I received some really nice letters at the end of the year. One time a parent wrote a letter thanking me for helping his son and sent one to the principal. I also have a nice throw blanket, a handmade scarf. Not a gift but I was invited to the HS and college graduation of a former sped student.
A student received an Easy Bake Oven for her birthday one year. On my birthday she used it to make me a cookie which she decorated herself. I was moved beyond tears because I knew it truly came from her heart.
I got a very large Pampered Chef cookie tray stoneware with some baking accessories one year! Of course it wasn’t the most meaningful gift, but I really enjoyed it!
But I also really appreciated the handmade jewelry, knitted scarves/hats, and crafts I got from students (even if I didn’t wear them after that student left my classroom ) because they were so thoughtful and heartfelt!
Most meaningful are definitely the handwritten cards by both students and parents. I also really like ornaments with the student's name on it. I have a few memorable students that gave me ornaments and I think of them every year when I put up my tree.
I have a student who, in the third grade, is basically raising himself. His dad is a single dad who works long hours out of town and mom is a druggie from what I gather. He somehow still ends up being a very good an sweet kid despite this.
Well for Christmas he made me a card by hand and I can ell by looking at it that he spent a long time on it. Inside is a necklace from a gumball machine and 5 dollars that he wrote came from him piggy bank.
This was so heartfelt because he wanted to get me something and because he, and not a parent, thought of me and wanted to do something nice for me. this was all on his own.
Last year I had a student who had nothing but was very artistic. He gave me a piece of wood he decorated as a snowman. I’m keeping it because I’m sure he’s going to be a famous artist. I made him sign the back.
I’ve also gotten a gorgeous blanket (from a kid who wasn’t even mine) and gift cards. This year I got a water bottle from a student because she sees mine all the time.
My 1st yr teaching I had drs, lawyers, professors, DA, 2 major cocaine dealers ( found out yrs later on the news/ cousins), high profile, wealthy parents. There was a jeweler in the mall near the school. I got some beautiful and very expensive, gifts that yr. ( I remember rubies and sapphires were my fav then.)
The most appreciated and needed gift came though in the days really before gift cards existed in my memory. It doesn't seem like an extraordinary gift now, but at the time it was to me.
We were in debt up to our eyeballs and barely making ends meet. It was a 20 dollar gift certificate to a restaurant w/ really good food. It is amazing how food tastes better when you are poor! Also, how 20 bucks stretched in those days! I still remember that joy when I opened that gc. I'd never gotten 1 before.
At this point in my life, thank you letters are the nicest gifts to receive.
If I had to do it all over again, I'd give younger teachers (from my kids), gift cards because I now know that some are poor and appreciate some good food. I think people tend to assume that teachers always have everything they need esp where I am at now.
It is a lot different from where I started out.
The best gifts for me are handwritten notes. I also love when they draw a picture of me . I have to say though that I once received a Coach clutch with a $50 gift card to my favorite restaurant. That was from one of my most difficult students ever (parents were awesome though).
High school teachers don’t get so many gifts since every child has 5 or 6 teachers plus counselors, coaches, and others...
When I was pregnant with my son (37 years ago...) my homeroom had a baby shower for me. It was even on a Saturday at the home of one of the students. They mostly gave me little baby clothes, but one girl gave me a trike that her small brother had outgrown!
I did get a number of nice art pieces from talented kids. Here’s one:
The best Christmas gift I ever got from students was a wrap with sleeves. It was like a sweater thing. I liked it so much because I wore other ones all the time because I was always cold in my classroom and the student picked it out himself because he thought I'd really like it.. since I wear the other ones often.
My first year teaching I had a new baby at home. One of my students (who didn't have much herself) bought a Beanie Baby for my son.
The other gift that holds a special place in my heart is a handmade snow globe with a picture of the student in it. The young lady had been through an incredibly hard stretch and hadn't connected with anyone in school until we met in summer school the summer before she came to my room. We connected and I requested she be moved out of the class she'd been assigned to and into mine for the school year. When she presented me with that gift, I had to hold back my tears. I was devastated when she was removed from her home and our school by family services shortly thereafter.
I've had so many. My all time favorite was the year I got married. My students through me a shower. One of my parents was a florist and she gave me a wedding package for free as her gift. My most thoughtful student gift came from a couple of years ago. We have bucket fillers each Friday to establish community and she gave me a metal bucket full of bucket fillers for each day of the summer that she had handwritten. I know that it took her weeks to come up with something different and special for each day of summer. I still have them and read them.
I received a letter from a student who had moved to a different school the district the year prior. It came through inter-school mail. It said, "Not all superheroes wear capes. Miss Agnes is my super hero because she always listened to me, and helped me learn."
One year I had a student "Laura" who was living with her aunt and uncle because her mother was in prison. There was definitely little money in that house. On the last day of school she came in and said "Mrs. H, I realized last night I didn't give you a present this year!" I told her no gift was needed. That she was a wonderful student to teach and that was good enough! She replied, "Well, I just looked around my room and found everything that I thought you would like or need!" and she handed me a shoebox she had covered with brown paper. Inside were all kinds of treasures- one of her favorite stuffed animals, a pen, a bracelet she made, some loose-leaf, a small shell, a small notebook, etc.. It was truly a gift of the heart. I put the box where I would stumble across it at the beginning of each year. It always reminded me of what an important job we all have. I tear up every time I see "Laura's box." It truly was one of the best gifts I ever received.
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12-24-2018, 04:44 AM
) because they were so thoughtful and heartfelt!
I still remember that joy when I opened that gc. I'd never gotten 1 before.
. I have to say though that I once received a Coach clutch with a $50 gift card to my favorite restaurant. That was from one of my most difficult students ever (parents were awesome though).
