Enough already. These are the kinds of gifts you might give at the wedding of a cousin you never got to know very well. While they may seem practical, they're not. A much more useful approach, teachers say, is to ask what your teacher would like to have for the classroom--and then get it.
An informal poll came up with the following wish list.
APPRECIATION
The value of a simple thank-you note should not be underestimated. This can be from the parent or the child. It helps to use specific examples, such as, "You really helped Jack overcome his shyness."BOOKS
What could be more basic than books? A group of families can get together to buy a series of books for the classroom or school. Or one family might purchase a single hardback book or buy a bookstore gift certificate for the same purpose.SOFTWARE
It seems like a new children's software program comes out every day. Ask your teacher which ones fit the class curriculum.PETS
No class can have too many creature comforts. Consider a gerbil, turtle, reptile or rabbit (after consultation with the teacher, naturally).EQUIPMENT
Especially in financially-strapped school districts, even the most basic supplies may be appreciated. Some popular items: a terrarium, a constellation map, a new globe, a year's worth of pencils, reams of paper for the copier or sets of colored markers for children's artwork.CLASS TRIPS
"Many kids in my school were below the poverty margin and couldn't afford to go on class trips. One of the greatest gifts was when some parents funded the field trips for kids who couldn't pay."--Esther Rosenfeld, assistant director of The Leadership Center at Bank Street College and former elementary school principal, New York
Louise Tutelian is a freelance writer.
