Thank teachers
Published: June 9, 2006
The end of the school year means final exam time. So, parents, take out a No. 2 pencil and circle the correct answer:
What gift do teachers appreciate most at the end of the school year?
a. One of those coffee mugs inscribed with teacher-tailored drawings or comments
b. A bright, colorful, cheery tie or scarf embossed with smiling faces of happy, happy children
c. A sincere note of appreciation
Hint: Put the coffee mug back NOW!
The ties, coffee mugs and apple-shaped pendants are appreciated and even useful sometimes, but teachers have enough of them already.
Teachers who responded to this homework assignment revealed the gifts they need and appreciate.
Be assured, teachers like gifts. But the gift mentioned most often costs more in time than in cash: a thank-you card or letter t hat is specific and honest.
“I am moved to tears with a card and note, one where the student recalls a memory from the year or shares with me an important thing they learned while in my class, either about themselves as learners or the subject matter,” says teacher Karin Nanos. “I get this kind of feedback, it helps me to continue to grow into the best teacher I can be for those students,” says Nanos, who teaches all subjects and grades in her preschool through middle-grades school.
“Many times parents put a lot of effort into gifts when the really best gifts are very simple,” Nanos says.
You don’t even have to write a note of gratitude, some teachers say. Hearing it means a lot to Ardis Herrold, who teaches high school astronomy and chemistry.
“The best gift has been when a student says “Thanks. You made a difference. I’ll never forget you,’ ” she says.
To pump up the power, notes of gratitude should be specific.
“Has the teacher done something special for your child, like loan him a dollar for lunch, stay after to help with her schoolwork, offer a smile and kind word on a bad day?” asks Mary Ellen Bell, an English, drama and journalism teacher.
“Maybe the teacher wrote a letter of recommendation or spoke up on the student’s behalf,” Bell says. “Teachers consistently create a positive environment for your child, and work hard every single day and many nights and weekends as well.
“My most treasured gifts are those cards and letters I have received over the years from students and parents, in which they detail what impact I had on them and offer a heartfelt thank you. On bad days, these are lifelines, and I enjoy remembering the times I spent with these students.”
What to give your child’s teacher
• Gift cards to bookstores, music stores, restaurants, coffee shops, Target or a local teachers’ store
• A book for the school library or classroom.
Parents can select books they know their children enjoy, ask teachers what is needed in the classroom or solicit ideas from the school librarian. The book can be inscribed with the names of both the student and the teacher. The book will be a constant reminder of the gift and joys of reading.
• Music videos and CDs for music teachers
• Boxes of tissues for the classroom
• Age-appropriate games, books or toys that are especially good for when the weather is not so great and a teacher has to keep the kids busy during indoor recess.
• A lemonade pitcher filled with chocolate chip cookies
• A financial donation in the teacher’s name to a charity
• Movie vouchers or a movie rental gift certificate with a few bags of microwave popcorn
• A box of blank note cards
• Flowers to plant in a teacher’s garden
• A gift certificate for spa services such as manicures, pedicures or massages. T h is is an especially good gift when several p arents take up a collection.
Gifts for high school grads
Money: Give $20 to $50 or more depending on your relationship with the student - and how many other graduation gifts you are giving.
Gift cards, especially for stores such as Target, Kmart and Wal-Mart and bookstores and restaurants: Purchase cards from chain stores to assure the graduate will be able to use the card wherever he or she goes to college.
A gift card or gift certificate at the college bookstore: University Web sites sometimes have links to or e-mail addresses for their bookstores.
Restaurant and coffee shop gift certificates: Ones that can be used in the town where the student will attend school - it need not be an expensive restaurant. A gift certificate to a pizza parlor or hamburger joint would be appreciated.
Stationery engraved with the student’s name: Yes, almost everyone uses cell phones and e-mail, but every now and then students need to send a note or letter - particularly thank-you notes - and having their own stationery adds a nice touch.
Writing a note
Think of the 3 S’s as three keys to a good thank-you note: Specific, sincere, simple. Be specific in terms of whom it is addressed to and what you are thanking the person for. Instead of saying to a teacher, “Thanks for being nice,” recall a specific act of kindness.
If you’re thanking someone for a gift, mention it. If it’s a monetary gift, you don’t need to specify the amount. It helps, howev er, to indicate what the money will be used for, such as, “This gift will help me purchase books for class.”
Being specific indicates sincerity. And simplicity means just that - keep the message simple and clear.
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