Teacher gifts - ungrateful shit!

[Hufflemuff]

More of a rant than a question to be fair!

I was listening to Heart radio this morning and they had a teacher on called "Mc Grammer" (a rapping teacher - cringe) who was discussing teacher gifts and "what not to buy"...

He said one of the worse gifts he ever got from a student was a Rock - because the pupil said "he rocked" (aww) and some Doritos because that was the pupils favourite crisps (bless). He also said mugs were mostly an unwanted present "there's only so many cups of tea you can drink" apparently.

He said in the past he's gotten an Arsenal shirt, Nando's gift sets and gift cards... He said you should get to know the teacher to find out what they like and buy them something personal to them.

AIBU to be totally pissed off by this mans arrogance. It was totally tone deaf during the middle of a cost of living crisis to suggest parents buy gift cards (the minimum of which is usually £10) and other expensive presents in order for it to be considered a worthwhile gift. The fact he poo-pooed that boys rock as "one of the worse" gifts, which admittedly you wouldn't put on your mantel piece but the sentiment was there. He didn't consider that the boys parents might not have the money to buy a 'real' gift but he still wanted to give him something.

Ah!!! I was so very cross. It was the expectation to get something as a certainty and even then, he might not have been satisfied with it.

I have teachers in the family and they are always happy to get anything at all, no matter what it is. I think he was a really bad representation of all those caring teachers and Heart did the profession a real disservice by having him on.

Rant over! Gah!

I’m a teacher and what that man said makes me cringe with embarrassment for him.

The one gift that stands out for me is when a student sorted out loads of mini white chocolate dream bars and popped them in a bag for me. I love white chocolate and that showed real thought and consideration.

Other than that, a card written by the pupil with a little recollection about a time I’ve helped them means more than anything.

Parents shouldn’t feel bad about not getting a teacher a gift.

Have you ever watched the Detectorists.
In it Andy ( Mackenzie Crook) is married to a teacher. At the end of term she comes home with loads of mugs. Andy lines them all up on the table counting them.
Its a lovely, quiet moment happening as a sideline to the main conversation.

Just had to mention that.
Yes I agree I think his comment is very ungrateful.
We always made a Christmas cake for the Common room at Christmas ( obviously ) and then when mine were younger they made cards for the teachers.

They never had one form teacher, they always had several after they got past age 6. So we didn’t buy multiple presents.

The pressure isn't coming from the teachers, who are nearly all telling you it's the cards and notes they treasure. Just don't do gifts if you don't want to or can't afford it. The teacher won't mind a bit.

YABU. Teachers really don't need tat, I know if I was a teacher I would hate it! I think people should stick with cards/drawings. Of course he doesn't want 10 new mugs every year!

He probably mentioned the rock thing as a funny anecdote, I doubt he threw the rock back in the kids face!

I do think people need guidance on teachers gifts so he probably did teachers around the world a favour.

It's not about pressure to get something expensive, quite the opposite. Don't worry about spending money on a mug, they've got lots of mugs.

But then I don't understand the concept of teachers gifts inthe first place, so I am biased.

@carduelis not if the teacher teaches them again the following year. Even in primary that can happen,although that does generally apply more in secondary education. And yes, it is a thing.

@RainbowZebraWarrior maybe he turned out to be this arsehole on the radio!

I’m old and childless. As a kid we never bought our teacher’s presents. It wasn’t a thing.

I can maybe understand a box of roses or a home made card but that’s about it.

I’m a teacher and I really think all this gif giving for teachers needs to stop. There are so many people that need help in the world. A lovely letter/ card is perfect.

I think this is just one bad example and not the way the majority of teacher’s view gifts they have received. A lot of teachers at my school now put a message out to say please don’t get me a gift and some have taken food bank/charity donations instead and sent a box.

Some of the best presents I’ve had have been simple things like a candle, wine, a wine glass, a gin glass or a personalised diary/notebook. I’ve kept all of these things (minus the wine 😂) and the child does come to my mind every time I use them. The best present I’ve ever had was a personalised plate a little girl had decorated for Christmas when I was a student teacher. She was giving her teacher one and it meant so much that she had thought to do one for me too 😊

When my child starts school I will suggest to other parents about chipping in for a gift card. It could be £2 each (once at Christmas, once at end of year) and the teacher would get a £50 voucher for a meal out or a shop. Relatively inexpensive compared to spending that on a card each or small gift which is going to end up between £5-10 at least

He is appalling, there is no expectation of gifts. It means the world to me if a student gives me a note or a card to show their appreciation, or even a mice comment. I work in a secondary so this is rare. I am leaving this year and yesterday a child came to tell me how much they will miss me which is just the best feeling, to know that a child has thought of you. I think this teachers comments about the rock are a really nasty.

