It's that time of the year chocolate1 where you are either gonna get a coffee cup with an apple on it or someother bullcrap thing with a pencil or apple on it and your going to have to carry all this useless crapiola out to your car and hope that some of it can be returned for credit atleast. Sooo, I like my daughter's teacher and I am on disability and have very little money. I want to know what to get her. I contacted the lame room teacher to see if we were going to get a room gift and so far no response.

When my daughter was in kindergarten I sent home notes with envelopes to each student in my daughters class. I suggested $5.00 each and some people gave zip and 2 families gave $15.00 and yet all together I had less than 100 $ for the teacher and the co.

Anyway, please give me ideas, much thanks

a nice plant or bouqet of flowers

a $20 gift card to starbucks

a gift card to amazon.com

a gift card to Panera's

As someone who has felt the frustration of trying to collect from parents for a class gift, I understand your frustration. We've given up on trying to get everyone involved, and just get a gift from our kids.

BlackAdder7 said:

a nice plant or bouqet of flowers

a $20 gift card to starbucks

a gift card to amazon.com

a gift card to Panera's

As someone who has felt the frustration of trying to collect from parents for a class gift, I understand your frustration. We've given up on trying to get everyone involved, and just get a gift from our kids.

I thought about giving my daughter a list of questions to ask her teacher and one of them was if she liked coffee. I don't want to make it too impersonal like a gift card to walmart. I thought of staples but that is like giving your mom a toaster for mothers day. It's really for the class not just her. I like the plant idea. I think one of my questions was "what is your favorite flower".

Even though I have a shopping bag full of mugs, I am thankful for anything I get because I (and my colleagues) realize that they didn't have to get me anything.

In our district, there is a Board Policy that we are not to accept any gifts. Most of us ignore it though- would you give back a $100 gift certificate?!

My favorite gift of all time was when I got a call from a kid who had just graduated. His Dad bought him and me tix to see Prince at MSG- Musicology Tour.

His parents called it a graduation present for both of us. The three of us had a BALL! (yeah, like I was giving THAT back! )

Now...

Gift cards aren't as impersonal as they seem. Most of us don't get paid in the summer, so to be able to go to the store and say, "Oh wait... I have a gift card" is nice.

Candles are nice. Stationery.

Let me ask around...

And thank you for thinking of us...

OMG I can see you when you opened up the card and saw the Prince Tickets . See, that's just perfect. It doesn't collect dust and is an unforgettable memory. I can't believe you love all the mugs, your way too kind chocolate1.

Chocolate1, who are the "three" that went ? You Dad and son? Seems like Dad got himself a pretty nice present aswell.

Deadflow3r said:

BlackAdder7 said:

a nice plant or bouqet of flowers

a $20 gift card to starbucks

a gift card to amazon.com

a gift card to Panera's

As someone who has felt the frustration of trying to collect from parents for a class gift, I understand your frustration. We've given up on trying to get everyone involved, and just get a gift from our kids.

I thought about giving my daughter a list of questions to ask her teacher and one of them was if she liked coffee. I don't want to make it too impersonal like a gift card to walmart. I thought of staples but that is like giving your mom a toaster for mothers day. It's really for the class not just her. I like the plant idea. I think one of my questions was "what is your favorite flower".

I understand how you might find a gift card impersonal, but on the other hand, it gives the recipient the chance to choose something he or she would really savor and enjoy, vs a potential "what the heck am I going to do with this ????"scenario. They allow the person to treat themselves to something they really like and could possibly share with others (like inviting a friend to Starbucks or passing on that book they were just dying to get from Amazon- but didn't get around to it, or simply treat themselves to a nice lunch at the local "pick-a-place that-has-gift-cards" after a long Saturday laundry or shopping day. Black Adder's suggestions are pretty cool, contemporary an complimentary , even though I don't know if Chocolate1 would agree

Deadflow3r said:

Chocolate1, who are the "three" that went ? You Dad and son? Seems like Dad got himself a pretty nice present aswell.

