I appreciated their efforts, either directly or indirectly.

What do you folks give to your doctors, lawyers, dentists? I guess you reward your Congressional representatives, too… and that explains a lot.

I didn’t read the previous posts but Just FYI: At my daughter’s school, one of the workers showed me what the teachers do with all the unwanted gifts: They do a little swap thing, where the teachers bring in all the crap they got that they did not want, and anybody who is interested (other workers and teachers) can take what they want.

My daughter’s class did a chip-in gift, which made sense, although I felt like it was impersonal. I gave the teacher, the aides and the bus driver all gift cards for DD or Walmart. Each with a nice card, of course. That was for Christmas. We’ll do something similar for end of year.

After reading previous posts I am editing this to include that I had asked and posted on Fluther recently about my daughter’s teacher’s salary being in the area of 127,000 annually, so as far as her “needing” money (responding to a previous poster about money gifts) she does not need anything, she makes way more than I make! However, I feel a need to give something, and mugs and frames are things I’m sure she has a zillion of, so that’s where I get the gift certificate idea. Part of it is, for me, a feeling of “keeping up with the Joneses.” If others in the class give a gift, I feel obligated to do the same.

I’ve….never gotten gifts for my kid’s teachers! I’ve received some from my students (looking at a card they made me for my birthday right now. :)

I’ve never known of giving a teacher an end-of-year appreciation gift either.

Cash is vulgar, gifts are always best for teachers.

I don’t remember ever giving my teachers any gifts.

My suggesstion would only be for those who were going to buy a gift anyway, I don’t think anyone should feel they have to, which is why I thought the messages to parents to not forget the librarians and art teachers I found to be in bad taste.

I mentioned above how I am completely against teachers using their own money, and a gift to a teacher to buy school supplies really is not going to the teacher. But, of course I can understand if he/she is going to spend money, if the gift is something she would be buying it helps her.

In general I feel teachers are paid adequately. They only work 9–9.5 months a year, so if they make $50k and you annualize it, it really is not a bad salary. Some make much more, but in some places they make less, especially new teachers. Some teachers talk about all the hours they put in, but having worked retail, all that falls on my deaf ears.

I will add that it is not just about the salary they make, if someone is compelled to give a gift, might as well be a useful one. Like someone pointed out, another mug? Imagine how much crap some teachers get. And, for the parent, if they buy for several teachers it just seems so impractical to soend so much money and it is just trinkets for each teacher.

I guess I am too practical. I wouldn’t want 5 mugs and 5 GIft Cards and 5 boxes of chocolates.. Or, whatever they get. Every year, year after year. But, I feel that way about gifts in general. I would appreciate the effort and thought that the parents bought the gift for me, and I am sure a few of the items would be something I really really liked, but still, I guess I am just too practical.

I’d rather get a portfolio book full of something the children wrote or drew with their class picture and even a note from the parents in the book if they feel inclined. One for each class I taught. I would fill my shelves with those memory books.

I never bought a gift for any of my teachers, and neither did my mother. I don’t remember the teachers getting gifts from other students either. And isn’t it bad etiquette for the school to ask for gifts from parents? Instead of begging for gifts, perhaps they should pay their staff more money.

If I were a teacher, I’d prefer the check, impersonal or not, to fake apples or picture frames that’ll end up in the trash anyways. People are so weird about money – impersonal, vulgar? Geez, get over yourself, no teacher will be offended by a gift of money. We all like money, and there’s no reason to try to hide it.

I like the idea of pooling money and putting it on a Visa gift card (if it’s not against the rules). They can spend it anywhere, but it’s better than cash for those who are opposed to cash.

That said, we only ever gave small tokens of appreciation, usually something to eat so it wouldn’t be just another piece of dust-collecting junk. For one very special teacher, I framed a poem I’d written about her enormous positive impact on my kids. It was a tiny frame, so it could sit unobtrusively on a shelf or desk. She seemed genuinely touched by it.

Just double check those visa gift cards, some of them are worth less than what you pay for them (the fee percentage is taken out) and in addition lose their value over time. Read the small print on those.

the problem with a pool is that there’s always someone who already has the Best Teacher Mug all picked out and wants to give that instead. Gift cards to Dunkin Donuts, Tim Hortons, Starbux, are always appreciated. They are somewhat personal, they don’t take up space and they are something the teacher will use at some point.