Because our school is a co-op and we only have one paid employee, our teacher, all the moms have to work. So our kids' teacher is kind-of also our boss. But since I'm on the board of directors, the teacher is also our employee. Let's just say it's a complicated relationship.
But I can say that their teacher wholeheartedly loves our kids and has their best interest at heart.
Every year for Teacher Appreciation Day we pool together money for a gift card and pass around a card for the moms to sign. This year, instead of the card with the generic message from parents, I decided to try something new.
Each child got a slip of paper (made from Jack and Logan's cut-up paintings that they made at school). Their parent was supposed to ask their kid about the teacher and write down their response on the slip of paper.
For example:Logan said, "She help me learn criss-cross applesauce." (That's the politically correct way of saying Indian-style.)
Jack said, "I like her. She helps when we have problems."
I collected all the slips of paper and put them in a jar (decorated with ribbons by another mom at school). This little jar of sweet and funny notes will be given to our teacher tomorrow for Teacher Appreciation Day.
Hopefully, when she's had a rough day at school (and there are certainly plenty of them with a classroom full of little maniacs) she can pull out a note or two from her littlest fans and know how much she is really appreciated.
I saw this idea on Tip Junkie from Imperfectly Beautiful's Valentine's Day teacher gift.
OH! I love it! Money free appreciation. I so want to boycott mother's day presents this year, wait I am boycotting giving gifts for Hallmark holidays. All I need is a hug and some listening ears to show me they love me :) Thanks for the award. Because I am lame I am just now putting it up :) Have I told you how much I like your blog? I do! You rock!
ReplyDeleteNO WAY!!!!!!!!! THATS why my kid says "criss cross applesauce"?!?!?!?!?!?! I had no idea! and I bet frank is clueless too.. oh, i cant wait to tell him that! ur idea, btw, is exactly what i would picture YOU, ya know, my hippie dippie trippy friend, to come up with. SOOOOO much better than a card from the store! AND OF COURSE ur reducing, reusing, and recycling! hehe
ReplyDeleteThat is such a lovely idea! The teacher is truly blessed to meet parents like you.
ReplyDeleteI love it! As a former teacher I think it is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea!!!!! I think you might want to offer to wrap this in some kind of cloth, so that she can use it as an eco-friendly Kleenex... she's gonna cry!! ;O)
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!
What a perfect idea! I love it. Parents are on their own for TA Week in our school district. A little sad, I think. Your school sounds like a great place.
ReplyDeleteOh, how sweet! I might try that with Emily's class! But I'll have to be quick! {Why didn't I think of that?}
ReplyDeleteIt looks so nice...she will LOVE it!
Being a teacher turned mommy...I know that she will totally love that. Nothing better than reading sweet comments from "your kids". Very sweet of you and way to recycle!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great gift...and I bet some of the comments from the little kiddos are VERY entertaining!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea!
ReplyDeleteI love the term criss cross apple sauce. Tommy learned it in preschool and said it to me once and I thought it was a fancy way of telling me he wanted applesauce. He was all, "NO Mommy, it's how you SIT!" Oh. Whoops.
That is such a good idea! I love it...maybe I should make one for my hubs.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I finally mailed your bag out yesterday.
Well that is the true meaning of appreciation... And all recycled as well. Killing two birds with one stone.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. In fact, I am sitting here trying to imagine if I could pull it off at my son's preschool. I know I could. I am just trying to figure out if it is possible this week for appreciation week. That might be too much (we only have it MWF) but it would be a nice end of the year gift, too. Thanks for sharing! I love it.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely idea!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet idea! I'll just bet this would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift from my seven children... *nudge, nudge*
ReplyDeleteWhat an AWESOME idea!!! I bet she loves it, I know I would.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea so much. I am stealing it ;)
ReplyDeleteI saw the note/jar idea on Tip Junkie a while back and had forgotten about it - what a wonderful extra treat to use the kids' artwork!
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea, your kids are so lucky to have you as their mommy.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be a small glitch with my blog button, but I'm hoping Tanya will help me get it straight. I guess that is what I get for bragging about doing it myself :)
This is auch a great idea! I would have loved this when I was a first grade teacher. :)
ReplyDeletei cant see the button either.. i wrote her about it.. i just wanted to leave it up there so she can see what im talking about..
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea! Regarding TAR, I wish you luck. I want my kids to go, I have tried to convince them but they are just as determined not to. I wish you two luck and promise when you get on you'll be my favorite team.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a teacher. I've never heard of "criss cross applesauce" but I bet it's in my near future. Now I'll know what it means!
ReplyDeleteThis is a GREAT idea! I'm definitely using it!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE, LOVE, Love this idea! It's these types of gifts that make a teacher feel Oh So Loved!I taught prek for 28 years and I have every little trinket I was honored to receive! I am going to share you and your post on my FB page here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/LearningIsChildsPlay
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