Holiday gifts for teachers

[Anonymous]

I think teacher birthday gift in addition to holiday (and possibly teacher appreciation) is ridiculous, especially in that amount. Have the kids all make cards or sign something, sure, but asking for 25 dollars for a birthday is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and I get very few gifts from the students. I've never gotten a class gift. I've had some of the kids for three years in a row. It depends on your school culture though-I know teachers at other schools who get designer bags etc for the holidays. In that case, class parents who don't put together a good gift likely feel inadequate and are more likely to push you for a donation.

[Anonymous]

This is my first year teaching and all this teacher gifting crap is annoying. Ask me what donations I need for my class (that your students and others will use) and call it a day. Kids eat pencils, literally...

[Anonymous]

I would like to give each of my daughters two teachers a $50 gift card. There is no class gift. This is a title 1 school and I know most families in the class would not be able to contribute so everyone does their own thing. The teachers do a great job and I try to also buy things off their wishlist at least once and month and snacks for the class every month. I have heard there are "gift limits" but will a teacher really reject a $50/card?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like to give each of my daughters two teachers a $50 gift card. There is no class gift. This is a title 1 school and I know most families in the class would not be able to contribute so everyone does their own thing. The teachers do a great job and I try to also buy things off their wishlist at least once and month and snacks for the class every month. I have heard there are "gift limits" but will a teacher really reject a $50/card?

I'm in FCPS. It's not like the principal checks all our cards and removes anything over $25. The teacher certainly won't reject it. The issue is that it can very well make things awkward--it can feel like a bribe to treat the kid a certain way. (I teach middle school, so it's those "this kid got an 89 for the quarter but mom gave me xyz, is she expecting me to give him the A-? If I don't and hold my ground is she going to turn sour and be upset the rest of the year, making my life more difficult?")

If you want to give the big gift, save it for June when there is no longer a chance the gift can be misconstrued.

[Anonymous]

OMG for some families 25 dollars is like a weeks worth of groceries. And what if the family has like 4 kids? Pay 100 dollars during a season where money is already tight? Heck no. It's Christmas, it's the thought that counts, people should contribute however much they want.

I will say though that I am incredibly grateful for everything my teachers have done for my kids (my kids have gotten so lucky) and I am always tempted to give them 100 in cash but I wan't to avoid the potential for bribery vibes so I do 25 dollar gift cards if no class gift is happening.

[Anonymous]

I'm a class parent and I sent an e-mail saying I'm going to buy a gift card for the teacher and to venmo me max $20 or whatever you felt appropriate. I'm just going to pool all of the venmo money, add what I want to contribute and purchase a gift card. I haven't even noticed who contributed what and definitely won't be taking stock of who didn't donate.

If you can't swing it, that is totally fine and everyone understands. That said, this is the teacher's only bonus. They don't get any extra perks, so I like to be generous if I can afford to that year. I'm not going to bother with the birthday, but I will probably be asking for a similar donation for the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

This is my sixth year teaching. I've gotten a grand total of 10 handmade cards, three or four Starbucks gift cards totaling $40, and a doorknocker with an initial that is neither my first or last name. Last year alone, my daughter's teacher cleared about two grand with the Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Week, and End of Year gifts. We're underpaid, but damn!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in elementary school. The class parent is asking families to contribute $25 each for a teacher gift from the class. The same parent organized a birthday gift for the teacher in the same amount last month. I have never heard of students giving a birthday present to a teacher. I feel like this is all too much. The class parent asked for feedback over a mass email, but I don't want to be publicly shamed for saying I think $10 is more appropriate.

What do you typically give to an elementary teacher? If a gift card, how much?

Ignore the email. I give $0 to the teacher unless they've done something outstanding for my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in elementary school. The class parent is asking families to contribute $25 each for a teacher gift from the class. The same parent organized a birthday gift for the teacher in the same amount last month. I have never heard of students giving a birthday present to a teacher. I feel like this is all too much. The class parent asked for feedback over a mass email, but I don't want to be publicly shamed for saying I think $10 is more appropriate.

What do you typically give to an elementary teacher? If a gift card, how much?

Ignore the email. I give $0 to the teacher unless they've done something outstanding for my child.

Putting up with your brat for 8 hours a day isn’t outstanding enough?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in elementary school. The class parent is asking families to contribute $25 each for a teacher gift from the class. The same parent organized a birthday gift for the teacher in the same amount last month. I have never heard of students giving a birthday present to a teacher. I feel like this is all too much. The class parent asked for feedback over a mass email, but I don't want to be publicly shamed for saying I think $10 is more appropriate.

What do you typically give to an elementary teacher? If a gift card, how much?

Ignore the email. I give $0 to the teacher unless they've done something outstanding for my child.

Putting up with your brat for 8 hours a day isn’t outstanding enough?!

Teachers are paid a salary.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher at a Title One school and we don't get anything. If a room parent specified a certain amount that I was not comfortable with, I would send it what I could afford. I usually sent in $10 for my son's teacher but that was for Teacher Appreciation Week in May. I didn't donate for anything else during the year (and most room parents didn't ask for birthday contributions). I also bought one thing off the teacher's BTS wish list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in elementary school. The class parent is asking families to contribute $25 each for a teacher gift from the class. The same parent organized a birthday gift for the teacher in the same amount last month. I have never heard of students giving a birthday present to a teacher. I feel like this is all too much. The class parent asked for feedback over a mass email, but I don't want to be publicly shamed for saying I think $10 is more appropriate.

What do you typically give to an elementary teacher? If a gift card, how much?

Ignore the email. I give $0 to the teacher unless they've done something outstanding for my child.

Putting up with your brat for 8 hours a day isn’t outstanding enough?!

School is 6 hours. Minus lunch. Minus recess. Minus specials. Teachers are overpaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in elementary school. The class parent is asking families to contribute $25 each for a teacher gift from the class. The same parent organized a birthday gift for the teacher in the same amount last month. I have never heard of students giving a birthday present to a teacher. I feel like this is all too much. The class parent asked for feedback over a mass email, but I don't want to be publicly shamed for saying I think $10 is more appropriate.

What do you typically give to an elementary teacher? If a gift card, how much?

Ignore the email. I give $0 to the teacher unless they've done something outstanding for my child.

Putting up with your brat for 8 hours a day isn’t outstanding enough?!

School is 6 hours. Minus lunch. Minus recess. Minus specials. Teachers are overpaid.

1. School is 7.5 hours
2. You don't only get paid for presentations at a job, you get paid to prep that presentation as well
3. I shouldn't even be replying, because clearly you're just trying to stir sht up.

[Anonymous]

We do a $25 gift card to amazon or target per teacher (my son has a lead teacher and an assistant teacher) at Christmas and a $25 gift card at the end of the school year. And we also bring in flowers or baked goods during teacher appreciation week and at another random time during the year. My son also makes homemade cards and/or I write a nice note for his teachers at all of these times.

However, I think asking for $$ for a bday gift for the teacher is over the top and also asking for a set amount at the holidays is out of line. Class parent should just ask that parents contribute if/what they can with no amount specified.

-a former teacher