Bhubaneswar, Sept. 4: When words fail to break the ice, gifts can do the trick. A large number of parents in the capital, worried about the communication gap between their school-going wards and teachers, would bear testimony to this.

Teachers’ Day tomorrow is the perfect occasion for them to step in with big cards or fancy gifts and set things right.

Parent Stephen Mohanty said his eight-year-old daughter has been hesitating to speak to her class teacher after they had an argument last month over the issue of attendance.

“I realised this was not healthy. So, we shopped for a handbag for her teacher. I think it will be a goodwill gesture as well as an apt Teachers' Day gift,” Mohanty said.

Swatee Parija, a mother of two, has also resorted to similar measures to help her younger son, a class VIII student of a city school, to get along with his teachers.

“I have been getting too many complaints from my son’s school authorities regarding his conduct. So, this Teachers’ Day, he wants to make amends and I have suggested that he apologise by presenting flowers and chocolate to his teachers. Maybe his teachers’ impression won’t change in a day, but a small step can make a lot of difference,” said Swatee.

Arundhati Sudhir, who teaches at Sai International School here, said parents, instead of encouraging their children to buy expensive gifts, must teach them that respect counts the most in a teacher-student relationship.

“Teachers’ Day is an occasion to honour people who have given you valuable lessons in life. The guru-sishya bond is very sacred and does not need any external help or gifts to be strengthened. A simple wish is a better gesture than material objects,” she said.

Students at educational institutions across the capital are gearing up in a big way to make tomorrow special for their teachers.

“Like every year, we have created handmade greeting cards. Tomorrow, we will give our teachers a break and take classes for our juniors. I have decided to dress up like my English teacher,” said Titikshya, a Class XII student of DAV Public School, Pokhariput.

In most other schools, students have lined up various fun activities for their teachers. “We will reach the school early and decorate the classrooms with balloons and festoons before the start of celebrations. We have planned musical chairs, dance contest, dumb charades and many other events for our teachers,” said Srima, a student of Sai International School.