Gift cards for teachers, how much?

[magpie mamma]

So gift cards seem to be a good idea, my DD is finishing 6th grade and moving to a new school and has one main classroom teacher, but also has had the same teacher from K-6 for art, science, gym, music and computer. I have in the past only given a gift to the main classroom teacher, but since she has had these other teachers for so many years, it seems like a good idea to thank them for everyone. I haven't done it in the past due to the expense, but will this year, so.... how much should the cards be for, I am thinking a local coffee shop or bookstore to maybe just Target. Of course I will write and nice note and have her add something too.

[AndrewsMother]

I did not want to give each teacher less than $50, because I did not want to place a low value on their time and dedication. $50 a teacher was not in my budget, so I brought them lunch from Panera and dessert from the cup cake shoppe.

[MattBronsil]

As a teacher, can I honestly say that, for me and most teachers I know, it does not matter. The fact that you gave us a gift and acknowledged the work we do is great. I've been just as happy getting $20 gift cards as I have getting $50 ones.

[HappyMommy2]

My mom has stated that even a $5 gift card is much appreciated. They get so much "stuff" that even a GC for a few cups of coffee is helpful.

In your case, you could get a larger one for the main teacher and smaller ones for the other teachers.

$20-$50 each is WAY out of lots of budgets! I can't even imagine, even back when I was working!

[Emmeline II]

I gave ds' K teacher a $50 gift card...he damaged some things this year .
I like bookstore gift cards; teachers are normally entitled to discounts and they often have coffee shops.

[Oh the Irony]

I normally do $10 to a bookstore. I might send it in with a small flowering plant--like a mini rose bush--or with a really nice bar of chocolate.

I may do one for a bit more this year for a GREAT teacher but I'm talking $20. $50 just isn't in the budget much as I would love to.

I really don't think under $50 is insulting at all. You do what you can and like someone said, even $5 is nice. Shows you are thinking of them AND you didn't get them scented bath stuff or candles.

My older son is leaving the school this year. He had great relationships with the nurse and with the art teacher so I want to get them something too--which I haven't in the past.

[momtoS]

$50 is very generous...and if your child has multiple teachers it can get crazy expensive..... I would say $10-$15 is great! Keep in mind that it is a nice thank you....but they do get paid VERY well so even a nice card is great!

WE are giving a treat, and a potted plant with a stake that says *Thanks for helping me grow* So I would say that I spend $15.

Also I give something small to the classmates. Last year I wrapped jumbo sidewalk chalk for each student...the cost was $0.33 for each student and they looked really cute.

[magpie mamma]

Thanks for all the great imput, I feel more comfortable with a more modest amount now! Happy summer

[MattBronsil]

Originally Posted by HappyMommy2

$20-$50 each is WAY out of lots of budgets! I can't even imagine, even back when I was working!

As a side note, I just pulled 2 numbers out of the air. The point was that a huge gift card doesn't really make a difference for me. I'm not concerned about the amount at all. (Though I would avoid a $1 gift card).

[daytripper75]

We just do whatever we can afford. This year it is $5 at the local coffee shop and I got paper cups from the shop that my ds will color to make it more personal. Paper cup, gc, raffia, and clear wrapping with a pretty bow.

[beebalmmama]

My husband is a school teacher and I know he (we) appreciate any gift card that he receives. He generally gets anywhere from $10 dollar coffee cards (although $5 would be well appreciated as well!) and often giftcards for bookstores, grocery or department stores (Target etc) and sometimes restaurant gift cards. I think the point is that you show your appreciate them by offering something at all.

[BethSLP]

I think any gift card amount is appreciated. You can always write that you could never put a price on the value of what the teacher has done but wanted to at least acknowledge in a small way.

as a speech pathologist in a school, I will say that I appreciated every small gift. Sometimes though I had kids give me little teddy bears and coffee cups and I would have preferred a nice note than the money they spent on those items when I knew they couldn't afford it and I had a ton of that stuff already. Teachers get a ton of coffee cups each year and often have to give them away. Its nice to be appreciated in any way, but you'd like to think your gift is something they really can use.

I think a smaller gift card is better for a coffee shop where $5 will actually buy you something.

Also, gift cards to Lakeshore were a bit difficult if they weren't for higher dollar values since everything is expensive there. Also, I think it sends the message you are funding teacher supplies, which is less like a gift and more like a supply fee or something.

Again, not to sound ungrateful because I loved EVERY gift, but my favorites were the warm personal notes and gift cards that were usable without adding a bunch of my own money to make up the difference. Starbucks cards for $5 rock!

For the record, I always LOVED when a parent took the time to write a note to the principal about what a great job I had done with their kids. That has a huge warm fuzzy factor.

Oh, I just thought of one more idea. We had a sweet family at my school one year that had 7 kids and a modest income. They had THE BEST gifts. The mom and the kids put together different homemade stuff. One year it was hot chocolate mix with a plastic spoon dipped in chocolate. Another year it was a cookie mix or homemade cookies. They are SO cute, very inexpensive to make, and had a lot of thought and love in them. I could always picture that sweet family all together in the kitchen making gifts of love for the teachers. They gave one to everyone that worked with their kids (teacher, gym teacher, art teacher, etc.). We all loved them.

I also know of parents bringing a crockpot of spaghetti or a dozen donuts to school during lunch or planning time for their teachers. not very expensive and SO appreciated.

XOXO
B