Teacher Gifts

Teacher Appreciation Sirsee

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DIY magnets

If you read my previous post about Teacher Appreciation Week, you know we organized a group gift of freezable meals for my daughter’s kindergarten teachers. We will be sending a little extra appreciation gift too. We made personalized magnets for the teacher’s white boards at school. I won’t lie to you; this little sirsee took some advanced planning.

I magnet things to the white board in my classroom all the time– attendance slips, papers without a student name, sample projects, just to name a few. I figured all teachers could use a good magnet. These little DIY magnets have a personalized thank you picture of the student, so the teachers will never forget the child– even if they try.

magnet supplies

Materials

  • scrapbook paper
  • clear glass stones or glass tiles (flat back)
  • Diamond Glaze
  • magnets (super strength)
  • photo address labels (pre-ordered)

Directions

  • A few weeks before you need the gift, make a sign that says “Thank You” and take a photo of your child holding the sign.

magnet thank you sign

  • I use Shutterfly, but any site with photo return address labels is fine. Order a sheet of return address labels with your “Thank You” photo in it. I have thought about other options for this, and I can’t come up with any. You need a tiny photo, and it needs to have permanent/sealed ink (like a sticker). I have tried printing my own photos on copy paper and photo paper, and the ink blurs when you use the Diamond Glaze. 

magnet labels

  • When the address labels arrive, cut the “Thank You” photo side away from the address label. I use a paper cutter and cut the photo so there is a small border around the edge. I tried to have a little thank you message printed in the address field thinking the whole sticker would fit under the stone– WRONG. Go ahead and print the photo with your real return address. If you use a paper cutter, the address side of the label is completely usable for any letters you mail. It’s kind of a two for one if you actually mail any letters.

magnet paper back

  • Put the stone on the scrapbook paper, flat side down, and trace a line around the edge. Cut out the shape of the stone and apply the “Thank You” photo sticker in the center of the scrapbook paper piece. My son squeezed a handwritten note onto the side of his magnet with the school year listed too.

magnet add sticker

  • Put a dot of Diamond Glaze in the center of the photo and press the flat side of the stone on top until the Diamond Glaze smooshes to the edge. Let dry. If the Diamond Glaze runs over, gently wipe with a damp paper towel. You may need to turn the stone upside down to let it dry.

magnet attach paper

  • Once the Diamond Glaze dries, put a small dot of Glaze on the back of the paper attached to the stone. Press the magnet into the center of the Glaze. Let dry completely. NOTE: You can’t have any run of the mill magnet for this job. You need super heavy duty magnet strength. The best part about these homemade magnets is the industrial strength pull. I found the super magnets at an art supply store, but I have seen them at my Ace hardware store and Michael’s Crafts. I like the small silver disc magnets, but I have also bought the black disc magnets.

super magnet

  • Instead of magnets, you could attach thumb tacks to the back with the Diamond Glaze and make a pushpin for the teacher’s bulletin board. I have also used these photo magnets as a gift for a grandparent, Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day.

finished magnet

Recipe for a Good Teacher

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recipe for a good teacher one card

Teacher Appreciation Week is on the horizon at my daughter’s school, which completely turns my idea brain into overdrive. We are implementing an idea I used during the nursery school years for the kindergarten teachers this year. We are organizing delivery of a week of freezable meals and a grocery store gift card.

E-mail the parents in the class with a list of suggested freezable dishes and ask for volunteers to deliver one item each day of the week. For those who don’t like to cook but want to participate, suggest a $5 donation (per teacher if there is an aide) and use the collection for a grocery store gift card. Finally, send 4×6 blank notecards with directions home via kid mail about 2 weeks before Teacher Appreciation Week. Ask the students to write a “recipe for a good teacher” on the card– or write a note– or draw a picture.

grocery gift card

The Giftcard to Kick Off the Week: Collect donations and purchase a gift card to the local grocery store. You can also pick up one of those hot/cold bags, so the teachers can transport their casseroles home. Deliver the gift card and freezer bag on Monday with a card letting them know that meals are on the way!

sausage artichoke soup

The List: I don’t want the teachers to end up with 5 pans of lasagna, so I send an e-mail to the parent group with days of the week and casserole suggestions. Parents sign up for a day and reply all to the group. Depending on your teachers, you can add bottles of red and white wine too. If your child has 2 teachers, ask that volunteers bring 2 9×9 pans of the same casserole, so both teachers get the same thing. Food should be delivered in disposable containers, so the teachers do not have to return the dish.

