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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Teachers presents ....

77 replies

hippoherostandinghere · 22/06/2015 20:31

...What do you all do? 2 teachers and 2 TAs here and have no idea what to get for them. I don't want to spend too much as money's a bit tight, I don't want to buy them things they won't like or end up with 28 other things the same.

I'm stressing out about getting it right and I only have till Friday to sort it.

AiBU to wish it wasn't the done thing to get presents?

As an aside I absolutely love both teachers, they have been amazing with both DC, and we will have one again for another year.

OP posts:

TheTroubleWithAngels · 22/06/2015 21:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PtolemysNeedle · 22/06/2015 21:09

A cake like that would go down very well, you are really good at cake decorating!

Boltonlass1972 · 22/06/2015 21:14

I'm a teacher, but secondary school and hardly ever get presents nor do I expect them. When I get a personally heartfelt thank you it's lovely. A card I got recently read
'Thank you so much for everything so glad I've passed. I have probably been a pain in the arse bit can't thank you enough for what you have done for me. Going to miss you'
It meant more to me than any present!
For primary teachers/ta's a card with something very personal in the message is lovely. I like the idea of an inexpensive notebook decorated.. One can never have enough stationery!

LokiBear · 22/06/2015 21:25

I'm a teacher. I've kept everything every kid had ever made me over the last 10 years. Nice card is the best present. It's the best feeling when you get thanked. Chocolate and wine is also appreciated.

echt · 22/06/2015 21:30

I'm a teacher. A card with a thank you in it is lovely. Even better is to mention briefly what good thing they did for your child.

In these sad times, teachers keep the cards as evidence that they're good at their jobs, to show at their reviews, instead of just enjoying the kind thoughts.

Original poster

hippoherostandinghere · 22/06/2015 21:36

Ok thanks for all your help, a nice heartfelt card and maybe a cake.

Thanks for the nice comments about my cake, I'm very much an amateur.

OP posts:

wizzler · 22/06/2015 21:37

Last year we gave DD's teacher ( Y1) the Joyce Grenfell booK "George, Dont do that".. which she loved and sought me out in the playground the following september to thank me for

bloodyteenagers · 22/06/2015 21:38

If you really must, stationary, nice
Little notebooks. That sort of thing.
Imagine having to carry 30 bottles of wine home. Or 30 bunches of flowers. 30 plants..
Having to pick up your own kids from after school whatever. Often in rush hour with other commuters and you don't drive.
Or carrying 30 of everything and you want to go for an after work drink..

Small stuff that doesn't go off. Stuff that can stay in your draw/locker until September. Small stuff that can slip into your bag.

Suefla62 · 22/06/2015 21:50

Don't want to sound ungrateful, but I must have 100 mugs in the cupboard, and I can't keep all the handmade stuff, I have enough from my own kids, as others have said a nice note, or stationery if you really want to buy something. I can never have enough notebooks, pencils, pens etc.

McSmoke · 22/06/2015 21:55

Stationary for both teacher and TA.

Jellytotsandfruitpops · 22/06/2015 22:00

I brought some of the plastic plant pots, seeds and gardening gloves from b&q, put some nice ribbon around each pot and popped the seeds and gloves inside and attached a tag saying 'teachers spread the seeds of knowledge' or 'thank you for helping me grow' handwritten by dd&ds to give to their teachers.

DonkeyOaty · 22/06/2015 22:02

A thank you card with a mention of something teacher did that was memorable (educationally!) to put in their Ofsted portfolio.

Eg NQT we wrote summat like "Mr X, my child AB thoroughly enjoyed your dynamic teaching methods, which were profoundly effective in embedding times tables. Thank you, Mrs B"

(And we gave a bottle of JD cos I asked him if he WERE to be enjoying a tipple over the hols what might it be, hmmm?)

