...to think that mass gift-giving to teachers at end of year is tacky?

[MuddlingThrough]

Do teachers really want 30 packets of Cadbury's Roses, bought because the high-street shops have sented out yet another way to turn genuine sentiment into a tacky marketing opportunity? Or should we just say thanks instead?

My cousin is a teacher and gets loads of presents. She works in a public school and the gifts are rather good. No tacky stuff. She always has far too much and gives my Mum a bottle of wine from her stash.

We normally make something for our kindergarten teachers. This year DS has started kindergarten, in a different group which means we will need 7 presents!

I am a TA and to be honest presents at the end of the year is not expected. Although I was spoilt this year by the parents which is nice in a respect because i felt i wouldnt get anything and didnt expect anything from parents because i am in the background. It was lovely that the kids i worked with learned loads with me in small group work, one to one and as a class. The cards with personal messages to me and how i helped them throughout the year was awesome...and i will keep them to look back on as these as they remind me why I love working with children so much. What a wonderful year! No need for presents so much, but a note to say if we have done well and helped your child is great!

Do they do presents in secondary school?

I'd like to say as a teacher that I also agree it has got completely out of hand. In my school a couple of the teachers started hinting to their class what presents they wanted from the beg of July. I thought that was disgusting. I would make just as big a fuss of the child who had drawn/made me a card as the one who brought in big gifts. Also at the end of the day I feel in quite hard times people really shouldn't waste their money. Do we really as teachers need 30 small gifts which to be honest often get recycled anyway? Not that I'm not grateful but I really think it has got a bit ridiculous.

I used to love it at the end of term when my wife would bring home dozens of boxes of chocolates. She wasn't a teacher though, she just used to steal them from the staffroom.

I'm a TA and one of "my" group gave me a card written herself and then came close to tears because she was going to miss me - A pressie wouldnt have got expressed that message!

Having said that I did get a couple super pressie a really nice mug. (not a best teacher mug!)

I used to give wine but now I work at school and listen to all the young teachers being rude and ungrateful about the presents they receive, I decided not to bother.

If I ever give to them again it will be Vouchers for a Pizza! Friday night is Pizza night apparently!

Boxes of biscuits or chocolates for the staff room are always a good idea as everyone can have some.

I always get a small gift for my dd's teachers, but they always make the cards themselves.

What pisses me off is when everyone agrees that we are going to give a joint present to a leaving teacher, and each contribute something, and then people go and give their own presents as well. That has happened two years running.

Es, now in Secondary school was horified when I asked him if he wanted to give any of his teachers a card and maybe give his Formtutor some chocolate or something...aparently only girls do that

Well, my younger sons didn't get a choice in the matter and so, the teachers and teaching assistents got chocolates and cards and I made a huge amount of flapjacks for all the staff at school to share. Because I always feel that it's a bit unfair that only teachers get anything...and well, all those Dinnerladies and so on are left out.

For ys nursery teachers I also just made one cake for them to share, because there is so many of them...luckily they like my baking, lol....!

When I was younger the parents usually collected money of everyone and bought one big thing....but, well...I suppose it's that bit harder to organise that, I suppose....!

Anyway, I think teachers are, generally, doing a totally marvellous job and deserve every present they get....because I know I couldn't do their job and stay sane (well, sort of sane )

My ds, 8, has a lovely teacher and I asked him if he'd like to give her a present on the last day. He said no. It's not because he doesn't like her or appreciate her - he does.

Maybe he just agrees with the OP.

i think it's a bit ott

i went to pick up my dd and the teachers were weighed down with stuff, some of it pricey

my dd has 6 different teachers/ta's in her class, that's alot of dosh

Got DD1's teacher an Argos voucher, she can buy what she REALLY wants then.
Loads of parents were buying enourmous bunches of flowers for the teachers, but no-one bought them a vase!
Bet there are teachers around the country right now with a bathfull of flowers!

I either give an Oxfam Unwrapped present - school related, like a satchel or some classroom equipment. Or I send my child in on the first day of the new term with a bunch of flowers for their old teacher. That always goes down really well - they have a bathful at the end of the year, but nothing at the start of the next year, when they must be feeling as gloomy about going bact to work as the children are!