To not understand end of year gifts for teachers?

[Threecactusplants]

That time is upon us.
My DS’s class WhatsApp ‘admin’ has asked if people want to contribute towards a voucher for the teacher - suggested donation £10 each.
AIBU but the teachers are being paid for this job, they’re not doing it voluntarily.
Okay I understand if the child is leaving/in last year or the teacher is leaving.

To be honest, I haven’t been hugely impressed this year, DS’s teacher has been quite slack and we have had very little communication. He’s been happy going to school which is the main thing but I probably would have got a small card or asked him to make one. It’s only a small class of 21 so if I don’t contribute it’ll be obvious.

We have a sustainable /charity shop near us, our schools are finished for summer but for half of may they were advertising teacher gifts so many many mugs and unused candles 😂

I do think it's nice to remember the people who volunteer to provide other opportunities for children. The football manager who turns up for coaching, keeps his qualifications up to date, gets abused by some parents at the weekend match. Could also be scouts, swimming or any number of other activities.

Although I had a lovely moment years after I did reading with kids who were falling behind. I'd have a group of 5 or 6 who id see one at a time for 20 or 30 minutes. I didn't just hear them read, we talked about books they liked, books I liked at their age and so on. One group are now 18 and my GS saw one of the boys and they were sharing memories of primary school and this boy said apart from playing with his mates his favourite memory was his reading time with me. I saw him change over the three years from a little boy who was struggling to a boy who loved reading. No gift could be better than that message.

Gosh, OP - whether you agree with it or not, £10 is not much for someone who has helped to nurture your child for a year. Assuming they work 39 weeks in an academic week, that is about 5p a day as a tip. But you do you. I never did it for the money, I did it so my child could know they had contributed to the gift for their teacher. Nice life lesson in gratitude I think.

Theign I agree we always bought for volunteers giving up their time. Agree school gifting gone mad parents bought for me too. I help on school bus. I appreciated it cards etc. But where does it end!

Agree.

We do it because the staff are amazing at DS2 school. We give a bag of consumables, a mix of sweet and savoury bits and thank you card.

Also have a sen child and DS2 is on the list for assessment and they’ve been lovely in that aspect as well.

I always took my own gift and card.
It was nice to do when they weren't expected.
However, since it's become an actual organised event, it's put me off. Then there's the growing number of teachers in each class who apparently also need buying for.
There's always one or two pushy parents in each class that like to take charge of things like this by creating WhatsApp groups etc and seem to crave the attention and recognition for having organised it.
My children like to take flowers to their new teacher on the first day of the school year. Then they will take in a small gift bag of token gifts for the teacher, tailored to what they like (ie of teacher is a film buff - fave film character stationary & pens, and chocs, or gardening things if they know the teacher loves to garden).

Teachers don’t really want presents. A thank you is sufficient.

I'm glad the joint gifts don't happen at my child's school. I think it takes away from the children personally handing something to the teacher and the teacher being able to thank children individually. It completely removes the children from saying thankyou if the parents just club together to buy a big hamper.

I'm a teacher of well over 30 years service.

Of course gifts are not necessary.
We appreciate words of thanks when they are sincere. I can still remember so many lovely conversations with families at the end of the school year. One of my favourite things ever was an end of year email from a family with a really beautiful message.

I really don't get this new fad of clubbing together for spa days and experience packages and other expensive things.
As for gifts, I adore mugs, candles, key rings, bubble bath, I've even had little toys for my dogs. I've appreciated every single new pen and stationery item etc.

But they should never, ever feel obligatory.
.

I bake a massive tray of brownies and take them into the school office on the Monday of the last week. Then my son does a card for his teacher.

I can’t think of many things I’d rather spend a tenner on.

You read the threads on here about how much people tip hairdressers and that’s for a couple of hours!

I see it as these people spend hundreds of hours teaching my children and shaping who they are as people. I’m so grateful for what they do.

I really don't get this new fad of clubbing together for spa days and experience packages and other expensive things

It's because it's easier.

Any time one of the class parents has stepped forward at Christmas or end of year to volunteer to arrange a collection I breathe a sigh of relief. Yep, here's my bank transfer, thanks - and I don't have to think of it again.

Last year was the same and the teacher ended up with a voucher for £200

What don’t you understand? A teacher can do their job but the extra care and attention that they give your child even though they don’t need to? What about that? You would die if you knew what teacher collection around here is if you’re squealing about £10.
Your teacher may not have been great, but there are so many that are so deserving of a thanks that’s extra.
also all the extra stuff that teachers now have to do, they are not paid enough imo.

I literally thought it was honey and imagined fancy honey with honeycomb a in an old fashioned jar. Which is lovely but an odd choice for the bin men and post man, having to cart round honey on their last shift before Xmas.

I never join in these collections especially where an amount is suggested. If I think a gift is warranted I’ll choose something myself. I’d opt out saying my child wants to give a card/gift individually

Exactly, I’d love to see op go teach a bunch of kids and then talk.

When & why did this start?
Is it regional or nationwide ?
It was never done when I was at school, or my DC (London & HCs).

But you'll still be judged...as miserable!!

I do think £5 is more than enough per teacher. Some families are living week to week.

Nationwide, 40+ years, if my experience is anything to go by.

It's a gesture. No it is not required. It's just a way of saying thank you. No teachers do not expect gifts.
Yes they get paid, although if you break down the salary by the actual hours most teachers work, it's not much over minimum wage.
Yes it could be awkward if you don't contribute and it sounds in this case that you don't like the teachers rather than the concept. In that case just follow the PP's advice.

You don't understand a token of appreciation? Are you really that kind of person?

How very odd of you.

If you don't want to do it, then don't, but this faux "i dont understand" is very twee.

Exactly , and all the other things teachers do because their parents haven't , or forgotten , comforting and helping a child which parents don't always see.
Many teachers go way beyond their job role because more parents work long hours etc .
I don't like group gifts.
I give a gift usually a food / drink gift every year and at Christmas and a nice card

@Tagyoureit

What I don’t understand is giving a teacher a £200 voucher.
A handmade card would be fine as it’s a small gesture or a box of chocolates, but I think this seems excessive.

Yes I had visions of the bin men being pursued by flies and wasps clutching their cards full of honey!