Page 4 | To feel sorry for all the teachers who are about to be inundated with shite gifts

Butterflyfluff · 2024-07-07T17:50:24+00:00

My Facebook feed is full of utterly shit teacher gifts - mugs, glasses, baubles, sweet jars all with ‘Greatest Teacher’ on them. Surely the vast majority of these end up in the bin - no one needs up to 30 odd of these every year? What’s wrong with clubbing together for vouchers that would actually get used?

quintessentially166 · 07/07/2024 23:25

combinationpadlock · 07/07/2024 18:51

well, vouchers need to be declared for tax purposes, and the paperwork is long and complicated, so please avoid this.

Vouchers do not need to be declared for tax purpose. The school just has to register them in their records as received.

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 07/07/2024 23:09

cantkeepawayforever · 07/07/2024 19:12

But if you wrote in a card, or sent an e-mail to the head, I’d be equally bowled over.

I senr my dd's headteacher an email praising her form tutor (year 7) - had a reply straight back - seemed like she really appreciated my email.

InsolentNoise · 07/07/2024 23:07

I appreciate every gift I’m given and I keep/use every mug!

However, I wouldn’t thank you for glue sticks or classroom stationery etc!
You wouldn’t give a nurse/doctor plasters or bandages.
If you’re giving a gift, it’s to show appreciation for the person.

InsolentNoise · 07/07/2024 23:03

Shattereddreamsparkway · 07/07/2024 22:57

My favourite gift was a 12 pack of dove soap bars off a student. Not sure if he thought I was smelly but it kept me stocked up for a while they were also unwrapped just given to me in my hands!

Love this!

InsolentNoise · 07/07/2024 23:02

pleasehelpwi3 · 07/07/2024 19:57

I both admire your post, and find it incredibly frustrating.
You are a good person for buying things out of your own money.
But you shouldn't be doing this. As a primary teacher, I absolutely draw the line at this. Of course if my own child has grown out of a book, I would bring it in to my classroom. But the Tories made a conscious choice- austerity- not to fund schools property; and not to pay teachers properly either.
By buying things form your own salary, you are enabling in a very small way the lack of funding. You should not be doing this- do not be a martyr! A waiter wouldn't buy plates for a restaurant, a bus driver wouldn't buy a spare wheel for the bus, a police officer wouldn't buy replacement handcuffs etc. Please don't- it also makes it harder for other teachers who really can't afford to do this but unlike me, can't quite manage 'No' to their head. (And tbf, my head would NEVER expect us to do this).

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I have to agree with you. I might bring in toys/books etc that my DC have grown out of but there is no way that I’ll spend my own money on classroom supplies.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 07/07/2024 23:00

I've never minded the random presents either! It's lovely that they want to give me anything at all. And yes, a card is best. I've currently got a load of lovely ones from my Year 11s.

Fizbosshoes · 07/07/2024 23:00

RatintheCat · 07/07/2024 22:32

I'm genuinely gobsmacked at this. I've had people donate 20p. Our classes are max 30 and we do it per class not across the year so it's at most 2 teachers if it's a job share and usually 1 HLTA who covers a couple of sessions a week.

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I live in quite an affluent area, I'd imagine most people would put £10+ in a collection. There were some years where I sorted my own gift/card even though there was a class gift, because I was embarrassed and didn't want to be judged for only putting £3 or 4 in a collection.

Lolabear38 · 07/07/2024 22:59

Reading the suggestions about Amazon wish lists - this is commonplace in America. As soon as the class lists are shared you’ll receive an email from your child’s teacher with the wish list attached - in our state you also have to buy all the class supplies for your child to last the year (this cost me around $100 last year. You can donate supplies for a child too if any parents aren’t able to provide them). The wish lists include books, pens, class games and anything the teacher would like added into the classroom. It’s also not uncommon for teachers to share their wish lists on community Facebook groups in case anyone on there wants to buy something!

