Have students personalize a special chair for their teacher. The Creative Kids at Home website suggests giving the teacher a fold-up camping chair, personalized with each student's thumbprint, designed to look like a bug and writing "Thanks for Helping Us Grow." This idea can also be used for a special reading chair, rocking chair or bench. Depending on their age, the students may wish to leave handprints or sign their names on the chair.
Have each student and family pick out a favorite picture book and write a special dedication to the teacher on the inside of the cover. The dedications might include information on why the book is special or how the teacher has touched the family. Students in the older grades may wish to give their teacher a library of their favorite chapter books instead. This gift is useful for a new teacher who may not have many of his own children's books.
Present the teacher with a memory book with a special page of memories from each student. Invite students and their families to share their favorite memories from the year on their own special page. Older children and parents are able to write their memories and younger children can draw their special memories for their teacher. Pages can be sent home with the students or secretly completed at school. Create a memory book out of a three-ring binder or have the pages professionally bound at a local office supply store.
A scrapbook created by the whole class, looking back over the year, is another idea for a collaborative present. Students can either decorate their own personal page, selecting their own photo memories, or work together to choose stickers and embellishments to enhance the scrapbook pages assembled by an adult. Older children may enjoy writing a simple narrative about each special photo. Scrapbooks can be assembled by a crafty parent or designed and ordered online through many photo printing stores.
A homemade quilt designed by a class is a unique gift that allows a teacher to remember all of his students. Allow each student to design or decorate a small quilt square and have a classroom parent assemble the squares into a quilt. Students can sign their names or place their handprints on the back of the quilt for an extra personalized touch. Class parents may wish to have young students decorate their squares with pencil or washable marker and then have an adult embellish the squares with paint or permanent markers.