Teacher Appreciation Week - Jackson, NJ

My best friend who is a 7th grade English teacher loves Borders Gift Cards. Its her favorite gift to get because she can use it for herself or for books for her classroom.

I know its not especially creative or pretty, but as a teacher, I have to say the gifts I appreciate most are gift cards! Book stores, Dunkin'Donuts, department stores, etc.
Also, every year I am given chamber of commerce gift certificate for the town in which I work...they can be used in almost every store in town!
One of the best "end of year" gifts I received was a beach bag filled with a beach towel, sunscreen, and bottle of wine!

For Christmas I gave my children's teachers a gift certificate of my time. I made it up on the computer and put it in a nice envelope. I offered 3 hours of my time to help with any project that needed done in the classroom. I gave examples of doing paper work at home, designing a bulletin board, cutting things out for them and helping to rearrange the classroom. I also added an "or" section to it and wrote that I would provide one hot meal for their family to enjoy on a time that they knew they would not have time to cook dinner. Like on days they have parent teacher conferences. I got this idea from a friend of mine who just started teaching and I asked on here for ideas. It was one of the ideas I received. It was well received and the teachers were very appreciative. I am working on a project for my daughters PreK teacher right now that she asked me to do using the gift certificate. I put an expiration date on it of using it before the end of the school year too. Since it is the end of the year you all could put a date of the end of the summer.

I was a room Mom also and for Christmas one year we took a collection of money for the teacher. Any family could donate what ever they wanted or nothing at all. It was from the entire class regardless. We raised $160 and got her a gift certificate to a place that sells gift cards as a fundraiser to that school. She was able to turn it in a get multiple gift cards for restaurants, walmart, and grocery shopping. I took a picture of her opening the envelope and she actually cried. It was really nice.

I hope these ideas help!!

As a teacher turned stay at home mom I LOVED getting a gift card for a manicure or a pedicure.

Dear R.,

I always thought the best gift is homemade items. Anything that you took a little time to create or make is very special. Whether a crocheted sweater or baked brownies it's the time and energy that was put into it that makes any gift special.
G.
Mother of 2; 26 and 22 and grandmother of a beautiful 7mo old baby boy.

Hi R.,
I have been a teacher for 32 years. I would have to say my favorite gifts are gift cards, especially to book stores and teacher stores. One year, a mom made me up a basket of treats for my pets. I loved it. Her son enclosed a card he wrote, telling me why he enjoyed being in my class. Letters and cards that tell the teacher how and why she is appreciated mean the world, too. We aren't in this job for the gifts, but to be told that you are doing a good job and why, that is just priceless.

I've been a teacher for about 11 years. I prefer first gift cards, then practical things I can use and items that take up very little space or are easily packed. We collect so much over the years and find it hard to keep all the gifts and store them when they are fragile, however nice they are. Something like a tastefully decorated tote bag with class signatures, messages, or photos would be cute, or a mug with the same. I once got a beautiful dish, but it broke even though I packed it in a box. Custodians dropped the box! Hope this helps!

Hi R.,

I agree with the other posters. I work in an elementary school. A bookstore gift card is a great gift, the teacher can choose something she'd like for herself or something she'd like for the classroom. I'm getting my son's teacher a giftcard to Dunkin Donuts because I know she buys a coffee there on the way to school every day. If there's someplace that the teachers all go out for lunch, that would be a nice giftcard too. In our district, in the elementary schools, the parents can volunteer to bring in a dish for the potluck lunch on that day. It's great to consider unique gift ideas, however, I think knick-knacky things that create clutter are enjoyed more by the giver than by the receiver :) Special things that the class makes build up to an unmanageable amount over a 25 or 30 year teaching career!

I'm a SAHM, but recently left my job as a preschool teacher. As a former teacher I always loved gifts that the kids made for me. You coud put together a scrapbook or have the kids make pictures and write what they appreciate about the teacher. Hope this helps.
L.

Gift cards are the best! I taught for 7 years before becoming a SAHM, and I looooved gift cards. Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Staples (really good for buying classroom supplies), or for a local spa.

Good stuff, and often gives us a chance to splurge when we normally wouldn't!

Hi R.,

I was room Mom for my 6 yr old last year and these are a few things that we did.

A jar full of love - we found cute little jars and filled them with hearts that the kids wrote "love" notes on for the teacher.

One of our teachers was a "health nut" so we had each of the kids bring in a piece of fruit and we put together a fruit basket for her.

Art Book- We sent home a piece of white card stock and had each one of the children create a work of art for their teacher and we bound them in a book for her.

Hope that helps !

We are giving re-usable shopping bags with our town's logo. We are a "green" school.

I plan on giving money or gift cards. If you are collecting from other parents, then you can do a close by spa certificate.

Looks like gift cards is a top option. If you are thinking of something more "personal", I've seen classes put their handprints on a large planter (ceramic or plastic) with a nice plant, t-shirts and on a "reading chair" for the classroom (small wooden chair).

Our PTA is cooking the teachers breakfast

One of my favorites was a gift card to select a tree to plant at our new house. The tree is beautiful and reminds me of that group of students every day!