  • Tuesday: Italian
  • Wednesday: Soup or Chili (Sausage and Artichoke Soup is an easy freezable soup. Click the name for the recipe.)
  • Thursday: Chicken
  • Friday: Breakfast

recipe for a good teacher card

The Recipe Cards: The concept of a “recipe for a good teacher” is tricky for small children (and some parents). Children do not have to write a recipe. Any thoughtful note or picture will work. Teachers like to be recognized by their students in some way. If students write a recipe, it should list things the teacher does in class that the kids like and then put measurements next to it.

Deliver the recipes on Friday to wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week. In my experience, this gift is the most well received of any that I give. Delivering a freezable meal to any busy friend (not just teachers) is always appreciated.

Cocoa Kit 2.0

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interior cocoa kit

A few weeks ago, I shared a cocoa kit my children and I are giving to the teachers this year. Originally, I included some snickerdoodle cookies along with the cocoa fixings. Well, we ate all of the snickerdoodles before I could finish assembling the boxes, so I made a new batch of cookies this weekend. We used one of my mom’s recipes for Christmas Cookies (yes, that is the name– click for the recipe). They are a rolled cookie. We pulled out all of my mini cookie cutters, so the finished product looks like a little bag of animal crackers. They are perfect for the cocoa kits. I am re-posting the assembly instructions below along with new pictures.

After the events on Friday in Connecticut, I definitely want to let my children’s teachers know they are loved!

The Cocoa Mix: Click here for the Cocoa Mix Recipe I used. I put about two servings of cocoa mix in the plastic bag that went into the box. Alternately, you could simply buy pre-made cocoa mix.

cocoa stirrers with peppermint

The Chocolate Stirrers: I originally saw these candy spoons on Pinterest. I adapted the idea to make cocoa stirrers. Go to the Cocoa Mix Recipe for directions about how to make the chocolate filling for the spoons. After the chocolate is melted, turn the heat off and let cool slightly (5 min?). While the chocolate cools, rest plastic spoons on the handles of wooden spoons (or another kitchen item) to hold the spoons level. Place a gallon Ziploc bag in a large measuring cup and fold the top of the bag over the edges of the measuring cup. Pour chocolate into the Ziploc. Pull the Ziploc bag out of the measuring cup and hold it like a pastry bag. With scissors, snip off a very tiny piece of one corner and fill spoons with the chocolate. Hold your finger like a stopper over the opening of the bag as you move from spoon to spoon. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on the chocolate and let set.

wrapped cocoa stirrer

The Other Contents: I added mini marshmallows and about a dozen of the new little cookies. I have a big selection of holiday mini cookie cutters, and my kids cut out their favorite shapes (Christmas trees, mittens, candy canes, angels, Swedish horse…).

christmas cooki animal crackers

The Packaging: I need to buy stock in Avery labels and clear gift bags. I own almost every size possible. I wrapped the bowl of the candy spoon in a 3×4 inch clear bag and tied with raffia ribbon. I used my trusted clear bead bags for the cocoa mix, cookies, and marshmallows and printed small labels for each item. The boxes are Wilton Treat Boxes I purchased at Michael’s.

christmas cookies and cocoa kit

The Gift Tag: I printed a message and directions for making a mug of cocoa on cardstock and tied it to the top of the box. My kids signed their name at the bottom of the tag.

Christmas Cocoa Kit

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I donated to the teacher gift fund, so my children’s classroom teachers will be getting a group gift card from the class for the holidays, but I always like to send in a little something extra and personal.

