Gifts teachers DON’T want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter's teacher is getting a gift card, a cookbook, and laminating pouches.

Nice

[Anonymous]

Don't Want:
- Those chocolate things from CVS - whitman, ghirardelli, ect. Not because I don't like them but because I get soooo many. I'd be happy with a pack of gum with a pretty bow.

Would Appreciate/Not Mind:
- handmade and handwritten cards from students. - Ones that they wrote and thought about themselves, not dictated by the parents. The results are hilarious and worth keeping.
- Gift cards of any kind.
- Homemade treats are fine - I work around kids all day I'm sure there are waaay less germs in the homemade treats vs. the gauntlet of germs I walk through every few minutes. I have allergies, unfortunately, but whatever I don't eat is given to appreciative family members.
- Something creative\out of the box\homemade\quirky. It doesn't have to be expensive. One year, a family gave me a homemade woodcraft item.
- Practical things - markers, paper, pencils, ect. - I do tutoring also and just spent black Friday buying tons of pencils and markers, I would probably cry tears of joy if you sent in several packs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about homemade cookies and a card?

Maybe I’m paranoid but I throw out homemade food. I have no idea how clean someone else’s kitchen is, if they let cats walk on their counters, etc

No you aren’t paranoid. I don’t know a single teacher that will eat homemade gifts. They go in the trash. Always.

That's awful. You could at least pass them off to a senior citizen's home or homeless shelter. Sorry anyone wasted any time or effort on you.

so that those with compromised immune systems can "enjoy" them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't Want:
- Those chocolate things from CVS - whitman, ghirardelli, ect. Not because I don't like them but because I get soooo many. I'd be happy with a pack of gum with a pretty bow.

Would Appreciate/Not Mind:
- handmade and handwritten cards from students. - Ones that they wrote and thought about themselves, not dictated by the parents. The results are hilarious and worth keeping.
- Gift cards of any kind.
- Homemade treats are fine - I work around kids all day I'm sure there are waaay less germs in the homemade treats vs. the gauntlet of germs I walk through every few minutes. I have allergies, unfortunately, but whatever I don't eat is given to appreciative family members.
- Something creative\out of the box\homemade\quirky. It doesn't have to be expensive. One year, a family gave me a homemade woodcraft item.
- Practical things - markers, paper, pencils, ect. - I do tutoring also and just spent black Friday buying tons of pencils and markers, I would probably cry tears of joy if you sent in several packs.

What I don't get is I regularly ask my teacher if she needs pencils and all that and they don't respond. Second year. I bought a bunch of extra at the beginning of the year to donate when they were cheapest.

[Anonymous]

Unless the room parent sends note saying where a teacher wants a gift card, I always get Target. In many ways it's like giving money. - they can get a treat, school supplies, or if money is tight, clothes and groceries.

[Anonymous]

I don’t want *things.* I do want parents to stop raising their kids to believe they are exceptional (most kids aren’t) and that rules don’t apply to them. Also, that many rules or norms are negotiable.

There you go, won’t cost you a penny. Just be a responsible parent!

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking of some things I got last year. Here are some items that come to mind:

-a penguin Santa mug
-two scarves
-Victoria's secret perfume
-a set of four coffee mugs
-a crystal apple
-many, many boxes of chocolate

I always make a big fuss and give effusive thanks to my Kindergarteners, because it pleases them to give me a gift. But what I'd really love is a heartfelt note from the parent, a handwritten note from the child or even just their name, and a Target gift card. That being said, it's all appreciated.

[Anonymous]

My mother was a teacher. She was rarely worried about other people's baked goods but she also rarely kept them because most people really aren't that great of bakers and the cookies or brownies were always supersweet or made from prepackaged dough, and she did a lot of her own baking at home and didn't need even more cookies. Everything was left in the teacher's lounge for others, and in many cases, ultimately thrown away when no one wanted them.

Teachers love Amazon gift cards. That's what I give for each teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about homemade cookies and a card?

Maybe I’m paranoid but I throw out homemade food. I have no idea how clean someone else’s kitchen is, if they let cats walk on their counters, etc

I hope that you never eat in a restaurant. Because it isn't pretty!

Cats are very clean. Rodents and flies in restaurants? Not so clean.

“Cats are clean” is the best joke I’ve heard today.

Cats are very clean animals. They are always bathing themselves and yes, cats are cleaner than many humans.

[Anonymous]

I love my cat. But she walks around in her litter box and therefore I don’t want her on the countertops where I will put or prepare food. It’s very simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a specialist teacher, I am usually appreciative of anything... except cheap lotions that end up actually drying my hands out. Gift cards and notes from student are awesome.

As a parent, I have trouble drawing a line at where to stop giving gifts for all the adults that help my children. I can’t afford to even get $10 giftcards for all of them.

The money part is a big issue as we have a SN child who has multiple staff helping directly and indirectly. I'm doing gift cards for the 4 main and a small token gift for the rest. It still adds up.

PP here. Yes, we have a SN preschooler and with the teachers, aids, therapists, bus drivers & aids... and then our ES age child’s teacher and bus driver (and he likes giving the specialists gifts, too), it just gets to be a lot.

Same situation...SN preschooler who also goes to daycare. We spent a total of $500 this year on everyone, including 6 SNs teachers/therapists, 4 drivers/aides, 2 primary daycare teachers, 2 aides, 3 front office staff, and a check for the entire daycare gift pot.

[Anonymous]

By the way, my electric pencil sharpener died. This is the 2nd since the beginning of the year and unfortunately I cannot return it.
I know many teachers, especially in elementary classrooms who will love to receive a sharpener as a gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

By the way, my electric pencil sharpener died. This is the 2nd since the beginning of the year and unfortunately I cannot return it.
I know many teachers, especially in elementary classrooms who will love to receive a sharpener as a gift.

That's why I get teachers target gift cards--I figure they can buy whatever they need for themselves, their family, or their classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

By the way, my electric pencil sharpener died. This is the 2nd since the beginning of the year and unfortunately I cannot return it.
I know many teachers, especially in elementary classrooms who will love to receive a sharpener as a gift.

Just let the parents know what you need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want *things.* I do want parents to stop raising their kids to believe they are exceptional (most kids aren’t) and that rules don’t apply to them. Also, that many rules or norms are negotiable.

There you go, won’t cost you a penny. Just be a responsible parent!

Yawn.