Gifts for teachers?

 

I adore a pair of earrings that I got from a student the other day.  I recently pierced my ears, an act that went unnoticed by my husband but not the 7 year old girls in my reading club.  While I have given lots of teacher gifts myself (to my kids' teachers) the season of gifting spurred the bi-annual question I ponder when some kids come laden with gifts.  Should professional teachers, who are paid to do their jobs, be gifted by families appreciative for the service to their child?

Did you give your obstetrician a "mug" after the safe delivery of your child? 
Do you give your lawyer earrings after she settled your divorce?
Did you give your plumber who came out on a Saturday night a new carry bag after he unclogged your drain?

I question the "gifting teachers" tradition that lingers in in the 21st Century. (Admittedly, this is primarily and elementary school issue.) It appears that the gifting of teachers is an age old practice that goes back to the proverbial apple for the teacher in order to put her in a good mood for the day!  Food items were the most common gifts back in the ol' days when teachers made little money, lived in rented rooms in the homes of students, and were under the constant surveillance of local boards. Times have changed.  We are now professionals with advanced degrees who teach not just for a few years, until we find a husband, but men and women dedicated to careers providing students with the foundations they need to be lifelong learners.  We study the art as well as the science of teaching and know our content well.  We know child psychology and development as well as the periodic table (most elementary school teachers have not looked at this lately, but we still understand what it means.) 

Truth be told, some of my colleagues feel differently and are actually critical of families who they think should have gifted them. I disagree with those colleagues on this point. I think do what we do because we care about every child and because it is the right thing to do. We have worked hard to be considered professionals and thus we need to be treated as such.  A note of gratitude is a treasured thanks to me.  A couple of homemade (or store bought) cookies is pretty neat too!  Donating a book to the library or the classroom in thanksgiving for a great year would also be pretty special. 

PS Some of you reading this may totally disagree with my views on this (or any other) point.