Growing up with both parents teachers at an urban public high school in California, I saw first-hand the impact that education budget cuts can have on teachers. My dad taught graphic arts, and frequently dug into his own pocket to keep his classroom supplied with printing equipment, inks, paper, and later, even desktop computers. Funding for vocational classes like his all but disappeared as higher-ups decided every student should be on a college track. To get the funds to keep his class relevant, my dad worked weekends and evenings printing brochures, newsletters, flyers, and T-Shirts for local businesses, plowing the proceeds back into classroom supplies.

My first “job” was screenprinting thousands of T-shirts for a local housing developer; I earned minimum wage but the classroom gained two new computers. Even many years later my dad still runs into students who thank him for what they learned in his class. Some are former gang members, or recent immigrants who barely spoke English — not typical college track — but they’ve been able to find good jobs in printing or graphic design thanks to having learned real world skills on up-to-date equipment.

The “Great Recession” Erased Many Teachers’ Budgets for Classroom Supplies
So it comes as no surprise to me to hear that many teachers are responding to draconian budget cuts by using their own money to purchase classroom supplies. As school districts across the country (CA, PA, OH, FL, NY, GA, ID, VA, HI, KS, and more…) contend with reduced funding, few classrooms are fully equipped with essentials like books, office supplies, craft materials, games, paints, puzzles, science projects and more.

At the same time, despite the clear preferences of teachers to the contrary, many well-intentioned (and equally cash-strapped) parents spend money buying the kinds of trinkets and knick-knacks that are frequently marketed as the “perfect holiday gifts for teachers“. Teachers don’t expect to receive Christmas gifts from their students, but in many schools it’s a fun tradition and a way for students (and parents) to show their appreciation.

Give the Gift Teachers Appreciate Most
I’ve yet to meet a teacher who would prefer an apple trinket or yet another coffee mug to school supplies, books, project materials, or other gifts that would benefit their entire classroom. Giving classroom supplies as a gift is better than traditional “teacher gifts” in several ways:

• There’s no need to worry about what the teacher likes and doesn’t like; they need this stuff
• It’s a gift that benefits the entire classroom, including your own kids
• Giving to the class rather than to the teacher avoids the muddled legal boundaries surrounding gifts and public employees
• Nothing better communicates that you respect and appreciate the work the teachers are doing than giving a gift that helps them do it better

This year, if you’re in the fortunate position to be able to afford to have your kids take a Christmas gift to school for their teachers, consider ignoring the cute gift shop marketing, and instead gifting something much more practical, like classroom supplies.

If classroom supplies don’t seem like the most exciting gift idea to you, try these tips to turn even the most “boring” holiday present like a gift card or a box of paper and pencils into something unique and personalized that is fun both to give and to receive:

• Accompany the gift with an handmade thank you note created and signed by your child. It costs nothing, and teachers love receiving things made by their students. Many teachers say that the most meaningful gifts they’ve ever received have been simple thank you notes.
• Try making your own “School Supplies Gift Basket” starting with a simple basket and filling it with essentials like pencils, whiteboard markers, construction paper, erasers, hand sanitizer and the like. Try making a fun spiral pattern or line pencils around the edges like a castle. Your kids can probably help with the creativity part ; )
• Consider offering some of your unique skills along with (or in place of) supplies. For example, if you’re a sculptor, you might donate some modeling clay and also offer to do a demonstration for the class.

Finally, if you support the idea of “Chalk, Not Tchotchkes”, please consider spreading the word by sharing this post on Twitter or Facebook or wherever your virtual friends hang out.

This holiday season, give chalk, not tchotchkes!

• Consider having your child bring a personal thank you card rather than a gift
• Ask his or her teacher which supplies are most needed
• Many PTAs coordinate teacher wish lists
• Consider volunteering a few hours of your time instead of spending money
• Donations of used books, electronics, art supplies and school supplies are generally appreciated
• Many schools prohibit gifts of food items – ask first!
• As government employees, many teachers are prohibited from accepting personal gifts. Give to the class instead!

