<p>I admit that this question is weird but I don’t know much about American culture
so I have to ask here.
I am going to give gift card to my son’s counselor and two teachers who wrote
recommendation letters for my son.
My budget is limited but I don’t want be rude, so how much is good enough?
I prepared nice journals for teachers from department store already but I think
adding gift card is better idea.</p>
<p>I honestly don’t think they expect gifts. A sincere thank you note from your son would mean a lot to them. He can do it now, or once he has acceptances. Maybe others will have a different opinion, though.</p>
<p>I do not know anyone who gave a gift like that to the GC or teachers. A thank-you note is more appropriate. Even better would be a letter to the school principal for that GC or teacher’s permanent file commending the excellent help that person has given your child through this process.</p>
<p>My daughter gave gifts to both of her rec’s, got them both a mug from her ED school. In addition, we gave one a $10 Starbucks card (he ALWAYS) had Starbucks in hand, and the other a couple of bags of Sweedish Fish which she knew he loved. The GC got nothing, she was worthless.</p>
<p>I’d suggest a nice, handwritten note instead.</p>
<p>Agree, a handwritten note should always be given, gift or not.</p>
<p>If you want to give them something, a jar of homemade jam or a batch of homemade cookies or the cultural equivalent would be in good taste. You are not paying them off.</p>
<p>My kids, back in the day, did give small gifts along with a handwritten thank you note. Those I can remember were lotions from Crabtree & Evelyn, a book about a known shared interest, a photograph of the teacher in her classroom taken by my son and framed, and a pretty plant for the counselor’s office. No gifts were expected, I’m sure, but every one of these people were very helpful and knew the family well by the time the kids were seniors. I think gifts are more common in some areas that others, and perhaps more so at private high schools than at public ones.
Our family is big into gestures showing thanks, and small gifts are something we do for most people we know whom we have personal relationships with, especially relationships built over time. We tend not to give gift cards or monetary gifts- except to those in the service industries or those we employ.</p>
<p>Here in Iowa public employees, including all teachers, cannot accept gifts worth more than $2.99. Most schools are pretty strict about this rule, so I would go with the thank you note</p>
<p>We gave $10 Barnes and Noble cards to teachers and GC. No rule about giving gifts here in Texas. Everyone gives Christmas gifts to teachers in elementary, and many continue to well into JH and HS.</p>
<p>Save any gift card for after graduation. At this time of the school year the student is still attending the school and could be embarrassed. NO gift is or should be expected for doing an expected part of one’s job. Writing letters of recommendation, no matter how glowing, is an expected part of HS teachers’ and GC’s jobs. You should not feel any “payment” is expected. Any thank you should come fromn the student- it was done for your child, not you. If exceptional work was done over the 4 years you may want to give an appreciation gift after graduation. Then your child will no longer be a student and there will be no sense of bribery et al. Consider giving a donation to the school’s guidance department to help future students as your child was helped.</p>
<p>Notice that many posters have suggestions about what the STUDENT, not you as a parent, could do. Most HS students do not have any funds of their own they can afford to spend- most educators would rather the money went for their future college expenses. Discuss with your child and see what they feel is a good idea. You don’t want to appear as though you were buying the teachers’ favor.</p>
<p>My kids both gave their GCs and teachers who wrote recs a coffee mug from their college of choice filled with Hershey Kisses. I saw one of Ds teachers recently and, unprompted, he told me that he still has the mug (4 years later) and that it meant a lot to him. Made me happy :)</p>
<p>D2 gave special gifts to her teachers. She gave a leather bound book to her favorite English teacher, a scarf to the history teacher who was always cold. For her GC, who was very helpful, a pretty scarf. For her advisor, a bracelet. I made cookies for all others. We didn’t give money.</p>
<p>My son gave gift cards specially picked for each teacher (stores they really liked) along with a handwritten thank you notes to teachers that either wrote LORs for apps or scholarships, as well as his GC. All were teachers who he had long term relationships with during his high school years as both teachers/coaches so we were a bit more generous. He did this at the end of the year so there was no conflict. </p>
<p>I think anything your student does to recognize their help (mug, cookies, small gift card, etc), along with a sincere handwritten note, will be very appreciated.</p>
<p>We also had limited means, so what we did was assemble Christmas gift baskets with coffee, candy, hot chocolate and a thank you note tucked inside. Also, at our school, one particular office worker was in charge of all the ‘dirty work’, faxing transcripts, processing requests etc., so we gave her a gift basket as well. Other people gave fifty dollar gift cards to each recommend-er.</p>
<p>American tend not to give cash as much. At my kid’s school some teachers got gift certificates to spas, starbuck, book stores, even restaurants.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you.
Every post is helpful.
My son is very grateful to his teachers so he will write thankyou /christmas card himself.
We are going to send small gift for teachers.</p>