Teachers? Idea of gift of under $100

[TheGirlCanSkate]

for my child's first year of teaching? I am considering a mini fridge or microwave or tower fan. He is teaching a super underprivileged inner city school. Right now he has cabinets in the room but they are all locked and no one has a key and the admin are unconcerned and said sometime this year they will have someone rekey them. He has a room but they might move it the night before school starts due to some staff reshuffling and he has no projector or other overhead projection. I checked out projectors but they are a little out of my price range but I might find him a loaner until they got him one. Some background, he typically packs lunches and likes to be healthy. He is planning on feeding any hungry students out of his own pocket things like granola bars and fruit. Or should I give him cash and let him decide? The only hard part about that is that he uses public transportation so if he needs something heavy, I would need to bring it to him.

 

[MacMadame]

You can buy a serviceable projector for about $50-100. But I wouldn't buy that because probably there's one at the school he could borrow when he needs it. He probably won't need it often enough to have to have his own. Hopefully, they have a teacher's lounge with a microwave and fridge as well.

How about a gift card for a store like Costco? He could buy lots of snacks there both for his lunches and for his kids or he could get office supplies for the classroom.

Here in the Bay Area, there is a place where teachers can fill up a bag with "stuff" for $1 a bag. The stuff is usually donated by companies -- leftover binders, copy paper, fabric, foam, and weird stuff that can be used in class projects. But you need a membership. If they have something like that in Chicago, you could buy him a membership.

Or a gift card to some place like this:

http://www.chicagoteacherstore.net

 

[PDilemma]

Some schools don't allow microwaves or mini-fridges in classrooms.

I second gift card to teacher store. Or an Amazon gift card.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I think s halo would be good
G-d bless him. And congratulations to you for raising such a fine man.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Thanks - he will get my Costco card - my husband goes more often than me anyway. I think I will give him the option of a Costco card or projector or fridge. It doesn't need to be a surprise, I just want him to have what he needs. He has already spent too much of his own money buying the kid's crayons, paper, pencils, and pens. He will have almost 200 kids and he is teaching 2 grades of English including one sheltered English class and one honors class. It is a crazy undertaking in an area where a parent's first concern is safety, drugs, and violence. They do not have any computers (even for the teacher). The kids get to use a computer lab for testing once a week - the school is very low test scores. But they do not get to use them for projects, etc.

I am worried and proud. It's a huge jump from student teaching to being a teacher.

 

[PDilemma]

Thanks - he will get my Costco card - my husband goes more often than me anyway. I think I will give him the option of a Costco card or projector or fridge. It doesn't need to be a surprise, I just want him to have what he needs. He has already spent too much of his own money buying the kid's crayons, paper, pencils, and pens. He will have almost 200 kids and he is teaching 2 grades of English including one sheltered English class and one honors class. It is a crazy undertaking in an area where a parent's first concern is safety, drugs, and violence. They do not have any computers (even for the teacher). The kids get to use a computer lab for testing once a week - the school is very low test scores. But they do not get to use them for projects, etc.

I am worried and proud. It's a huge jump from student teaching to being a teacher.

I was an English teacher. One thing I would suggest for a low income school that you could do to help is provide books for his classroom. Students need books to read outside of the texts and a lot of low income kids are not going to have much access to books of their own or even the library. A good sized gift card to a book store or Amazon would help him build a classroom library. Or even volunteer to find YA books at used bookstores to stock his room for him. That takes time and time is a precious commodity for first year teachers, especially in English as the grading load is tougher than a lot of other subject areas.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Yes, I am super fortunate, a teacher retiring in my neighborhood gave me his set including multiple copies of books for reading circles for my son. He cannot use his cabinets - no one has the key and the school said they have no idea when they will remove and replace the locks. So that kind of sucks. They cover all the walls.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Thanks - he will get my Costco card - my husband goes more often than me anyway. I think I will give him the option of a Costco card or projector or fridge. It doesn't need to be a surprise, I just want him to have what he needs. He has already spent too much of his own money buying the kid's crayons, paper, pencils, and pens. He will have almost 200 kids and he is teaching 2 grades of English including one sheltered English class and one honors class. It is a crazy undertaking in an area where a parent's first concern is safety, drugs, and violence. They do not have any computers (even for the teacher). The kids get to use a computer lab for testing once a week - the school is very low test scores. But they do not get to use them for projects, etc.

