Perfect time to show your child's teachers how much you appreciate all they do are holidays. So, try to get to know what your teachers really want. Favorite gifts cited were candles, plants, candy, and fruit baskets.
1. Write from the Heart
we get used to think it's rustic, old-fashioned, but getting a thoughtful thank-you card from a student is a hundred times better than a bottle of perfume or a knick-knack, trifle, a 7th-grade social studies teacher, echoing a common sentiment. Consider a poem or letter of thanks from your child is like a gesture that's truly appreciated. Tell them a story about a special moment during the school year or about what school would be like without a favorite teacher. Also you can begin to think about writing a letter to the principal lauding a teacher's good work and mailing a copy to that teacher. Or take the initiative to nominate her for an award such as Scholastic's National Teacher of the Year Award, if you feel a teacher is especially noteworthy.
2. Get Together and Give
Gather parents and children of a grade together to work up a sweat while doing something nice for teachers. You can organize a free collective car washing just for teachers in the school, or clean and smarten the teacher break room with wildflowers and fresh-baked goodies. If parents can volunteer in the classroom and take over for a few hours, put together a luncheon for all the teachers so they can really sit down and relax for awhile together. Give everyone a task such as making centerpieces, place cards or tablecloths while parents take on food duty, bringing in favorite dishes to share.
3. Gifts from the Class
perfect present from the class is a poster with every child's handprint under a "thank you" banner, cookies made by tiny hands, or a simple framed class photo signed by the children. For the reasons given above, when ask what holiday gifts mean the most to them, teachers always answer, "something handmade by the class." Another great cooperative class idea is to have each child create a flower out of cardboard and paint, or wires and fabric, and create a bouquet that will brighten the winter days.
4. Give to the Classroom
many teachers pay for school supplies out of their own pockets, so a gift basket filled with colorful pens, paper clips, post-its, stickers, stamps, and other office goodies is always a favorite gift. There are great items that help the teacher stay organized; it can be calendars and so on. If you can organize the parents of the class, ask the teacher for a "wish-list" of books (and even software and videos) and assign parents a book each to create a new classroom library.
| 
