Teacher gifts

[Princesspickle777]

Teachers, if you were to receive an end of year gift, what kind of things would you prefer?. I’m wanting to get my DC’s teacher a gift for the hard work she has done for them but I don’t just want to get any old tat I’ve seen advertised. What has been your favourite gift?.

Last year I gave the teachers lavender plants with 'thank you for helping me grow' on the labels.

I've got multi packs of glue sticks for my ds teachers. Hopefully more useful than best teacher mugs

Personally as a teacher I feel that the idea of gifts for teachers is ridiculous and often a real problem for some parents. Teachers do not need any gifts and would probably prefer a handwritten letter of appreciation and thanks to anything else. If a gift is given, please make it something that can be used in class as I , along with most other teachers I would guess , have spent a fortune over the years buying stuff to use in the classroom.

Yes to email head for any staff that you have felt have gone above and beyond. Yes to plants (except orchids that I can’t for the life of me keep alive) choc/wine/stationery and small vouchers always lovely and any random stuff that you can tell the child has picked- always makes me smile. But cards are the best.

Best present I ever received: a handmade book mark with all my favourite things drawn on. Handmade cards I love too.

I love a box of chocolates. I'm secondary though, so don't get many presents.

My favourite present ever was a boy who got me a wedge of Wensleydale and cranberries cheese because I'd mentioned how much I love that cheese. He'd remembered that fact for months, and I'd forgotten I'd even mentioned it. I loved the personal thought about that.

Other things I've liked have been bookmarks, a drawing of a dragon (because I've mentioned dragons a lot), fridge magnets of something I like. The key is to get something that shows what your child knows about that teacher, I think.

Dd2 always finds out what her teacher's favourite animal is and finds some stationery that relates to that animal (I'm not sure how much the teachers like those, but dd2 has found a theme and she's sticking with it!)

Stationery. Always Stationery. Never goes to waste.

We do a class collection and everyone contributes about £5-10 and we then usually get vouchers and flowers. Simple. No worries about getting it wrong then.

I got a pair of flipflops from a girl I taught 16/17 years ago ... they’re still in great condition and I’m not sure how! She apparently told her mum that I’d like them. She was right! She’s in her mid twenties now and will have forgotten I’m sure.

I always get mine Costa/Starbucks gift card. I also follow up with an email to the head thanking them and the staff and noting some specific things to praise. The head and teachers seem to appreciate these.

Someone once gave me an Asda voucher - I thought it was great! I'd like a coffee shop voucher too. I always appreciate wine. Occasionally a pupil gets something really clever, say related to a book we've read in class, which I massively appreciate.

@Billybagpuss

Best gifts I’ve received:

Christmas decorations, I love that they come out every year and I remember the student from 20 years ago.
Plants for the garden, same sentiment if they’re a perennial.
Big paper clips, one is a wooden treble clef (guess what I teach)
Note books

Yes to these! I have some lovely notebooks which have little notes on the inside.

I love Christmas decorations and ever year remember exactly who gave me each one.

Alcohol is fine as long as you know they drink (I don't know how anyone does because I hate the stuff, especially wine). I usually do handmade cards and something practical for the classroom. I'm sure they get far too much tat.

Stationary or chocolate!

I always give John Lewis/ Waitrose vouchers.

@whattodo2019

I always give John Lewis/ Waitrose vouchers.

I don't think you can go wrong with those as a group present, can use John Lewis vouchers online or in Waitrose for wine or gin if they drink. Personally I don't like giving alcohol as what people like is specific, but there's lots of wine suggestions on this thread are you all teachers?

Coffee vouchers is tricky as how do you know it's local to them, but thinks a good idea for a £20 type gift.

£10 even

We always do class collection & get gift vouchers. It's split between the TA & other helpers. I know it's not popular on here.

I would say either a bottle of something you know they drink or John Lewis/Waitrose voucher. They can buy something nice with that.

Avoid all the Best Teacher stuff.

Why does MN hate a class collection? We have one going. I'd say about 50% have contributed so far. At Xmas we got 90% contribution of a small amount each. It saves the teacher getting multiple gifts. We didn't collect loads but they got a selection of things and a £50 voucher each.

I think the most memorable one i had , all the parents chipped in £1 and bought a manicure for me .

It was lovely. Such a nice gift , its cost the parents hardly anything and i loved it.

The only people disappointed were my children. One of there favourite days of the year , me arriving home with bags of chocolate and biscuits 😂

I like buying wild flower seeds for teachers with a card saying “thank you for helping me grow”

It’s never had a bad remark yet so I hope they liked them

like this

I sent a message to the teacher through the class app and contributed to the class gift.

After re reading my post.

I need to change the
There to their.

How embarrassing 😂

I do wine, beer or chocolate. I know the teachers at my dcs primary quite well so I know which they would prefer. Although I guess teachers can always re gift anything they don't want!