To feel sorry for all the teachers who are about to be inundated with shite gifts

[Butterflyfluff]

My Facebook feed is full of utterly shit teacher gifts - mugs, glasses, baubles, sweet jars all with ‘Greatest Teacher’ on them.

Surely the vast majority of these end up in the bin - no one needs up to 30 odd of these every year?

What’s wrong with clubbing together for vouchers that would actually get used?

I was a school governor until recently.
There wasa limit on value of gifts which have to be declared, but it was per gift item per contributor). A class-worth of 30 parents giving a teacher £180 of M&S vouchers doesn't flag as a problem as its within the permitted threshold of gift value per person.
One parent giving £60 of vouchers solo would be a matter to raise.

Oh please!

They'll be complaining about all the holidays they get next!

Rather late with these ideas, but when my children were small we did a few class presents.

took some organising, but one year each child gave me a hand print in their favourite colour, with a little message on the back, I bought a cheap length of ribbon and some balloons then on the last day one of the mums who worked in the school (pta I think) stuck this round the teachers desk with balloons round the class room. The teacher loved it, cost little more than time , took a lot to arrange though.

another year, apparently the teacher was really into art, so a group of us, clubbed together and bought tubs of special paint, pads of paper charcoal I forget exactly what, and each child wrapped an item up, so all together a lovely present.

the best one though, and again took some arrangements, and involved the head teacher 😂, and it helped the mother of a child was a class support on the day. Each child bought in an item of food/drinks. At break time the teacher was on playground duty, so the children decorated the class room, and spread out the food for a party. I think the teacher was probably in on the act but was very happy with the whole thing, I made a big thankyou cake which was shared out. It’s difficult in this day and age I know with allergies etc, but still doable, the cake I made was gluten and lactose free just in case

That is exactly what we did when my kids were in primary, gave vouchers, chocs and a bottle of wine. Much easier and cheaper.

I need to start an annual thread as a Learning Support Assistant

##Give us some gifts too please##
[chocs]
Anything will do tbh

None of this ever happened when I was at school. Hopefully in time, common sense and the cost of living will knock it on the head, but in the meantime if people want to show their appreciation in this way, then it's up to them. I do agree that something more personal than a tacky mug or box of matchmakers would be good though. A freshly home baked loaf of bread or a hand nurtured seedling perhaps.

What a deeply unpleasant thread.
YABU.

As a teacher, I can tell you that gifts are completely unnecessary, but they are appreciated. I often get gifts that I either have duplicates of or I can’t consume. I have a nut allergy, so am often regifting boxes of ferrero rocher. My DP loves it when I get gifts haha.
I would much rather parents showed their appreciation, by listening to their children read, filling in any forms and returning them on time and just generally ensuring their children are ready for a day at school.

The last few years we have all clubbed together and got a voucher of the teachers choosing sometimes to present in a personalised bag or mug or with some chocolates. So one dodgy mug instead of 30
and a voucher for the place they want. It’s been a huge success!

THEY SHOULDN'T DO THIS! Please please tell them to stop. This is not right. I spent about thirty quid for an art project we are doing as it's part of the curriculum. I'm happy to spend the time after work going shopping I suppose but first thing tomorrow I'm banging that expenses claim in. My HT will approve it as she doesn't want us buying stuff out of our own money. I went to the cheapest shop and wasn't frivolous, but it is not right for teachers to be spending their own money to this extent. It's unfair not just on them but also their colleagues; no decent SLT would allow this atmosphere to develop.

Sorry, in my haste to reply I see you did tell her to stop.
Even £50 is £50 too much. I pass on my child's old stuff, but I don't pay to work. I don't want to subsidise the Tories' austerity policy- I tell my parents when we can't afford stuff even though I'm not meant to (also madness- why do SLT think squeezed education funding reflects poorly on them?)

I want both, I'm a caring and greedy teacher!

Well, I wouldn’t say no to a huge bar of dairy milk and a bottle of pink gin or baileys. Haha

At our school each child has to contribute £70 each year to cover teachers’ gifts.

I usually give the 2 class teachers a bottle of champagne each for end of term and a Christmas gift.

Seriously? It's this private or state?

YABU!! Some kids can barely afford to eat unless they get free school meals so whatever token of appreciation A CHILD gives as a thank you should be appreciated!! The nerve of this ungrateful Pig of an Op - i hope you get stones for your gift pfttt!!

Hahahaha!! Id give them a IOU worth 70 and never pay it!! Hilariousssssly funny and totally unheard of so yes must be private aint nooo wayyyy

@Mumof3PrettyBoys - I don't think @Butterflyfluff is a teacher - she is saying she feels sorry for the teachers who are going to end up with 30 Greatest Teacher items.

There have also been some very good suggestions on the thread - buying stationery or glue sticks, for example - things you can get at the pound shop - so that the teacher isn't having to buy essential school supplies out of their own pocket.

A bottle of gin was today's gift. I'll drink it out of my best teacher gin glass

I’m not a teacher therefore not ‘am ungrateful pig’!

Plenty of actual teachers have said they prefer a note to a gift - my post was only ever about the generic tat that is currently all over social media and is a complete waste of money.

Two things strike me about this post -

• How you can not understand that wasting money on tacky gifts when you are on the breadline is just ridiculous.

• And why do you think it’s acceptable to call someone a pig.

I’m a teacher . The gifts are a lovely bonus at Christmas and the end of the year . It’s like a little mini Christmas or birthday ! I actually don’t even have a teacher mug , no one has ever bought me one and I would love one 🤣

I appreciate every little thing - they remind me of the children I have hopefully helped ❤️

Ive never had money and I would feel odd about it - I get some jobs you might get a cash gift - a hairdresser may get a cash gift , a cleaner may … but as a teacher , I just feel like I’m not doing a service paid for by the parent , I’m not on their payroll … they have to send their children to school …. Why should they give me cash ?

I will tell you my most favourite presents though - baked goods ! Lots of mothers of children who have been in my classes baked and would send in boxes or cupcakes or brownies ❤️❤️

£70 each year.
No way would I donate this as a parent and would feel massively uncomfortable as a teacher accepting that

I think they should ban gifts. It's not fair on the parents who can't afford it.

I assure you, I certainly didn’t think negatively of the parents/children that didn’t bring a gift at the end of the year and I don’t believe many people would.