Teachers don’t want Thank You Teacher gifts

[Graveltone]

Even though schools have 5-8 weeks of term left, the shops have various TYT gifts such as mugs, coasters, keyrings etc. Teachers do not want this crap! Charity shops near me have numerous TYT mugs and crap on sale!

My friend is a teacher and parents have been told not to give gifts. Teachers don’t want 30 mugs, boxes of chocolate, alcohol (that is embarrassing if teacher doesn’t drink for various reasons) etc. Nor want flowers - don’t have enough vases at home to house 30 bunches of flowers.

Friend’s school accepts cards and hm gifts.

Think before you spend your money on your DC’s teachers.

It's the thought that counts and I appreciate everything I receive.

We usually just have the kids pick their favourite packet of sweets and write a thank you card. At Christmas sweets and a candle. I won’t stop as I’d love to get 30 presents 😅

In my daughter’s school we tend to do a collection as a class and get gift vouchers for the local mall / area. We have 2 class teachers this year and they each got £150 of vouchers, plus odds and ends (cards etc) and gifts for the PSA at Christmas. Last year’s teacher got over £200 in a gift voucher. It’s never expected, but they’re always well received. I tend to write a thank you note too, last year I wrote poems as something different. We also get for the childminder and after school club, I know it’s probably overkill and I’m lucky we can afford it, but they’re people who have such an amazing impact on my daughter and her development, I couldn’t not get them something. My daughter’s love language is gifting, so she also gives random flowers and Easter eggs at Easter lol!

I'm not a teacher but I love teacher-gift giving season.

My MIL is a gluten-intolerant, diabetic who doesn't drink. Anything that isn't a voucher or beauty stuff gets unloaded onto us. The chocolate often lasts us months 😂

One of my best friends is a teacher and used to flat share with two other teachers. I once went round after the last day of term and they were excitedly collating a haul of wine, chocolates and treats in preparation for their summer of fun. Her favourite necklace is one that a parent bought her - she’s been wearing it for 19 years! There was actually no mugs, teddy’s or similar “best teacher” type gifts.

She keeps the hand made cards.

My mum is a retired teacher and she still has gifts from children 40 years ago - things like Christmas decorations and table linen.

You don’t get to speak for everyone.

As someone who goes to charity shops I agree, they’re full of ‘best teacher’ stuff.

I worked in a school where a teacher came into my office. A boy who had been nothing but problems for 5 years had dropped off a card and a bar of chocolate for her, she had fought to get him through his GCSE. She sobbed her heart out.

At primary people bought a lot of over the top crap (literally massive gift bags of stuff) it felt very unnecessary.

I used to be a teacher. I don't think gift giving to teachers should be a thing, cards yes but expensive gift vouchers seems really over the top, and is very unfair on kids/parents don't have the spare money for this.

The entire class clubbed up and got the teacher tickets to a test match (he’s cricket mad). We checked if he was free.

He was very, very, happy.

I work in a private school... I save up all the expense champagne I get for celebrations and Christmas! Definitely no Echo Falls here 😄

Don't speak for all teachers, and teaching assistants too. Whilst yes the tat like mugs are not a great idea, things like Costa vouchers (or nearby independent) book tokens, amazon gift code, handmade cards, chocolates and yes wine are definitely appreciated, I've spent many an evening eating and drinking the gifts my friend received!

Wow. Thats a bit harsh. I have a bottle of Bollinger for my daughter’s class teacher. If he doesn’t drink I’m sure he can find it a home.

I hope it's clear by now how many teachers DO appreciate Thank you gifts. OP should really not assume they can speak for all.

You don't speak for us at all! We all work hard all year for these children and a thank you gift is very much appreciated.

Another ex teacher who adored getting gifts. What a grumpy post!

My DS is taking his A Levels and asked his favourite teachers departments what they liked and bought one a very decent bottle of whiskey and another a case of beer with friends

I did cringe at the fact he didn't buy another teacher anything at all

I'm begging you to read the responses of actual teachers. It's not cringe. It's nice

We always club together as a class and do decent amount in a John Lewis voucher!

I once asked the teacher what she needed and bought glue sticks and pencils for the classroom

I've taught thousands of kids. I still value the gifts they give.

Clearly another reason I couldn't be a teacher 🤣

Speak for yourself OP
a little thank you for cleaning up tears, blood, puke, wee is worth a lot even ‘cheap’ wine
it’s the thought not the the gift/ cost that counts

When I was teaching, gifts were never expected, but always gratefully received. All of my colleagues felt the same. And I never received a mug

a long time ago, in my first teaching year, in a secondary school, my first class bought me, after they had clubbed together (that was the great bit) an ash tray (didn’t smoke!) and a beer mug, (I drank wine), they weren't to know.. There was an effort behind it and not a “best teacher card” that was given to every teacher. I got just one gift from the whole class. Far better than 30 pieces of commercialised rubbish.

Errr… they’re gifts ???
They get what they’re given.
And be grateful about it.

On one of my teaching placements, my class teacher mentor was really unpleasant and a bully. The school was in a very well heeled neighbourhood. I will never forget her telling me that one of the nice things about teaching there was that you got expensive gifts at Christmas and in the summer. However she was the sort of person that could take a nice thing and make it horrible on many levels.
"Yes," she said to me, "one year I got a designer bag from one of the parents. I took it straight to the charity shop. Can't remember what designer. Of course YOU'D KNOW."
She then described the bag. I don't know what designer I was expecting, but it was a Cath Kidston bag back when they were all the rage.
I still have all the cards and letters from the kids I taught on my PGCE year and despite never teaching, treasure them.