Teacher Appreciation Gift
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The school year is coming to a close that means it’s time for teacher appreciation gifts. My kids get out of school this week. Crazy! I can’t believe it’s time for summer again. Looking outside, my weather definitely didn’t get the memo…rainy and cold all week. Not exactly fun weather for field trips to the zoo. Although the weather may not be sunny, these fun little buckets are sure to bring a little sunshine to a favorite teacher.
This is a perfect gift for the end of the year the best time to buy supplies when they are on sale just before school starts. You may want to tuck this idea away for next year and stock up on extra supplies when you are buying them for the school year.
Supplies:
• Bucket (from the Dollar Spot)
• Foam block (the kind for flowers)
• Skewers
• School supplies
• Ribbon or tulle
• Wire (thin)
• Glue (hot glue or glue circles)
• Pre-shredded Filler
• Rocks
To start, put a few rocks in the bottom of the bucket, this will add weight and help stabilize it. Next cut the foam to size, use a serrated knife and trim down the foam so that it will fit snugly in the bucket. Trim the top of the foam if it is sticking up above the bucket. There will be some extra space in the bucket, cut small pieces of foam and fill in the gaps. It doesn’t have to look pretty.
Now take your pencil and add a line of glue or a few glue circles and attach the skewer. You are trying to have the skewer hidden as much as possible, so make sure it is below the eraser.
Next take a piece of ribbon or tulle, scrap pieces work great for this, and tie in around the pencil and the skewer. Continue the same process with the remainder of the supplies, leave a few pens and pencils without a skewer, they can be put directly into the foam.
Try to create some height variations by cutting off some off the skewers shorter and some longer. Poke the supplies into the foam, some in the front and some in the back. You want the taller ones in the back and the heavier ones, like a glue stick close to the front, resting on the foam.
Instead of a card I thought it would be nice to include a clip and a sticky notepad. I wired the clip onto the skewer. The clips I used were too small for a full notepad, I broke mine in half. I had my girls write a nice note to their teachers. Put the notepad in the clip and stick the skewer in the foam.
When all of the supplies are where they need to be you can glue the filler to the foam, hiding all of the foam. Some glue on the skewers is okay, but it is better not to get in on the supplies.
Make a nice big bow and glue it to a skewer then insert it into the bucket.
You are ready to brighten a teacher’s day.
This post was created by All Things Target DIY/Crafter Kamee.
This is a very sweet and nice gesture, but to be honest- this is more of a present for the classroom, not the teacher. It would be much more appreciated at the beginning of a school year, especially as teachers have to pack up their rooms at the end of each year and this adds to the items to pack. Also, classrooms go through so many school supplies that a simple package of pencils or glue sticks would be much more appreciated and helpful. As a former teacher, I would have much preferred a nice card from the student and/or family as a “gift” (or even a small present). I spent thousands of dollars of my personal money on school supplies, and I always appreciated contributions, but they are not “gifts” to me, but to our class.
thank you for doing this, however I agree with the above.. 🙂
Thanks Kamee for thinking of others ideas and ways we can say thank you for our teachers! Some other teachers might find this very helpful and useful for the coming years, they might not be able to spend their personal money to have extra supplies. Teachers gifts can be used for classroom or personal. Not all ideas can please everyone, but great idea!
Jane-I agree it is nice, and it looks like an effort of love, and very time consuming. It is very thoughtful for Kamee to think of giving to her child’s classroom. Many people don’t. As a teacher, I love and appreciate when parents contribute, and I would appreciate if someone took the time to do this. It looks like a lot of effort and is very cute. But I agree that this is not really a present for the teacher or an appropriate “thank you”. A teacher will see it as someone giving their classroom a few supplies at the end of the year. When I had a family lawyer to help care for an aging relative, I sent a card expressing my appreciation and some fancy chocolates. Giving your lawyer office supplies to thank them would be thoughtful, but do you suppose they would feel very appreciated by that gesture? What if you gave a janitor a bouquet of cleaning supplies to thank them? I gave the janitor who cleans my classroom a couple of movie tickets, popcorn and treats to thank him for his efforts for my students and me. Teachers are just like anyone else, they appreciate thoughtful handmade notes from students, notes from families, small gift cards, et cetera that really show you appreciate their efforts, dedication, and time. Kamee is a gem to think of her child’s teacher, and it looks like a fun project. It would be nice, though to give a gift that is really for the teacher.
I think we should not get all technical. We all come to All Things Target because we love the blog and ideas. Let’s not get distracted by trying to prove points. Sometimes people don’t have the funds to buy all “gift cards and presents” that are being mentioned. Although I agree too it can been seen as more as material for the classroom. I think we all can agree that it’s better then nothing and more then a simple thank you note. I don’t think we should get distracted from the purpose of the project is to say thank you, so for others to say your welcome! And appreciate the gesture. Have a good day keep smiling.
So that’s not my picture. This is from a different Sarah M then is listed.. I have no idea what happened. My apologies, not stealing an identity.