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

ShowmetheMoney

My son has just finished reception so this is all new to us. He is making a cupcake each, for his teacher and TA (well, I do the making and he will do the decorating!) and then we are giving a bug house for the new school garden that the reception class planted this year.
That way he gets to give a little something to say thank you to the teachers and the money spent on the gift will benefit the future reception classes.

pinkclouds

miss_t wrote: »

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.

Gosh, that is so rude and ungracious! I'm appalled. It would never occur to me to complain about gifts from teachers. My kids love getting little gifts home from school teachers at Christmas, Easter and end of year. However, things like hugs and photos and so on are just as, if not more, important.

In any case, parents quite often send tokens home at Christmas, Easter and birthdays... Can you imagine complaining about too much chocolate to a fellow parent and lecturing them on what to buy for the class?! Words fail.

ladybugruby2

I remember one female teacher at primary school used to get lavish bouquets of flowers etc that we had not given her, nor had our parents been involved in. Even being about 7 at the time, we were all aware that she was having an affair with another married male teacher. We all clicked that these gifts were from this male teacher, which were his way of 'pretending' the gifts weren't from him. Kinda sick really!

GobbledyGook

One Mum has caused a ripple of disapproval at the primary school my girls go to by buying rather lavish individual gifts for the teachers. It's not a bit like one-upmanship to be the most flabbergasted :rotfl:

I've been very touched by gifts I've received this year. At one school the parents of the children I work with chipped together and bought me a lovely cat mug set (I love cats). Each time I make tea with it I'll remember those kids.

To balance it up though one father told me I was a moron and that he hopes the kids get someone 'decent' in who won't just '£$£! off whenever the mood takes their fancy'. :rotfl:

megela

My children have always said thanks throughout the year when the teacher has gone 'above & beyond' i.e. residential trips etc.

When my daughter was aged about 8 she wrote a thank you card for a residential trip which the teacher was so surprised/shocked by that she showed every other teacher in the school & for days afterwards I kept being stopped and told how lovely it was.

When she wrote a thank you card for her Brown Owl it was still on her shelf at home the following year so it must have been appreciated.

My daughters are quite often the only ones to say thank you to teachers, brownie helpers etc. They make sure they go round every single one so they know how appreciated their efforts are.

It doesn't need to be an expensive present, just a sincere acknowledgement of their efforts.

We have bought a present for the teacher this year because my daughter has made so much progress. She noticed that her teacher wore a lot of statement necklaces so we've bought her one of those rather than more chocs/flowers etc.

miss_t_2

pinkclouds wrote: »

Gosh, that is so rude and ungracious! I'm appalled. It would never occur to me to complain about gifts from teachers. My kids love getting little gifts home from school teachers at Christmas, Easter and end of year. However, things like hugs and photos and so on are just as, if not more, important.

In any case, parents quite often send tokens home at Christmas, Easter and birthdays... Can you imagine complaining about too much chocolate to a fellow parent and lecturing them on what to buy for the class?! Words fail.

Fingers crossed the parents and children like the gifts tomorrow. Each child will get a bumper colouring book and colouring pencils as well as a photo that I took of each of them at the start of the year and at the end to show how much they have grown up.


"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..."

______________________Cyclingyorkie________________


Off topic I know... but I have always tried to make an effort to say thank you to the people I work with for their help throughout the year - that includes my immediate team as well as my cleaner (I have made a lot of glittery mess this year ), caretaker, dinnerlady who looks after my class and the secretary. I know that they get paid to do their job but a lot of time they go over and beyond for me and my class and I like them to know it's appreciated.

raven83

My 3 girls all handed in a card to each other their teachers and I made them all some cupcakes last night to take in today to share out with their teachers/TA's etc.

I did think about flowers but so many other parents take in flowers that the teachers won't know what to do with them all. At least with the cupcakes they took time and effort, which to me means more than buying something that they will get lots of. And all my cupcakes went down a treat too:D which is nice to hear, oh and also cost a lot less too :T

alison6692

I really wish I had read this thread before I bought my gifts - not that I mind but I have just spent £10 per teacher - so £30. I kind of thought that was average. Oh well. I have learnt something for next year.

cyclingyorkie

miss_t wrote: »

Fingers crossed the parents and children like the gifts tomorrow. Each child will get a bumper colouring book and colouring pencils as well as a photo that I took of each of them at the start of the year and at the end to show how much they have grown up.


"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..."

______________________Cyclingyorkie________________


Off topic I know... but I have always tried to make an effort to say thank you to the people I work with for their help throughout the year - that includes my immediate team as well as my cleaner (I have made a lot of glittery mess this year ), caretaker, dinnerlady who looks after my class and the secretary. I know that they get paid to do their job but a lot of time they go over and beyond for me and my class and I like them to know it's appreciated.

And you are most definitely a STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

d-time

Since my child started school (which has only been 4 years), I ensure that at the end of the school year, she makes a handwritten card for the teacher. This year, she wrote it all by herself and both I and her dad read it. All, I can say is if, I had received that card, it would have brought a lump to my throat & a tear to the eye - Because she meant it.

In regards to pressies, I do find it restricting, especially if on a budget, but, we only get 1 and then it's a bottle of wine. As, I have had it on good authority, it is much appreciated.