Gifts to/from teacher

[OhWhatFun12]

Did your child get a gift from their teacher? If so, what was it?

If your child got a gift and you’re in the ‘teachers don’t need gifts just for doing their jobs’ camp, do you not feel bad that teacher has likely spent £30+ and you won’t even spend a quid on a chocolate orange or something?

Asking because I’m a teacher. I work in a school where kids always get a gift off the class teacher. I usually get a good selection of gifts but this year I only got 6. It’s made me feel a bit shit tbh. I spent £40 and several hours making and wrapping individual resin keyrings for each of my children and I just feel a bit...unappreciated and am questioning whether the parents just don’t like me. It’s been a tough bloody term and I’ve worked really hard to make the kids feel safe, happy and make progress.

I know that there is a pandemic but none of the parents have lost their jobs and I really don’t think a small gift is a lot to ask. Yes, I’m doing my job but I also spend 32 hours a week with these children and have a relationship with them...surely that’s the sort of person in your life that children should be taught it’s nice to buy gifts for?!

Anyway, that’s my first world grumble. I was annoyed yesterday and am still festering on it today so wanted some other opinions.
Have name changed, obviously, as I know the official party line for school staff is ‘just a homemade card with a nice message is a lovely gift’ and it’s likely that an avalanche of shit may well fall on me in this thread. Also, I know I am being a completely grabby CF - but I feel this way anyway! AIBU?

You sound grabby OP. You don't do your job for gifts. Ofcourse parents appreciate you but it's your job. Secondary school teacher here I never receive gifts however I've had a couple of cards off students over the years which was lovely. I normally by my form a little something, not for something in return but because some of them won't get any gifts or will have a really shitty time.

DDs school wouldn't allow gifts for teachers this year so it's the first year we haven't given something. Normally we give a card with a £5 Costa voucher inside. I wrote an email expressing my thanks instead.

It's possible parents didn't think presents were appropriate this year.

*buy

I feel you.
I spent £45 on gifts for mine.
2 hours of wrapping.
Class was closed due to a child in the yr group testing positive.
So no pressies and theirs are sat by my front door until January.

Eek this is a cringey thread to read.

I bought my class a pencil case each and some chocolate. I didn't expect anything from them.

Normally I just get chocolate or sweets but we needed the pencil cases as the ones the school provided were such poor quality so if I had to buy them I thought I might as well wrap them up for Christmas presents!

Our school aren’t allowing gifts because of infection control though I expect the head teacher will also be happy to avoid competitive gift giving for people who are paid to do their job.

I have always made an effort and I definitely feel the teachers deserve the effort. However I want my child's teachers to be safe, therefore I haven't sent anything.

You do sound grabby op. Plenty of people work in the public sector and get bugger all in the way of presents, secondary school teachers for example.

I sent in a gift, but wasn't sure if it was allowed. Happily it was.

I think the whole gifts for teachers has got out of hand. I am sorry you feel unappreciated.

This year has been a shocker. I hope you have a lovely break, and try to unwind a bit. You've done a great job, in very trying circumstances.

Weirdest thing I’ve ever read. I’m a teacher and of course I bought my class token gifts (book and chocolate.) I did receive gifts but I would never dream of moaning that I didn’t receive enough gifts or worry that I was disliked because the presents weren’t good enough. Bizarre attitude from an adult!

I sent gifts in but I know some other parents thought they weren't allowed to

I teach surly teenagers so gifts are almost unheard of - 6 Xmas gifts sounds amazing to me!

I've never, ever heard a teacher declare this before.

Are you very young? Or are you (much more likely) a goady fucker out to slag teachers off again?

Our teachers probably got a bit more this year as all the parents really appreciated the work they've done and stress they have been under. We do an anonymous PayPal whip round and got about £300 in vouchers split between teacher/ta and admin staff from our class.

I'm secondary and not in UK, but have spent €200+ on bits for my various classes this Christmas, and not done yet. I have 1 student who sometimes gives a gift, and occasionally a class collects money for a voucher from them all (€2 each for €50 voucher kind of thing). I know I spend too much on my students, but I love all 150+ of them and appreciate that some of them come to school for an escape from a difficult home life.

I think you ANBU as a primary teacher.

Parents have one teacher to buy for, does not need to cost €€ but something small as a token to show their appreciation would be appreciated. I don't have my own children yet, but my mam always bought presents for my teachers and bus driver. It's just a token to say thanks, not a big thing.

I'm a secondary teacher. We don't tend to get gifts and nor would I expect it. This thread makes me cringe. Also... Surely you know this is one of the weirdest and hardest terms ever. I cannot believe you care about gifts tbh.

@NovemberR

I've never, ever heard a teacher declare this before.

Are you very young? Or are you (much more likely) a goady fucker out to slag teachers off again?

Surely

My sons class got 2 candy canes wrapped up to look like Rudolph which was great and they loved. Wasn't expecting anything for the kids so that was nice.
All school kids got a reading book through PTA funding too which was a lovely unexpected surprise.
I wasn't sure if they were allowed to accept gifts this year but I got DS's TA a box of chocolates and his teacher a teeny gin/truffle box and a face mask with the class theme on (a particular animal) They were allowed luckily!
His teacher and TA are both so lovely and have helped him a great deal this year and been great at communication so I really do appreciate them. I also wrote a note to express this.
Last year his teacher handmade a salt dough star ornament for each child in her class with each child's name stamped into it and a picture of the class animal. Must have taken her hours but it was so special, it's on the tree again this year.

God, I hope that the Daily Mail don't pick this up and start tarring us all with the same brush.
It's been an incredibly tough year for all with families struggling financially as well as physically and mentally. Whether they have lost jobs or not, you have no idea what else might be going on.
No, I do not expect a gift and I buy for my pupils because I want them to know that I care for them. You do sound grabby.

As a fellow teacher how can you be so grabby. You got 6 more than me. I've currently got Covid and am feeling very poorly indeed. I've also spent my own money on gifts for the children which they won't even receive now.

I always buy teacher gifts. Yes you get paid but it’s a profession which I think is undervalued, underpaid and (obviously) vital.
I have also bought gifts when stayed is hospital or had a long term relationship with my gp.
I think it is a bit rubbish of your class. But at the same time there is so much shit at the minute it’s hard to think of anything extra.

I always buy teacher gifts at Christmas but neither of my dc has ever been given a present by a teacher. I had no idea that was a thing!

I have a good phse lesson plan on how you shouldn't give to receive. Want to have a look?

You’re a disgrace OP. An absolute disgrace.