This year’s Christmas teacher sirsee is a Cocoa Kit. I am not sure why I like “kits” so much (in the past year we have given Ice Cream Sundae Kits and Teacher Emergency Kits), but this kit is something the teachers can use at school or share with family at home. I should be able to create an assembly line in my kitchen and pack them up pretty quickly. I am going to make extra to take with us as hostess gifts to holiday parties or to give as gifts to friends and co-workers. What are other festive sirsees to give this holiday season?

The Cocoa Mix: Click here for the Cocoa Mix Recipe I used. I put about two servings of cocoa mix in the plastic bag that went into the box. Alternately, you could simply buy pre-made cocoa mix.

The Chocolate Stirrers: I originally saw these candy spoons on Pinterest. I adapted the idea to make cocoa stirrers. Go to the Cocoa Mix Recipe for directions about how to make the chocolate filling for the spoons. After the chocolate is melted, turn the heat off and let cool slightly (5 min?). While the chocolate cools, rest plastic spoons on the handles of wooden spoons (or another kitchen item) to hold the spoons level. Place a gallon Ziploc bag in a large measuring cup and fold the top of the bag over the edges of the measuring cup. Pour chocolate into the Ziploc. Pull the Ziploc bag out of the measuring cup and hold it like a pastry bag. With scissors, snip off a very tiny piece of one corner and fill spoons with the chocolate. Hold your finger like a stopper over the opening of the bag as you move from spoon to spoon. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on the chocolate and let set.

The Other Contents: I added mini marshmallows and a few cookies to the kit. I used snickerdoodles because I think they are a good dipping cookie for cocoa or coffee. I think gingersnaps or a classic Christmas sugar cookie would work well too.

The Packaging: I need to buy stock in Avery labels and clear gift bags. I own almost every size possible. I wrapped the bowl of the candy spoon in a 3×4 inch clear bag and tied with raffia ribbon. I used my trusted clear bead bags for the cocoa mix, cookies, and marshmallows and printed small labels for each item. The boxes are Wilton Treat Boxes I purchased at Michael’s.

The Gift Tag: I printed a message and directions for making a mug of cocoa on cardstock and tied it to the top of the box. When we are actually getting ready to deliver, I will have my children sign their names on the tag rather than using The Room Mom!

Gift Card Wallet

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Have you ever seen a teacher without a teacher bag? I haven’t. In my case, I have a giant teacher bag with a reinforced bottom. It can hold a grade book, file folders, sets of papers, and a binder or two. My big ‘ol teacher bag does not have room for my purse, and I do not want to lug around an extra piece of luggage to school every day. Instead, I keep my debit card, driver’s license, and maybe a few dollars in a small wallet that can be moved easily from my teacher bag to my regular purse as needed. Most teachers I know have a similar “mini wallet” system.

I needed a small birthday gift for a co-teacher at my school, so I decided to fill a mini wallet with a gift card. My birthday buddy can use this little sirsee as her “teacher bag wallet” after spending the gift card. If you are planning on giving a gift card to a teacher this year, step it up a little and enclose the gift card in a cute little wallet-y coin purse type bag. It will be the gift that keeps on giving! Plus, it meets the generic but personal criteria for teacher gifts.

The Wallet: I found these sewing cards by Valori Wells that have easy patterns. I used the Little Wallet pattern card. If you have two fat squares of coordinating fabric, you can make two to three wallets. I sewed a snap to the inside, but a button or other embellishment can be added to the outside of the flap for looks. The finished wallet has three pockets.

Uses:

  • Gift card holder
  • “Go” wallet that transfers between purses and work bags
  • Grocery (and all other stores) loyalty card holder
  • Sandwich and frozen yogurt shop punch card holder

Gift Card Ideas: Some gift cards work better in $5 or $10 increments. Here are my suggestions. What am I missing?

  • Starbuck’s (or other local coffee shop)
  • Barnes and Noble (or other book store)
  • Nail salon
  • Gas station or grocery store (not very sexy but useful)
  • Sandwich shop (particularly one that is close to the school)
  • Movie theatre (include enough $ to buy 2 tickets)