Question for the teachers, if you are happy with a card/picture/letter, do you message the parents and tell them no need to buy a gift if that’s all you would like?

I wont be getting anything for my childrens teachers and TA's, they can make them cards if they want to.

I have one child about to start secondary school, we've had to pay for leavers hoodies, leavers activities and obviously will need to get her new uniform/shoes and equipment etc. My youngest will also have to get a whole new primary school uniform after changes to the uniform policy this year. I can't afford to be buying gifts for 2 teachers and 2/3 TA's.

I'm also very unhappy with the school at the moment, in the last few weeks they have announced that ALL of their teachers and one of the TA's are leaving the school at the end of this term. 3 classes are being merged into 2 classes, the new Executive Head is the head of several other schools, the new Senco is acting as Senco for over 20 schools and my sons new TA is one of the Mealtime Assistants and a parent at the school. Feels like a sinking ship with staff and families abandoning it left, right and centre and all of these changes have been announced over the past couple of weeks so probably not enough time for me to find and register DC at a different school.

I find it cringe worthy people buying teachers gifts, they are professionals doing a job stop with the gifts they aren't needed at all.

Stop wasting your money.

I ended up making a teacher's wedding cake on the back of the cake I made as a leaver's gift. Not all teachers throw away homemade presents. She did know I worked as a pastry chef though.

It's not the gift that matters, it's the child.

I've received gift-wrapped lemons from a tree at the family home back in Spain and lopsided pots covered with sequins that are still on display in my lounge years later.

I've had 'Top Teacher' mugs which I use as pencil pots on my desk and which the children who gave them are always delighted to see when they pop back to visit after they've left my class and moved on.

Every one of those presents brings with it a picture of the child's face as they gave it. Each one makes me smile.

I don't need presents. I certainly don't need expensive presents. But if you and your child have been kind enough to think of me then I will appreciate the gesture, no matter how small.

I will also think no worse of you or your child if you choose to give nothing.

The man on the radio was an ass.

bitter much?

People want to say thank you to someone who helped their child. You don't have to flood them with tat, but why is it cringe to you?

Totally agree, there is no need for so much rubbish. There are 30 kids in each class, why do people think teachers need 30 cheap gifts every year?

In DCs class there is a collection and we buy a voucher with the money. Everyone can give anything they like or nothing if they can't afford it, we're not killing the planet further by creating more tat and stuff that will go in the bin, and teachers can get something they actually want. Happy days!

I still don't think gifts are necessary at all but do contribute to the end of year collection ( I bypass the Christmas collection, as twice a year is a bit much!)

Teachers presents aren't a new thing. As a primary teacher for many, many years, I've had some weird and wonderful gifts, many clearly grabbed from the house by the pupil - dusty old ornaments, used notebooks, half-empty boxes of sweets. They were all accepted with a hug and a big thank you.

Well quite! Even if they get that from half their pupils, in a shortish 10 year career that's 150 mugs! Who has the space?

The man was an arse OP - the majority of us are not like that.

Secondary staff rarely get gifts unless you are a form tutor so I am grateful for anything.

Bloody love mugs, teaspoons and stationery.

Best Teacher is fine by me - all these declaring them to be naff clearly don't suffer from imposter syndrome!

I got a handmade card from a class yesterday and it made me cry.

So no, the twunt on the radio is not representative of the majority of teachers I know!

I can imagine, back in the 70s, asking my parents for some money to buy a present for the teacher. I would probably have got a thick ear 😉
Most of the teachers were w*nkers anyway

i always got a little gift bag and filled it with stationery - funky pens, highlighters, paperclips in nice colours, etc. Nothing expensive - wilko normally do nice bits really cheap. meant didnt need to spend a lot - didnt need to know if someone drank or was on a diet. Also meant I didnt need to get 4 gifts for teacher and all the various TAs! i also had 3 kids so I had to get 3 lots of gifts too.

I'm not a teacher but I have spent many years working as a nursery nurse and the best gifts for me were always a card with words of appreciation inside. It's always nice to know that parents felt you did a great job! However, the sweetest present was a cucumber that a child had grown in his garden. In his words "I love cucumber. You can make a sandwich with it."

I don't think it should be expected that a class get a teacher a present. A handmade card and a genuine thank you for all they have done is surely more meaningful than a mug or a gift card they probably won't use.

@stargirl1701 idea of donating a book with a message from the child they taught inside is lovely.

I think they are a new thing. I don't remember anyone giving the teacher a gift when I was in primary school and I lived in a very affluent area. However, using a teacher as a conduit for recycling stuff unwanted stuff in your house seems like a good idea.