Question about buying for teachers and their assistants

**ajrsmom** · #1 (**permalink**) 12-10-2008, 07:14 AM

My daughter has a kindergarten teacher and one assistant--my question is should I buy the same Christmas gift for both of them so that I don't cause any hurt feelings?

We made "Boo" bags for them for Halloween and I gave them the same items in the bags, just with different patterns.

Should I do the same thing for Christmas or is it ok to buy the teacher something different? What do you do in this situation?

barbszy · #2 (**permalink**) 12-10-2008, 07:28 AM

Tami, I usually give the same gift to the teacher and the aide. Those aides are HARD WORKING!!

**Coll** · #3 (**permalink**) 12-10-2008, 04:48 PM

I think I get the teacher a nice small gift and maybe the aide a batch of homemade cookies. If you have a Bath and Body Works nearby, a gift of hand lotion would be nice for the aide.

daffodils4u · #4 (**permalink**) 12-20-2008, 07:12 AM

to all of the teachers.

For my younger dd's preschool we will give the same gift to both the 'regular' teacher, and the 'assistant' and the same gift to the other people that teach my dd at that preschool, just minus the gc. The candy jar will be the same, but just no gc.

For my older dd's gifts, she will give candy jars to all of her teachers, the principal, the nurse, the guidance counselor, the gym teacher and the librarians, but her main teacher will get a gc.

Tucked in a bag, the other teachers won't know they aren't receiving a gift card, and if they do know, that's ok, but in the same classroom, they get the same gift.

By the way, these candy jars are homemade, using the art jars from the craft stores. I calculated out the cost, it's about $2.50 per jar, once you get the Hershey kisses in there. The craft I chose was a bhg.com craft (sorry Amanda, I use your crafts so often for Christmas gifts!) and is called Dancing Snowmen Jars. These are just really sweet, and fun for my girls, age 7 and 4.

Hope that helps.

Deanna

Deidra · #5 (**permalink**) 11-24-2009, 04:47 AM

My son has special needs - he is mainstreamed but pulled out by several resource teachers so he has lots of teachers. He also has 2 bus drivers. So we have 10 gifts just with teachers.

The best gift I have got the most comments was last year, I collected all his main teachers signatures (from letters/notes home) and scanned them and sent them to vistaprint and ordered them each signature stamps. They loved it. That way they can stamp their name to important documents and letters and save a few steps writing. They were pretty cheap and the teachers can use them forever, just refill the ink and go. I give gift cards at the end of schools and just to the main teachers, we give the other teachers something small.

Deidra

motherof2 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 06:43 PM

My son has a general ed teacher and learning lab teachers. I do something for all of them but it is not a whole lot since I have to buy 7 teachers something just for him and then I have another son that has 2 teachers to buy for. The one that has 7 is because his general ed teachers is on Maternity leave and has a sub for 3 months so I feel it is only right to get her something as well.

**bar_bar** · #7 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 08:09 PM

remember it the thought behind the gift more that money value.
teachers just appreciate that a parent thinks of them and the aide feels the same way.

I know one yr when I was working almost 2 wks in the same classroom, since I was a sub, I recieved a gift, boy did that make me feel good. LOL
but I've heard teachers in the break room and thing that are homemade are very special to them, because they know that someone took the time to make it.

cau · #8 (**permalink**) 11-06-2011, 11:58 AM

I would give them the same gift, having worked in the schools I know it is often the aide who will work one on one with students.

KSJEn6891 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-07-2011, 02:10 PM

Being that I have worked as both an Aid/Assistant and a Lead Teacher - I can agree that both are equally hard workers in the classroom, and your child is very lucky to be able to have an aid/assistant that can be a regular extra pair of hands, ears, and eyes. However, understand that the Teacher is the one who has gone through a minimum of three (3) years to earn his/her teaching credentials to be able to teach your child a good education, and the assistant/Aid is just beginning their teaching credential education (or is earning credits for some other class/school work). With that said, get them both a gift if you choose, but not similar. You have two unique individuals that have come together in your child's classroom not only as a support system for your child but also as a support system for each other, your family as a whole, and your community. And although it may be inexpensive for you to buy a bulk item, it means more to the receiver to know that you thought of them personally and not as an added thought. Also, if the Aid/Asstant has been working on a one-one basis with your child then feel free to give him/her the more thoughtful gift, if it's the teacher who works more with your child than give him/her the more thoughtful gift. Example: homemade vs store bought, gift card/certificate vs card, etc. And ask your child which he/she prefers to give a nicer gift to since they are the one(s) who are with the Aid/Asst and teacher the most. Also, on a side note check to see if the school has a policy that prevents the staff from receiving "personal" gifts on their campus (I've run across a few who don't celebrate Christmas and therefore do tolerate Christmas gift exchanges on their campus').

KSJEn6891 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-07-2011, 02:13 PM

On a personal note, I actually preferred the gifts children made themselves and gave to me when I was both an Aid/Assistant and their teacher over bought gifts. To me it meant that I was really reaching the child(ren) that they would be thoughtful enough to create something for me. To this day I actually still have some of the gifts in my holiday boxes, as the children didn't make just Christmas gifts.