Please stop with the teacher and TA gifts!

[pinkksugarmouse]

Just that really. As someone who has worked in schools and knows many people who do presents are such an unnecessary pain. It’s just stuff bought for the sheer heck of buying and needs to stop. Protecting the environment is very high on the list of pupils concerns. Inundating people with unwanted things in their name isn’t respectful.
Please no more mugs, teddies, chocolates, bizarre decorations…how many teachers, TA’s, nursery staff do you think really want it?
You are just gifting them a trip to the charity shop and/or the need for more bin bags.

[lomoloko]

@Howshouldibehave Yes, I do think it's demanding. I think there's an unpleasant power play underneath which, as a teacher, people should consider. I don't think it's the end of the world, but it's a real thing to think about.

Look at the subtle anxieties expressed even on this thread, none of which have been dispelled: "Thinking I might buy some brownie points for when dd inevitably starts messing about" and "well some children need all the goodwill they can get"

Personally, I would feel ashamed to create an obligation of expensive gifts from people who, statistically, I probably earn more than and over whom I hold some small power. ( Perhaps this is something brought into sharper relief if you work with lots of people on low incomes, which I do.)

[BadlydoneHelen]

I am always very grateful but never expect gifts. It's a lovely surprise if someone does bring something in. I've had everything from a bottle of champagne to a single chocolate coin out of one of the £1 coin bags and have been chuffed with both. Last year I had a very nice pair of socks from one child

[Jobseeker19]

I dont even celebrate Christmas and I still want the gifts.
I have some from years ago, I love them and really appreciate the presents.
Especially when you are underpaid and over worked.
Keep the gifts!

[itsgettingwierd]

Speak for yourself!

I don't expect gifts - never have.

But if someone takes their time to buy a gift and show their appreciation and care towards me I absolutely do take them with pleasure and certainly have never thought I didn't want it.

[Opalfeet]

Rude!

[VitalsStable]

We get them JL vouchers, they don't even need to leave their sofa to spend them and are always gratefully received.

I'm With you on candles, chocolates etc.

[gogohm]

We sent in homemade truffles most years by secondary, they were popular to the extent we got orders to make them for the teachers to give to their friends and family! Dd was a budding chef back then (completely changed career path)

[NotQuiteUsual]

We always ask the kids to try and notice something their teacher likes to eat or drink and give them that. One TA got a box of Nescafé gold last year she was absolutely thrilled with it since it showed DD really thought about what she liked.

[HairyToity]

I always get chocolate or wine. This thread is making me want to buy a best teacher mug. Seems like they go down well.

[womaninatightspot]

I think teachers like it :) Luckily for me there are a few organised folk who like to organise gifts so class present to the teacher smaller ones for the ta's/ teacher who covers every week. I chuck in a fiver/tenner depending on how much spare cash I have and sign a card. I do think class gifts are better than 20 sets of gifts. I think for the pandemic it was encouraged by the school.

[pictish]

@Littleants

Don’t worry, OP. I have never felt obliged to give teach a gift either as a child or an adult. They’re on a better wage than me and have more holidays.

This is good and true.

[Practicebeingpatient]

@Youknownothingsnow

Enjoy it, us social workers rarely get anything! I can count on one hand the number of gifts I’ve received 😂 I’m not bitter honest!!

That's better I think. The few gifts you get really mean something.

I agree with the OP. If a teacher or TA is getting just two Best Teacher mugs a year plus 2 teddies and an ornamental plaque, that makes 20 mugs and 30 ornaments in her house over a 10 year career and the reality is that in a typical class of 30 they will probably get a lot more than 5 gifts a year! No one has room for all that. Imagine that extrapolated over a 30 year career. You'd need an extra couple of bedrooms to store it all. The harsh reality is that it's thousands of pounds of parent's money destined for landfill.

We mostly gave wine to DC teachers but we were a small community so I knew most of them socially and knew what wine they liked. Even so the teachers were generous contributors to the bottle tombola at the annual fete! For the last couple of years we organised a class collection (no suggested amount, everyone signed the card) and bought gift vouchers.

[ShepherdMoons]

In dd's previous school we were pressured every year into giving £20 by the other parents and a very substantial amount for a voucher went to the class teacher and TA. It was a ridiculous amount (think hundreds of pounds of a voucher) and as a family we were struggling but felt pressured into doing it.

