Classroom Baby Shower for Teacher

Unless you have a long standing relationship with the teachers, I do not think it is necessary or 'appropriate'.

I think you may be putting pressure on parents - now is the time of year when we get all kinds of questions on Mamapedia about how to handle end-of-year teacher gifts (which often are stuff the teachers hate or can't use because they get 25 of them every year), and parents with several kids especially feel the financial pinch. Now you want to put a baby shower on top of it? That's pretty personal and it's unlikely that teachers want to cross the line from professional to personal. And it's unlikely that they want the 5th graders too focused on the baby business either.

They are probably getting showers from their family and friends, and also quite possibly from the other teachers. If you give them more than you give the other teachers in the school, it kind of says that the others aren't as deserving - I know that's not the intent, but it could be the result.

What you might do is collect for an end-of-year gift and choose a gift certificate for a place that a teacher could use for a variety of things (personal, professional, baby) - like Target or Amazon. Teachers are always spending so much of their own money on school supplies, tissues, stickers/prizes, and more.

Our most successful and appreciated (by parents and teachers alike) gifts are a "pass the envelope" sort of thing where parents put in what they can afford, with the coordinator just making sure that everyone had a chance to contribute and not keeping track of who gave what. You could ask for people to put a suggestion of what they'd like to see purchased (or what store they'd suggest) right in their envelope with whatever donation they are making. Then you total up the money and go from there. If you put in a card and if the teacher is not coming back next fall, you can say "we will miss you next year" or something like that, to acknowledge their change in status, but that's as far as I'd go.

I know people do this sometimes but I don't think it's appropriate.
Showers are thrown by close friends and family.
You and the other parents of your classes are work acquaintances from the teachers points of view.
The last day of school is a scramble just getting the kids and their stuff out of school.
The teachers have their end of year luncheon.
There's grades to get out, and classrooms to clean out and shut down.
There's field day and a lot of other activities.
And the teachers are even more excited than the kids to be done with the school year.
I'm probably in the minority but my advice would be to give her a nice card and call it a day.

I agree with the others. Baby shower will be hosted by friends and family. Parents already know they're expecting and people can choose to give them gifts if they'd like. Don't put any more pressure on people to contribute anything ... I know we're getting hit up a lot right now at both of our kids' schools and it's not easy after just starting to bounce back from a job loss.

Before getting into planning, I would check with the school district to see if there are any parameters. In the district I teach, it is a state law that teachers cannot accept gifts over a certain amount. I can never remember if it is $20 or $25. Our district also has some parameters on when and how celebrations can be held. Parents at my school planned a big retirement bash for a teacher in our building who was taking early retirement due to some medical issues. They didn't check into any parameters and within a week of the planned celebration had to cancel and reschedule the event several months later. It had to occur after a certain date and could not be held during school hours.

I would also say that in 20+ years of teaching (in public and private schools) I have never seen a baby shower for a teacher that was hosted by parents. I would have been very uncomfortable with parents doing one for me. When my daughter's kindergarten teacher was expecting her first baby, as a family we decided on our own to give her a little something.

Like others have said, there is the potential for causing hurt feelings. What happens when the music teacher who sees every kid in the building has a baby? Will there be a shower for her? Will it be fair if she gets gifts from all 400 students in the building, but the 5th grade teacher only gets gifts from her 30 students?

I personally think you would opening a huge can of worms.

We didn't have a shower, but made a baby binder for the teacher. Each child attached their picture to a template we sent out (bordered with designs of things the teacher loves) and had questions such as what the baby would be named, why the teacher would make a good mommy etc. Each child filled it out and we compiled it in a cute little binder. People who wanted to bring gifts, did so on the day we presented the binder.

Unless this is a small private school like a school associated with a church, where most of the teachers and families attend church together and socialize together, and instead this is a regular public school, then a shower for such a personal event is not appropriate.

I do think that in some cases, getting involved in a teacher's private life might be appropriate, such as if the teacher or his/her family member is trying to raise money for a life-saving transplant, or has suffered a loss that is publicly known (their house has burned down, or their family member was in an accident that everybody knows about). In a situation like that, a fund raiser would be helpful, or a "shower" to replace the basics lost in the fire, like pots and pans and dishes.

But this really sets a difficult precedent. Teachers get married, give birth, adopt children, get engaged, all the time. Just because your school happens to have 2 teachers who are pregnant is not a good reason to throw a shower for them. What about the 6th grade teacher who's getting married next year, or the kindergarten teacher who's trying to get pregnant and most likely will, or the teacher who announces his or her engagement and wedding next year? What about the teacher who gave birth two years ago who still teaches at the school?

