Teacher appreciation week and how much to give

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can a daycare teachers respond to this -- do you prefer gift cards or cash?

I feel awkward putting cash in a card, but I don't know what giftcards to get. I personally would appreciate getting an Amazon gift card, but I don't know if my son's teacher uses Amazon.

The teachers at our daycare have told me anything but Starbucks is ok. They seem to like Target. i would only do amazon if you know they shop online frequently.

[Anonymous]

Chip in if the parents group is doing something. Have your kid make a card. If you want to give a gift card, $5-20 is fine. Save the bigger gifts for end of the year.

The real gift you can give is supporting and advocating for public funding to improve child care teacher pay and benefits.

—former preschool teacher / director, current parent. I’ll be chipping in for the parents group gift and having my kid draw a card.

[Anonymous]

So the bigger gift should be teacher appreciation week or end-of-year at Christmas for daycare/preschool? I am confused.

[Anonymous]

A new daycare teacher just starts this week, and I found out through others ( I have not met her yet & my child is too young to tell me the other teacher transfers to other class). Should I get her giftcard or no , how much? And for the teacher that transfers to other class, should I get her giftcard or no? I don't know what to do in this awkward situation, and I don't understand why the admin do that just before teacher appreciation week.

[Anonymous]

I’m doing $100 gift cards to each of the two main teachers.

[Anonymous]

Do you give the directors/assistant director gift cards?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. Write me a note for TAW, saying thank you and anything specific you appreciate. That means more than a gift card, honestly. If you want to give money, any amount is fine. Most gift cards I get are $5-20.

so if I give a teacher a $50 gift certificate will it be seen as excessive? Brown nosing?

I'm very grateful to the teachers who helped with my child in-crisis this year. I'm fortunate to be in a position to give generously.

We do a group collection; succession was like $30 a child but I feel something like $30/teacher marks more sense, so donated more. I know the teachers will get a good amount and don’t care if we get credit just want them to know we all appreciate it.

For daycare workers, they already tend to be underpaid so we should make these bonuses count.

[Anonymous]

You cannot go wrong with $20 and a nice note. It’s fine for teachers, assistants, part timers, etc.

Do $50 or $100 and a nice note if you are well off.

Double the amount at Christmas if you want.

Give double the amount to the main/standout teacher if you want.

Give the new teacher who started last week the same as you are giving other teachers.

[Anonymous]

We do a pool and the money is used for lunches and gift cards. I gave a total of $100 this year.

[Anonymous]

We do cash at holidays for daycare (split 400-500 bucks among teachers) but we do 15 dollar gift cards for TAW. Usually Dunkin or Starbucks. Even if the teachers don’t use it they all have teenage kids who love that stuff.

[Anonymous]

I'm amazed at this thread because I am the room parent for my child's daycare class and people DO NOT GIVE. It is so frustrating. We are at a daycare downtown where both parents are professionals (many two lawyer families) and it is pulling teeth every time we collect money for teacher gifts. Granted at Christmas, we asked for a substantial amount, but on other occasions (TAW, teacher birthdays) it's $5-$15. The teachers do so much, including getting gifts for our children on holidays/birthdays, and are paid so little, yet people still feel no inclination to give. Just venting, but it's nice to see that some other centers have more generous parents!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm amazed at this thread because I am the room parent for my child's daycare class and people DO NOT GIVE. It is so frustrating. We are at a daycare downtown where both parents are professionals (many two lawyer families) and it is pulling teeth every time we collect money for teacher gifts. Granted at Christmas, we asked for a substantial amount, but on other occasions (TAW, teacher birthdays) it's $5-$15. The teachers do so much, including getting gifts for our children on holidays/birthdays, and are paid so little, yet people still feel no inclination to give. Just venting, but it's nice to see that some other centers have more generous parents!

Wow that sucks! I would call out the parents and have a spreadsheet LOL. Like ask each family for a reasonable amount $20-40 and send out updates on who paid. Seriously teachers deserve TAW!

[Anonymous]

Screw this "teacher appreciation" crap.

They get paid. I pay property tax. Give them nothing else!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Screw this "teacher appreciation" crap.

They get paid. I pay property tax. Give them nothing else!

What does property tax have to do with daycare teacher pay?

[Anonymous]

This year given the pandemic we are giving our two pre-K teachers each $50 for the holiday and our daycare provider a weeks pay.