appreciation from a student.”
Retired teacher Ginny Bishop
says she was “always most touched
by personal notes. It’s just a bonus
they never get used up or stale.”
Notes, she adds, “keep forever.”
Many teachers mentioned that
they do, in fact, keep them forever.

Drawings, notes Sara Wallace,
are also loved.

Perhaps unsurprisingly in a year
when so much human contact has
been off-limits, many teachers wrote that
they missed hugs. Until hugs are possible
again, teachers will love “cards and notes for
sure,” says Alicia Danyali.

The Personalized Gift
a critter at the zoo for the animal-loving
teacher whose pets made cameos in the
online classroom. One of Emily Brewster’s
students made her a “personalized face
mask” for Christmas.

There’s no excuse for a catchall coffee
shop card this year, unless your child’s
teacher showed up on Zoom every morning
with a coffee cup on his or her desk. Check
out the Zoom background, and while you’re
at it, check in on the teacher. Does your
child’s teacher seem a little stressed out?
A gift card for a massage or aromatherapy
treatment might be appreciated. You,
and your students, are more connected to
MASK: COURTESY OF EMILY BREWSTER; TEACHER: DRAZEN ZIGIC/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
If, like Edwards’ class parents, you’re able
to eavesdrop while you help your child with
online school, you have the benefit this
year of knowing your child’s teacher better
than you would have during a typical school
year. Put this knowledge to use when you
thank your teacher. You could name a star
after a teacher who is a NASA fan or adopt
Craft a personalized mask
your teachers this year than you
might think.

After all, the kids who filled
Edwards’ yard with signs hadn’t
met Edwards in person yet. It
demonstrated to Edwards that “it is
possible to make those connections
virtually. Building relationships is
the key to teaching students — even
if we aren’t in the same room.”
That’s what teachers have been
doing all year, she says: “making
connections, Googling, finding solutions.”
On days when the technology isn’t
cooperating, it’s about “making it work.”
Although Edwards says she won’t miss the
2020-2021 school year, she will miss all the
students in her class this academic year. She
says the kids and families couldn’t possibly
top their birthday surprise. For the end of
the year she wants “nothing. Really.”
She pauses, then concedes there might, in
fact, be something she’d like.

“Pictures,” she says. “We haven’t had
much opportunity to be together. I wish I
had more pictures.” T
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