Gift suggestions - teacher''s & aides

[Elegant]

I am new to this school and I do not know what the norms are.

I have two female aides (one is in her 40''s and the other in her 60''s?) and I have no idea what to get them or how much money to spend on them. I don''t even know what to get the three teachers in my grade level! Since I am new I don''t know them well. I don''t know how much to spend on them or the aides money/budget wise. There are 3 other grade level teachers that I work with in 4th grade.

Suggestions please!!!

 

[Ellen]

I think a nice ornament would be "safe" for all. I used to spend between 10-25, depending.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:26:44 PM
Author: Ellen
I think a nice ornament would be ''safe'' for all. I used to spend between 10-25, depending.

Were you giving $10-25 per aid? I like the idea of an ornament but nothing too fancy. Teacher''s aids don''t make very much (around $15 per hour in my district) and probably would like the idea of a smaller gift so if they reciprocate, they need not feel obligated to buy something pricey. FWIW, I''ve done a lot of volunteer work and was surprise by a nice gift that thrilled me simply because the I was thought of. It was a card and a food treat.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:36:34 PM
Author: MC
Were you giving $10-25 per aid? I like the idea of an ornament but nothing too fancy. Teacher''s aids don''t make very much (around $15 per hour in my district) and probably would like the idea of a smaller gift so if they reciprocate, they need not feel obligated to buy something pricey. FWIW, I''ve done a lot of volunteer work and was surprise by a nice gift that thrilled me simply because the I was thought of. It was a card and a food treat.

Yes, but I really didn''t ever have that many aids to buy for, it was mostly just teachers. (aids were pretty rare) I probaby spent 12-15 average.

As for reciprocating, I don''t recall an aide or teacher ever doing that, and I never expected it. That would get far too expensive for them to do!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:46:59 PM
Author: Ellen
Yes, but I really didn''t ever have that many aids to buy for, it was mostly just teachers. (aids were pretty rare) I probaby spent 12-15 average.

As for reciprocating, I don''t recall an aide or teacher ever doing that, and I never expected it. That would get far too expensive for them to do!

The school I volunteer for has tons of aids/assistant para-educators. Over 25 of them (including recess help, those who help with reading assessments, & developmentally disabled). Some classrooms have one or two every day and also there are volunteers, as well. I guess our district is lucky for that yet many classes don''t have any help at all. It seems a bit unbalanced. I had planned to get a gift for my son''s kindergarten teacher, but school is closed today due to snow AND my car is acting up.

I will give her the gift after the holidays.

 

[Haven]

Are you buying these gifts for colleagues, or for your child''s teachers and aides????

We don''t exchange gifts with colleagues because we have 20 teachers in our department alone.

I get a lot of gift cards and cookies from my students. People must think teachers need a lot of caffeine, because I usually get quite a bit of cards from Starbucks.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:46:59 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 12/17/2008 1:36:34 PM

Author: MC

Were you giving $10-25 per aid? I like the idea of an ornament but nothing too fancy. Teacher''s aids don''t make very much (around $15 per hour in my district) and probably would like the idea of a smaller gift so if they reciprocate, they need not feel obligated to buy something pricey. FWIW, I''ve done a lot of volunteer work and was surprise by a nice gift that thrilled me simply because the I was thought of. It was a card and a food treat.

Yes, but I really didn''t ever have that many aids to buy for, it was mostly just teachers. (aids were pretty rare) I probaby spent 12-15 average.


As for reciprocating, I don''t recall an aide or teacher ever doing that, and I never expected it. That would get far too expensive for them to do!

I think that the OP is a coworker of these people if I am understanding correctly not a parent...is that right Elegant?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:53:03 PM
Author: Haven
I get a lot of gift cards and cookies from my students. People must think teachers need a lot of caffeine, because I usually get quite a bit of cards from Starbucks.

Yummy! Starbucks is the perfect gift card suggestion.

 

[Elmorton]

For her colleagues (small dept - 5 other teachers), my mom usually does a jar candle (not Yankee, so usually $10 or less) or an ornament (she's in Foreign Languages, so if it's an ornament, it's made in a different country or something).

A friend of mine was a teacher/teacher's aid in a preschool, and the gift she received from both the head teacher and the parents was Starbuck's giftcards. Since she doesn't really like anything there, she took me out to coffee a LOT that winter, haha. But if you know that they DO drink coffee/hot chocolate/tea, Starbuck's is a great idea, I think.

