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 do think the class teacher gift from parents is symptomatic of the way teachers aren’t really regarded as professionals.

Firstly, teachers don’t expect presents at all, although of course they are appreciated. But what would you get a doctor who had gone above and beyond to look after your sick child? Or a solicitor who had worked tirelessly to help you through a really complex property purchase without charging extras?

Would you bung them a tenner or try to club together with a few other sick children’s parents and send them a voucher? I doubt it. You might send a bottle of champagne with a lovely hand written card of thanks, or even just a carefully written card or e mail expressing your profuse thanks.

IMO, if you just think a teacher has done their job, don’t get them anything. If they have gone above and beyond with your child, do something personal so that they will know it has been noticed and that they are valued.

This type of thread is really sneery and unpleasant.

Do I want or need another "best teacher" mug/glass/candle? No.
Will I add them to the collection and use them? Yes.
Am I grateful because it really is the thought that counts? Yes.

I'm a primary teacher and I will be buying vouchers for my sons class teacher and the class teaching assistant. They are both leaving to new jobs this year and he will be sad to see them go. I will also get my son to either make cards, or write messages in cards depending on what I can find at the shop. I will be getting a book voucher for the class teacher, that way he can choose either something for himself to enjoy, or something for his new role. The TA will prob get a Costa voucher. They have both made a difference this year to my sons confidence. He has suffered terrible anxiety, which they have supported him through. Yes, it's their job, but they go above and beyond.

@oakleaffy

It's heartbreaking. I've been teaching over 20 years. We're at the point that we can't afford to change displays, can't afford to make Mother's Day cards and have to consider which Art lessons we do. I remember the days when we had so much stock and could do things like clay modelling, making character spoons and a plethora of Christmas craft.

Must be a posh school 😂

Well this year I’m joining the shite gift club. Because last year we “all” clubbed in. Suggested donation was £10 and I thought I’d send £20 because it’s not breaking the bank. 3 parents had already done something else and a couple of others didn’t reply so ended up with 11 parents clubbing together. Grand total was a £20 voucher for a local farm shop type place and a box of chocolates plus card. Felt a lot like I might as well have bought the voucher myself and avoided other people gaining credit for my cash. So this year I won’t be clubbing in with anyone just so they can pretend they’ve donated but use my cash to do so instead. Sorry if it’s shite

I both admire your post, and find it incredibly frustrating.
You are a good person for buying things out of your own money.
But you shouldn't be doing this. As a primary teacher, I absolutely draw the line at this. Of course if my own child has grown out of a book, I would bring it in to my classroom. But the Tories made a conscious choice- austerity- not to fund schools property; and not to pay teachers properly either.
By buying things form your own salary, you are enabling in a very small way the lack of funding. You should not be doing this- do not be a martyr! A waiter wouldn't buy plates for a restaurant, a bus driver wouldn't buy a spare wheel for the bus, a police officer wouldn't buy replacement handcuffs etc. Please don't- it also makes it harder for other teachers who really can't afford to do this but unlike me, can't quite manage 'No' to their head. (And tbf, my head would NEVER expect us to do this).

Not every teacher appreciates the hand made (by the child), heartfelt card. When ds1 was in year 1, one of his friends made a lovely card for the teacher. His mum had to nip back into the classroom for something he’d forgotten, and the card was already in the bin.

So what’s the tax implications of receiving a gift? I’m not an accountant but I’m intrigued.

I work in a preschool, mostly we get some lovely cards and chocs, wine, etc. One year I got a little plant that is still growing happily on my kitchen windowsill and I have some cute ornaments and a home made poem still on my fridge. I don't think I have been given anything I wasn't grateful to receive.

YABU. I love all the gifts I get from pupils and their families, even if some people would consider them sentimental tat.

It’s really wasteful and the teachers I know would much prefer just a card or a picture or something.

@oakleaffy White boards with the wipe clean pens are probably far more expensive, and if the wrong pens are used, the white board is marked permanently.

If you do this (and I have) just write over it with a non-permanent market and all the writing comes off. I’ve done this in a theatre dressing room where the writing was several years old, although it did take some time and patience.

I agree that a nice message in a home-made or shop-bought card is all that’s needed, but I work in a well-resourced independent school where I don’t have to buy glue sticks.

I volunteer in a charity shop & we get inundated with 'best teacher gifts' ...they never, ever sell so end up in landfill.

@pleasehelpwi3

I understand and believe me I can't really afford it!

I think you're right. Next year I will make a conscious decision not to spend my own money. It's just so hard to see the children missing out.

No one is going to declare their £10 Costa voucher. FFS

To be honest as an ex teacher I loved the mugs😂never had to buy any! But the zillion bunches of carnations and milk tray chocolates were a bit samey🤣🙏

We have 32 kids in DD’s class, usually we all contribute £10, some ppl might not but yes, based on last year we collected around £250, and divided it among the main teacher and teaching assistants in John Lewis vouchers and a few small bits.

Most places have conteacts along the line on "all gifts above" or "all gifts thay may be consideted as favour in return".
And I worked with barristers.
So yeah, much better to collect and get a decent gift or better voucher.
No one needs fucking 27 cups a year.

I think there is far more angst and discussion about this on MN than is warranted.

• No parent should feel they ought to buy a present for their child's teacher.
• Teachers don't expect presents
• Contrary to popular belief, most people don't buy 'World's Best Teacher' tat.
• Most commonly bought individual gifts are chocolate, wine, toiletries and stationery, all of which could be re-gifted if necessary.

For the rest of the simpletons on this site, and there are plenty, it's not a teacher who wrote the post!
I write this every year when this groundhog topic comes up, my late OH who was a primary teacher got the usual load of gifts during his career but the ones he kept were the letters from parents, one dates back to 1974.

🤣🙏

I always used to get Pritt sticks and tissues in primary so good to have that confirmed!

Why not hint to the children about this then.
I'd gladly buy that for the teacher.

I know it sounds ridiculous but there are actually policies in place in many schools around gifts and this is in line with bribery law. This is from my school’s policy. The head needs to record in a register any individual gift of over £25 or any group gift over £50 and be satisfied that the gift’s purpose is not dodgy 🙄