How Come Elementary Teachers Get All the Gifts? - WeAreTeachers

As the holiday flavour moves into full swing, I ever find the teacher-gift conversation interesting. My own children are in unproblematic school, and my wife has been prepping gifts for their teachers. I'm on board, especially since I tin can relate to the didactics grind. I get information technology. A gift is a nice way to acknowledge educators for their commitment to students, a thank-you for their efforts.

As a high school teacher, though, my experience is a little dissimilar, at to the lowest degree compared to my elementary teacher friends.

I commonly have somewhere between 130 and 150 students each semester. It takes a while to acquire the names, and occasionally I end upwardly with more Madisons than I ever thought possible, but I manage. I encounter a large number of students, merely I'm only one of six teachers on their schedule. I'm just a pocket-sized portion of their 24-hour interval—approximately an hour. In other words, I don't await to receive much, gift wise. And that's totally fine. If annihilation, it makes it that much more than special when I do, because it'south rare.

On the flip side, my brother, an elementary school teacher, typically receives more than gift cards than he could e'er hope to apply.

His typical class size is somewhere betwixt 23 and 29. Those are his students for the year. He is their teacher for the twelvemonth. What does this mean? Each yr he gets quite a holiday haul, loading up his auto with gifts and driving domicile, probably smiling from ear to ear. Not only does he have the next two weeks off, he too has gratuitous breakfast, tiffin, and dinner for the duration of break. Must exist nice.

I never claimed to be in the teaching profession for the holiday gifts.

I loved (and nonetheless love) my subject area and wanted to make learning an enjoyable feel for my students. But every now and then, I think nearly my brother and his glut of Applebee'south, Starbucks, Subway, and Tim Hortons gift cards. Nosotros've been logging the same hours. We've been prepping our lessons. Nosotros've been making the aforementioned drive—he teaches in the building next to mine with only a parking lot separating united states of america during the solar day. However, what a different feel we have the week before suspension. Am I jealous? Well, maybe a little.

Every bit much equally I similar to joke about how I should've been an elementary teacher, I don't think families should feel obligated to purchase gifts.

It's a tangible expression of gratitude, and certainly a thoughtful gesture, but not everyone is in a financial position to do that. At that place shouldn't exist any added pressure to purchase gifts this time of year, nor feelings of shame for being unable to do so.

For me, it comes down to a desire to feel appreciated. That's all.

In a profession that oft seems thankless and not worth the stress, a little acknowledgment goes a long fashion. Whether it's from an administrator, parent, or educatee, it's just nice to hear—at least once in a while. One of my former students routinely contacts me and even makes time for a visit when he's in town from California. He reminds me of how my teaching influenced him and oftentimes assures me he'due south nevertheless applying that cognition. In that location's no gift card that could ever express that kind of lasting gratitude for the countless hours of planning, grading, and instructing. It's priceless. So if a teacher souvenir is your fashion of expressing cheers, wonderful. If it'south a kind email, hearty handshake, or even a hug, even better.

Just … I practise like Starbucks and Biggby. Simply saying.

We'd beloved to hear your experiences—what have been the best teacher gifts you accept received? Exercise y'all get less as a high school teacher or more? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, the best presents for teachers.

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Source: https://www.weareteachers.com/elementary-teacher-gifts/

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