Dd's new school have a no gift policy, I think this is a great idea as no parent can curry favour with the teacher.

[Tricked2003]

My dc has special needs and attends a special school, I like to thank the teacher and TAs at Christmas..... They go above and beyond!!!!

[MLMshouldbeillegal]

@OhMyChickenDinner

We always just put together and the teachers get a nice big voucher each.

One of the mums at school always used to organise this too at primary. Everyone (who wanted to) contributed, she would then buy a voucher - usually one of those which you can use at any store within a certain shopping centre. And a token bottle of prosecco or box of chocolates.

I volunteer in a charity shop and can indeed confirm we see a LOT of "world's best teacher" things in January and just after the end of the school summer term.

[bumblingbovine49]

I used to give nicely packaged stationary packs . Highlighters, pens, nice folders, wall tacks, blue tack, sellotape , glue sticks etc.

I figured teachers would use that at least

[Madmog]

No one has to buy a gift, so people can chose.

What's a shame is that teachers and TAs only represent half of the staff in school, so finance staff, reception/general office staff/Mid-day Supervisors (it's known in many schools lunchtimes are the most challenging part of the day)/others are all overlooked.

[30whatacrock]

Or people could just make up their own minds as to whether to buy a present.

[LethargicActress]

Parents should never feel obliged to get presents for school staff but at the same time, it is lovely when parents and children want to, and they often do.

I’m a TA in KS1, and the children usually love having something little to give their teacher. They feel proud and it’s nice to teach children to show appreciation to the people that spend all day teaching and looking after them. All it takes is a card or a little chocolate, it doesn’t really matter what the gift is. It’s about the child, which is why I’d much rather have 30 little gifts (or tat as some people nicely put it) instead of a collection, because the child is actually involved.

I can’t feel guilty about receiving small gifts because I know how much we spend out of our personal money for gifts for the children or things we need in the classroom.

[DietrichandDiMaggio]

@pinkksugarmouse

Just that really. As someone who has worked in schools and knows many people who do presents are such an unnecessary pain. It’s just stuff bought for the sheer heck of buying and needs to stop. Protecting the environment is very high on the list of pupils concerns. Inundating people with unwanted things in their name isn’t respectful.
Please no more mugs, teddies, chocolates, bizarre decorations…how many teachers, TA’s, nursery staff do you think really want it?
You are just gifting them a trip to the charity shop and/or the need for more bin bags.

You've come on the Christmas board -why just single out gifts for teachers and not all the excess shit people buy for their children/families, that will be forgotten about a few days after Christmas?

[CrazyBaubles]

DH is a teacher and he gets a few mugs most years - one year he had 3 which were exactly the same. We don't have room for them and he doesn't drink hot drinks so we've given some away and donated the rest to a charity shop.

He normally receives a lot of chocolates and a few bottles of wine and they are eaten / drunk and appreciated.

It's hard because a lot of the parents at his school have very little spare money but when they tried to implement a no gift policy the parents complained as they like to give something.

[Missrabbitt]

DH is a teacher. We love the gifts. He has some very specific interests that he incorporates into school extra curricular activities and the kids often get him something to do with that. Lots of wine, fizz, and chocolate too which are all gratefully devoured. A few things have been re-gifted and we get the odd mug which usually replaces a chipped one. The kids or parents write lovely cards too and DH treasures them.

Some kids don’t do anything and that’s absolutely fine, but if you want to give your kids teacher a small token please don’t think it goes unappreciated.

[Sweetener12]

I think showing appreciation is nice Teddies and decorations may be a bit over the top but what's so harmful about a box of nice chocolates and a simple Smartshow 3d vid made by the whole class or handmade cards that kids make?

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

There s a lot of pressure on the parents to keep up with the rest of the class.

3 children, low income, it adds up.

Also, the endless tatt is bad for the environment.

Teachers have their families to buy them presents.

[OatALot]

I can see why wine, chocolate are well received as these can be consumed. Pens, pencils too, but how many 'best teacher' mugs do you really want? I do think from a consumption perspective it is a bit much, but I think as a nation we really need to look at our gift giving and tone it down. It really should be reduce before reuse and recycle. So much stuff is brought for the sake of it and out of duty.

Maybe schools can encourage buying for the staff room instead. Cake, chocolate, biscuits etc.