I am worried and proud. It's a huge jump from student teaching to being a teacher.

I am now officially angry. I don t know what area your son teaches in. But we live in a land of plenty. There should not be schools like this. Schools should be a first priority....not an after thought.

 

[Aceon6]

Unfortunately, US schools are funded mostly through property taxes. Those who live in wealthier areas are very reluctant to change the system.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I am now officially angry. I don t know what area your son teaches in. But we live in a land of plenty. There should not be schools like this. Schools should be a first priority....not an after thought.

That is why I know he could work in our local schools but he didn't even apply. And it was what gave me peace of mind with his decision. Every child deserves teachers who care and who are smart and talented. He will be that person for them. Even if he is lacking basics, he can make it work.

He was told to set up his room so he has been doing it. Then he was told he might have to move rooms the night before school starts. I told him after work, his sister and I would help him move if he has to move and we will help get his room ready. I wanted to spend the money on him, because I think he will turn around and spend it on kids. Which is fine but he needs to care for himself too.

 

[intheknow]

Maybe, if he stays in the same room, you could pay for a private locksmith to come and re-key the cabinets?

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

We are going to see if there is a number on the locks on Monday - if there is, a locksmith might be able to rekey without going to the school.

 

[PDilemma]

Maybe, if he stays in the same room, you could pay for a private locksmith to come and re-key the cabinets?

He could get in trouble with his district for doing something like that. Rules for how you treat school property can be pretty strict.

@TheGirlCanSkate I would make sure he has permission from his principal and the district or building's maintenance department before you do anything with those cabinets.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

He could get in trouble with his district for doing something like that. Rules for how you treat school property can be pretty strict.

@TheGirlCanSkate I would make sure he has permission from his principal and the district or building's maintenance department before you do anything with those cabinets.

That is why we wouldn't have someone enter the school. But many cabinet companies will send replacement keys for about $10 and a lock smith can make a key using the code and not going near them. But we need to know that is for sure going to be his room before stressing. If Monday they ask him to switch, he can switch.

 

[dinakt]

My husband lists electric tea kettle and a mug as necessities; second come house plants and a printer.
Best wishes to your son!

 

[screech]

As a teacher (in Canada) so much of my money goes to my classroom. Gift cards for Wal Mart or a dollar store go a long way.

For something personal for him, if you think he'd enjoy it (a lot of men don't) a professional massage is fantastic. I spend so much time hunched over my computer preparing, or over papers marking. To top it off, my school's air conditioning blasts cold air all year round (despite numerous complaints from teachers and students) so there was a week last year due to hunching from the cold, I strained my neck and one of my shoulders was up around my ear for a few days. Massages (or chiropractic care) are amazing and definitely appreciated.

Another thing is a good pair of shoes. A lot of teachers are desk teachers (spend most of their time sitting) but a lot are also those that stand and walk around a lot. A quality pair of comfortable (but professional) shoes with good soles can help out a lot too.

 

[msbeachskate]

I taught English in Watts in one of the poorest performing high schools in the LAUSD. Do NOT buy any equipment like electric teapots or mini fridges. They will be stolen. If you get him a projector figure out a way he can carry it around with him all the time-like in a backpack and make sure it never leaves his sight. Keep important ID and credit cards hidden and not immediately available, as one would do when traveling to pickpocket happy countries/cities such as Greece, Rome or Barcelona. Do keep at least $20 in pocket so you can appease muggers, who are not usually students.
Learn more survival techniques like these from fellow teachers. Having said all this prepare and then don't think about any thing but your students.
Teaching kids who really need you and will change their lives for the better because of you is a joy. And sometimes, unfortunately, a heartbreak

 

[msbeachskate]

Sorry for messing up messages I don't do this often

I taught English in Watts in one of the poorest performing high schools in the LAUSD. Do NOT buy any equipment like electric teapots or mini fridges. They will be stolen. If you get him a projector, figure out a way he can carry it around with him all the time-like in a backpack and make sure it never leaves his sight. Keep important ID and credit cards hidden and not immediately available, as one would do when traveling to pickpocket happy countries/cities such as Greece, Rome or Barcelona. Do keep at least $20 in pocket so you can appease muggers, who are not usually students. Learn more survival techniques like these from fellow teachers. Having said all this after you are prepared don't think about any thing but your students.
Teaching kids who really need you and will change their lives for the better because of you is a joy. And sometimes, unfortunately, a heartbreak.

