It’s always nice to try to give teachers thoughtful holiday gifts, but considering what teachers (and teaching assistants, and administrators…) have endured during the last two years, here’s a question for today: What gifts will you be giving your kids’ teachers in 2021?
Several years ago, we listed the best teacher gifts (according to teachers), and the winners were gift cards (for the teachers themselves, or for classroom supplies), homemade items from kids (smaller is better in this case — like a crayon drawing), and thoughtful notes from parents.
Note: Teachers receive more than enough mugs, candles, and apple-themed gifts. Food items aren’t the best choice either, because you never know if someone is on a restricted diet, etc.
(When we give gift cards, I do usually add a Godiva chocolate bar or something similar, though; I see it as just an “add-on,” and if the teacher doesn’t want it, she can pass it on.)
This is my son’s first year in middle school, and I feel like teacher gifts in middle and high school aren’t really a thing. (Is this correct?) After all, he has a lot of teachers! We’ll definitely give something to his school counselor, though, because she’s been very helpful this year. For years, we’ve given teachers and bus drivers gift cards (Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Barnes & Noble), but I haven’t decided what to get her yet. When my son left elementary school, we gave his counselor a small succulent and a nice card, but I wouldn’t have chosen a “high-maintenance” plant. (I assume she took it home rather than leave it in her office, where space is probably at a premium.)
So, readers, do tell: With the last two unprecedented years in mind, are you doing anything “extra” this year regarding the gifts you’re giving your kids’ teachers? What will you be gifting teachers, teaching assistants, OT and speech therapists, bus drivers, etc., in 2021?
Stock photo via Stencil
Anonymous says
No, teacher gifts are not really a thing in middle and high school. At least not where we live, even though gifts were a big deal in elementary school.
Anon Lawyer says
My mom was a middle school teacher before she retired. She used to get a fair number of gifts from 6th graders whose parents were used to doing it in elementary school but not many from 7th or 8th graders. Always appreciated but certainly not necessary!
anon says
I give $25 gift cards to MS teachers (mine has 4) plus $10 to advisory, with a handwritten card. I feel like they will appreciate it so it can’t hurt.
anonn says
Gift cards all around in larger amounts than we did in the past with a note from us. We usually do Target. They’ve been through so much, so we want to do as much as we can.
My husband is a HS teacher and does get some gifts and does appreciate them. Definitely not required, but if they have a teacher they click with, it would be a nice perk after all the crap they’ve dealt with over the last two years.