Teacher presents.......

As in "cadeaux", not as in the teacher is presenting something........

By the time kids get to about Grade 6 or 7, the notion of "teacher gifts" is moot-the kids don't usually want to show that they like their teachers (egad! a fate worse than death!), and that they (the kids) are sooooooo grown up that they don't do these babyish things. And, in times like these, that works fine for me (being a teacher of Grade 6/7). Until this school. This is a school with a very strong family feel- everyone has known everyone else since they were babies and their mothers took the same pre-natal yoga classes, or the kids went to the same ballet classes and sailing school in the summers. The families are generally "old" families- have been in the area for years-and many of the mothers do not work (or, if they do, they are doctors who share practices with other mom/doctors, or else they teach piano in their homes). Don't get me wrong- there are other families with two working parents, or families who have split up, or families that look a fair bit like mine. There just seem to be more of the first kind. As well, all of the teachers with school aged children who work in this school have registered their own children as students in this school. The place is almost magical-the families support the place and work hard to ensure their children have the best education.

So-the first year I worked in this school, the kids didn't know me very well, and I was only teaching half time-and I was teaching Grade 7- so I was not all that surprised that I received only a few modest gifts. That was about 5 years ago. Since then, and since I have gone back to working full time, I have to say I have been almost embarrassed by the gift giving. It has been , well lavish. And many of the gifts come with hand made cards telling me why they wanted to give me something (worth their weight in gold). The gifts are usually useful, thoughtful, interesting, and unusual. And I always feel a bit guilty- after all- I work, I receive a salary, is a gift really necessary? And I do so appreciate how the kids are trying to pump me for info about my favourite things- like, " Oh, Mrs. W., what do you think of such and such a store? I hear it has many art supplies-is that where you like to buy your art supplies?" Or....."I see you like coffee-my mother says that such and such has the best coffee. Do you agree?" They are really quite sweet.

But here is my dilemma. My child goes to this school. And I, of course, am responsible for the teacher gifts for them. And this year, she has 3 teachers- the homeroom, the teacher who teaches 3 afternoons every week, and the french teacher. I work with these ladies. So this year, here is what I did-

The hat that Annie is modelling is a French beret for the-yes, you guessed it- the French teacher. Made out of Rowan Polar (so sad it is discontinued-LOVE that yarn).

The second gift is for her homeroom teacher- a lovely lady whose favourite colour is blue. I used Noro Silk Garden (another favourite)-I really like the wavy edge of this scarf and the colours- certainly not really caught in my blurry photo.

The third is another Noro scarf-Kureyon this time- for the third teacher. She is a kind of outdoor/sporty girl, who wears a fair bit of brown and olive green.

I plan on putting some candy in with the gifts and a note. But I hope this is enough? I went with the theme of "yard duty" for each of them (we have a large flat schoolyard just a couple of blocks up from Lake Ontario)(and the wind really blows hard up there). But none of the ladies are "crafty". They appreciate what I knit- all have made comments on my projects, but...?

I just don't know. I find selecting teacher gifts really quite difficult.

Onto other news- at school today, the floor was a slick- wet with melted snow, and I had a fall. I hurt my knee and my hip. So I am going to go and put said leg up and see if I can get it back in working order.

On that note- good night!