May is Teacher Appreciation Month. What are parents and students expected to do? Most teachers, particularly those in high school, have no expectations for gifts. However, giving them something as a token of your appreciation for helping your child learn and grow is a nice gesture. Here are some ideas for gifts that we got from teachers themselves:

Gift Cards

With budget cuts, teachers spend a lot of their own money on supplies for their classrooms. Why not give them gift cards to office supply stores, or bookstores to help defray their costs? If you want to focus on gift cards that could be used personally, how about movie tickets, iTunes gift cards, or gift certificates or for a favorite local restaurant?

From the Mouths of Babes

Many times a teacher would like to know they are making a positive impact on their students. Why not have your son or daughter write a note telling their teacher what a difference she or he has made in their life?  Or how about recording your child reciting poems they learned in English or a song from music class?  A thoughtful gift like this can be priceless for any teacher.

Donate to a Cause

If the teacher has a particular issue near and dear to his or her heart, like animals, helping support music in schools, healthy living or protecting the environment, you could make a donation to a like-minded organization in his or her name.

Teacher appreciation does not have to be expensive or time-consuming. A thoughtful gift can go a long way!