Should teacher gifts be from the whole class or contributors only?

[SurreyisSunny]

I’m currently class rep for my DS’s year 1 class. Part of the rep job description (yes we really do have one) is arranging teacher gifts. This involves arranging a collection, finding out what the teachers want and buying the gifts. 40% of the total pot we have to transfer to an account for the support staff who get vouchers.

Im ok with this but for the Christmas gifts only about half the parents (so 14 plus myself) contributed but the gifts came from the whole class. I even arranged a personalised card with all their names on.

For end of year collection I’d prefer to just sign the card and have the gift from those who contributed. I’m concious that some have less money but only I see how much is contributed (for context at Christmas most gave £10-20). Also some may prefer to give their own gifts. We do have 2 TA parents who work at the school in the class.

Am I ok to just gift from those who’ve contributed? Interested in what others do

They’re kids! Who cares about the money? They have control over whether mum and dad contribute. Sign it from them all!

Personally I’d rather put a tenner in a collection. It’s easier and cheaper than buying multiple gifts for different staff. By the time I’d got chocolates/wine/flowers plus cards for the class teacher and TAs I’d likely end up spending more and it’s a hassle. I do like to give them something. Fine if others don’t agree, don’t give. But I like to.

We have a rep.
Rather than message everyone via dojo when something is happening in class, and have 20 parents all come back asking the same questions, the teacher emails the rep.
The rep then puts it in their WhatsApp. If anything needs clarifying it means one person asks in the chat, and the rep checks. Then everyone gets the exact same information without the teacher spending all evening repeating herself to everyone individually. It works really well from our point of view (I'm the TA)

I don’t know what’s worse class rep or this gift system

We don’t have this issue at all. The teacher puts something on dojo and if it’s not clear someone will comment on the post and ask and the teacher/ ta or office staff will reply and everyone knows. No need to go through a middle man.

I am a teacher and also organiser of the presents for my kids teachers. When I ask for contributions it is for any amount, can be £1 or £20. I put names on the card. I don't think it's my decision to write someone name on a card if they didn't give consent, maybe they have a reason not to contribute.

As a teacher, I would never read out individual names though, I would just say a thank you to the class.

The whole class rep thing is different everywhere. I am one but it has nothing to do with the teachers. It's purely that I represent that class on the PTA. My role as rep is just to make sure our class is informed about PTA events and decide what stall we are running at the summer fair etc.

When the idea of a card signed only by the parents who contributed to a class collection was suggested when dd1 was at school... I was appalled!! Surely the gift/card is a sign of appreciation from the children and their families, and can just be signed 'Love Year 4' or some such.
There are all sorts of reasons why a parent might not contribute, putting a spotlight on those parents and their children is extremely crass.

What we do at work is have one of those online card things with a "jar" so you can donate inf you want. That way if you want to just sign the card, you can, and most people make a donation too but that is optional.
So if a parent doesn't want to participate as they are doing their own thing, then they dont sign at all. If a parent cant afford to contribute then they just sign the card and dont make a donation

As a parent who pays for every donation contributed towards every collection and pays all trip expense’s it’s always the same people donating. The others don’t bother knowing that the children’s names get included regardless and the staff won’t actually know who the gift was from it’s kind of frustrating.

Are you giving the gift so that the teacher feels appreciated and knows her efforts have been recognised, or to make yourself feel better by knowing that the teacher sees how generous you are as an individual? If the latter, know that she wouldn't / shouldn't think better of you because you contributed when X's family didn't (and if she does and thinks badly if the 'missing' parents she doesn't deserve your appreciation anyway).

If your motivation is so the teacher feels happy / appreciated, then a present 'from the whole class' is much nicer and would certainly make me feel happier.

Not that presents are needed, but if you must give one make sure it's for the right reason (showing appreciation) rather than the wrong one (your own need for recognition). If the teacher has gone the extra mile for your DC this year and you want to thank her for that specifically, then a few words in a card mean more than a large donation to a group gift.

When it was my turn I just signed it from “your class”.

I sent out a reminder a couple of days before the end of the collection in case anyone had forgotten, but I didn’t chase anyone.

Do the collection via a platform like Ving?

So everyone who contributes leaves a message and then you print the messages off and put them in a card. You can only purchase vouchers but our class choose JL vouchers and split them between teacher and TA's.

Make it clear beforehand that no-one is obligated / people are free to give their own cards and gifts but only those who donate via the Ving collection will be on the official card.

I've been at primary for over a decade (x3 DC) and I've never heard such nonsense. The class collection was always from whoever actually donated.

To be fair class collections via a platform have only become more common in the past 5 years or so but they have always worked well and there is absolutely no way someone who hasn't donated can be included on the gift / card.

coodawoodashooda
All the kids should be included in the card.

Yes, op I thought the way you did until I saw this spot on comment- it’s not the kids who pay, it’s their parents. So the teacher will see little Jane didn’t give towards my present but little Jane had no say in the situation

Except don't sign it as being from those of us who disagree with the whole business of teacher gifts.

Sorry, I'm still signing it just "love from X class" so you are included by default. I can't be arsed faffing about working out who has contributed or not and writing a selection of names.

Do the teachers actually care whose parents contributed? Just be an adult and sign the card from the whole class ! All sounds a bit petty and childish TBH!

Wow this seems insane!
It feels more like it is a duty to get a gift and a 'job' rather than actually appreciating the teacher.
I agree with others who have commented who work in schools saying if you are going down this route then you need to say from the class.
I also agree that while perhaps having the knowledge that Miss Smith is into horse riding and getting a gift relevant to that is fine if it is widely known, but seeing it as your job to ask what they like seems very wrong.

We don't have class reps...though do have someone who thinks they are and basically likes to share information, will always say they will ask the teacher if anyone asks a general question in the group chat.
How did you come to be class rep? As if you were like this mum who seems to have self appointed herself into a non existent role, it would make me not want to be involved at all.

I know someone who always seems to be a class rep. She then talks about it as if it is an actual job. I’m sure it doesn’t need to be a complicated role unless you choose to make it that way.

As a parent, I would have preferred only to have the names of those who contributed on a gift message. Some parents will choose not to contribute for whatever reason so why include them? Teachers aren’t wandering around showing the class their card so they children will have no clue anyway.

our office staff don't use dojo, and for some reason parents all have the teachers direct email addresses! I don't know why that was thought a good idea 😂