Where did this tradition/stereotype start? An appropriate (and I suppose tired) gift for a teacher from a student would be an apple. I suppose even preferably red apples.
Where does this come from? Heck, the worm in the apple. Thats a common symbol too.
Anyone venture an explanation? This was my big one, congrats to those who got my last two 
Back in the one room schoolhouse days, many teachers were payed, along with cash, with whatever the local farmers, who had kids going to that school, grew. Having an apple tree was pretty common to rural folks, so it wasn’t a big deal to “take an apple for the teacher.” Probably a bit of sucking up was involved as well. Better than propping a freshly slaughtered chicken on top of her desk.