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

clareypoohs

By the time you buy for the teacher and all the TAs it can cost a fortune.So we now club together as a class. This way we can buy a gift they would like plus some vouchers, rather than them getting 30 scented candles! The kids all then make cards so there is something personal as well.

madmoneysavingmum

If the child has enjoyed school, then I offer to make them a Christmas cake at Christmas (making it clear that I don't mind if they don't like/want one) - no-one has ever turned me down. If they said they enjoyed the cake, then at the end of the academic year, I offer to make another one the following Christmas (in lieu of an end of year present) - again, this has never been turned down. (And two repeat teachers who have had more than one of my children have said how pleased they were to get another offer as it saved them so much time at Christmas.) My cake recipe is relatively cheap to make.

If the child has been ambivalent, has not enjoyed school, then I send a box of Malteasers or whatever. As a former teacher, I know they are inundated, but I also know they can pass them on/feed them to the kids etc. My children love to take a present, and don't want to feel left out.

We also send in large selection of homemade cakes/biscuits at Christmas and Summer for all the staff at the small school our kids go to as they all work with all the staff most of the time. I make it clear that though they are from the children, they are safe to eat, having been made without the children's help. They are eaten enthusiastically by our staff (and as I am a parent helper, I see this actually happening) as are other homebaked items parents bring in, but I know that in other schools this doesn't always happen.

I don't send ornaments etc., as I have a boxful from my old students which were sent with affection but for which I have no use, and I don't send alcohol is I don't think it is appropriate for children to give alcohol.

If another parent organises a collection, I am always happy to chip in, but sometimes the children don't understand why they are not taking a present themselves. The kids always make a card though, and I used to really appreciate these.

Book tokens and classroom supplies sound like great ideas - I'd have appreciated both.

I think it is worth repeating though that teachers don't expect presents (well, I've never met a teacher who expected a present) - however, my children like giving them.

MMSM

SarahFx

I went to school in Kuwait and my mother was a teaching assistant there. She used to come home laden with gold at the end of term. It was quite gaudy 24ct stuff so she recently sold it for a tidy sum. Some parents must have spent hundreds.

Madmel

I teach both whole classes and individuals in music lessons. It was my final music lesson today in a prep school and both students are moving on to new schools. Child A is a quirky chap, very apologetic, not very talented but kind, punctual and reliable. His dad came into the lesson today to thank me for all I have done, to hand over my cheque in person and to give me a bottle of nice wine and a hand-made card from the child. Child B is older, lazier but far more intelligent. There was a gift bag on the floor of the room and she said "oh that's for you". She didn't even pick it up. The present was quite unusual, but useful and must have cost 5 times more than child A's. Yet Child A's words and deeds mean so much more to me because they come from the heart, and weren't something that their parent did because they thought it was the right thing to do.

A home-made card and thanks given sincerely are all anyone should feel are necessary, but the wine is nice too:beer:

SnowyOwl_2

My sister is a primary school teacher...she doesn't even bother to unwrap most presents, just tears the paper to see what it is, then hands most of it to a charity shop. Ungrateful doesn't even come close....

Personally, I would much rather see her receive things which are in short supply in the classroom, or a gift that will benefit other people. I love that someone's teacher received a goat, lol.

Lexis200

My mother in law used to work in a charity shop and she used to comment on exactly what Snowyowl has said. At the beginning of the school holidays they would get two or three black bags full of unopened presents from teachers.

Unfortunately my children still want to give something, so as I make cakes I will bake the teachers (and the reception staff who are superb at our school) a large cake each instead of gifts. I feel at least if they don't want it, someone will have it, and my kids feel they've given something very special (too right as well seeing as I could sell them for £40+ each!).

SHAKERMAKER

I have always given either a present around £5 per teacher and TA or joined a collective which is usually £5-£7 which works out cheaper because then the organiser will get a load of vouchers for places like Marks and Spencer and divide them equally between the teachers and the TA's.

At the end of the day, it's a token gesture as yes, our teachers are quite well paid yet they work long hours often taking marking and planning home, and spend a lot of time with our children.


I think it's certainly worth it.

lizchris101

When my children were in Primary school I would make a large cake (tray bake or similar) and give it to all the staff for the lunchtime staffroom in the last week. I made sure it would last a few days so that all the staff, including office and support staff, could enjoy a piece with a cup of tea. The children would help to make the cake and decorate it too. A homemade card from my child to his class teacher in particular would then suffice (but only if he wanted them to have a card - I ultimately left the decision to him and most years he did. There was one teacher he hated and she didn't get a card at all!)

Now my children are in secondary school I leave the decision up to them. They are both boys but have both in years gone by and this year taken things in. This year they've both got on really well with their form tutors and have taken in Tesco Giftcards (only a few pounds on them).

I personally would rather teach my children what gifts are for and to decide for themselves if they want to give anything. I can't stand the idea that all parents have to get teachers presents for doing their job.

By the way, I am a Secondary School teacher so feel the same from this side of the fence too.

purplepen

I taught in primary schools, mostly overseas, for nearly 30 years and received some amazing and expensive gifts. Best of all though I treasure a crepe paper angel made for me one Christmas by a 7 year old Korean girl and her Mum. I love Christmas because I get to unpack a box full of ornaments given or made by pupils and I remember each one.

I also have my 'Happy Book' - a scrapbook full of drawings, cards, notes and letters, mostly from pupils but also appreciative ones from parents.

Gifts don't have to be expensive, kind words and something made with care always touched me more than costly 'trinkets'.

kstrachan

it has to be something that the children are involved in - my kids this year made a card each and then picked something for the teachers - a small bag of scented beads and ( yes I know) chocolates for one and a bookmark with a similar scented bag for the other as they have both been excellent teachers, last year the teacher got a collection at christmas rather than end of yr and vouchers were given, with cards at end of yr - cost about £5 per teacher plus materials for cards