Most requested supplies:

• pencils
• erasers
• glue sticks
• crayons
• whiteboard markers
• folders
• flash drives
• books
• pencil sharpeners
• art supplies
• student rewards (or my personal favorite)

See more of the most requested teaching supplies organized by grade level and subject area.

INFOGRAPHIC DATA SOURCES:

http://christmasgiftsforteachers.com/gift-preferences-poll
http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/24/news/economy/public_school_teachers_budgets/index.htm
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2024437,00.html
http://www.care2.com/causes/california-teachers-buy-supplies-and-clean-classrooms.html
http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/07/08/teachers-spend-1.3-billion-out-of-pocket-on-classroom-materials.aspx

Special Thanks to St Louis graphic designer Blue Canary Design for the awesome art!

Related items

• Teacher Christmas Gifts

Looking for a great Christmas gift for teachers? Choosing the right gift for a teacher can be difficult — first, there is the question of how much to spend. Second, you might not know the teacher very well, which generally makes personal items like clothing or knick-knacks a poor choice. Last but not least, you may have to contend with school regulations and guidelines on gift giving which further limit your options.

Despite the seeming difficulty of choosing a Christmas gift for a teacher, the rewards can be worth it: some of the teachers I surveyed said that receiving gifts and thank you notes from their students (and their parents) was one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching. Some retired teachers I know have kept all of the thank you notes and gifts they’ve ever received over the years, proudly displaying them as evidence of the many lives they’ve touched. Teachers do one of the most important jobs out there, yet they generally don’t receive a lot of prestige (or pay). Giving a thoughtful gift is an opportunity for you to show how much you appreciate the work that they do. A great gift for teachers doesn’t have to cost a lot of money — the most important thing is the thoughtfulness and care you put in to the gift, which shows the teacher that you truly respect them and appreciate what they do — and that is a gift that they will truly always cherish!

“I am a preschool teacher and [...] I deeply treasure every gift I have received from every student and even write their names and the date on each one so when I get them out to display them every year I am reminded of them! These children are so proud of the gifts that they have lovingly picked out, I wouldn’t trade them for anything!”       ~Teacher from Indiana

Our Suggestions for the Best Teacher Christmas Gifts

The following list of teacher Christmas gifts is just a starting point. Please make sure to also read my advice on how to choose a Christmas gift for a teacher, and my list of recommended gift ideas for teachers. You can also browse according to gift occasion, recipient, or type, by using the navigation menu on the right hand side of the page.

