Giving Gifts to Students

 Sorry I'm late! My sister is here, visiting for the holidays, so I didn't get a chance to write my usual blog post on Monday.

I thought I'd write about gift giving, since it's so close to Christmas. I've done a version of this topic before, from discussing what teachers get and like to get from students (see https://mondaymollymusings.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-gifts-we-get-and-give.html ) to sharing what I purchased for my class during the pandemic (see https://mondaymollymusings.blogspot.com/2020/12/presents-and-p3s.html).

I'm not a classroom teacher, so I don't have a small or exclusive group of students that I can indulge with presents. However, this year, I was inspired to acquire some gifts for the students that I see as part of the ESL program. There are nine students in my primary ESL program, and thirteen students in the junior ESL program that I share with Connie Chan.

I forgot how observant, and how jealous, young children can be. When I gave my primary division ESL students their presents after our last class together, I had a lot of other students asking why the ESL students received presents and why they couldn't be part of the ESL class. 

Part of the present preparation was for the ESL students' reading and writing exercises. I prefer authentic literacy experiences, so I had my ESL students create lists of objects they'd like to receive as gifts, and sample candy to give me information on their favourite flavors. The other students didn't see it quite like that. They saw that their peers were getting candy during ESL class, and they wanted some too!

The issue is that presents don't come cheap. If I purchased a present for every student I interacted with, I'd end up buying something for the entire school population. I decided to buy some more presents than I usually do. In addition to the ESL students (whom I see for between 3-6 periods per week), I compiled little presents for students that are in my STEM and Library classes (equaling 2 periods a week). I felt bad about excluding the kindergarten students as well as the students I see for social studies or for guidance, but if I expanded the list, it was going to get out of hand! As it was, I put together eighty (yes 80) little packages with a pencil, eraser, rubber ball, lollipop and package of Rockets candy in each.

It's the thought that counts, right? Things have gotten so expensive that it's difficult to make "little gestures" because even those can get costly. I was on kitchen duty for the last two weeks of December, and even the treats tally was higher than I expected. 

Thanks in advance to everyone that sent me a gift, from homemade to store-bought. (You will receive a thank you card in the new year.) Enjoy the holiday and time away from school, if you can. Merry Christmas!