We did, I wanted to gift her something more in the beginning. I wasn't if it was legal, so I waited to do it with the other parents. Great teachers are hard to come by these days. My son had one of the best teacher I have came upon in my life, Ms. Payake. I was very sad to hear from my son that she was leaving to teach at another school.

We're in Arlington and some years, the room parents organized a class gift. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case this year. Our DC has an IEP and many of the teachers really have gone the extra mile so we're doing everything from restaurant gift cards to Barnes and Noble cards for them (depending on the teacher). We always write a card (and in some cases an email to the principal for DC's truly outstanding teachers) expressing our thanks.

I'm personally of the view that teachers are underappreciated/underpaid in relation to what they do -- managing a class of twenty-something students, at various levels/abilities, is not easy, and then there's the bureaucracy/paperwork that they have to deal with. Every year, there are some teachers who really shine, others who are fine, and some who are just ok - but in my opinion, they all deserve thanks.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up on the West Coast, and the only gifts we gave were ones we made ourselves. One time we took up a collection for a teacher that was retiring. I gave pencil holders, pretty cards and other craft type gifts. Never did someone give money or anything more valuable than five dollars at the time.

Same here, from CA. Things like gift certificates, money, or pricier gifts just weren't done. Heartfelt cards or something homemade (crafts, cookies) were standard.

I think parents are just trying to show their appreciation and not at all are trying to "bribe" the teachers or anything. I agree, giving the teacher a gift card on the last day of school after grades have been submitted, doesn't affect the child's grades. Just a thank you for a job well done.

DH is a teacher. He routinely receives gifts from students for:

*the holidays
*teacher appreciation week
*end of the school year

Personally we feel it's all a bit unnecessary and the amount of gift giving has gotten out of hand.

We have kids and we give the teachers a gift during the holidays and a card during appreciation week.

DH certainly appreciates the thought, of course. But just know that it's not expected at all.

The gift that touched him most this year was a hand-written note from a student on plain, white paper in which the student said she had a great year and that she would try hard to remember all the great things DH did as a teacher and hoped to do the same when she became a teacher. DH actually got a bit misty.

I grew up on the West Coast, and the only gifts we gave were ones we made ourselves. One time we took up a collection for a teacher that was retiring. I gave pencil holders, pretty cards and other craft type gifts. Never did someone give money or anything more valuable than five dollars at the time.

What this big deal with a nice gift to appreciate the teachers? This is done I'll the time in the business world in DC.

Anonymous wrote:pp, the insinuation that these amount to bribes for grades is insane. For one thing, grades are sent home the day these gifts are given, so there's no possibility of quid pro quo. for another, who cares about grades in elementary school, save for some of these AAP nutters?

in any case, the solution pursued at our school is there's a class gift that is pooled by the room parents. there are class funds for this.

Sounds like this hit a nerve--prbably one of the "nutters" who slip the teachers a gift card. Let's face "nothing for nothing"--why not make a donation to the school PTA if this is no big deal??

I doubt my parents ever did this when I was little. I'm 40 too. When my former college roommate became a teacher ten years ago, $100 gift cards for Xmas was not unusual. We were all shocked. Her area is wealthy like DC but I grew up poor.