It’s nearly here – so close you can taste it. The end of the year! The air is fresh (… well, and probably full of pollen), children are literally twitching with anticipation of summer vacation, and teachers are experiencing a plethora of emotions. Teachers spend roughly six hours per day, five days per week, nine months per year with your kids. They spend their own hard earned dollars right back on your kids, buying supplies for the classroom when their meager budgets run out. And they get attached. You may hear a teacher refer to their classroom as “my kids,” and they aren’t just saying it for convenience – many teachers genuinely feel that your children are their children also. So while they may be looking forward to their summer break as much as the kids are (although, let’s be honest – many teachers work during the summer as tutors, nannies, camp counselors, etc.), they’re also anticipating a little tiny feeling of loss.
After all – the teacher may have been the one who taught little Tommy to tie his shoes, or wiped away Jane’s tears when she fell and scraped up her knee. And don’t forget the countless germs teachers have had to endure! For teachers of older kids, they’ve had to deal with watching their students get through their first crush, their first heartbreak, their first stab at the SATs. They’ve also gotten to celebrate with them when they got into college, made the sports team or got a part in the school play.
The bottom line – parents – is that teachers really, truly care. And here’s where you come in! Nothing will help make the transition for the teacher a bit easier than a small token of your appreciation. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant – and in some school districts gifts to teachers are closely monitored by the administration so that students never feel left out for not being able to give their teacher something, and so that teachers don’t feel as if they’re being bribed.
So here are a few quick ideas on how to show your child’s teacher how great they were this year, and how much you appreciate their hard work.
- Purchase a nice frame and include a photo of the entire class from a field trip or perhaps a birthday party they all attended. If possible, get all of the children to sign the back (this might have to be done on the sly during a class field trip that you’re chaperoning!).
- It may seem cliche, but a “World’s Best Teacher” mug can go a long way! Or keep it a bit more up-to-date and make it a water bottle.
- As we mentioned before, teachers often put their own paychecks right into the classroom. Show your appreciation by giving them a jump start on supplies for next year.
- Give it a personal touch by trying to tie in the gift with your child’s favorite part of class. If your child loved arts and crafts, perhaps a slew of crayons, colored pencils, and construction paper would be just the thing. If they preferred story time, some new books for the classroom, or a gift certificate to a local bookstore (or even Amazon!) would be great. Be sure to include a note as to why you’ve chosen that particular gift. Example: Tommy came home from school every week proudly displaying his art projects, and we wanted to make sure next year one of your students will be able to do the same! Sincerely, The X Family. Make it even more personal by having Tommy write the note himself!
If your child’s school prohibits gifts for teachers (which some do), you may want to check with an administrator to see if you can make a small donation (honestly, even $20 can be a huge help to a school scrambling to stock up on crayons!) in honor of the teacher, even if it’s made anonymously. In this way, you’re showing the teacher your appreciation and helping the entire school.
Don’t forget – if you’re a parent or parent-group member spearheading a donation drive to buy your child’s teacher an awesome gift – or to make a donation to the school in their honor – you can use Pay4SchoolStuff.com to send reminders and collect funds easily and discretely. After all, you wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise!
To learn more about getting your organization started with Pay4SchoolStuff.com, call us (877-397-2937) or visit our website to receive more information and to schedule a demo!
Check out our promotional video at: http://youtu.be/udLE7xT31Ww. We’re anxious to talk to you and get you started online.
(Image via Getty Images)
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