Teachers don’t want Thank You Teacher gifts

Well your friend teachers sound like a bunch of ungrateful sods. Oh poor me, I got too many presents this year 😭

We do a class present with ten pound donation, half goes to the TA and the other half to the teacher. As it’s a big class we typically get vouchers for somewhere like the white company.

But in addition I always take time to write a personal note to show our appreciation.

She's gone shopping to buy us all a mug

I ❤️ that this poster never came back 😂

I love thank you gifts. I'm a teacher. I rarely get any!

I always appreciate the fact someone has thought of me, regardless of what the gift is. I love thank you cards. Sometimes the job can feel pretty thankless so a card with a nice message in really makes the world of difference. I have kept every single one over my career and will continue to do so.

Just to get the etiquette right: is there anybody these days that doesn't get a tip for their services?
I'm used to waiters, hairdressers, the paper boy, the dustmen, teachers, posties...
Have I missed out anyone I should be slipping a tenner - or equivalent present - to?

I am a teacher and I feel I must add the note of 'I cannot speak for every teacher' for those that may be pedantic about me sharing my opinion

Thank you notes, cards, pictures - are always appreciated

I am not a fan (and talks around the staff room indicate i am not the only one) of things like:- A mug, coaster, keyring - all that type regurgitated card factory type stuff - gets pooled in a box the school office, and one of us does a charity shop run.

This is so sad. Those gifts often come from the heart. Which other profession would you get up to 30 children and parents wanting to give you a token of thanks for shaping their child’s future? My DC1 started school a couple of years ago and I’ve been blown away by the kindness of their teachers. They are so special and it’s a job I 100% could not do! DC has written them all a card (teachers and TA’s) every year and we’ve given them a small gift. I gave them some nice reed diffusers last year and I know friends who have given equally thoughtful gifts.

I have many friends who are teachers and yes, they do sometimes have a hallway full of chocolate after the last day of school but they’re always so grateful and appreciative I cannot understand your hardened and cynical post. If you are indeed a teacher yourself and you feel this strongly then please try and find a way of communicating this to parents ahead of time.

This is something I don’t understand. The support staff spend as much time with the children, if not more. It’s really mean spirited to exclude them.

Personally I am very pleased with chocolate or a costa voucher. But I’d never expect it.

I disagree. I've had three lovely gifts this week - all of them from students rather than parents, all chosen with great thought, and all much appreciated. Not one of them would mean anything to anyone who hasn't spent two years in my class. It's not a competition.

i ont remember ever getting my teachers gifts just commercialism

It’s just a way for some parents to remind others that they’ve got more money. And some teachers use it to lord their way over others.
If I was a headteacher, I’d only allow handmade cards. Speaking as an ex teacher

I make no secret of my love for all things coffee related and I got some amazing coffee related gifts last year! Travel mugs, costa and Starbucks vouchers, packs of actual coffee - all gratefully received and used!

Good of you to be elected Teacher Spokespersons, when you're not even a teacher yourself to boot!

My mum is a teacher and adores gifts from students, especially handmade ones. She's been given handmade bookmarks, painted cups, pictures. She keeps them and can tell you about each child who has made them. She also likes wine, flowers and chocolate.

A handmade card from a child is more appreciated than I think anyone will ever realise.

I loved gifts from children! My favourites were personalised notebooks, pencils and a pencil case with my name embroidered by the child.

I kept all the cards I was given, and the drawings.

I never got a teacher mug, but I did get a lovely one with a hare on (I like hares).

My friend (who was also my son’s teacher) was given vouchers for an outdoor store from us all when our kids left. He still wears the RAB gilet he bought with them, and mentions it every time we go walking 😁.

Well, I tip my hairdresser when I'm already paying them for their work, so why not teachers, I suppose.
Where does it stop though?
Hmm...

"Thank you, vicar - lovely service!" <tucks £10 note into surplice>

Don't be so bloody rude. If a child gives me a bottle of wine that isn't to my taste, then I'm not going to bitch about it. And frankly, plenty of people like those things.

I’m happy to have as much alcohol as anyone else won’t drink……

Yes!
That's what I thought!
😁

Great idea!
Some children have parents who are unable to afford a gift. Desperately sad to have a small child tell you they wish they could have bought a present but Mummy or Daddy can't afford it.

Piano teacher here, the whole gift thing took me completely by surprise when I first started, it certainly wasn’t a thing when I was young. But I am so very grateful for every lovely thing I’ve received over the years. Every year I have enjoyed bottles of wine from a wide range of price and who cares, it’s lovely that people care to bring something, I toast my student and the work and enjoyment they have gained over the year, I don’t eat sugar but I love seeing my husband enjoying gifts of things I would never buy him. I certainly don’t expect things and I would be mortified if people bought things because they feel they should, or couldn’t afford and I genuinely don’t think i deserve anything. But every year I hang some of the beautiful decorations I’ve been gifted over the years onto my Christmas tree I remember the student who gifted it.

so to everyone out there, please don’t ever feel obligated or pressured but rest assured most teachers appreciate everything they receive and remember them with love💐

So someone sits down and puts lots of effort into creating something for you, they spend their personal time attempting to create a gift for you that comes from the heart, and you call it junk?

Christ. I hope all people do buy you is cheap bottles of wine, because quite frankly you don’t deserve the gift of someone’s time and hard work at all.