• Book: I Remember My Teacher
  Author David Shribman spoke with 365 people of all ages and backgrounds to find out about the role that teachers played in their lives. What emerged is a story as surprising as it is heartwarming, and one of the best books for truly understanding the enormous impact that teachers have in our society. A gift that will be appreciated by pretty much any teacher!
• Custom Gift Card
  Gift cards and gift certificates are almost always the most-wished for gift among teachers, and they are especially practical when you don’t know them very well. But how do you make a gift card a bit more personal and unique? Finally, someone came up with a solution: GiftCards.com lets you customize gift cards with a picture of your child or a thank you note, making this gift both personal and useful!
• Book: New Yorker Book of Teacher Cartoons
  Apparently teachers are a source of great humor for the witty intellectuals at the New Yorker, as they’ve produced an entire book of cartoons just about teachers, making for a perfect gift for a teacher with a great sense of humor. Try this one for your English teacher, art teacher, philosophy teacher, or any other intellectual teacher, as they are probably most likely to be a fan of the New Yorker!
• Custom Photo Gifts
  Print a photo of the class on a coffee cup or a mouse pad. Make a calendar with all your child’s favorite memories from the year. With a few photos and a little bit of imagination, the opportunities for great gifts for teachers are endless!
• Hand Sanitizer (Bulk Pack)
  Give the gift of good health! As you can imagine, teachers and daycare providers go through a lot of hand sanitizer around this time of year, making this a very practical and appreciated gift, especially for elementary school teachers and kindergarten teachers.
• Apple Basket — for your homemade gift basket!
  Use this super-cute apple basket as the starting point of a unique homemade gift basket with your teacher’s favorite foods, a book or two, and a sincere thank you card. Voila! The perfect Christmas gift for teachers!
• Lenox Apple for Teacher Christmas Ornament
  Elegant yet understated, leave it to Lenox to make a beautiful Christmas ornament gift that won’t just get thrown away!
• Gingerbread Cookie-scented Bath and Body Kit
  Like a relaxing day at the spa, but in one low-priced gift basket!
• Give the gift of spa! Shop SpaFinder.com
  A visit to the spa is appreciated by nearly all women I know, but is a particularly good gift for younger female teachers.
• Craft Kits and Supplies
  Teachers of younger grades (elementary school, preschool, kindergarten) who do lots of craft projects are always having to restock their supplies (often out of their own money. You can get “Craft Kits” with dozens of fun goodies suitable for making all kinds of creative projects.
• Gift Cards for Less than Face Value!
  Plastic Jungle is one of those ideas so simple and brilliant you wish you’d thought of it: people sell their unwanted gift cards for less than face value; you can therefore buy a great gift card for a teacher at less than its cash value! The recipient doesn’t know that you got a great deal (although I hope they wouldn’t mind anyway!), and the upside is that you get a lot more bang for your buck. This would make a great gift for high school teachers, music teachers, the gym coach, the bus driver– anyone you don’t know as well but still want to show your appreciation for.
• Discounted Gift Cards
  Why pay full price for Gift Cards? Did you know it’s possible to buy unwanted gift cards at huge discounts to the face value? The recipient will never know that you didn’t pay full price, but definitely will appreciate the extra spending power!
• Book: Give Your Teacher This Note
  Humor and inspiration in one delightful gift for all teachers!
• Book: Chicken Soup for the Soul Celebrates Teachers
  The delightful Chicken Soup series always makes for a great gift, but this special edition is unique, a commemorative dedicated especially to teachers and the gifts that they give our children every day.
• Teacher’s Coffee Mug
  Coffee mugs are a popular gift for a reason: everyone can use more coffee mugs! This one stands out with a unique hand-painted sculpted ceramic design. Ask your child if the teacher drinks coffee before getting them a mug, of course, and it generally makes a better gift for new teachers than for more experienced teachers who may have already collected a lot of mugs over the years!
• Make a Donation in their Honor
  Here’s a great gift idea: Make a donation on behalf of the teacher to an organization that you know they would like to support. Include a note telling them how they inspire you with the good work that they do. Perfect for that idealistic government/ history/ environmental science teacher.
• A Nice Pen
  A nice pen can make an elegant gift that everyone can use. This is one that male teachers will like as well! For a very special thank you (think advisor, long-time coach, favorite teacher, etc), nice metal pens can even be engraved to add a personal touch.
• A Day at the Spa
  A trip to the spa is a luxury that few teachers can afford on their own. But how many would like it? Ummm, pretty much all of them could use that kind of relaxation!

More Teacher Christmas Gifts

• Coffee Mug filled with chocolates or gourmet coffee
• Handmade thank you card from your child, with a gift certificate for a nearby restaurant
• Craft supplies the teacher can use in their class
• Books are generally appreciated by teachers
• Gift Certificate for an office supply store
• Coffee mug with photo of the class
• Handmade Christmas Ornament
• Personalized Photo Book with best memories collected from the class
• Gift certificate for a bit of relaxation at the spa
• Gourmet Gift Basket
• Thoughtful, hand-written thank you note – this is the most important element and should accompany any gift!

Related items

• “Give Chalk, Not Tchotchkes”
  If You’re Giving a Teacher Gift this Year
• Gifts for Female Teacher