Shattereddreamsparkway · 07/07/2024 22:57

My favourite gift was a 12 pack of dove soap bars off a student. Not sure if he thought I was smelly but it kept me stocked up for a while they were also unwrapped just given to me in my hands!

tennisfann · 07/07/2024 22:40

My teacher friend loves her gifts, she only has a small class and she really appreciates the chocolates, toiletries, tea/coffee/biscuits and mugs.
She always sends me a photo of a lovely display of presents.

jellymaker · 07/07/2024 22:38

Just buy stuff for the classroom. I always gave books for the children or a massive pack of prit sticks. Much appreciated by teachers.

Wantitalltogoaway · 07/07/2024 22:35

Lolabear38 · 07/07/2024 21:50

As a teacher I would personally prefer no gifts at all. It’s a minefield. I would far, far prefer a card/ email with a nice message if you feel you’d like to. It means so much more.

I’ve worked in schools in really deprived areas and also private schools in very very affluent areas, the gifts I’ve received over the years range from out of date chocolates to designer handbags. The things I’ve always treasured the most are the lovely cards or the parents who’ve quickly popped in at the end of the year and given me a hug and told me I’ve made a difference. Honestly.

This.

The world (women) has honestly gone mad.

Majmh · 07/07/2024 22:32

Husband and I are both teachers and have been for a long time. We honestly enjoy the random tat and actually don't have that many mugs. We both do forest school and gardening clubs so we generally both get lots of plants, garden stuff, wine and chocolates. Which is essentially what July's pay check would go on.

My favourite gift so far was a little pebble with googly eyes blu-tacked on with a handwritten set of care instructions, because it was so obviously from the child.

RatintheCat · 07/07/2024 22:32

Bushmillsbabe · 07/07/2024 21:48

Our year group collection (about 45 children across 2 reception classes in state primary is currently at well over £400, with several parents yet to contribute. This does have to cover 3 teachers (2 class teachers and head of EYFS) and 7 teaching assistants, so doesn't go that far. 1 parent gave £100! I did message her to check wasn't a typo and she meant to give £10, but she confirmed she was so thrilled with the support the school have given her son that that was the amount she wanted to give.
It's a very mixed school from a socio economic perspective, with higher than average FSM and SEN, definitely not a school full of rich parents, but a school where the parental engagement is huge.

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I'm genuinely gobsmacked at this. I've had people donate 20p. Our classes are max 30 and we do it per class not across the year so it's at most 2 teachers if it's a job share and usually 1 HLTA who covers a couple of sessions a week.

Bullbreedbliss · 07/07/2024 22:30

Never did gifts for teachers back in my day. The idea is totally weird to me. I have a daughter approaching nursery, are you telling me we will be expected to get a gift every year?

oakleaffy · 07/07/2024 22:28

Sherrystrull · 07/07/2024 19:54

@oakleaffy

It's heartbreaking. I've been teaching over 20 years. We're at the point that we can't afford to change displays, can't afford to make Mother's Day cards and have to consider which Art lessons we do. I remember the days when we had so much stock and could do things like clay modelling, making character spoons and a plethora of Christmas craft.

That really is incredibly sad.

JaninaDuszejko · 07/07/2024 22:28

Dracomalfoysmum · 07/07/2024 22:07

Slightly off topic but our council makes teachers declare gifts over £10. I did wonder whether our PTA could put together an Amazon wish list for people to purchase things the school would need and pass on any messages to teachers/staff to read? Rather than teachers getting lots of gifts that are unwanted yet still having to put their hands in their own pockets for extra resources? Anyone heard of any schools doing this already and was it successful?

Our primary school asked parents to buy books from their Amazon wishlists, it's the only time I've bought a 'gift', usually my kids do a handmade card. DD1 has just left secondary and made cards for some of her favourite teachers, her English teacher got a picture of Mr Soap in Da Forest, both mnenomics for GCSE English, which he has framed and put on his classroom wall sothat obviously went down well.