Dad went, too.

Except his ticket was separate from ours (only way they could get them)... He called us to come down to his section, because he was sitting next to Al Sharpton. He told him he wanted him to meet his son.

Ottensen said:

Deadflow3r said:

I thought about giving my daughter a list of questions to ask her teacher and one of them was if she liked coffee. I don't want to make it too impersonal like a gift card to walmart. I thought of staples but that is like giving your mom a toaster for mothers day. It's really for the class not just her. I like the plant idea. I think one of my questions was "what is your favorite flower".

I understand how you might find a gift card impersonal, but on the other hand, it gives the recipient the chance to choose something he or she would really savor and enjoy, vs a potential "what the heck am I going to do with this ????"scenario. They allow the person to treat themselves to something they really like and could possibly share with others (like inviting a friend to Starbucks or passing on that book they were just dying to get from Amazon- but didn't get around to it, or simply treat themselves to a nice lunch at the local "pick-a-place that-has-gift-cards" after a long Saturday laundry or shopping day. Black Adder's suggestions are pretty cool, contemporary an complimentary , even though I don't know if Chocolate1 would agree

I agree!

Deadflow3r said:

BlackAdder7 said:

a nice plant or bouqet of flowers

a $20 gift card to starbucks

a gift card to amazon.com

a gift card to Panera's

As someone who has felt the frustration of trying to collect from parents for a class gift, I understand your frustration. We've given up on trying to get everyone involved, and just get a gift from our kids.

I thought about giving my daughter a list of questions to ask her teacher and one of them was if she liked coffee. I don't want to make it too impersonal like a gift card to walmart. I thought of staples but that is like giving your mom a toaster for mothers day. It's really for the class not just her. I like the plant idea. I think one of my questions was "what is your favorite flower".

[Edited 6/8/10 0:06am]

chocolate1 said:

Even though I have a shopping bag full of mugs, I am thankful for anything I get because I (and my colleagues) realize that they didn't have to get me anything.

In our district, there is a Board Policy that we are not to accept any gifts. Most of us ignore it though- would you give back a $100 gift certificate?!

My favorite gift of all time was when I got a call from a kid who had just graduated. His Dad bought him and me tix to see Prince at MSG- Musicology Tour.

His parents called it a graduation present for both of us. The three of us had a BALL! (yeah, like I was giving THAT back! )

Now...

Gift cards aren't as impersonal as they seem. Most of us don't get paid in the summer, so to be able to go to the store and say, "Oh wait... I have a gift card" is nice.

Candles are nice. Stationery.

Let me ask around...

And thank you for thinking of us...

Was the dad tryin' to holla?

I didn't know what to give my english teacher and dance teacher after I graduated. All I could do was say thank you for believing in me and my talents when others didn't

bboy87 said:

chocolate1 said:

Even though I have a shopping bag full of mugs, I am thankful for anything I get because I (and my colleagues) realize that they didn't have to get me anything.

In our district, there is a Board Policy that we are not to accept any gifts. Most of us ignore it though- would you give back a $100 gift certificate?!

My favorite gift of all time was when I got a call from a kid who had just graduated. His Dad bought him and me tix to see Prince at MSG- Musicology Tour.

His parents called it a graduation present for both of us. The three of us had a BALL! (yeah, like I was giving THAT back! )

Now...

Gift cards aren't as impersonal as they seem. Most of us don't get paid in the summer, so to be able to go to the store and say, "Oh wait... I have a gift card" is nice.

Candles are nice. Stationery.

Let me ask around...

And thank you for thinking of us...

Was the dad tryin' to holla?

I didn't know what to give my english teacher and dance teacher after I graduated. All I could do was say thank you for believing in me and my talents when others didn't

Oh no... Mom thought it was a nice gift, too. She just didn't want to see Prince.

chocolate1 said:

bboy87 said:

Was the dad tryin' to holla?

