# gifts for students from student teacher??



## chicklet

My daughter is doing her placement for teacher's college this semester in a grade 6 class.  After she finishes her placement in December she would like to give the children (30 in class) a little gift.  Does anyone have any suggestions for her.  She is on a budget but would like to get each one of them something.  She also going to give the principal, v.p. and the teacher she is with this semester a gift to say thanks for all they have done.  Any suggestions....i was thinking gift certificate for teacher to buy books, chocolates for staff??? Has anybody done this before.  Thanks to all who respond.


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## Karen G

How about Starbucks gift cards for the adults. I always appreciate receiving them.

For all the kids in the class, maybe on her last day at school she could have pizzas delivered to the class and have a going away lunch with the kids.


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## jlr10

I had a friend who just finished her student teaching last spring.  She made a bookmark for each student with their name on the front, and a note of something special about them on the back.  She felt it went over pretty good with her students.

She was going to give the staff something to thank them, but was offerred a job to stay as a sub through the summer and fall so she never really left.  

My recommendation for the principal, VP, and teacher would be a gift card to Staples of Office Depot, or a similar type office supply store.  That is what is requested over and over and over and over...at back to school night.


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## wackymother

When I was in about sixth grade, we had a student teacher who was Chinese. When she left, she gave us all little red Chinese paper lanterns. I still remember how pretty and delicate mine was. Of course, it seemed pretty exotic there and then--I grew up in Missouri in the 1970s. But it was definitely a memorable little gift. 

For the teachers, yes, Staples cards or Starbucks cards. My DH is a teacher and he would be very happy with either of those. As a parent, I sometimes give movie tickets or movie gift certificates, and those seem to go over well, too!

It's very nice of her to be planning ahead like this. Here's to a good year!


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## riverside

As a teacher I would agree that a gift certificate to Staples or Office Max would be nice.  My best gift would be a gift certificate to a restaurant..doesn't have to cover the cost of the meal but it's a good excuse to eat out on a Friday after a long week!  It's hard to come up with something for a whole class of kids without spending a lot.  A pizza party is a great idea.  Maybe a movie to go with it. They love any excuse to get out of work!


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## jimbiggs

Screw that.  As a teacher, the last gift I would want is a gift card to Office Depot or Barnes and Noble or some crap like that.  I am a person, not a freaking robot.  My work is not my life, but a means to support my life.

She should consider something more personal like a gift card to Blockbuster Video, the local movie theatre, or a restaurant.

All that being said, gifts are nice, but not necessary.  A really nice Thank You note might be just as appropriate and less costly.

For students it could be anything.  The bookmark idea was a good one.  If she really wants to spend some money, then a pizza party is a kid favorite.


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## DeniseM

jimbiggs said:
			
		

> *Screw* that.  As a teacher, the last gift I would want is a gift card to Office Depot or Barnes and Noble or some *crap* like that.  I am a person, not a freaking robot. My work is not my life, but a means to support my life.



That was rude and totally out of line based on the original question.  And Block Buster is SO much more personal than a book store.  

I'm a teacher too, and if your work is nothing more than a means to support your life, then you need to do the kids a favor and find another job.


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## Mischelle

Did anyone see that movie with Matthew Perry in which he portrayed a remarkable JHS teacher named  Ron Clarke? At the end of the semester, he had a nice little ceremony for the kids, invited their parents, gave them awards acknowledging something they've done or how they were special, and they had food. It was so nice and it reminded me of when I was younger and our teachers would do that for us. Anyway, I think a nice little pizza party or cake and, maybe some certificates or mini trophies acknowledging an achievement or something special about each child would be nice.They will always have that to refer to, and it would be a great way to motivate them and their self esteem(even if just for the moment). At least I think so. For the adults, I think the gift cards are a good idea as well but something for their relaxment would be nice also.
Chelle


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## brockville

jimbiggs said:
			
		

> Screw that.  As a teacher, the last gift I would want is a gift card to Office Depot or Barnes and Noble or some crap like that.  I am a person, not a freaking robot.  My work is not my life, but a means to support my life.
> 
> She should consider something more personal like a gift card to Blockbuster Video, the local movie theatre, or a restaurant.
> 
> All that being said, gifts are nice, but not necessary.  A really nice Thank You note might be just as appropriate and less costly.
> 
> For students it could be anything.  The bookmark idea was a good one.  If she really wants to spend some money, then a pizza party is a kid favorite.



Whoo - I am glad you didn't teach my kids!! I am also a teacher. I know it is difficult for the hard-working parents of kids to be 'original' while trying to be grateful.

Sorry if a gift card to Barnes and Noble or Office Depot  is 'crap' to you. You may not be a freaking robot - but you sound like an ingrate (read 'jerk') to me.


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## ctreelmom

Chicklet,
My kids have had a number of student teachers over the years and I can't ever recall one of them giving the kids a gift--I think it's a really sweet idea, but as a student I'm sure she's on a tight budget and to do 30 of anything will be pretty expensive.  I can understand why she might want to do something for the teacher she worked with and maybe the principal, but I'd also be wary of looking like "sucking up" for a permanent job (there's the cynical Ex-NYer in me!)  I like the idea of Starbucks cards or if there's a nice teacher supply store (other than the big boxes) locally, that might work too.  Or, if the teacher she worked with is a knitter, scrapbooker, gardener, etc. maybe a small token related to that hobby.

My kids HAVE received heartfelt notes from student teachers in the past which were very nice, meant a lot to the kids and were quite, er, cost-effective!

Good luck to her in her career--we need  more good teachers!


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## northwoodsgal

I'm not a teacher but a mom of three older school kids.  Our kids have received a few gifts from teacher over the years, but primarily at the elementary level.  If I remember right, most of them were the small paperback books available from the book clubs.  There were also a few pencil bags/holders and a hand-made little box (it was covered in fabric).

Unfortunately, by 6th grade, there are fewer options.  I really like the pizza idea.  Being able to skip the lunchroom and have pizza in class was always a HUGE deal to my kids.  Often, it was the final reward for grade level contests.   Is she teaching more than one group of 6th graders?  The pizza party may be too costly if she is.  Is she originally from the same part of the country as the kids she'll be teaching?  

Giving each of the kids a personalized note is also a wonderful idea.  I can't tell you how powerful praise and encouragement from a teacher is.


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## wackymother

When my mother was a teacher, in the 1960s and 1970s, she taught really, really poor kids. But at the end of each year, she always got presents from almost all of them--almost invariably baskets of flowery soaps and bath-oil beads. I'm laughing at Jimbiggs's comment because, although she loved her little students and was a great teacher, she loathed those baskets of soap. We had a whole closet full of them. I swore that I would never give baskets of soap to my kids' teachers. 

Now my DH is a teacher and he LOVES getting presents, especially any kind of gift card. Teachers spend so much of their own money at Staples that it's wonderful to have something to take the edge off! (P.S. He even likes little baskets of soap.)


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## chicklet

Thanks so much for the great ideas.  My daughter really likes the idea of a pizza party at the end of her stay.  Grade 6 is a hard group .  I think she is thinking of the restaurant coupon for the teacher (since she has spent alot of her own time staying after school)  She has 2 young children of her own so my daughter figures she would deserve a night out.  She definitely doesn't want to look like she is "sucking up" to the principal....but she would like them to know how much she enjoyed being at their school and would most definitely like to come back as a certified teacher.  She just has to find where to draw the line.  I'm glad she is giving thought to this now which shows me she really is excited about her placement and her future as a teacher!!  Thanks so much for all who replied.


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