There is a great kid book keepsake tradition that has been floating around for lots of years! Get a teacher’s note every year and then give to your child at graduation.
I personally do my kids’ books differently than this tradition that I feel is more meaningful. (that post here)
As a teacher, I love writing the note and sure hope they remember me. ❤️ As a teacher, it gives me a lot of stress though. 😞
SOOOOOO… here are a few tips to help this cute tradition not frustrate the teacher!
1. PUT YOUR BOOK IN A BAG!
The reason is because teachers typically have lots of books in their classroom. Sometimes kids or others like aides help clean up or help re-organize things. So when another book is out on that already packed teacher desk, it could get put in a pile.
One year, I was handing my kindergarteners books from my lessons to be put with the other books in the library, so I could pack up my classroom (end of the year requirement). Without realizing it, I had out one of those books with all my others. I had to search and search through all my books to find it. 🤦🏻♀️😒😞Such a waste of my time – yeah my fault – but end of the year is crazy crazy!
So put your book in a bag! This way the bag won’t get mixed in with other things.
This book has a book you don’t want your child to see put it inside a gift bag or even a simple brown bag from the grocery store!
Instead of having a big messy brown paper bag, I recommend taping the back of it so you can just slip the book inside!! This way it’s not getting smashed up and making a bunch of noise! Check out this quick video of how to do it!
If you plan to drop off and pick up the book OR you are just not worried if your child sees the book, I use a simple gallon bag with their name on it!
2. WRITE THE STUDENT’S NAME ON THE BOOK/BAG or both!
As a teacher, I assume that this is an obvious thing but through experience, I have learned that this is not an obvious thing. 😉
If you do not have the child’s name on the book, the teacher might not remember who the book is from. There’s always a bunch of things going on and so even though they take it from your hand, it’s super hard to remember which parent handed you that book.
One year I had three books that looked exactly the same and only one had a name. And for the life of me after teaching class (with a bunch of five year old), I could not remember who had handed me the books. I had to email parents asking who had given me a book, so I could figure it out. I was embarrassed, but in all reality, there was no way for me to need to remember through everything else I was doing. 😒
Plus, one of the books was not covered well. The other had the protective cover on it. I didn’t know which family had given me which book.
Sometimes our days are so hectic that it’s easier just to take it home and write it out once you’ve had a chance to relax. And by the time you get home, you might not remember after work, and being your own parent, who had handed you the book. 😞
3. GIVE PLENTY OF TIME AND GIVE EARLY!
It’s almost comical when parents hand you a book on the last or second to last day. It may seem like a “chill” last couple days for the kids, but teachers are still doing tons of things. When you teach younger grades it’s even harder to get it done because 🤪 ALL THE REASONS.
Please give your teacher at least two weeks, but at the minimum one week. I have often times waited till the weekend to fill mine out at home because it’s so hard to get it done during class time.
It is OK to give it a month early or even check with the teacher if he/she would like it a month early or two weeks. Open communication is always helpful. 
4. OFFER TO SEND A REMINDER.
There is so much for teachers to do at the end of the school year. As a teacher, I’m doing all my deadlines. Everything admin wants, cleaning out my classroom and moving everything, as well as making all the special things AND keeping my students learning, doing and entertained during the last couple weeks. An extra thing to do from a parent, isn’t in any of the mandatory To Do Lists, so it may get pushed to the side and forgotten. It’s not that we don’t care, there’s just a million other things to do.
When you hand the book to the teacher, ask them if they would like a text, email or note reminder. (Or ask in an email if you’re sending the book with the child or dropping it off in their teacher cubby.) Something like, “Hey I know you’re already busy, so I was hoping you could find an extra couple minutes to write a note for ——. I can send you a reminder in a couple days if you’d like. Life is so busy right now. Thanks for doing this for ——.”
Don’t forget to send that reminder! 😉😂
5. SUGGESTION! ADD A NOTE!
Consider the teachers that are not moms and are new to teaching! If you hand them a book they might have NO IDEA what you’re talking about when you say “Will you write in this?” 🤪
Want me to write a book review or what I liked about the book? 😉 Yes, some have never seen this trend and would be confused why you’re saying write in this book.
As a teacher, I just wrote what I want to about the child because there’s no guidance, but as a mom I do hope they write something specific, so I started adding in a note with what I was hoping they would write.
IF YOU’D LIKE THE FREE NOTE DOWNLOAD, GO HERE!
6. BONUS OPTIONAL EXTRA: SEND A LITTLE TREAT
Although the teacher loves your kid (hopefully and most likely), it is still extra time that they are taking out of their busy schedule. Consider sending them with a little treat to eat, while they are filling out (or after filling out) the book. 😊
Think before you put chocolate with the book because you don’t want anything to melt in case the book goes home to be filled out and left in the car for a day or two. 😉 If you do chocolate (because it’s the best after a long exhausting day), don’t put it in the bag with the book or put in a separate bag!
Reminder to consider if your teacher has any allergies. ❤️
Here are my three bags ready to go! I will be dropping them off in their teacher cubbies!
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