In any other job you'd have to refuse gifts of any value (we can accept pens, stationary, small food gifts like a decorated biscuit but e.g. a box of chocolates or bottle of wine would be considered too much). It's considered fraudulent behaviour.

RatintheCat · 07/07/2024 22:27

TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 07/07/2024 19:00

A class of 32 kids only raises £20? Is this a very poor area?

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Yes it is but its usually only a handful people contributing tbh hence why so low! Class of under 30 in a highly deprived city centre area. More people do gifts, often very generous ones, but cash contributions don't seem to attract any interest. Similarly if we ask for contributions for non uniform day for school we get pennies but if we fundraise for an external charity people do donate. Not sure if it's just us but I'm not bothering with a collection this year.

Hedgeoffressian · 07/07/2024 22:22

Flavabobble · 07/07/2024 18:55

Yeah, my heart bleeds for them.
#prayfortheteachersreceivingshitgifts.

This ^ I work my backside off all week. I’m not a teacher or a nurse. I would never expect gifts. I work in the public sector so get paid a lot less than my counterparts in the private sector. I don’t complain and just get on with it 🤷‍♀️

Combattingthemoaners · 07/07/2024 22:17

TheHateIsNotGood · 07/07/2024 21:43

I've got a theory about teachers - they start off with ideals and ideas, hopefully also suited to teaching - then after 2-3 years on the actual job, they get into a mindset that parenting is easy and more kids would be easier to teach with the teacher's ideals/parenting skills' in place.

With juggling a job with great Mat Leave T&Cs that on paper works well for school holidays they either go for dc2 like a lamb to the slaughter or cynically milk their 2nd ML for everything they can get. And quit/pause teaching by 5 yrs on the job.

Unless they're male teachers and the mother of their dc takes the brunt/career-hit - as is often the way; these men are then set to progress to SLT just by dint of hanging on to their jobs whilst also having dc, and certainly not by ability.

Hence in reality it's the crap, unsupportive SLT that undermines most teachers.

As regards to end of year/term gifts from appreciating parents and pupils - if you really don't like them then give them to a good cause or if you're too cynical/ungrateful about these 'tokens' then maybe best reconsider your position or even a more obviously self-serving job.

What has the first 2/3s of your post got to do with this topic?? I don’t think any women who happen to be teachers have had children for the reason you have stated.

Snugglemonkey · 07/07/2024 22:16

combinationpadlock · 07/07/2024 18:51

well, vouchers need to be declared for tax purposes, and the paperwork is long and complicated, so please avoid this.

Ach, nonsense! Who would be arsed for a few vouchers maybe twice a year!!!!!

RobinsonsOrange · 07/07/2024 22:15

LemonadePockets · 07/07/2024 22:09

Vouchers need to be declared? I bought my child’s teacher a gift voucher for an experience (day trip out) but it was of a monetary value - have I caused them a problem?

No

Tralalaka · 07/07/2024 22:14

In my kids secondary the kids themselves have done collections and all chipped in. At the one of year 11 the GCSE PE class bought the teacher some trainers and in Year 13 gave one of their A level teachers Monica Vinader vouchers as they knew she loved the jewellery. My DD bought a bottle of wine for her favourite dinner lady who had also been the after school club lady when she was in primary.

BlackBean2023 · 07/07/2024 22:12

combinationpadlock · 07/07/2024 18:51

well, vouchers need to be declared for tax purposes, and the paperwork is long and complicated, so please avoid this.

Yawn. Vouchers need to be declared for the purposes of financial regs but not for taxes- they are not a benefit in kind, they are a gift...

dizzydizzydizzy · 07/07/2024 22:11

combinationpadlock · 07/07/2024 18:51

well, vouchers need to be declared for tax purposes, and the paperwork is long and complicated, so please avoid this.

I doubt that. They're a gift from the parents, not in lieu of wages from the employer.