Spill the beans... on end-of-term gifts for teachers

sweetme

We had a collection at my son's nursery instead of everyone handing in individual gifts, the three teachers ended up with £40 each worth of Marks & Spencers vouchers and a huge bouquet of flowers.

janiegold_2

i have never posted here before, but felt compelled to register so i can make a reply to this.
as an ex teacher of many years standing i appeciated anything that parents and children gave me. but the best present of all was always the nicely handwritten note or card thanking me for all my hard work over the year. you also have to consider the child that comes into school on the last day of term without a present for the teacher - i've seen the look on some of their faces when they realise that their classmates have gifts for the teacher but they haven't - they can be quite upset and worried that they haven't done what was required of them. Overhearing people in shops moaning about how much they have to spend on the teacher's and classroom assistant's presents makes me angry. it's a commercial rip-off, really it is. if you feel they have done a good job, just say thank you to your child's teacher - that will be appreciated more than anything.

miss_t_2

sneezyboots wrote: »

And to add to what someone else said, my children do expect sweets from me at the end of the year and one cheeky so and so has already asked me what sweets i am giving them on the last day!

At the school that I now work at, it's not just the children who expect me to give them an end of year gift, but the parents also. I have already been told by a couple of parents not to get their children tat like previous teachers or certain sweets.

Over the last few years, I have felt more and more under pressure to get my class presents at Christmas, chocolate at Easter and something at the end of the year. At my last school I was told specifically the sorts of things I had to buy which I wouldn't be reimbursed for, much to the annoyance of my partner as even spending £1 per child on bulk buy books would come to £30 at most. Needless to say I would have to cut down somewhere in my household budget to afford it as I didn't want the children in my class having nothing especially if they had siblings in the school. Fortunately, I am in a more comfortable financial position (thanks to this site) but that doesn't make my spending on my class an easy pill for my partner to swallow.

I don't ever expect parents to spend money on me at Christmas or the end of year, and like many other teachers what I treasure the most are the handmade cards that children make (all of which I keep and take out every so often when the negative aspects of my life bring me down).

So where I do understand the nightmare of feeling pressured into buying your child's teacher a gift, please bear in mind that teachers are in the same situation; if your child comes home with a gift from their teacher on Friday, it may not have been paid for by the school but by the teacher themselves.

shop-to-drop

To me giving a card/gift to teachers is about teaching a child to think about what the teachers have done for them and to have the manners to say thankyou as much as it is to actually reward the teacher.

peanutmum

Over the last few years, I have felt more and more under pressure to get my class presents at Christmas, chocolate at Easter and something at the end of the year..............but that doesn't make my spending on my class an easy pill for my partner to swallow.

I don't ever expect parents to spend money on me at Christmas or the end of year, and like many other teachers what I treasure the most are the handmade cards that children make (all of which I keep and take out every so often when the negative aspects of my life bring me down).

So where I do understand the nightmare of feeling pressured into buying your child's teacher a gift, please bear in mind that teachers are in the same situation; if your child comes home with a gift from their teacher on Friday, it may not have been paid for by the school but by the teacher themselves

******************From Miss T********************

So true, as a retired secondary school teacher, gifting is now one-sided. Buying gifts / treats / prizes / rewards, gets very expensive when there are 30+ in your tutor group. I used to do personal homemade birthday and christmas cards to them .... often left on the floor or put in the bin. But if I'd ever missed one out !!!!

It was expected that they had their presents and parties at the end of term ............... but not often returned by them.

I still treasure a mug given to me over 15 years ago and used most days, I kept all the personal 'thank you' cards for getting them their GCSE results, the jobs or courses they wanted, and showing their appreciation for all the 'extra' work and time a teacher gives. It is upsetting when you have given extra lessons after school, few days a week for many weeks ...... all for notthing. Yet many will pay ?????? for tutors ?????
So yes a thank you is appreciated.

Towards the end of my career I had a polish boy in my tutor group, who arrived in school with a bunch of flowers, at the end of the year. He then delivered 1 flower to each teacher (and assistant) who taught him and personally thanked them. I thought this was a wonderful idea, as in Polish schools the teachers would leave with a selection of flowers.

donna-j_2

Between playgroup, nursery and school I had 8 to buy (and I only have two children!) so I bought little pots from Ikea and thyme plants from Homebase and the children helped plant them and wrote a label. They cost about £1.50 each and are pretty and useful. I bought my son's main teacher a bottle of wine too.

miss_marsters

i've bought a dozen cupcakes to bring into my DD's nursery for the staff.
I dont think its about 'having' to get a gift its if you want to. I couldnt give a fig what other parents are doing.

Whether they expect things, i dont know - but it wouldnt change my mind, i want to buy the gift anyway.

Now dont get me started on people who tip hairdressers my hair is already £22 for a cut...

cyclingyorkie

i only gave presents when my kids had enjoyed their year in school.

I work in the primary school that my kids went to - in 13 years of employment only one child has ever handed over a present/card to the dinnerladies... and yet the teachers and the TA's got loads.....

I have regularly volunteered in class/gone on trips/helped with school swimming and only one teacher ever thanked me for that....

Although there was one incident where a teacher thanked a parent helper by giving her a bottle of wine - which she had just received from a parent as a gift. She didn't even take the gift label off....

I am expecting to sign plenty of the yr6's shirts tomorrow ( last day) .....but I am not expecting any of them to thank me...

jaxjax123

I did buy a cup and a card but only because that is what my son thought his teacher would like. But what I did do also was this http://www.teachingawards.com/thank_a_teacher_now and I wrote in there how inspiring his teacher had been this year. I also wrote a really nice reply in the report return slip.

I think it is nice to receive any gift at least you have been thought about.

keren

I guess you need to know your school and teachers. Cakes are welcomed and occasionally hinted at in our primary school. I try and make presents as I want my kids to learn that thanking people doesn't always have to mean throwing lots of money at the situation. They're involved in choosing what we make- this year we've done glass tile Necklaces where they've picked the papers to use as the backing.
If you want a nosey- there's a photo on my blog ( I can't post the link!) kerenbaker.wordpress.com the supplies are really cheap and cost about £2 or less. My kids get really excited that they've helped make them but obviously if I didn't really know much about the teachers if be a bit more cautious.