Any ideas for a teacher gift album???

[valeriekc]

HELP!!!!! I opened my big mouth and volunteered to make a gift album for a first grade teacher.

My first thought was to have each child fill out a questionnair that I would inlude along with a photo or two plus several pages incorporating the school year (Halloween, Valentines day etc.) But if I do this I'm afraid the album will be HUGE!

Has anyone ever made a gift album before? Any good suggestions?

 

[Spinning]

Yep! Been there, done that doing it again!
This is what I did....
I asked each parent to send in a picture of their child that was either 2x3 or could be cut down. I put that on an apple die cut. Then on the same page I had the kids write a sentence.
I typed in: What did you like best about MS........
Then I made lines like paper for them to write on.

Then I had a questionair:
favorite Color, nick name,
fav. story, fav. school activity, favorite book just about 4 or 5 questions. Which I then typed (this was kindergarten) and printed it onto card stock.

Then I had other pages that were dedicated to school activities. I asked parents to send in any pictures they and made sure they knew they wouldn't be returned.

I am doing it again and these are the things I am doing different...to make it simple I am keeping it to only 3 colors...I am not going to match the activites with specialty paper...
Oh and on the opening page I had a class picture and put her name, year and room number
Last page was another group picture.
Hope that helps!

 

[OurDogCisco]

We did an ABC album for our teacher. Basically, I sent home a questionaire to each student's parents to come up with a word that described a particular letter. For example, I sent home the letters A B C to about 3 students so, I could pick the best response. We got some really cute ideas. Of course, I put the student's picture with the letter. IT was a lot of fun. HOpefully, I made sense.

 

[valeriekc]

Thanks for the help...Spinning, how large did your album end up? In other words how many pages did you end up doing? I was planning on doing a 12 x12 album.

I am really lucky in that the teacher thinks I am working on a yearbook project and gives me TONS of digital pictures that she takes. The problem is so many great class moments! Where do I draw the line?

Another question....I thought I might take some of the teacher digital photos of the individual kids and make them 2 x 3 to put on their questionair page. If I do this on my computer will the photos last? Should I take them to be processed? I can't spend too much money. Does any one have experience with this?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Spinning]

I used a CM book that was a 7x7 I think it was one of their specialty books for breast cancer 2 years ago.
I had I think it ended up being about 30 pages.
one page for each kid, one page for each activity I had pictures of and then a front and end page.
I always up load my digital pics and then order just because
1. don't have a great printer (I have used my mom's printer and the pics are fine....I think they will last)
2. cheaper
Have fun!

 

[JESW]

This will be the second year I'll be working on an album for the teacher. (DS9 is now in the 3rd grade)

Near the end of the year we will send a page with a page protector home with each child. They can add a photograph. write a letter to the teacher and add any decorations, drawings or anything else on one or both sides.

It will depend on the age of the child how much they can do on their own. Last year in 2nd grade the kids did it all at home. We heard from several of the parents and they had a lot of fun. Many families had not done any scrapbooking at all.

I have been going in the class room during different events and taking random photos. I will make a page or two for each event. There are 22 children in the class this year so there will probably be 30 - 40 (max) pages in the album.

I donate the supplies and pictures but I know they would reimburse me if I asked. I recently took photos of the kids for their Valentine's Day project and I will take pictures on the day of their party. Instead of bringing in food or drinks I donate my time and supplies.

I take pictures of the school from the outside, pictures of the teacher's doorway with her name on it, pictures of the lockers, hallways, pictures of the classroom when the papers on the walls change, etc. I try to capture that year.

I use the 40% coupon at A.C.Moore to buy the album and the page protectors. I also buy supplies when they are on sale. I figure it will cost me around $30 - $40 (max) to complete the album. (that cost could be different)

I really enjoyed working on the album last year and I've been enjoying it so far this year. It gives me a chance to get in my son's classroom - which gets harder as the kids get older. I also have a good relationship with his teacher, the room Mom's, and some of the other parents. (If I don't have it with me, they always ask me where my camera is! )

Last year we decided to do the album at almost the last minute. I learned this year to start early on - less stress!

My DD5 starts Kindergarten in the fall and I hope to work with her class. It's something I really want to do every year as long as they will let me.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Jill

 

[JulianneP]

just a silly warning. I got one of those books when I left teaching after my son was born. I can barely look at it makes me cry so much!! It is something I will always treasure!

Each student drew a picture, they wrote (mom and dad wrote) why they loved having me as teacher that year and then included a picture. Then the parents wrote me a letter too. And because it was my last year of teaching all of the staff and admin wrote me a letter too. Then the parent that org. the whole thing wrote the most endearing poem on the front cover.

