re teacher's presents

[wandymum]

Our class had a collection for the teacher and we'd agreed we'd get vouchers with it so she could choose something she'd actually like/need.

There was a pool of about £200 and I've just heard that the vouchers are for... Harvey Nicholls.

AIBU to think that's insane!

She's probably not paid a fortune and so giving her vouchers for a shop selling only high-end designer luxuries seems crazy. Also does Harvey Nicks actually sell anything costing under £200?

OrangeJuiceSandwich - just because your child hardly notices the TA in her class does not mean they don't have an important job. IME the teacher would have a lot less time to actually teach without this clearly to you pointless pair of hands. I was a class helper and saw exactly how much the TA does and they do teach. I was actually surprised how much I, as a lowly mum helper, did tbh. I loved it though.

Coconutty private schools are a whole different ballgame. I know someone who works at one and they used to get the most ridiculous presents. £100 bottles of scent (from individual children!), hundreds and hundreds of pounds worth in total. Completely mad!

Suitable teachers' gifts-
A homemade cake/cupcakes
A plant in a pot decorated by the child
A hand knitted scarf
A pretty notebook from Home Bargains or similar
Brownies in a jar
A nice mug with coffee or hot chocolate sachets
A card or painting made by your child
A letter of thanks
Maltesers or Toblerone from Poundland.

Anything similar to the above.

And I teach for a living!

Huh, I think this is the difference between primary and secondary schools.... I was lucky to get a box of chocolates (always much appreciated though!), it's not cool to give presents to teachers once you are in your teens...

And I don't think I would like contributing money. I neve like collections, feel a bit impersonal and grasping. Personal gift, yes, £10 - no.

As for the anti-TA comments, they are truly angels sent from heaven. They enable the students to get so much more from the lessons and the teachers to be soooooo much more effective, especially when you have SN students in the class. Don't think they do anything? Try it, just try it. And then shut up.

YY there is huge snobbery amongst parents at DDs school about TA. In Reception I was furious when I found out collection organisers had not split it 50-50. They felt that TA was a lesser species.
Really?? Our TAs have all been FABULOUS, listening to the girls read 3 times a week is one of their duties. So without TAs the kids wouldn't be able to read at all!!
I am sick of politics at the school gate. My DDs year parents are all v cliquey, there is lots of air kissing. WTAF is all that about?? Oh for some normal parents, who put their kids and not their careers/clothes/it bags first. Who don't boast about their huge cars and houses. Who have better things to do than dye their hair and get their nails done. Who are interested in what's going on in the world and not the fucking Kartrashians...

My Mum teaches my DS1. She's had a good year, because all the other mums came and asked what she wanted. (GIN. Or red wine. NOT SODDING MUGS THAT SAY WORLD'S BEST TEACHER. She's been teaching for 30 years, and has a plethora of them, and hates getting rid of them!)

orange what a crappy attitude re TAs

TAs IME often take the class whilst teachers have meetings or planning time etc.

Infact, here.....

I would be interested to know if payments like that are taxable :(

I'm a teacher and wouldn't want that as a gift to be honest. I'd rather spend that amount of money on something I'd want rather than overpriced things.

I friend of mine in a private school gets cases of good wine. Now and then I think about private sector work in the future!

My favourite presents have been cards with messages!

To be honest, I think the teacher would be extremely grateful whatever they were given, even if it were a card. In fact it is personal handwritten messages in cards which teachers value far more than a present.

Also a group voucher is far more useful than little individual gifts. For health reasons I tend to avoid most toiletries, especially the heavily fragranced ones, so I would much rather choose a gift I am able to use (rather than giving away to a friend)

However I don't think it is reasonable to ask for a suggested donation, especially not such a large one. Far better to have a general collection where people give anonymously what they are able to, a large (preferably handmade) card be signed with personal messages from the whole class, and vouchers purchased with the money.

We don't do any form of collection at our school. However, DS has had the same teacher for two years and she has been fab with him as have the TA's. I have bought the teacher a key ring with some charms, one charm with her name "Mrs x" engraved, another with "thank you" etc.

I am buying a separate thing for the TA's who have been lovely with my autistic son. I am so grateful to all of them for their fabulous input.

Since when have people in education been allowed to accept cash gifts? I've worked in a number of schools, and sent my dc's to various schools, and it's always been the same. No cash gifts. Yes you get the parents who think the rules don't apply to them, still give cash/vouchers, but these are either returned to the parents, or put into the school kitty.

Ta's btw, do a lot of work. Help with lesson planning. Help with a number of children who need additional help. Keep children focused on the task. Liaise with parents, and often any professionals. Do mundane tasks that enable the teacher to focus more. Help develop learning activities and make any needed adjustments to aides used. Attend any meetings and reviews for specific pupils. Endless amounts of paperwork, including helping with the reports. Preparing the classroom for the lessons. And this is just mainstream, add pupils with sen and the roles and responsibilities increase even more.

We have the self-appointed bossy mum who sent texts at Xmas telling (definitely telling, not asking) us all she was collecting £10 per child. I resented the idea of a set amount, as well as the rude tone of the text. So I ignored her.

Now it's end of year and she wants £20 per child. The collection is purely for the teacher, not the TA too. Lots of parents are ignoring her, especially as she didn't tell anyone what she got with the Xmas collection or offer a card for signing. It's quite funny watching her corner parents in the playground though and try to force them to pay. DS is in Reception and I think she plans to be Queen of the Parents for the next 6 years.

My child will be making thank-you cards for the staff he appreciates. That will include his class teacher but also the TA, the playground superviser who picks them up and sorts them out after a fall, his favourite dinner lady. He's really looking forward to doing it. I've nothing against his teacher, she's perfectly pleasant. But I don't feel the need to pay her a bonus, I'm not her employer and it's a nice school which pays well. I prefer that DS learns to say thank you himself by doing his own cards, rather than I give £20 to a collection. I assume the cards end up straight in the bin but DS will still learn the value of saying thank you which is important to me at this age.

It sells alcohol. And perfume, make up, skin care, bath stuff etc.

These filter tap water as you drink it. You can buy replacement filters. They last for 150 litres. Hardly pricey.