ETA: The GC my friend REALLY loved was to Panera - she got a bunch of those too. There was a Panera close to the school, so that's where she went for lunch if she had a stressful day or forgot her own. Is there a sandwich stop/cafe near the school where teachers sometimes head for lunch?

 

[Haven]

MC--If your child is in a public school the aides are likely only assigned to classrooms with a particular percentage of special education students, as per law. If there are no aides in some classes that probably means there are no special education students in those classes.

It is very nice of you to give gifts to teachers.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:57:18 PM
Author: Haven
MC--If your child is in a public school the aides are likely only assigned to classrooms with a particular percentage of special education students, as per law. If there are no aides in some classes that probably means there are no special education students in those classes.

It is very nice of you to give gifts to teachers.

My older son's class has the students who need help leave class for certain learning activities (rather than have an aid active in class). That class sure does need a PT aid in there as the kids are literally out of control. Throwing pillows during "quiet time," breaking pencils, drawing inappropriate pictures, throwing paper airplanes, etc. Originally my son was placed in a split class but I was very pushy to get him moved out of there only to have him put in a class full of monsters! Anway, I'm going off topic here. Possibly my older son's teacher could use a spa weekend?

 

[Haven]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:56:34 PM
Author: MC

Date: 12/17/2008 1:53:03 PM
Author: Haven
I get a lot of gift cards and cookies from my students. People must think teachers need a lot of caffeine, because I usually get quite a bit of cards from Starbucks.

Yummy! Starbucks is the perfect gift card suggestion.

Starbucks gift cards are great. I love to save them for lazy Sundays when I have time to go out and read on my own. I love to curl up on one of their big, puffy chairs with a good book and a hot cup of their caramel apple spice.

I like to think that people give me Starbucks cards because the company was named after Starbuck from Moby Dick, but I'm pretty sure it's just because of the caffeine thing . . .

ETA: I'm sorry to hear about your son's class, MC. That's horrible. I hope the teacher can get them under control, it's hard to learn when other kids are acting up.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I gave Starbucks GC''s with a personalized note from my son (the student....).

cheers--Sharon

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 2:02:27 PM
Author: Haven

Starbucks gift cards are great. I love to save them for lazy Sundays when I have time to go out and read on my own. I love to curl up on one of their big, puffy chairs with a good book and a hot cup of their caramel apple spice.

I like to think that people give me Starbucks cards because the company was named after Starbuck from Moby Dick, but I''m pretty sure it''s just because of the caffeine thing . . .

ETA: I''m sorry to hear about your son''s class, MC. That''s horrible. I hope the teacher can get them under control, it''s hard to learn when other kids are acting up.

Thanks. It''s a horrible situation. The kids will simple walk out of class and run around out in the court yard. The office has a view from their window and they even commented to me about it!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:54:18 PM
Author: neatfreak


I think that the OP is a coworker of these people if I am understanding correctly not a parent...is that right Elegant?

You are correct. Multi tasking and missed that. Thanks neat!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Maybe a $10.00 starbucks giftcard tucked into a travel mug? Starbucks has the really pretty red sparkly mugs right now...they are lovely and about $10.00 each.

 

[Elmorton]

Haven - I think you''re definitely right about the caffeine. If parents felt it was appropriate to give GCs to a liquor store, I''m sure they''d do that instead

 

[Elegant]

Date: 12/17/2008 1:54:18 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/17/2008 1:46:59 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 12/17/2008 1:36:34 PM

Author: MC

Were you giving $10-25 per aid? I like the idea of an ornament but nothing too fancy. Teacher''s aids don''t make very much (around $15 per hour in my district) and probably would like the idea of a smaller gift so if they reciprocate, they need not feel obligated to buy something pricey. FWIW, I''ve done a lot of volunteer work and was surprise by a nice gift that thrilled me simply because the I was thought of. It was a card and a food treat.

Yes, but I really didn''t ever have that many aids to buy for, it was mostly just teachers. (aids were pretty rare) I probaby spent 12-15 average.


As for reciprocating, I don''t recall an aide or teacher ever doing that, and I never expected it. That would get far too expensive for them to do!

I think that the OP is a coworker of these people if I am understanding correctly not a parent...is that right Elegant?

That is correct, I am a 4th grade teacher and I have 2 aides that work in my room. I am also talking about my coworkers - there are 3 other 4th grade teachers that I need to purchase gifts for. Also, one of my aides doesn''t work full-time, is married, and has a gorgeous ering and w-ring. The other one is retired.