Primary teachers - a straw poll

[NotInMyDay]

Hi teachers,
My eldest DD started P1 this year so no experience of this yet.

Do teachers like getting Christmas gifts from their pupils? Or do you end up with a house full of quality street?

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

mine are in P2 and P5 and we have done a small gift each year - normally toiletries or wine!

[cumbrialass]

What's wrong with a house full of Quality Street!!
Gifts are lovely, welcome but not expected.

[cece]

wine goes down very well ime.

[Dramajustfollowsme]

I have had some lovely presents in the best. I've got baubles for the tree, given to me by different children over the years. One was 15 years ago. I use them every year and it always makes me remember each child.

[mrz]

A thank you (spoken) if you think I'm doing a good job always goes down well. I like home made cards and one of my pupil's dad makes delicious fudge . Class collections are embarrassing.

[Feenie]

Love thank yous, written or spoken.

Also love red wine

Have received some lovely bracelets/necklaces which I wear frequently.

[NotInMyDay]

What about if I make a batch of tablet and give the teachers a wee bag each?

[blackcoffee]

yummy NotInMyDay - come to MY school

[Inclusionist]

What is tablet?? Thinking all sorts.. must have worked in rough areas for too long.

No gift expected buy wine very much appreciated (well, of course anything is appreciated, but you know what I mean )

[blackcoffee]

it's a sweet - not tabs lol

[teacherwith2kids]

Tbh, I'd rather a spoken 'thank you', or if you really wanted to push the boat out, a card with a personal written message in it, to any gift.

[SmallSchoolPrimaryTeacher]

I get really embarrassed by gifts. I am paid a good amount to do a job I love so feel absolutely no sense of entitlement to any more. If a parent feels I have gone above and beyond, I love personalised cards with a message explaining what is special, particularly at the end of the year, and I keep them (for those inevitable days when things are not so rosy!). As for Christmas, if you've baked some biscuits, count me in, or, even better, put a plate of them in the staff room.
It sounds daft, but teaching your child to read, write and count and to enjoy learning is what we do. It may seem a miracle to you, but to us, it is just the day job.
When I do appreciate gifts is when I have done extra: if I take your child away on residential, please remember to thank me when I get off the coach; if I organise and run a large school production, please say if you enjoyed it; if I prepare your child for a concert and then take them to an evening event, please show your appreciation. Those are the things that are above and beyond and are when small gifts may be suitable, but not expected.

[Haberdashery]

DD has made her teacher a little shrinky dink label that can be attached to a bag or zip of the animal that is the name of her class (IYSWIM). She will also be writing a card. I am contributing a multi-pack of pritt sticks and six boxes of nice soft tissues for the class room.

[VonHerrBurton]

mrz embarrassing as in overcome? or embarrassing as in awkward and uncomfortable?

We've nearly always done class collections, end of year - not xmas - I would hate to think any of them would have been a bit cringed out by it!

Must rethink this year, teacher is an angel!

[GW297]

I love getting cards with nice messages in them from the parents along the lines of what a lovely first term their child has had in my class and have a restful Christmas etc. I also like nice cards from the children that they have written themselves (infants.) I like it when parents say thank you and how much they enjoyed it after the nativity and recognise the amount of work that went into it. Honestly, a lovely card and a thank you and I'm happy!

A small gift at Christmas (wine is my favourite) but also chocolate etc is lovely and appreciated but certainly not expected. Class collections and bigger gifts tend to be given in the summer in my experience. I love it when the parents all club together for vouchers etc. I so appreciate all the effort that goes into coordinating it all and always buy something to remember that class by such as a nice picture.

[mrz]

VonHerrBurton embarrassed as in "this is very, very awkward, I wish the ground would open...please don't put me in this situation!"

[Inclusionist]

I think that is just you though mrz. I am always touched if I am given a gift. I would really rather not have parents spend much/any money but would certainly never be embarrased by a little token of appreciation.

[VonHerrBurton]

That's very interesting, thank you mrz .

[mrz]

If you had read my response Inclusionist you would know I was talking about class collections for large gifts. As I said earlier one of my pupil's father makes delicious fudge which is always gratefully received as is a simple thank you if the parent thinks I've done my job well.

[Inclusionist]

Sorry mrz, was skim reading. Didn't mean to offend.

[mrz]

I just don't like the thought that parents might feel under pressure to contribute to a collection.

[Inclusionist]

Yeah, absolutely agreed, especially at this time of year.

[StrawberryMojito]

Can I just say, as the daughter of a teacher who must have been popular, we had endless chocolate at Christmas....and it was great!! We loved it. You can't go wrong with a chocolate orange. Smellies...hit and miss, some ended up as tombola prizes for the school Christmas fair the next year.

[StrawberryMojito]

Also should add, my mum never expected gifts from anyone, she was always touched by the thought even if it was something she would never use.