Teachers. What are you buying the kids in your class for Christmas?

[OhioOhioOhio]

Especially if you have a very good bargain basement idea?

Some of my kids teachers have and some haven’t , we didn’t expect anything . However they were thrilled when they did get something . It was something simple like a Father Christmas choc lolly . You can get multipacks in Aldi/Lidl/ home bargains .

Fuck all, we might play a shoot and that is enough

*kahoot

@anexparrot could you claim that back on expenses? If not I think that's awful

Since September I've easily spent £100 on stuff for work (and I teach secondary) I won't waste anymore

Neither of my children have ever had a Xmas present from a teacher. They do not need anything from their teachers. Their teachers do enough for them already.

I’m not a teacher and my kids aren’t in school yet but no way would I expect the teacher to buy them anything!!

@Tyersal Nope

One year, we asked our rep to bring it up at a Governors' meeting on our behalf; just asked for a tenner budget for each teacher if presents were expected from us. We were firmly told where to go - this was part of our job (not in our contracts though). They said that we should want to buy all the kids in our classes presents and if we didn't, well, we were pretty cruel, uncaring teachers.

I left the school, eventually, and I recognise that this is far and away not usual practice. Neither should it be.

Please don’t do this. The kids don’t need it, the parents don’t want it as it’s another thank you card, or an increased expectation to do more than contribute to the class gift. Relax. You teaching our kids all year is enough. We should be thanking you, not the other way round.

What a waste of money. I absolutely hate cheap tat that’s just given for the sake of it, last thing I want is junk cluttering my child’s room. Just do chocolate/sweets if you must.

One of DC's teachers made them a card with a picture of them in either their Christmas concert costume or their Christmas jumper, and wrote a really lovely message in.
Another one did the same but with whole class pictures, both were treasured by my children.

My child is in a small class so she gets a main present (like a book) and some Christmas chocolates and pencils etc. We give Each teacher champagne and biscuits and a thank you card.

In the summer, DSis gets some cheap and cheerful colourful waxed paper pots and compost, and gives each child a planted sunflower seed. Could you do something similar?

I've felt under pressure to do this as a teacher (pressure from colleagues). It's a silly idea. Organising little party bags full of tat for 30 children, making labels, working out who bought what etc in the busiest term is a waste of time. The children aren't really bothered about a santa pencil and notebook or whatever. It's just another thing to clutter up their bedrooms and make it's way to landfill once it's been cleared out eventually.

Much better idea to buy them a board game or dvd for wet play times.

I feel sorry for the teachers being forcefully told to give presents.

But, please no erasers. They hardly ever work properly and just end in the bin. We discovered DD collected them in a cencil case, it was full at the end of Y6, school given ones plus from magazines or other sources. So much waste.

I think a wet play game is a great idea, or books for storytime or similar treat items.

I did give teacher presents - apart from one year, sorry she didn't deserve it. They do so much more than they are contracted to do. I get a bonus for working well, why shouldn't they be rewarded. We did a class collection though and either gave vouchers or something we knew they would like or are interested in.

You don't need to, at all. I teach Y6 and I do, sort of. Sometimes a little notebook or a sweet. Before they leave, I do make a tiny goody bag for them as a bye, which contains a notebook, little mechanical pencil, sweets and a colourful rubber. It's up to you what you get, and pp said that a chocolate coin would suffice, and I agree.

Bless you! Well my Dds fave pressies from teacher have been:

• homemade laminated bookmark with her name on
• postcard with pic on from during year
• cone of sweets with pencil and special note

Is this 'a thing' now?

And so the madness continues.

My DS teacher made them all tree decorations, pom pom type things.

Why don’t we start making teachers pay to teach? Because it’s a vocation right and they should be HONOURED to do it.

Just absolutely bonkers.

Nothing. They’ve already had my evenings and weekends, my friendly greetings every morning, my sympathy for their troubles, my care for their well-being, my bouncy energy and enthusiasm (often not entirely genuine), my lunchtimes, my breaktimes, my pens, my glue, all my frigging years of experience.

I think that’s enough.

It’s a very nice thought but honestly, kids love sweets , get a big tub of lollies or something and they can pick one as they leave

The world has gone fucking mad. I didn’t ever buy a teacher a gift from my DC (now 28). His teachers didn’t buy him a gift either. Nice and simple.

And some of you sound bloody horrible .. if you hate giving your time to kids so much then why teach at all?!
My dd adores her teacher and would be gutted if she knew teachers don’t really give a fuck and fake the kindness