I taught English in Watts in one of the poorest performing high schools in the LAUSD. Do NOT buy any equipment like electric teapots or mini fridges. They will be stolen. If you get him a projector figure out a way he can carry it around with him all the time-like in a backpack and make sure it never leaves his sight. Keep important ID and credit cards hidden and not immediately available, as one would do when traveling to pickpocket happy countries/cities such as Greece, Rome or Barcelona. Do keep at least $20 in pocket so you can appease muggers, who are not usually students.
Learn more survival techniques like these from fellow teachers. Having said all this prepare and then don't think about any thing but your students.
Teaching kids who really need you and will change their lives for the better because of you is a joy. And sometimes, unfortunately, a heartbreak[
/QUOTE]

 

[Matryeshka]

I suggest you and your son wait. My first year teaching like you my mom went out and bought me stuff. Like your son, I cut my teaching teeth in a tough place (seventh ward projects in New Orleans--Medard H Nelson).

Your son is new and doesn't know what he needs. I bought many useless things, or things that were not immediately necessary. Projectors are nice. They are not required. I wish I had waited and bought more pencils. THOSE are necessary. The best thing he might need is a gift card to FedEx Kinkos. Many schools limit copies. Some lower income schools have VERY strict copy limits and not even enough class copies of the textbook (or in my case NO textbooks).

Also, for many reasons--more than I'm going into here but just trust me--do not buy snacks for students. DO NOT. It never ends well. No matter what movies and inspirational books say don't do this. His job is not to save children--it is to teach students. Kids smell saviorism a million miles away and in the long run resent it. I've seen teachers try this. They now sell real estate.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I taught English in Watts in one of the poorest performing high schools in the LAUSD. Do NOT buy any equipment like electric teapots or mini fridges. They will be stolen. If you get him a projector figure out a way he can carry it around with him all the time-like in a backpack and make sure it never leaves his sight. Keep important ID and credit cards hidden and not immediately available, as one would do when traveling to pickpocket happy countries/cities such as Greece, Rome or Barcelona. Do keep at least $20 in pocket so you can appease muggers, who are not usually students.
Learn more survival techniques like these from fellow teachers. Having said all this prepare and then don't think about any thing but your students.
Teaching kids who really need you and will change their lives for the better because of you is a joy. And sometimes, unfortunately, a heartbreak

He had his garbage can stolen already. :/

 

[fsfann]

Also, for many reasons--more than I'm going into here but just trust me--do not buy snacks for students. DO NOT. It never ends well. No matter what movies and inspirational books say don't do this. His job is not to save children--it is to teach students. Kids smell saviorism a million miles away and in the long run resent it. I've seen teachers try this. They now sell real estate.

This is one area where I have to disagree. If a teacher's job is to teach students, they need to be sure that students are in a place where they are capable of learning. If a student is coming to school hungry, they will not be focused on learning. While I don't think it's good to be taken advantage of, a lot of schools run breakfast programs for this very reason. You know, the whole Maslow's Law of Hierarchy and meeting basic needs first. A kid who had to look after their younger siblings while their mom or dad was working all night, or home passed out is not likely going to give a rats a$$ about learning about fractions or grammar facts.

Too much focus is on academic results in our schools today. When will schools learn that meeting basic social, emotional needs first will actually lead to improved test scores...

 

[nyrak]

for my child's first year of teaching? I am considering a mini fridge or microwave or tower fan. He is teaching a super underprivileged inner city school. Right now he has cabinets in the room but they are all locked and no one has a key and the admin are unconcerned and said sometime this year they will have someone rekey them. He has a room but they might move it the night before school starts due to some staff reshuffling and he has no projector or other overhead projection. I checked out projectors but they are a little out of my price range but I might find him a loaner until they got him one. Some background, he typically packs lunches and likes to be healthy. He is planning on feeding any hungry students out of his own pocket things like granola bars and fruit. Or should I give him cash and let him decide? The only hard part about that is that he uses public transportation so if he needs something heavy, I would need to bring it to him.

You should be very proud of your son. What about, besides a gift, contacting Ellen...she (and corporate sponsors like Shutterfly and others) helps a lot of underpriviledged schools on her show. Best wishes to your son & his students.