Have you bought or made teachers gifts this year?

Former_MSE_Andrea

Some of your kids schools have broken up already, some are next week.

Are you buying something for your kids to give their teachers?

Or have you made something for them?

How much have you spent?

duchy

My old next door neighbours were both primary school teachers.
One I was very friendly with and she gave some interesting insights

Flowers- Never enough vases -and she usually went on holiday as soon as summer term ended

My favourite teacher trinkets or teddies - she had loads and many were duplicates

Home baked goods - OK if you have a reputation as a baker- not so appetizing if your kid is usually a bit grubby-there's always the thought your kitchen might be grubby too

Wine - Fine if they drink and it's a brand they like - but a cheeky little paint stripper isn't usually a treasured gift

When my son was at primary school we always did a collection and got them vouchers and a bunch of flowers -(One year as we knew the teacher was off travelling in the US we gave dollars instead) With a class of thirty a couple of quid each made for a decent gift- some parents also wrote individual thank you notes as well as signing the class card.

jackomdj

This year I have bought something. Well five something's, I have two children so something for each teacher, each TA and the one to one TA that is in my eldests class.

A little bowl £4 for two or £6 for 4 so I bought 8 and we are keeping 3, a mini box of celebrations and a pack of "apple for the teacher" paper clips.

Last year I bought 5 loaf tins, made a banana bread in each, took banana bread out and cleaned the tin then put it back in the clean tin and wrapped it in cellophane. The teachers know me quite well so I am happy to bake for them (although I did tell them that the girls didn't help bake them!)

jetplane

I don't understand this tradition of buying presents for teachers, how did that start, what's wrong with a thank you card? As for the teachers the gifts are a pain in the butt, what does everyone do with all of that stuff? Each year one of our managers brings a bag full of gifts into the office from his wife ( a teacher) for any one to choose from and the rest goes to charity. A friend ( a teacher) really doesn't know what to do with all of the gifts and commented that mothers are becoming more competitive with the idea that their present will be better, more useful, more appropriate, more liked or more expensive than any other mothers, the fact that the gift is supposed to be a token from the child is forgotton somewhere in the scramble.

And my friends and colleagues who have children in school? The dilemma over what can we buy the teacher this term, should we have a collection, should we buy, make or bake, because my child will be devastated if they don't have a gift for teacher?

Janepig

Only DS in primary school now but there's always been a whip round in his class and DD's when she was there, no pressure to give, the mums who organise it are fine with anyone doing their own thing, or nothing. All the kids get a sticky label to write their name and a message on which gets stuck in a card and the teacher and TA get the cash or vouchers split between them.

DD is in comp and her class gave £1 each to get something for their form teacher.

The only extra effort I went to was to get some chocolates for the kitchen staff to share - I know from when MiL was the cook at DS's school that they usually get forgotten so I know they appreciate the thought.

Jx

Counting_Pennies_2

£5 +

duchy wrote: »

When my son was at primary school we always did a collection and got them vouchers and a bunch of flowers -(One year as we knew the teacher was off travelling in the US we gave dollars instead) With a class of thirty a couple of quid each made for a decent gift- some parents also wrote individual thank you notes as well as signing the class card.

This is exactly what we do at our school it is very well received

pleasedelete

Most home made food just goes in the bin (or to the dog)- unless you have seen the house there is no way it is eaten. Of course some people may work in 'lovely' areas but even some of those homes are squalid (my daughters classmate lives in a house worth about £800k on our road and it is disgusting- her mum in the life and sole of the PTA -bakes galore but never lets anyone in the house- wonder why)

pinkshoes

This seems to be a primary school thing rather than a secondary school thing.

I teach secondary science, and I got a few lovely little cards from children thanking me for helping them. Oddly it was from the kids I didn't realise I had helped that much e.g. They were very self sufficient.

The kids i have spent a HUGE amount of time helping either academically or pastorally I got nothing from! I am not after a present or a medal, but a little email to say thank you would have been nice.

It makes me think twice about giving up my own time to help. I even ran an after school club for revision where one parent had the cheek to ask if I would do an alternative science revision with her daughter which was not my speciality subject!!

Tigsteroonie

Zilch

I don't remember giving any gifts or cards to teachers when I was a kid. When did this daft behaviour start? Somewhere between 1985 and now, I'm guessing!

I don't buy gifts or cards for our son's teachers. They do a job, they get paid. If they do something particularly noteworthy during the year to help our son, I make a point of personally thanking them at the time.

pickledonionspaceraider

Zilch

Another americanised idea that is going OTT maybe?

Along with baby showers etc

lavandergirl_2

Zilch

Homemade cards are probably nicer and MSE too.