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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask teachers what they would REALLY like

78 replies

BasilInTheRatatouille · 19/07/2017 10:03

End of term gifts - what would teachers/TAs/support staff out there really really like. I don't go over the top with gifts but DS has special needs and a couple of people in the school really look out for him. I usually buy a nice tin or jar and son makes biscuits to put in it. Yay.
Be completely honest, what would a great present be (within a say £20 budget). And what presents have you received that made you thought wahay! or eeeww!

OP posts:
Original poster
BasilInTheRatatouille · 19/07/2017 11:17

AND buy myself a voucher.

OP posts:
Elenorrigbywoes · 19/07/2017 12:34

A bottle of white wine, orla kiely shopping bag from Tesco, voucher for Boots, large Cadburys bar and a magazine.
No cups or best teacher keyrings.
But mostly a note from parents to say why their child had a good year is the nicest thing.

MimsyFluff · 19/07/2017 13:13

I get nothing for my DC teachers they are paid to teach and get plenty of thank yous from myself and the DC. Girl guiding gets gifts I'm the only person in our unit to give gifts to the woman and girls who volunteer their time to my DC and other girl's!

justkeepswimmingg · 19/07/2017 13:31

I don't get the buying of mugs, and personalised gifts for teachers. I'd say a card with a lovely message enclosed, and maybe a box of chocolate or biscuits would be plenty.

Bloodyhellfire · 19/07/2017 13:37

I agree with a lot of the points made. I wouldn't eat anything home made either unless I knew the family personally . As a teacher, the things that I prefer are cards with a lovely message inside or an email to my managers. Vouchers are always appreciated but I would NEVER expect them in a million years.

BusyBeez99 · 19/07/2017 13:56

My son wrote a lovely poem for leaving primary school about his teacher. She loved it apparently. :-). And a nice card thanking her for the last two years teaching

MatildaTheCat · 19/07/2017 14:04

My aunt use to teach primary and one year she brought all her gifts home and let my sons, who were about 5/7 at the time, open them all and it was the best thing ever!

She got a LOT of mugs and candles. And chocolate. Smile

She definitely treasured the handwritten cards most.

One time I read about a little boy who chose an action man outfit for his teacher and she loved it to bits because he'd so clearly gone out to buy it himself and presumed they would have similar ideas as to what xonstituted a great gift. Grin

GutterStar · 19/07/2017 14:04

An email or letter to the head/governors would be the absolute best gift, especially if you can state why the teacher/ta has had a positive impact on your child.

The weirdest, but also best, gift I've received as a teacher was six packs of the super duper Pregnacare vitamins, the really overpriced expensive ones I couldn't afford for myself. Apparently the child had chosen them herself and it was just so typical of her!

GutterStar · 19/07/2017 14:07

Oh! Another good one was when I got a biro "because you like pens!" It was wrapped in a sheet of kitchen roll and had "To Mrs Gutterstar love from X" scrawled on it. I nearly cried. He was so proud of himself!

Sunshineface123 · 19/07/2017 14:27

Agree with a lot of the posts. Unfortunately I don't eat home made gifts either, lovely thought though. An email with the head cc'd in is great as is a nice handwritten card. Wouldn't expect anything else but prosecco/white wine is always nice or a voucher for Costa/Amazon/Waterstones.

Pengweng · 19/07/2017 14:28

My two have picked their favourite book to give to their teachers to keep in their new classroom. I have written a note to give to them too along with a bottle of wine.

Bloodyhellfire · 19/07/2017 14:37

Ooooh I like the idea of a book to keep in a classroom Pengweng. That's really thoughtful ☺️

Pibplob · 19/07/2017 14:38

We club together and buy teachers vouchers. They normally get around £80 each and we buy generic vouchers that they can use for many shops. I think if I was a teacher I would like that more than endless boxes of chocs and mugs.

coddiwomple · 19/07/2017 14:43

Yes, of course they're paid to teach your children, they're not just doing you a favour. but it's nice to say thank you.

I tip my hairdresser, I always gave a little thank you gift to hospital nurses, a Christmas gift to my cleaner. Slightly different, but I am paid a salary and I also get a bonus. I know that most teachers now have to pay for class essentials themselves - well, they don't have to, but most are kind and do it anyway to be able to do their class properly. Nothing wrong in showing them you recognise and appreciate the efforts.

UndomesticBlonde · 19/07/2017 14:46

We got the children to sign their teachers cards - and then just bought John Lewis vouchers - sounds like we made the right call.

Jessesbitch · 19/07/2017 14:49

Do not give vouchers!! New laws have come in. We have recently had a policy change and we must give all gift vouchers to charity and all gifts worth over £25. A bottle of wine or some dry wipe markers.

jessieb887 · 19/07/2017 14:56

I did this for my sons reception teachers as well as a homemade card which my son just wrote thankyou for being my teacher! Xx

To ask teachers what they would REALLY like
TitsalinaBumSquash · 19/07/2017 14:57

My son is leaving nursery, he adores his key worker and has spent a lot of time making her a little key ring of something they share a bond over and he's painstakingly made a card and written a simple message. Hopefully she likes it. Smile

coddiwomple · 19/07/2017 16:05

We have recently had a policy change and we must give all gift vouchers to charity and all gifts worth over £25.

good grief, I sincerely hope it's not true.

lalalalyra · 19/07/2017 16:13

Ds's teacher has been wonderful since he moved, but she's quite clear that she doesn't see the need for gifts from the children (it's not the most well off area so some people would be seriously scrimping to afford a gift). So we did a card with a message from ds.

I have some glue sticks, stickers and pencils I picked up that I plan to drop in on the last day as I know she buys a lot from her own pocket.

HolidayTimeAgain · 19/07/2017 16:53

My dc is in a special school and has 1 teacher and five support staff in his class - I know them well (and know they like my baking), I'm making them two big cheesecakes that they can share with the admin staff and head. I will also write a personal thank you card for the class.

KittyandTeal · 19/07/2017 16:58

A card with some lovely, honest words.

Also running stuff but then that's quite specific 😂 I bought my dd1s key worker some shwings as she runs and has admired mine, plus she's a little bit likeme and loves stuff like that!

I won't be getting any gifts this year (I've been doing interventions) and I'm not at all bothered tbh, although dh is as he usually benefits from the chocolates and wine!

user1472334322 · 19/07/2017 17:02

I'm a teacher and the best present I ever got was a book that had a page in it by every child in the class. They wrote about the fun things we'd done, funny things they remembered and drew pictures. It was lovely because it was so personal. I still have it put away in a special drawer and I had that class 5 years ago now. I also enjoy getting cards made by the children that also have messages from the parents. I have contributed to the presents for my son's teachers but he's going to write his own card to them too and I'm going to put a message in it. That would be enough for me.

EZA15 · 19/07/2017 17:23

Jessesbitch is that an actual law or just with your school? Only asking because I've never heard of it at all!

Original poster
BasilInTheRatatouille · 19/07/2017 18:17

Ooh, KittyandTeal, the person in question would love some shwings. DS has some, and she's commented on them before. He can give those and I'll prob buy a voucher. He can write a card too - that's quite a big deal here and means a lot to those who know him. It hasn't been easy having a SN child in a mainstream school but they've gone out of their way to accommodate his needs.
I love all the primary school ideas, it takes me back..
MatildaThe Cat - my DS would have definitely chosen an action man outfit (and prob still would).
GutterStar - hope you were pregnant at the time or that is indeed a very weird gift :)

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