Presents for Teachers

Gigervamp

rosie383 wrote: »

Personally I don't give teachers presents every year. Maybe that makes me seem cheap but I think there are many parents who can't afford it and I hate that it seems expected. I think teachers appreciate a child with manners and a good attitude all year round much more than 20 mugs with ' best teacher' written on them. You can spot the teachers at a car boot sale!!! For me it falls into the same category as the child being expected to bring in sweets for the whole class when it's their birthday.

This.

When did this start? None of my children, or the other children in their classes, gave teachers gifts. My youngest is now 23, so it wasn't that long ago that he was at school.

Broomstick

Home-made Christmas card?

B x

Brambleberry

Try to avoid the peer pressure of giving gifts. Most teachers I know would be happy with a nicely written card from the child. Also do not worry that not giving a gift will somehow be "noted"!
Stick a single treat like a candy cane on if you can't bear giving only a card, some other things that go down really well at our place is a tin of biscuits for the staff room and a card from the parents to accompany it. This could be cheaper and easier in the long run, especially as time is at a premium this time of year if you have little ones.

Tillytrotter1

To be honest I do feel pressured into giving presents because I hadn't even thought about it until the other mums mentioned it this morning talking about hand creams and washes and candles. Not everyone likes these sorts of things and I don't want to get something because I've been pressured for it to go to the back of a cupboard. I don't mind giving, but just a token of appreciation. All your ideas are great so thanks. I love the gingerbread christmas tree decorations, could maybe pipe their names on as well.

Thanks again for the ideas.

dingdongsaving

I'm a teacher & I don't think it's something that should EVER be expected!

I remember my 1st Christmas as a teacher & being quite taken aback by it all. Teachers are just doing their job, & it's certainly a vocation of love...& they're already paid to do it!!

There's def. no "mental note" being made, & even cards from each child use an awful lot of paper imho. Maybe consider writing 1 card or note to the teacher/TAs/helpers/children that can be displayed in the classroom if you'd really like to send something instead of a gift.

Also, I never open my presents at school & I give my thank you notes very discretely (straight into book bags) as I don't want any child to go home thinking they need to get me anything. It makes me cringe to think a child would "learn" that at school. At Christmas there's always have a lot of focused time on gifts and giving through PSHE/RE/themes for writing etc...& any teacher/staff worth their salt will focus on things that are free & thoughtful. Classes are teams, & children/staff will be "giving" each other many gifts all the time...time to think, time to ask questions, time to investigate, total respect, friendship...those are the gifts that should be focused on at school.

annie_d

Nothing...i asked my primary school teacher husband. ( Admittedly he is a bit Bah-Humbug) Nothing home made, nothing with the word "teacher" on it. No cheap-make of chocolate, no toiletries, no cards....where could he put 30 Christmas cards? Certainly no alcohol soooooooooo, i think he is left with, "Nothing."

ciderwithrosie_2

Gigervamp wrote: »

When did this start? None of my children, or the other children in their classes, gave teachers gifts. My youngest is now 23, so it wasn't that long ago that he was at school.

Never felt pressured to give gifts when mine were at school either. More 'one-up-mum-ship'! Nothing wrong with a card and a face to face, genuine 'thank you', and as I've said before - I'm sure many teachers and heads would be grateful if more parents helped out on the PTA or at other school functions rather than just splashing the cash on something the teacher doesn't want. In my experience, the mothers that make the most show of 'gifts' are often the ones complaining the most about the school and it's lack of facilities/social events in the playground.

iwannanicerlife

I have never, not once, received a thank you for a teacher's or teaching assistant's present and my children have told me nor have they. They are just told to pop them on the side with the others!

(A couple of years ago we lost a teacher to cancer and at Christmas I suggested, via the schools Facebook page, that we make donations to a cancer charity - I had a response telling me not to underestimate how much teachers like chocolate!)

vulpix

As a teaching assistant I found it lovely but embarrassing to be given gifts,not expected at all but lovely if it does happen.I have never been given homemade food so have not had that to think about.My best gifts were little treats that I wouldn't buy myself,like a tiny yankee candle or the tiny thorntons chocolates.As a Mum if I sent in biscuits for the staffroom.If I had my time again (they have left school now) I would plant bulbs up in September and give all concerned a pot.least favourite things were Best teaching assistant anything.A recent trend at my school started by a teacher parent is to have a class collection and give gift vouchers.A teacher I used to work with used to give me 10 to 15 boxes of chocolate on the last day of term and plants and cut flowers because she just had too much for her need.I still have handwritten cards from children who are long grown up,they are priceless.

Nellie_the_Viking

I'm a teacher and would NEVER expect a present. If I do receive anything I'm delighted whatever it is (last year - open pack of sweets, jar of home made jam, out of date chocolates and an assortment of home made cards which I love). The nicest thing I have ever received at Christmas was a note from a parent thanking me for the effort I made and support that I gave to their child. We rarely get thanked, and often the only real contact teachers get with parents is when the parents want to complain about something, or when there is a problem. A card or note saying "thanks for teaching my kid" means a huge amount.