To not give presents to DC's teachers?

[SerialReJoiner]

Primary aged dc have lovely teachers. I don't want to offend, but it just honestly didn't occur to me to buy something for them. Should I get something? What??

I would honestly rather give them a nice card with a note saying how much I appreciate their hard work with my dc this year so far.

It's more for me that my kids LOVE to give their teacher a pressie - but its not obligatory is it and i'm sure your not frowned upon if you choose not to give a gift.

I used to love getting wine and chocolates, or anything really. Can't remember ever getting vouchers, and if I'd have received something where parents were ordered asked to put £5/£10 in a collection by the bossy parent, I'd have felt incredibly embarrassed. All presents and cards were appreciated, but never expected.

Teacher here: the nice note/card is the best present. Seriously, if you think we've done a good job and you are greatful then sharing that I brilliant.

I'd much prefer a heartfelt note in a card. Such a lovely thing to do.

So yes they are just doing their job, but some teachers may have got a pupil to do something they never would have before or helped their confidence or made them believe in themselves. That's outside the description.

I get what you're saying fruityb but actually what you've described here is to me the essence of 'doing my job'. Building a child's confidence isn't an added extra, it's what I'm paid for.

We always give gifts to teachers. My mom did when I was little, too. I also give gifts to the mailman, my stylist, etc. My SIL is a waitress, and she gets tons of stuff aft Christmas from her regulars. Some of them even give her small gifts for my nieces and nephew.

mrsk I think teachers can have a huge impact on lives outside of just delivering the subject and ensuring progress which is essentially the job we are paid to do. Establishing positive relationships and environments and taking a personal interest in them and how we can help isn't necessarily what we're paid to do. I could do the job without that bit in all fairness - I wouldn't want to - but I think the extra time and personal touches we give are outside that.

I don't expect gifts and I don't expect thanks but I do think teachers, as well as others, go further than their job description.

"I do agree that teachers do a wonderful job, however, there are 3 in ds1's class, 4 in ds2's and a further 3 in after school club. Where do you draw the line at who to buy for? If I got for everyone that '3 quid box of chocolates' would easily be over £30."

MrsGlitterfairy - I am sure your dc's teachers wouldn't want you to spend a fortune - you could send in a box of biscuits for the staff room, and give each of them a card - it's not about the amount or the size of gift - you can show your appreciation just as well without spending all that money.

I never expect anything. I work in a special school, have a tiny classand some years get lots and other years nothing. I think the parents have much more important things to do than worry about buying presents. I know all of the parents appreciate what we do as we speak to them all the time and a nice email or card means more than anything.

I give small gifts to the teacher and the TA, I'm sure they can re-gift them if they don't need them. No harm done if they don't like them.

What I do ensure is that a card is written by the child with a personal message. Teachers are special and I'd like to show appreciation to someone who looks after my child five days a week. It is also teaching my child to respect adults who care for them. As my mam would say, good manners cost nothing but are worth a lot.

We get a box or two of cupcakes or pastries from Costco and hand them into the school office at the end of term.

This term, they don't finish until next week but we put them in at the start of this week as it was school show week and staff have been in early and staying late, so we figured cakes in the staff room would be appreciated. It also means the office staff and janitors get something too.

I let the children choose gifts for their teachers, up to £10 budget. They usually pick nice biscuits or hand creams or last year Christmas tea towels! I think the teacher posting to say £3 boxes of chocolates are inadequate sounds pretty jaded in her job. I'm pleased she isn't teaching my children. There are plenty of mums earning a lot less than teachers who have to budget for Christmas. I would be pleased, in any line of work, to receive £3 chocs from anyone who had bothered to think of me, buy them and wrap them at this time of year.

My kids had some wonderful teachers and some who were rather less than adequate and one who was an out and out bully. I can't tell you what I would like to have given her.

Two of my kids are teachers and they love the messages of appreciation from children or the parents. They teach in senior schools and giving presents seems less of a thing than primary, probably as they have so many teachers for different subjects, would probably mean buying at least ten presents. If you are like me and have 4 kids even with a cheap present that would add up.

bunnylove99

I never said I'd feel £3 chocolates were adequate. I'd be happy with any show of appreciation, even just a card.

Personally, I think a card is the very least you can do for a teacher, a present is a bonus and even if it's £1 chocolates I'd be over the moon.

It's the people who say they don't give teachers a present because we're just doing our job that irritate me. Strictly, our job is to teach your child between the hours of 9 and 3. It's not in our job description that we may have to wait an hour for a parent to turn up to pick their child up after an activity, or that you might have to deal with someone vomiting all over your classroom, or that one of the pupils in your care might be being abused at home and you might have to sit with them for encouragement as they describe the most horrible things.

I truly believe that people don't realise just how much teachers do.

I got my DD's reception teachers a gift bag of stuff for the staff room - Bottlegreen cordial, posh tea, coffee and hot chocolate, sugar and a few packets of biscuits. They are wonderful.

onecurrentbun that is a brilliant idea!

My dd in year 1, three teachers in class, collected a tenner off all parents and got a class gift. £60 voucher. Better than 20 boxes of chocolates!

I've been teaching for a long time and have been given some lovely presents. My most memorable 'thank yous' though have been handwritten letters from parents, not cards-with a message saying-'thanks for being x's teacher this year-he really liked you' but actual letters-with heartfelt comments about the difference I've made. They made me cry and I've kept every one.