End of year gifts for teachers: Your best money saving ideas

MovingForwards

Thank goodness that wasn't a thing when I was at school as the bullies had a great time throughout the year without that as futher ammunition!

psouth

As a teacher I say...please don't buy gifts! The best gift for me is when a pupil or parent writes me a heartfelt letter of thanks. I love it when they include a very special memory from the year and perhaps a photo taken at an event.
The best gift my daughter gave a teacher was a jar of pickled people she made and listed her class mates on the side as the ingredients- a lasting memory of her year group.

sazaccount

Not a teacher but used to run a rainbow unit the best presents I received (normally from girls moving up to brownies) were hand written cards TBH they are easier to keep and I've put some of them in scrap books and others are in a draw that make me smile when I'm having a sort out and find them. Chocolates are eaten and quickly forgotten I don't drink alcohol so these used to get passed on however when I was leaving the unit the parents chipped in and got me a amazon gift card as I was going travelling and a bag tag which I still use!

timehastoldme

Another teacher, another request not to buy stuff.

Cards are always going to make me cry, I get plants, books and chocolate and once one student sewed me an amazing gift out of fabric she had at home already (I teach sixth form) and I treasure them all, but a sincere thank you is always more than appreciated.

(Avoid all the 'best teacher' stuff, it's embarrassing as heck)

eastcott5

I was a science secondary teacher for years ( bog-end- comp) and not a great deal of money around. My tutor group clubbed together and bought me a box of chocs - Cadburys roses and then expected a share out! - of course there was. The best gifts where when exam results came out and students had passed/ got University grades etc. - tears of joy all round.

Brambleberry

The best gifts are probably cards, I treasure all of mine and as others have mentioned, they are something for us to look back on. Seeing a pupil's writing in a card from a decade ago is a link back as powerful as a photograph.
Encourage your children to write beyond a simple thank you, perhaps by mentioning some memorable event, activity, favourite scarf etc. One of my 18 year old leavers this year went right back to a joke we shared when he was 13:D

In my school our pupils are encouraged to show appreciation when they leave (and we do in return) I know when it's "that time of year" because suddenly there is a bit more interest in my favourite flowers. Now I always tell pupils I love a plant more than flowers, because they last, so I have three beautiful flowering plants to remind me of different classes, one from over a decade ago and I honestly doubt any of them would have cost as much as a bouquet.

harrassed_granny

My grandson has lots of different teachers, no way would my son buy a present for each one. Might go along with the tin of biscuits though for the staff room.

monnagran

My sister-in-law used to teach in a vast and notorious school on a crime ridden estate. She said that the last day of term was a nightmare. At the end of the day the staff would be going to the small parade of shops, returning the gifts given them by grateful pupils to the shops from whence they had been nicked.
The bouquets (and wreaths) with touching messages on them were quietly dropped off in the cemetery among random graves.

And you think you have problems