Presents for teachers

[6079SmithW]

I have two primary school age DDs and I am all out of ideas! Without help their teachers will end up with wine (AGAIN). AIBU to ask for your suggestions please?

Interestingly, in any school I’ve worked at, the children expect a small gift at Christmas and at the end of year. [...] We’ve had parents be quite huffy if the gift seems substandard. No one seems to mention this though- is it just where I live?

!!! That is outrageous! I don't know if it's just where you live, but I haven't encountered it here. Preschool give the children a selection box at the Christmas party but the cost is covered by the ticket price, and a teacher might have a big box of Celebrations/Heroes/Quality Street from which each child would take one chocolate on the last day.

Our PTA used to give all the children a selection box at Christmas and an egg at Easter, but it was decided that the cost (around £500 per year) was just too large a dent in our total actual income, not to mention completely unnecessary. Now we have an Easter Egg hunt with the little chocolate eggs instead which comes rather closer to £100 in total cost and is a treat activity for the children rather than a handout.

I'm not a teacher but I work in a secondary school as part of the pastoral team and often receive gifts for Christmas or from Year 11's/13's when they leave. Most of the students I work with have had a difficult start in life and are hypersensitive to rejection (or perceived rejection) by adults. If I were to refuse to accept a gift, as pp have suggested, these children would without a doubt experience this as a rejection of them personally. The gifts tend to be things like flowers, smellies or chocolates, wine, once it was a book, so nothing too extravagant. Of course I don't expect it or feel I am owed in any way, but I certainly appreciate it.

One of my most treasured possessions is a charcoal drawing a student did of me- she made me look much younger and more beautiful than I actually am, bless her! I also love getting cards from students or anything homemade really as it's touching that they've gone to the trouble, although again I don't expect it.

Anything edible (biscuits, chocs etc) tends to get redistributed to students anyway as I have a drawer in my office full of snacks, San pro, tights, stationary etc etc for students who, sadly, come into school underfed or ill-equipped.

Give em a classic wine. Something that's worth spending for an amazing teacher.

A good old wine plus chocolates!

It's interesting to see how many people ignore the teachers posting, "please no wine!"

aside from the arguing, I'm a teacher and i like the idea of a present that can stay in school and be used, so pens/ pencils, some nice stickers for marking work etc

It's also interesting to see how many teachers are spelling stationery, stationary

It is.

It's not hard, is it?

E for envelope.

Again my phone autocorrects stationery to stationary. It also refuses to put a space at times and sticks a 'b' in instead. My phone is shit, or my thumbs are fat, or both.

I know, shocking isn't it that they don't spell it right. I mean they aren't adhering to all aspects of their job 24/7, imagine that

honestly though, that is a pet peeve of mine 😂

Whoopsy, wanted to put a line through but underlined instead. I'll go join the self flagellating corner with the stationary crew.

I don't find "e for envelope" helpful.

I buy stationery from a stationer.
I buy confectionery from a confectioner.

Other examples are presumably now obsolete.

Has any teacher here expressed reservations about stationery or confectionery for that matter, special diets aside ?

My Mum always taught me that cARs are stationARy. Don't know if that helps anyone else...

I know sometimes it's just an autocorrect error, was just pulling some legs

Surely people know by now that we buy most of our resources out of our own money?

My husband has to buy his own tools for work and he is a mechanic - an employed mechanic with a main dealer, so when you have your car repaired the mechanic is doing so with tools he/she has bought themselves for the benefit of the owner. If they don't buy these tools then they cannot do the job as efficiently and they get a bollocking for it!

Not entirely related but my kids headteacher sends a handwritten card to every single child in the school including nursery children. She also writes the children's names in every card (not just on the envelope).

I always think it is nice and she definitely must enjoy writing cards!

Public sector workers should not be allowed to accept gifts.
Nurses / care workers etc cannot. What is different about teachers?

Schools should send out a letter.

'Personal gifts, whilst appreciated, are not allowed under our code of conduct so please do not offer them. Should you wish to donate small items to the school such as extra stationery, it can be handed in at the office. Larger items are fundraised for'.

Nurses and hospital staff absolutely can accept gifts.

It's just that they should be declared and there's usually a maximum limit.

Sorry if this has already been suggested but this year we're donating in the teachers' names to a school through World Vision. They are v cool, young teachers who are involved in charities so I think they'll approve. And if they don't well hey at least a 3rd world school gets some help.

My husband has to buy his own tools for work and he is a mechanic

I doubt he has to buy oil or cam belts though.

That's the same as me having to buy the pens I like to use, a folder for my planning and a diary.

That is not the same as me having to buy counting resources, display materials, play based things for my tuff tray and experiential areas, craft things, ingredients, prizes and even things like rubbers, pencils, glue sticks and sharpeners. Oh and food for hungry children, spare knickers and pants, water bottles for those whose parents don't provide them, spare fruit, plasters, the list is endless.

I'd never give a present to a teacher, imo it's awfully creepy and tacky.

If my children want to send their teachers lovely cards, by all means. But it's between my DCs and the teacher.

Becles
Oh. I thought that as I gave an expensive bottle to whisky to the Consultant who had been with me through the ivf process and then delivered my ds (and it was not a straightforward delivery).
He said: 'I am not supposed to accept but in this case I will make an exception'.
Generally, i think it is not good due to the power imbalance.
I have heard a service provider mention the brand of alcohol they'd perfer in front of service users family and I think that is not on.

In this era of cuts I would love it if schools would start a “no teacher gifts” policy but instead maybe have a wish list of books/ supplies etc that parents could buy from as a way to make a “gift” to the school

Wow some people on here are vile ! I want to get my child's teacher a present I dnt care if anybody else does she is amazing and has changed my daughter so much. There is so much disrespect for Teachers I find it very worrying that these people will leave their child with such horrendous people!

I have 3 primary aged children and consecutive academic years. This year, because I am buying for a few teachers and assistants, I have made up relaxing pouches which include some Christmas socks and a sachet of hot chocolate.