It’s that time of year and graduation is coming! Depending on your school, you may have several seniors you have taught for a few years, or even whole classes! Prepare yourself – the flood of announcements and graduation parties are coming!
If you would like to give your seniors a meaningful yet affordable gift, check out this list to help you get started! Several ideas are specific to Spanish teachers and their students, so you can pick what best fits your students and your classroom!
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Gifts for Graduating Students
1. A Spanish-y journal – This is a great option for students who may plan to travel abroad! Get them a journal to record their travels, or just reflect! The images below link to some of my favorites options, or you can search here for your own favorites!
2. “Breaking Out of Beginner’s Spanish” Book – This book is great for your senior student who is planning on continuing with Spanish in college! However, if you’re planning on giving it to your student, just a word of caution. The description says, “[it] covers everything from pronunciation..to inadvertent obscenities, and intentional swearing.” Maybe not for every student!
3. Spanish-English Dictionary – This dictionary is small and definitely an affordable option if you have a bigger class and want to get something for each student! Purchasing a dictionary for each student and writing a short dedication for each student inside is a great option.
4. A College Stress Relief Future Care Package – Grab some coloring pencils and attach them to a Spanish coloring book and voila! Encourage your student to spend some time unwinding from that college stress!
5. Guatemalan Worry Dolls – Give your students a worry doll along with a card explaining them. Even better if it’s something you’ve discussed in class! Not familiar with the tradition? A super short explanation is that the person tells their troubles to the doll before going to sleep, and the doll worries about the problem instead of the person, allowing the person to sleep peacefully. Handy for a stressed student!
6. Spanish book – There are TONS of options you could choose from, but picking out a book to give to your student is a great way to personalize the gift for them and help them continue their love of Spanish! You could go with picture books, classics, or their favorite book from your classroom library!
7. Luggage Tag – There are tons of options available on Amazon, but Shutterfly also has customizable luggage tags! What if you got some and put a cute Spanish phrase on them that’s perfect for your seniors starting a new chapter? “La adventura empieza….” would be a great option!
8. “Payday” – Need a very affordable, but cute option? Buy a box of candy bars and write them a cute card that says something like, “Here’s to many Paydays in your future!”, “You’re such a smartie!”, or, “College will be mounds of fun!”. Cutesy, simple, and definitely cheaper if you have a large group of seniors!
9. The Practical Present – Not Spanish related in anyway, but a great present for grads is a simple towel, hand towel, and washcloth set! Most teens don’t have their own towels, and parents will appreciate that they won’t be emptying their linen closet when they head off to school! This set comes in several different color options, so it could be cute to choose a set in their new college colors!
10. A Personalized WordCloud – Jazmin Bello-Andeliz shared in the Spanish Teachers in the U.S. group a project she created for each of her graduating students that turned out so well! She used a website to list adjectives and the students’ names in a personalized piece of word art that turned out so well! She printed them and put them in a simple black frame for each of her seniors. So sweet!
You could also turn this into a class-wide activity! Send out a survey on Google Forms, or on paper for classmates to fill out with an adjective of each of their classmates! Then use their list to create the word cloud.
Still Not Sure? Go With A Classic!
The Gift Card – Gift cards for Amazon so they can buy used textbooks for college are a GREAT option for students! I always tell students to stay away from the campus bookstores because they’re ridiculously expensive and I like to underscore that point with a gift card to help them find some used books! Starbucks are also everywhere, or a gift card to a fast food restaurant could be a perfect fit!
Do you give a gift to those seniors that give you an announcement/invitation to graduation? If so, what do you give them?
I give a burned CD of all our Music Video Friday songs, and jam that w listened to in class. MANY comment how they listen in their car for years to come.
Some years- then if I attend parties- I gift 3-4 practical items from the dollar store- like, screwdrivers, garbage can, extention cord, and a box of mac and cheese (ITS MY FAVORITE FOOD, and I talk about it a lot in class. haha.)
I love that!! Thank you for sharing!