Gifts for Teachers

impy78

I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that teachers got paid to do their jobs?

It's fine if the individual child wants to give a present to the teacher, but lord, if I was a kid in that school I'd be demanding the teachers gave ME monetary rewards on the grounds that I received no wage for turning up and they forced me to do PE against my will!

Sweet_Pea_2

I think that its outrageous too. I always buy a present at Christmas and the end of term, usually a few smellies or a nice bunch of flowers. I was a bit stumped by the male teachers so I bought wine, but its difficult to know their taste so just hope that they appreciated the gesture. I dont usually spend more that a few pound. I have always done this, my daughters are in Years 5 and 2, and I think 99% of the other parents do too. In all but a couple of cases my daughters have received thank you notes from the teachers/teaching assistants. One teacher even went to the trouble of looking up our address and posting a letter addressed to my younger daughter in the school holidays which my daughter was very chuffed about.

I know in some classes one of the moms has suggested that instead of the moms spending £2-£3 each on a bunch of flowers etc, she would collect £1 off everyone who wanted to contribute and buy M+S vouchers from the whole class, so the teacher ended up with £20 - £25 worth of vouchers rather than loads of flowers and chocolates which I thought was a great idea, it saves the parents money and the teacher ends up with a better gift. I have often wondered what the teachers do with 30 gifts of candles or smellies, Im sure they dont use them all.
To actually suggest £10 per child is absolutely ludicrous. I would totally ignore the letter and do as I have always done if I felt that I wanted to get the teacher a gift, but then I hate being told what to do!
I have already got gifts for my daughters teachers, a mini teddy from the bear factory with "top teacher" on its t-shirt. As they were only £1 I will probably buy flowers too ( but inexpensive ones!) My daughters chose the teddies themselves when we were shopping and as both of their teachers have young children they can always pass them on if they dont want them, but the gifts are from my daughters so its only right that they should choose them.

master_blaster_2

Murtle wrote:

Just wondering what the general thoughts from the school parents on this has been???

M

gob smacked is prob the main response from the parents


to clarify
afik
it is not all the teachers that have sent this out ... i think it has been sent out by a parent (although it has happend in previous years), this parent does some work for the school.
the teacher my child has ( who let the note go out) would have known about this and by default approved it

as most peeps have said it is out of order to ask for so much ... some have rightly argued it is wrong to ask at all!!!!

divadee

that is absolutely dreadful!!!!!! I wouldnt do that out of principal.

This year I have decided to give the headmaster (he is retiring dont usually buy for him!!) some fruit trees for africa, and for her teacher some hospital toys for a hospital in africa) They get a card saying what there gift is and who will be receiving it.

I told one parent that i was doing that, and she couldnt believe i was!! She said oh dont you think they will want a gift :eek: When they have 35 kids in the glass even if 15 give pressies that a hell of a lot of choccies!!!!

Do you lot think what i have done is ok? esp any teachers

bylromarha

Polly wrote:

How refreshing to hear of a teacher who actually says thanks for the gifts. I have been buying gifts for seven years now and not once has there been any acknowledgement. I'd never even given it a thought until now but I would never fail to thank someone who gave me a gift.

Really? I'm shocked!

I no longer teach full time, but when I did, I would be about 1 of 3 teachers who would sit in the school office until 5.30pm getting addresses of all the pupils who'd given me gifts. I then spent the next few days writing the cards and popping them in the post.

The parents would always come and find me in september to tell me how excited little johnny got when he got a letter in the post...and then even more excited when he found out it was from his teacher!

Probably breaks every data protection rule in the book:D

bylromarha

divadee wrote:

Do you lot think what i have done is ok? esp any teachers

Sounds fab.

Most teachers don't expect a thank you present as we know we are just doing our job. I think no more or less of the child who gives me a gorgeous bunch of flowers compared to the one who gives me nothing.

A present which will benefit others in such a practical way is really imaginative and I would have loved it if I were given it.

And you're right about the choccies...I used to get at least 10 boxes. Mr Byl helps me polish them off and boxes of chocs always have a best before date of at least 6 months:T

divadee

thanks byl, i just thought it was something different to the usual flowers, choccies etc....

Hopefully they will enjoy it. I think the headmaster will, he is always fundraising to buy water wells and the like for africa!!!

Poppy9

£10 is OTT and I would not give it.

I usually send in a box of chocs or wine at Xmas and end of term for teacher. Very few teachers have ever thanked me but I know they have said thank you to DD and some even gave her a kiss!!

I always think the gift is from the child not the parent. One year when my DD was about 6 her teacher was getting married. I sent a note to all parents asking if they wished to give £1 for a present from the children. Most parents objected it was too small an amount and some gave more. I thought though that the point was the gift was from the children not the parents. I bought a Waterford crystal trifle bowl and a big box of Maltesers (left over money). According to DD teacher was tearful and shared the chocolates with the whole class.

DD now year 6 and others have asked me to collect again. This time it's something for the school more than the teacher. I've suggested £3 per child but said it's upto them the amount and that I won't nag for the money. I will tick off who has given only for me to decide when I think I've had all the money from the parents who wish to contribute. The school will not know though if any parent/child has not given. We have over 30 children in the class so hope to get about £100.

Personally I will be getting a gift from CAFOD for the school as it ends my association with it. I'm think of the school pack which cost £7 and was going to get 7, one for each year of schooling my DD received from the school.

Murtle

master_blaster wrote:

gob smacked is prob the main response from the parents


to clarify
afik
it is not all the teachers that have sent this out ... i think it has been sent out by a parent (although it has happend in previous years), this parent does some work for the school.
the teacher my child has ( who let the note go out) would have known about this and by default approved it

as most peeps have said it is out of order to ask for so much ... some have rightly argued it is wrong to ask at all!!!!

Thank you for replying, I was interested to know the reaction of those close to the situation as each area is different. I think £10 is huge money for a pressie for teacher, especially if you have a couple of children.

A thank you note for little un I think is a nice gesture and teaches manners, £10 is greedy!!!

x x

Sallys_Savings

divadee....I think these vouchers are a fantastic idea

I brought my daughters teachers a desk and chair between them lol ....but of course its in Africa

I have used oxfamunwrapped for so many presents over the last couple of years.

Going off subject a little but......
The first time I used these ideas I brought 10 chickens for each of my four children for christmas. I had got fed up of buying bits and pieces and spending a fortune on rubbish for their stockings so decided they were going to have an empty stocking apart from the card saying they'd brought 10 chickens for a family in asia. (my youngest child was 10). Some might say that it was a bit mean when they would of normally received goodies in their stockings and that was what they were expecting that year too. But I felt it made them stop and think. They were all really thrilled lol...EVERYONE who asked my daughter what she had received at christmas got the reply of.."10 chickens" lol...not mentioning any of her other presents.