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 22/06/2015 22:05

What about nice teas, coffees and hot chocolates to enjoy in the staff room in the last week of term?

dementedma · 22/06/2015 22:10

Going to be flamed for this but don't really get the need to give teachers presents....and both my parents were teachers and I have been a TA and a teacher of adults. It's just another job, reasonably well paid with good holidays. Some teachers do a wonderful job, some are crap like in any other profession.

WhenMarnieWasThere · 22/06/2015 22:12

While I certainly didn't go into teaching for any gift, I don't feel embarrassed by a token of thanks from a child or their parent. And in turn I hope my own DC's teacher won't feel that either when my child takes in their carefully chosen gift.

OP, I have worked with teachers who will bin homemade things because they are fussy about it, but your cake looks like it would make the grade.

I love the handmade things and I treasure the messages in the card. I don't view a child that doesn't bring a gift in any way to the others, of course.

I had an ex-pupil, now trainee teacher return to our school last year. He surprised me by telling me (in front of the rest of the staff) that I had been his favourite teacher ever! It made my day. What made his day in return was when I asked him if he remembered the gift he and his friend had bought and given me when on a school trip. He was amazed that I remembered it as fondly as he did.

Greengardenpixie · 22/06/2015 22:17

Most teachers dont want anything. I asked everyone in the staffroom and they all feel the same way. its unnecessary.

Jellyrain · 22/06/2015 22:23

My daughters chose a book at Christmas for the class book corner. Teacher seemed chuffed with it!

TheRealMaryMillington · 22/06/2015 22:24

I don't do teacher's gifts.
TBH I think it should be discouraged.
We do make/choose nice cards and write something sincere in them except for when we had that joyless woman in year 1 who kept mistaking DD for her best friend and shouted a lot

MyIronLung · 22/06/2015 22:25

It's a bit different for me because DS is leaving pre-school so there's not TAs and such but I wanted to get all of the Play workers something (and money, as always, is tight!)
I know that they'll end up with a lot of chocolate and a fair few bottles of wine so I've decided to do something a bit different.
I've got a nice card for DSs key worker, will write a short letter to all of the staff saying thank-you (they often put letters/cards on display) and I'm making an I-spy quilt for the school. I think they'll appreciate it and hopefully get some use out of it with their next lot of kids. I'll include a pic of DS 'helping' me too .

ChrissieLatham · 22/06/2015 22:27

I wish schools would make it the rule to have no presents just like what happens in retail. It just causes hassle for parents and teachers end up with a load of crap they don't want. It should be cards only if a pupil wants to say thanks

Muchtoomuchtodo · 22/06/2015 22:30

For the last couple of years I've sent a tin of brownies or flapjacks into the staffroom and bought Ds's teachers and TA's a Costa or Starbucks giftcard. It seems to have gone down well.

SavoyCabbage · 22/06/2015 22:30

Last year my dd made her teacher a picture using one of those small wooden frames from the pound shop.

We cut some fabric from one of dd's old toddler age dresses to cover the frame and used drawing pins to secure it used another scrap of something else for the trunk and then she made a picture of a tree out of buttons.

It's on the wall near the teachers desk so dd thinks that's great.

It's a bit like this one.

coffeeisnectar · 22/06/2015 22:33

My dds teacher is getting a jar of very nice coffee :)

cansu · 22/06/2015 22:34

Tbh I am happy with anything really. Really like home made biscuits or something or nice small box of choccies or bottle of wine. Notebooks or bits like that also appreciated. However I would really hate to think of a parent spending money they don't have on stuff like this. Why not just get kids to make a card or buy a little card and write a nice message saying you appreciate all their help and support for the children. I would be v pleased to receive this.

hollieberrie · 22/06/2015 22:34

Agree with PP that we often do a bit of swapsies in the staffroom. Last year i swapped some posh chocs and biccies with another member of staff for her travel coffee mug :) I dont have a sweet tooth so i never really enjoy cakes etc although i am still touched by the thought and usually pass them on to friends or family.

Unless they are made by that child in my class with the CONSTANT runny nose, in which i case i might think twice..

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