However, you could send or deliver a memo or email or letter to other fifth grade students' parents, suggesting that in lieu of the typical end of year gifts (mugs, calendars, pencil holders, and all those things) that people pool the funds that they would have spent on an end-of-year gift for a gift card to Babies R Us (it has more than toys, it has diapers and strollers and lots of accessories). Donations would be anonymous, no one will know if one parent gave a dollar, and one parent gave a hundred dollars. Set up a pay pal account, or just say that donations can be mailed to _______ or handed to __________. Assure parents that the gift card will be from all the parents of the fifth graders and the fifth grade students regardless of a parent's ability to pay, and that no donation amount will ever be disclosed. The gift card could be presented in a cute card. Make sure both teachers receive an identical amount.

That's a sweet idea but please check with the teachers first, because they will need to schedule it in their day, on a day that works for both of them, and this close to the end of the year time is TIGHT.
Last day of school is likely out because there are probably already parties scheduled. Our fifth graders had a huge promotion assembly that the whole school attended then all the 5th graders took a bus to a neighborhood swim club for a big picnic and party.
There might also be things like band concerts, choral performances, school plays, teacher appreciation week/day in May, plus standardized testing.
At least that's how it was at our school, so check first!
Oh and we also had Field Day and a Walk-a-Thon, it's a really busy time of year.
As far as asking parents for money, keep it optional and low key, because again they are probably contributing to other things, so maybe say something like, if you would like to contribute towards a gift we are requesting X amount per family, or whatever you can give.

"Dear Parent. As many of you know Mrs. XXXX and Mrs. CCCC are expecting. We're going to host a baby shower for them on May XX, 2016 at Xpm.

If you'd like to donate to a joint gift please call me on my cell phone as soon as you can so we can all join together and give these special ladies a wonderful shower. Let me know if you'd like to bring a food item to share too.

If you'd like to buy something from their online wish list here is the link for each of them".

as a person who was once a teacher, i think this is a bad idea. get a gift and card and deliver it yourself. no showers or party about it.

I don't have any suggestions. I just wanted to say what a lucky teacher and students to have such a great community. As a teacher, parents can sometimes make or break your school year. What a fantastic atmosphere that school must have to have parents that are involved in such a positive way.

In all the years from my kids being in school, we never did anything like this. Even at our very small close knit daycare facility where I'm still friends with the teachers. My mom had a retirement party (cake and drinks) when she retired from her little private type school. She was appreciative but overwhelmed. She felt it was too much. So she turned around and made it about the kids.

So to me, it's a bit unusual.

The only thing that comes close is we had a teacher who went in for surgery. The kids all took in a couple of dollars and they bought a huge bouquet and they all made a card in school to sign. That was very appreciated and the teacher didn't feel uncomfortable because the $ amount was so small.

Some classes do collect money and put it towards a gift card for teacher gifts at end of year. We've only had that happen once or twice. If you did a small amount, say $5, and put it towards a gift card so she can buy what she needs, that probably would be very helpful.

If you are going to take in cupcakes and drinks, make it a class thing. Not so much a shower. I think showers are for friends and family. Just take a morning - bring the snacks in to class, you could do a bouquet of flowers and the gift card. Or a balloon and the gift card.

That would be the most I would personally do. And not on the last day. I would just do it beforehand. Just small and simple. Half hour tops.

I think you're pinteresting this too much :) I get where you are coming from, I truly do, but that is inappropriate for school. Just stick to the one teacher.

Good luck :)

Weird that my kids go to public school and have celebrated and showered the teacher with gifts before leaving for maternity leave.

My oldest is in 3rd grade and we have been with 3 pregnant teachers and all had a celebration. One asked to bring gifts (i think 'new' was requested and not over $20). Another request was books only for the baby and the last was actually preschool and a group of us got a big item off the registry.

I would not include the other class. I think that room mom should handle organizing it separately and your room does it separately. This way each teacher feels special and it is not too much for the families. Also, I would avoid the last day of school since it is really about the kids and them saying their own good-byes to each other.

Doesn't sound like a shower, really, with just diapers. Maybe a "sprinkle"? The only difference between this and a class party for kids is the diapers...

What about combining it with their end of year celebration/class party (assuming they have one). That way, it is something everyone is already participating in/bringing things to and you can just do a little something extra for the teacher (baby shower type thing). I wouldn't put the notes in the diapers...you don't have time for all that when you're changing some diapers. Maybe have the kids write notes and put in a scrap book or album and give her a pack of diapers and/or wipes or other baby supplies.