What you are doing is a wonderful thing! It will be treasured forever! I hope to do one next year when DS is Kindergarten.

 

[valeriekc]

thanks to all for the encouragement! I hope that it will be something that the teacher will enjoy. I thought she might even use it next year at back to school night to give parents a glimpse of the year ahead for their child.

About how much time did you spend on your album? I was thinking of having several mom's over for a crop. None of them scrapbook though...do you think I'd be better off on my own?

 

[mommytotwo]

I think that it would be nice to have help in cutting things out and getting materials you need, but find it faster to do things on my own. Having more people with their opinions will just make things more complicated.

 

[Spinning]

My honest opinion!??! DON'T! That is the one mistake I made a mom said she would come over and help me....I thought it would be fun. She never scrapped before and UGH her pages were dreadful! I didn't know what to say or do! She fell in love with my Mickey punches and thought the kid looked like he would like Disney...what could I say....Luckily she only did 2 I think...Unless you know exactly what you are going to do...have the paper, dies, stickers or what ever you are using out...then ok but if you are like me and choose as you go....could be a big mistake!
(gosh do I sound horrible or what?)

 

[JESW]

To answer your other question, I prefer to do it all on my own. I am in the process of sorting the pictures I've already taken this year and I will be starting soon. I have already bought the album and some page protectors.

I find the less people involved the better. Too many people means too many opinions.

Jill

P.S. We made DS's teacher cry last year when she got her book. She had never seen anything like it and she loved it. Plus, the letters from the kids were straight from the heart. (8 year olds) They didn't just say they liked her, but they really, really, really, really liked her.

 

[nicurn]

I have gone to the cafeteria during lunch and gotten the kids to sign their names and draw pictures... it's always entertaining to be in the cafeteria with a bunch of K-5 kids, it's LOUD!!! I like the idea of sending it home, I'm thinking about talking to the art teacher too, to see if we could do it in an art class one day... (of course, now that we have missed 3 straight tuesdays due to weather... ) maggie

 

[tigger07082000]

I'm a 6th grade teacher, and my room mother made me a scrapbook last year. It's my favorite teacher present ever! She used a CM 7x7 album. She took a picture of each kid (I think she did it on field day...they're all outside!), and made a page for each kid. The page had the kid's picture, a few stickers, and a place for the kid to write something. She brought it to lunch for a few days with the scrapbook pens, and each kid wrote me a note next to his/her picture. The front and back pages have a class picture. I've gotten tons of presents from kids over the years, but this one I really love!

Mara

 

[pjlla]

A mom did this for DS's preschool class last year. She sent home a note asking for two pictures of your child, along with a choice of stamps (truck, ladybug, butterfly, etc), that each child was to choose from and they were each to write a sentence about their teacher. The book had a two page layout per child with the photos, and they used the stamps that the child chose to decorate the page (along with the child's favorite color, as I recall). They also asked for a $2 donation per child to pay for the album, but the other mom did all the work. ...............P

 

[JulianneP]

Tigger07082000 - don't mean to steal this thread but where do you teach in Fairfax. I taught at Merritt Academy (use to be called Talent House Private Schoool) Right in the middle of Fairfax City. But me brother and sister are county teachers too.

 

[Roachie-Mouse]

i did a very simple thing for my daughters kinder teacher. i went in and took pictures of each kids. i lied and said it was for my scrapbook. i used a creative memories 5x7 album and a abc snap pack. i put each kids uner the letter of ther first name and whatever letters i had lefy i usd feildtrip pictures and so forth from things done in the classroom


Rachel

ps. how do you get the pictures next to your name. people have cinderella etc.....

 

[HookdonWDW]

I've made 4-5 of these for my children's teachers over the years. I'm planning on making another one this year. About a month before school is over for the year, I send home a manilla envelope with each child. Inside each envelope, I put an 8.5x11 CM Page, some stickers, 6 apple die cuts - 3 red and 3 green, a school house diecut for the parent's to write a note on, and a dozen or so photo splits. Each of the apples has something pre-written on it, and lines for the children to write on. I usually include an acid-free pen, if I can find them for cheap.

The apples say things like:

"The best thing about being in _______'s class this year was_________"

"The hardest thing about __ grade was __________"

"The funniest thing that happened this year was when ____"

"My advice to next year's students is _______________"

I write a note telling them to fill out the page (both sides) however they would like, and to feel free to add their own pictures to personalize the page.

I then arrange for the kids to turn the pages in to the teacher in the next room. I collect the pages, put them in page protectors, and add a few pages that show the children involved in various activities during the year.

I think it looks great, because each family lends their own style to their page. I've never had a child not complete their page - probably because everything they need to complete the page is provided.