I didn't know what to give my english teacher and dance teacher after I graduated. All I could do was say thank you for believing in me and my talents when others didn't

Oh no... Mom thought it was a nice gift, too. She just didn't want to see Prince.

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I am still into the plant thing. I know that the local grocery store has them for $9.99 on sale and since I am on a limited income that's about my spending amount. I know at xmas time I kinda worry about loosing all those 10 dollar gift cards I get from family. Well, one more week of this guessing and a choice will need to be made.

Deadflow3r said:

I am still into the plant thing. I know that the local grocery store has them for $9.99 on sale and since I am on a limited income that's about my spending amount. I know at xmas time I kinda worry about loosing all those 10 dollar gift cards I get from family. Well, one more week of this guessing and a choice will need to be made.

I like the plant idea!

chocolate1 said:

Deadflow3r said:

I am still into the plant thing. I know that the local grocery store has them for $9.99 on sale and since I am on a limited income that's about my spending amount. I know at xmas time I kinda worry about loosing all those 10 dollar gift cards I get from family. Well, one more week of this guessing and a choice will need to be made.

I like the plant idea!

Good to hear, and it lives at least for a while. She has been very sweet to my daughter and I have not been pleased with that school and their sped department. I am taking my daughter out of that school and I want her to really know it's not her.

My mom got a 5€ gift voucher to a clothes store. I thought that was pretty amazing. She has to make the trip to an entirely different part of the city in order to buy something worth five euros.

novabrkr said:

My mom got a 5€ gift voucher to a clothes store. I thought that was pretty amazing. She has to make the trip to an entirely different part of the city in order to buy something worth five euros.

I wonder what that is equal to in US dollars.

a sweater for thoes days when the AC is too cold

gift cards

a shirt from the school's store

cash!

OnlyNDaUsa said:

a sweater for thoes days when the AC is too cold

gift cards

a shirt from the school's store

cash!

This is the problem, cash would equal $10.00 and I appretiate her more then that. I really wish families would get a class gift because then it's one big amount to someplace like Target where she has a wide variety of things that she can spend it on. (I hate that school so I would never give Kate a shirt from her crumby job!)

Deadflow3r said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

a sweater for thoes days when the AC is too cold

gift cards

a shirt from the school's store

cash!

This is the problem, cash would equal $10.00 and I appretiate her more then that. I really wish families would get a class gift because then it's one big amount to someplace like Target where she has a wide variety of things that she can spend it on. (I hate that school so I would never give Kate a shirt from her crumby job!)

$10 is cool. Is there a class directory? Can you call the others?

Deadflow3r said:

novabrkr said:

My mom got a 5€ gift voucher to a clothes store. I thought that was pretty amazing. She has to make the trip to an entirely different part of the city in order to buy something worth five euros.

I wonder what that is equal to in US dollars.

About 6 dollars. It's not that they were being cheap, but it's just silly for a gift voucher to a clothes store. They could have just as well gotten her a pair of socks, chocolate or a bottle of syrup or whatever. It's the thought that matters and they obviously weren't thinking. Why would she travel to some place that she hardly ever visits in order to spend five euros on something?

[Edited 6/8/10 12:40pm]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Deadflow3r said:

This is the problem, cash would equal $10.00 and I appretiate her more then that. I really wish families would get a class gift because then it's one big amount to someplace like Target where she has a wide variety of things that she can spend it on. (I hate that school so I would never give Kate a shirt from her crumby job!)

$10 is cool. Is there a class directory? Can you call the others?

No class directory that I know of. In kindergarten I sent G to school with 25 envelopes; in each envelope was another envelope with her name on it and a note saying what I was up to. It felt like alot of work for very little product. I almost felt like listing the names of the 14 who gave but that would be tacky.

I feel that for me this present at the end of the year is more important because it is more heartfelt then a xmas present. I know in this particular class the children's individual styles of learning are all over the place. It is not an easy job for sure.