<p>My son is a senior who is going through the college application. Three of his teachers wrote most of his college recommendations and we like to give some small gifts as a token of appreciation for their time and effort. </p>
<p>At the dinner tonight, we discussed it. My wife and I like to give Starbucks gift cards, but my son disagreed and he thought giving a gift card is like giving cash, so it is not appropriate. </p>
<p>Here are my questions to many seniors and their parents:</p>
<p>1) Do you give any small gifts to those teachers who wrote the college recommendations?
2) What did you give? </p>
<p>Actually, son wrote a note of thanks immediately while also mentioning he would let them know of decisions when they came in. Once he made that decision in the spring, we ordered a couple different mugs from the school and I took them to our local florist who added flower arrangements and for the guys on the list, I bought some lollipops and other candy to add for a more manly affect - our florist did an incredible job. Son delivered with a verbal thank you. And if there is a secretary that coordinates paper work for the college counseling office, please don’t leave her off the list. At our school, she makes sure everything gets to where it needs to go and ON TIME!</p>
<p>My S will wait until late December to distribute these. He will gift the two teachers who wrote fab LORs and his GC. Each will get a Starbucks card and calculus t-shirt (math teacher), a multi-slot picture frame (GC) and a two in one tea pot and cup (English teacher.)</p>
<p>If S gets in SCEA in a couple of weeks, he said for himself he wants to order the t-shirt from the school. For that, I said I’d spring for express delivery … or maybe I will just run down the street a block to the neighbor’s house and borrow one of their shirts, since they both graduated from there. LOL, they would be thrilled to hear it (their S, who would be a double legacy, is thankfully a year behind S in school.)</p>
<p>Didn’t get a chance to discuss this with D2 today: one of her teacher told her he had mailed her recs this morning, and on her lunch hour, she went to the nearby amazing bakery and brought him back his favorite cookies. Not as good as home made, in my book, but the fact that she took care of this immediately and all by herself is appreciated by me, and probably this teacher as well!</p>
<p>I think anyone would appreciate cookies or baked goods. A handwritten thank you note would be great. </p>
<p>If you can wait until your son decides where he is going to college: why not give a little penant or coffee mug (many college bookstores let you order online and they ship) from the college?</p>
<p>I think a gift card is totally appropriate, and probably very much appreciated. You want to do it with forethought, though. If they are serious coffee drinkers-Starbucks is perfect. If not, bad gift. We gave one counselor an REI gift card (athletic store, and she was a serious athlete). If you know something that the counselor likes, and give them a nice card with an appreciative comment from your kid—and a well thought out gift card, I can’t imagine they wouldn’t like it.</p>
<p>D1 came back from her admitted student visit with coffee mugs from the school of choice for each teacher. One had attended the arch-rival school so it was particularly fun to deliver. She did write each a sincere thanks, and I’m sure that was the most appreciated part of the gift. She also makes a point to check in with them when she’s in town. She visited one teacher’s class on a break during her freshman year and gave a heart-felt talk about the importance of taking advantage of high school to learn to write well. I’m sure this was appreciated more than anything else she could have done.</p>
<p>If I give a gift card to a teacher - I usually make it to a bookstore. I figure they ought to like reading even if they don’t! Aside from that, bookstores don’t just sell books. (Of course Starbucks doesn’t just sell coffee, but it’s more targeted.)</p>
<p>I think a personal thank you note immediately is not only the :nice: thing to do, but absolutely required. Gifts, whenever and however they come, are totally optional.</p>
<p>My son did a handwritten note with a Starbucks gift card inside. The teachers were quite appreciative. (There is a Starbucks near the school, so the teachers dont’ have to go out of their way to use it.)</p>
<p>Regarding home baked goods: I’ve had several teachers tell me that home baked goods from students go in the trash can (risk of drugging, etc.)</p>
<p>Another thought is grocery store gift cards. All of my kids’ schools sell them for fundraising. I bought a few last year and gave them to teachers as holiday gifts. In the past, I’ve purchased Starbucks or Barnes and Noble cards, but everyone shops for groceries, so perhaps they are more welcome in these lean times.</p>
<p>Now I wouldn’t do this because I don’t bake, but never would of thought of this! My D takes stuff she bakes to school all the time (she LOVES to bake, but doesn’t like chocolate) and everyone, including teachers seem to enjoy. Of course, it’s almost as if it’s been taste tested when the kids are scarfing down the fudge. I have to say though, better to be safe than sorry.</p>
<p>I had always thought that home baked goods (if well done) were a perfect gift. But H’s brother teaches middle school and he said he would never consider eating food a kid brought him. He doesn’t take it into the lounge, either. Just straight in the trash. I’ve asked teachers since then and some have said the same thing.</p>
<p>With that said, we still brought a pineapple upside down cake to our kids’ elem school teachers at Christmas every year. (A tradition H’s mom started way back when.) When a teacher has a kid all day every day, they tend to know the family, too, so I’m pretty sure they knew the cake wasn’t drugged.</p>
<p>Ds made apple pies and wrote a nice note to his recommenders weeks ago. An extra teacher was asked for his rolling decision apps who is diabetic and so he hasn’t done anything yet, but he’ll probably go with a Starbucks gift card and note this week.</p>
<p>D1 bought ready made cookie dough and bake chocolate chip cookies and included thank you card for all of her teachers around Xmas. When she decided on her college, she bought a mug and fill with See’s candies and gave to all of them in April.
I personally don’t like giftcards with small value of money because I tend to loose them or not use them when I need to do it.</p>
<p>Since the economy tanked, I’ve been giving gift cards (mid level restaurants mostly) in instances that I’d normally give a different kind of gift. I think they’re very likely to be used. (My pet peeve is getting a $20 gift card to a restaurant that two people can’t get out of for less than $80. That is why I try to give gift cards for places on the level of Chiles.)</p>
<p>If you thought the teacher was extraordinary, see if your student can nominate that teacher for “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.” It can only happen if a student initiates it, I believe. If approved, they will always know they are listed, might add the honor to their resume. If they want to fork over $40 they can also buy the optional engraved plaque for themselves – or give the $40 towards the plaque, as your material gift.</p>