All teachers, I need your thoughts please!
 

I am making my son's Kinder teacher a scrapbook for an end of the year gift. I also want to ask all of the other parents to send $2 each to put towards a gift card for her.
Here is the question, as a teacher would you rather have a give card for personal use such as dinner out, day spa, starbucks etc., or would you want a gift card to a teaching supply store like Lakeshore Learning, etc. to use towards classroom supplies ?

Any thoughs or other ideas would be SO helpful!!
Thanks!

As a teacher, we appreciate all that anyone does for us that acknowledges our hard work and dedication!!!

That said, I think it's appropriate to give her something personal, for herself. If you give her the Lakeshore, she'll use that too and be grateful but this is the time of year to encourage her to rejuvinate, IMHO.

I second what lbirus says.... personally I would prefer a gift card for someplace non-school related, however I also know the boatloads of cash I spend on classroom supplies each year. Either one will be appreciated, I'm sure!

1st grade teacher here...
If she is a newer teacher, 5 years or less, or new to kindergarten 5 years or less, I would go with the lakeshore GC, but if she's been teaching for more than 5 years i would go with a more personal GC.
either way, she is so lucky to have such a sweet parent to do all that you are doing for her!!
I had a fellow teacher's child for 1st grade a number of years ago, and she gave me a Michael's gift card!! WOO HOO!!

As a teacher (who has taught Special Ed, Learning assistance, and K-7) I have most appreciated handmade items from the children. Even just a thoughtful card from a child is special. One year, my students each drew and wrote for me their favourite memory from the year. It is still treasured!

I agree. Anything is appreciated but something personal is perfect at the end of the school year. I love Target GC because I can get something fun for me or just buy diapers (or whatever else we need at the moment!). Good luck!

I like target gift cards, since I shop for me and school stuff there.

Kathryn

wow how nice of you, I am a retired Art teacher here..........I would have loved either one equally as much........maybe some quotes from the kids in the scrapbook about their favorite thing they did this year, or favorite thing about the teacher........

I have to say my favorite thing was a picture a child drew for me and he wrote a sentence under it.........and yes this was kindergarten. He wrote this is me in my red shirt. The only thing he forgot the R in shirt.

I have to say my favorite thing was a picture a child drew for me and he wrote a sentence under it.........and yes this was kindergarten. He wrote this is me in my red shirt. The only thing he forgot the R in shirt.

I love that! When my daughter was little she used to talk about the city ights - except that it came out as starting with "sh".

I would appreciate either one - but probably something personal more.

I agree with Iberus--anything is nice. But definitely something personal is better. Lakeshore would be nice, but we teachers are always spending money on something for school. Something for me is always a nice gift to get. You are a great mom for organizing all of that--and that teacher will REALLY appreciate it!

I'm an elementary school librarian, and I definitely vote for personal -- Starbucks, Target, Barnes & Noble, the mall, a restaurant.

Yapha

6th grade teacher here- I received Starbucks, Michales, Joanns, Applebees, target, and Itunes gift cards this year. Oh and Olive garden. I felt very loved and appreciated and was grateful for all! Anything you do will be wonderful

I always appreciated gift certificates to restaurants, especially if they served alcohol. Hey, I was a preschool teacher! I NEEDED that Corona! ;) All kidding aside, teachers learn to love it all...every little coffee mug, candle and Bath and Body Works lotion they receive is appreciated!

2nd grade--we appreciate it all. I like the personal ones, to restaurants, Starbucks, Miichaels & Joanns because I'm a crafter, and Barnes & Noble.

thanks for your input!
The scrapbook I am doing is 6X6. Each child has his own page with a picture of them on it and then a section to write their favorite thing about their teacher, draw a small picture and also a section to write about their best memory of the year. I am laminating it and then using my BIA to put it together across the top. I got some great DS paper at Mikes with a school theme for each page. I am doing it for her morning and afternoon class, so that makes 56 students!
I have been able to help in her class about three days a week most of the year and I love her to death. I really can't do enough for her! The two Kinder teachers have major overcrowding in their classes and only one part time aide to share, so needless to say they have plenty to keep me busy. They joke all of the time that my son can advance to first grade, but they are holding me back! LOL! I also love knowing that I can help get so much done that it frees up her evenings and weekends so she has more quality time with her family.
It's been a very rewarding year for me!

The personal gift cards are a wonderful idea! One of my favorite gifts that I have received is a gardenia plant. I love watching it grow every year and think of the student growing also!

I put together a Recipe Scrapbook for my son's teacher. It is from him and his friend Hannah. We are then going to put it in a basket with kitchen items and a gift card. Here is the link to view it....

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...5F3F8915493628

Hopefully the link worked!! If not it is on myspace page in the blog section!:p

getting gift cards at the end of the school year was always a MAJOR treat for me when i was teaching!!! it was really fun to have some mad money to go spend in celebration of making it through the year!!! :)

My favorite end of the year treat was a gift card to the local greenhouse! I had so much fun picking out plants for my window boxes, and I thought of that family every time I looked at my flowers growing. As the other posters have stated, we appreciate any gesture at all, but this was just my favorite one.

As a teacher, I'd prefer a gift just for me. As the school year ends, we are so drained, and being able to do something special for myself would boost my spirits. :)

I just want to caution you about sending a letter to everyone requesting money-- in our school system, we are not allowed to do this at all (which I learned when trying to do something similar). We may ask for donations (non-monetary) for a themed basket (spa, for example), but that is about it. We can't even ask all parents to contribute $1 for pizza for a class party. The system's thinking is that not everyone can afford to contribute and they do not want to make anyone feel bad that they can't. I can't fault that.

We do get around it a bit -- the room mother knows who can kick in $5 or $10, or a tray of cookies, etc., and more importantly, who doesn't mind being asked. Basically about 6-9 moms have provided everything for the 2 class parties we have had so far (one more to go!).

As a Pre K teacher, I appreciate everything! My most treasured thing this year is hanging on my fridge- it's a castle and a illustrated picture of me and the child. She drew and cut out everything herself- and stayed up past her bedtime to finish it!
I also really love those giftcards! Doesn't matter to where!
Mary

I agree with Pearl! I have TONS of school supplies for my classroom, but I have been doing it 8 years! Often, I get stuff (organizers,etc.) at Target or Wal-mart. (an option for GC so she can also get abything else) Soo...if you know her likes, go for what she enjoys! (of if she is new, a TS card is perfect!) Even a VISA GC is a great option- can be used anywhere!

Preschool Teacher here. I recieved Micheals, JCpenny's, School Box gift cards this year. Usually anything anyone gives is appreciated. Sometimes you want those personal gifts, but sometimes those school supply gift cards are very helpful. Your money can only go so far. :) Nichole

hi...I'm no longer a teacher....but a thankyou seems like it should be a gift card for something personal....or something that would give her relief to her family strained budget.

The teacher supply card would be a nice "welcome" at the beginning of the school year....a time when a gift isn't normal...a way of saying we're so excited that you will be working with our kids, and thank you for all that you do...and we are here for you, want to help you make this the most incredible year for our kids....

LOVE the pre paid Visa idea! I am totally going with that!
Thanks!
Amy

I would love either, but would probably enjoy something for me personally, like a Panera or Dunkin' Donuts card, or even Borders, etc.