Teacher’s Gifts - Not another mug 😫

[Jessprimarytutor]

With the end of term approaching, the adverts for "Teacher's Gifts" seem to be doing the rounds on social media.

As an ex teacher, I never expected to get any presents and was always grateful when I did. However, if you are considering buying a gift for your child's teacher, please consider what you choose. It's unlikely they need another "Best Teacher" or personalised: mug, notebook, keyring, plaque, bag etc etc.

The best gifts I got (that were also well received by my colleagues) were when a few parents or a class of parents had got together and gave us a voucher e.g. for an experience (spa, massage, local pub to put towards a meal) or so we could chose something we wanted/needed (e.g. book token, John Lewis). Vouchers for the frozen meal company Cook, M&S, Waitrose would be great to help them to buy easy to cook meals once term restarts.

Or if you have more time/energy, try and find out what the teacher enjoys doing in their free time - you could get a keen gardener a voucher for a local garden centre etc if you wanted to make it more personal.

If every parent who spends say £2 on a box of chocolates/mug, came together - that would be a lovely £60 voucher (in a class of 30) for a teacher and would make their day.

There’s enough Teachers Tat in the world already! Please don’t add to it.

crochetmonkey You sound like a fabulous teacher.
You very definitely deserve a spa day

Good god, you’re brave! In my line of work I get a middle finger and told to fuck off. I’d love a mug.

@GreyhoundG1rl

crochetmonkey You sound like a fabulous teacher. You very definitely deserve a spa day

The thing is, and I really mean this, it's not a humblebrag- I am a good teacher but I am absolutely average among my colleagues- we all have stories like this (also I have been teaching 23 years) so lots of stories and helping kids through tears and triumphs. It is just THE BEST job.

LOL

I'm not doing presents this year and haven't done since ds was in reception.

Thanks ‘ex-teacher’! You’ve not at all helped our cause. Instead you’ve continued to make us look like unappreciative moaners!
From a current teacher

In the 1950's era, I used to take my favourite teacher a small bunch of flowers from our garden,and a few apples and pears off our trees. Nobody spent money on the teachers, and usually, the male teachers got nothing.

@LincolnshireYellowBelly

Thanks ‘ex-teacher’! You’ve not at all helped our cause. Instead you’ve continued to make us look like unappreciative moaners! From a current teacher

Yep. I want to post: "Not in my name"

There is no way op will be back now

@Lockdowntherabbithole

Good god, you’re brave! In my line of work I get a middle finger and told to fuck off. I’d love a mug.

Oh no you poor thing. You did make me laugh though

@1forAll74

In the 1950's era, I used to take my favourite teacher a small bunch of flowers from our garden,and a few apples and pears off our trees. Nobody spent money on the teachers, and usually, the male teachers got nothing.

OOh I love this - we had a student here (unfortunately I never taught them) who brought in eggs from their hens

My son has 3 teachers in his class so would cost way to much so I just get them a big box of hand made cakes with little teacher things on (pencils etc) to have with their cup of tea !

We never got teachers presents when my DS was at school. All this clubbing together is additional pressure on those with less money in a pandemic! Spa day, wow ...

@JustLyra

We do a class contribution. The suggested amount is £2 (to stop people feeling pressured to put in £10) and it’s all anonymous to the bulk of the parents who contributed what.

We buy a small box of sweets (ones we know they like) for the teacher and the TA and then the rest is used in whatever suggestion they’ve made for something needed.

At the end of term this year the teacher is getting scissors and glue sticks. At Christmas it was pencils, whiteboard markers and glue sticks.

It’s not the most personal gift and I know some parents don’t like it, but it means the teacher can spend her own money on whatever she wants rather than essential supplies.

And yet this OP thinks you should hand over the vouchers for spa experiences and the most expensive grocery shops, none of that Aldi and Iceland rubbish for her, M&S, Waitrose and bloody Cook.

I’m a Teacher and I love when the children make little things. So sweet. I had a key ring a child made me on my keys every day for years as I just loved the thought and effort that went into it.

I think the OP is right.
No one wants or needs 5 or 10 mugs, key rings or insulated coffee cups every year.
Teachers appreciate hand made cards and heartfelt notes.
If you absolutely have to spend £2 on something, club together with other parents to get something worthwhile rather than contributing to landfill.
At least wine, chocolate or biscuits can be eaten or regifted.

As an ex-teacher I appreciated the "teacher tat" much more because it was usually picked by the kids (I was gutted when my last "best teacher" fridge magnet broke and I still want to know where the fuck my nice cat mug a year 4 bought me went) than the ridiculously OTT shows of parental one-upmanship.

It's ridiculous at my kids' school - it's like a competition to see which parent can have the child having to carry the most over the top designer floral bouquet in for the entire final week of term. Same at Christmas. Because DD2 used to have a lot of different interventions from various TAs I always just got them a little box of sweets and nice tree decoration for a Christmas present - figured if they didn't want it it could go on the sparse class tree.

This year it's a bugger cos DD2's teacher has been absolutely fucking horrendous for her - if she's still at the school (I'm looking at moving her and hoping to get in before the holidays) then it'll be a passive-aggressive box of Malteasers so DD still feels like she's given her something (I'm really angry at the way she's gone on)... DD1's teacher - no idea yet, I'm kind of toying with something daft like juggling balls as he's always juggling whiteboard markers audits made an impression on DD! He's been fab for her so the appreciation is genuine.

One of my classes did that too. I was a blubbering wreck!! So sweet!

Sorry that was meant in response to the teacher that got a book of memories written by the children

And yet this OP thinks you should hand over the vouchers for spa experiences and the most expensive grocery shops, none of that Aldi and Iceland rubbish for her, M&S, Waitrose and bloody Cook.
Yes, I love that op took the trouble to signpost the establishments acceptable to her 😂

Blinking heck

You've put a lot of thought into how you don't want a gift or expect it.

Yeah, we always do a whip-round and usually John Lewis vouchers plus flowers/chocolates and cards for the teacher and TAs, bottle of wine for the Head and the janitor, chocolates for the administrators and box of biscuits for the catering staff

Poor catering staff. Others are lavished with gifts and the kitchen workers get a measly box of bics between them. Bet they're fighting over who gets the bourbon!

You sound so grabby OP tbh.

@hollieberrie a Costa or Starbucks voucher is always my go to with a note saying have a cuppa on us. Lovely little gift!

"Clubbing together" usually means one parent tells everyone else what they have to pay. In DD's class this time, the organising parent wants £17 from everyone. Often it's £20. No consideration of people's finances or whether they have other children. And I've noticed that the organising parents in my children's classes never give so much as a Christmas card to the Brownie or Scout leaders who are volunteers. I always give a small present to them as they're not paid.

Not giving anything to the school staff this year as they sent out letters at Christmas to say that the children could not bring in any Xmas cards for each other due to Covid but that we could send in teacher presents as they'd quarantine those.