Wall of Encouragement
I did something that I have never done before.
I did not get the teachers of my children any gifts this year. Let me repeat that as you all gasp in horror. I DID NOT buy/make anything for the teachers this year. I know. I know.
The bulletin board in the photo above has been dubbed the ‘wall of encouragement’ by teacher Lisa B. These are cards and letters all thanking her for the role she has played in the lives of her students.
She says she loves all the gifts she receives because they are from her students, but what she loves the most are the thank you cards, “they may not be legible or spelt correctly, but that is what makes them all the more special.”
Putting ideas into action
Teacher Lisa B. keeps and displays each and every card she receives. She shared with me that some times the students are surprised that she keeps them, “but I feel it teaches them that I value their words and the time it took for them to write the card.” Pause. Any chance I can go back and repeat grade 7 with Lisa B as my teacher?
So, I got to thinking, we should put this idea into action.
I happened to have in my drawer of stationery (can we say hoarder?) a very cool Moleskine Note Card . It is a bit of a book meets greeting card mashup.
Make things easy. And meaningful.
As you can see the little guy had some fun with drawing and writing a short note to his teacher.
Beyond the obvious reasons (have your forgotten you are reading the blog of a letter loving gal) why I would like this way of thanking a teacher, it is easy AND meaningful. (Please keep reading for some additional gift ideas for teachers).
And, if school hasn’t finished yet in your neck of the woods, then I’m guessing that like most parents out there, you are scrambling, pulling your hair out trying to get the perfect gift for Mrs. Jones in Room 2B.
Take a load off. Get the kid to write a note, draw a picture and call it a day.
What is your opinion? Was I lazy and took the cheap way out? What do you do for the teachers at end of school
Other ideas for teacher gifts:
-classroom supplies
-a gift of your time; help out in the classroom or on a field trip.
-depending on your budget, tickets to a music or art festival (especially if they are art or music teacher).
-bounty from your garden