Fairfax County teacher gifts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a high school teacher and appreciate everything. We do not receive as much as elementary teachers and I agree that the handwritten cards or emails are the best. I also admit that I am thrilled with the occasional gift card. Large amounts would make me uncomfortable and I’ve never received an expensive handbag.

As for someone asking about gifts in exchange for recommendations, I don’t see how this would be possible. Students asked me for college recommendations at the end of last year or the very beginning of this year. Mine were all due in October. No one has ever offered a beginning of the year gift card in exchange for a recommendation. Obviously that would not be accepted.

It's not possible.

1. The teacher would have to go in to change grades in the computer-which no one is willing to do.

2. Besides, the teacher can't go back and change grades from previous quarters because those grades are cemented in stone already.

3. Recommendations are (usually) confidential. The teacher can rest assured the generous family will never know what they wrote.

4. A raving recommendation from a teacher cannot save low grades, poor standardized test scores, a poorly written essay and non-existent extra curriculars.

5. NO teacher is willing to risk their career and licensure over a $50 gift card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS should just spell it out and say individual gifts much be valued at under blah blah dollars. Government employees have strict guidelines. I give teacher gift cards, but I have seen the giving abused. One mom told me she gave every teacher who wrote her son a rec for college $200 check. He got great recs, but then you question if they were legit. The teachers accepted the money. Tacky.

To clarify, the $200 was given to thank them in advance, not after the rec was done.

I don't believe this. No ethical teacher would take money in advance. They may take it after the fact since they've already written an honest rec and it wouldn't appear inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a high school teacher and appreciate everything. We do not receive as much as elementary teachers and I agree that the handwritten cards or emails are the best. I also admit that I am thrilled with the occasional gift card. Large amounts would make me uncomfortable and I’ve never received an expensive handbag.

As for someone asking about gifts in exchange for recommendations, I don’t see how this would be possible. Students asked me for college recommendations at the end of last year or the very beginning of this year. Mine were all due in October. No one has ever offered a beginning of the year gift card in exchange for a recommendation. Obviously that would not be accepted.

It's not possible.

1. The teacher would have to go in to change grades in the computer-which no one is willing to do.

2. Besides, the teacher can't go back and change grades from previous quarters because those grades are cemented in stone already.

3. Recommendations are (usually) confidential. The teacher can rest assured the generous family will never know what they wrote.

4. A raving recommendation from a teacher cannot save low grades, poor standardized test scores, a poorly written essay and non-existent extra curriculars.

5. NO teacher is willing to risk their career and licensure over a $50 gift card.

I had a teacher who insisted that students buy her lunch or bring in treats in exchange for a rec.

[Anonymous]

I'm not buying any gifts, I don't see why teachers should get gifts for doing their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not buying any gifts, I don't see why teachers should get gifts for doing their job.

Of course you don’t have to buy gifts. We gave gift cards through high school. We have given gifts to swim and baseball coaches too. I give a gift card to our mailman and he’s not taking care of our kids 180 days a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not buying any gifts, I don't see why teachers should get gifts for doing their job.

Teacher gifts are NOT for 'doing their job'. They're to show appreciation (like ALL gifts) or in the spirit of celebration (like Christmas or birthday gifts).

But don't buy teacher gifts if that's not what you want to do. It won't be held against your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a high school teacher and appreciate everything. We do not receive as much as elementary teachers and I agree that the handwritten cards or emails are the best. I also admit that I am thrilled with the occasional gift card. Large amounts would make me uncomfortable and I’ve never received an expensive handbag.

As for someone asking about gifts in exchange for recommendations, I don’t see how this would be possible. Students asked me for college recommendations at the end of last year or the very beginning of this year. Mine were all due in October. No one has ever offered a beginning of the year gift card in exchange for a recommendation. Obviously that would not be accepted.

It's not possible.

1. The teacher would have to go in to change grades in the computer-which no one is willing to do.

2. Besides, the teacher can't go back and change grades from previous quarters because those grades are cemented in stone already.

3. Recommendations are (usually) confidential. The teacher can rest assured the generous family will never know what they wrote.

4. A raving recommendation from a teacher cannot save low grades, poor standardized test scores, a poorly written essay and non-existent extra curriculars.

5. NO teacher is willing to risk their career and licensure over a $50 gift card.

I had a teacher who insisted that students buy her lunch or bring in treats in exchange for a rec.

I have a feeling that teacher was joking and wouldn't have refused a recommendation if a kid didn't give her treats. In fact, I'm sure some kids didn't but she wrote the rec anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling cheap now, too. We gave the 3 teachers each a $25 gift card and a thank you letter from the kids.

I do the 25, I think its more appropriate and I prefer to get it for coffee place or a resturent and not just money on a card. It feels to me as if I invited them for a coffee or lunch instead of just handing out cash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling cheap now, too. We gave the 3 teachers each a $25 gift card and a thank you letter from the kids.

I do the 25, I think its more appropriate and I prefer to get it for coffee place or a resturent and not just money on a card. It feels to me as if I invited them for a coffee or lunch instead of just handing out cash

I gave cash to preschool teachers because I saw them daily at drop off and pick up and knew that most of them were living paycheck to paycheck. I wanted to give them the option of using it for bills, food or whatever they saw fit, but would never give money to a K-12 teacher, it just seems tacky or inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not buying any gifts, I don't see why teachers should get gifts for doing their job.

Teacher gifts are NOT for 'doing their job'. They're to show appreciation (like ALL gifts) or in the spirit of celebration (like Christmas or birthday gifts).

But don't buy teacher gifts if that's not what you want to do. It won't be held against your kid.

I only show appreciation to teachers who do an excellent job TEACHING my kids. No birthday gifts, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Is 50$ appropriate for a gift card?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is 50$ appropriate for a gift card?

Yes. I’ve received several $50 cards.

I’ve received $25 and $10 gift cards. I received a $5 Starbucks gift card for a cup of coffee. They were ALL greatly appreciated. Emphasis is on the word GIFT. Teachers realize you don’t have to give us anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is 50$ appropriate for a gift card?

Yes. I’ve received $50 gift cards.

I’ve also received $10 and $25 gift cards. I was given a $5 Starbucks card. I appreciated them ALL. Emphasis is on the word GIFT. Teachers realize you don’t have to give us anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not buying any gifts, I don't see why teachers should get gifts for doing their job.

Teacher gifts are NOT for 'doing their job'. They're to show appreciation (like ALL gifts) or in the spirit of celebration (like Christmas or birthday gifts).

But don't buy teacher gifts if that's not what you want to do. It won't be held against your kid.

I only show appreciation to teachers who do an excellent job TEACHING my kids. No birthday gifts, sorry.

I wouldn’t expect you to know a teacher’s birthday. But it’s your time and money. Give or not as you feel.

[Anonymous]

The room mom in my kid's FCPS kindergarten classroom already sent us an email listing all of the places the teacher likes to eat, her hobbies and other places that she'd like to receive gift cards from. I found that to be pretty rude, tbh. Also, I found it telling that the email didn't include any info on what the teacher's helper likes.

Planning on giving both of them $25 amazon gift cards.