Xmas present to help my Dd be one of the teachers favourites

[Justlookatthatrain]

😂Joking-sort of

But seriously, what do you buy your child’s teacher at Christmas?
I worked in a school and there were 100% the mums/kids who bought the flashiest presents-good perfume, champagne, huge bouquets and it did have an effect and everyone knew who those mums were
I’m sure teachers will deny this 😅
A good, thoughtful present does make a difference

Aibu?

Yep, I won’t eat anything my own children have made, let alone other people’s children 😂

When I worked in a school as a nurse, I would get a lot of home made cakes and biscuits. My FIL is a glutton who doesn’t care about unwashed hands, sneezes and snot, so he used to get them all.

We do always do a class present at our school - everyone puts in £10/£20 and one person organises the present for teacher and TA. Normally a few choc / foodie / alcohol bits and a gift voucher for somewhere. Means they get one decent present rather than lots of maybe not wanted bits

I was given homemade name bracelets by some lovely girls when I taught Year 2. I put them on that day. Did I wear them after that? no, but it was a lovely, thoughtful gift that they had chosen to do themselves and had taken a fair amount of effort. I kept them in my jewellery box and still remember.

A key ring would be more useful than a bracelet which will never be worn.

We used to thank children profusely for baked offerings and tell them we would take them to the staffroom for our break. Most were dropped in the bin. There was one mother who made amazing shortbread with cashews and chocolate chips, though, that was amazing.

Agree. what happened to just giving them a red shiny apple, ( organic of course)

I haven’t RTET op so it may have been mentioned already but I would buy a gift voucher for the hair or nail salon or favorite coffee place. It doesn’t have to be the entire amount of the service. I would
ask other teachers what salon their colleague used or have my dc notice what cofee they carried in every day. Or say…. Your nails/ hair look so nice where do you go? I like giving gifts that offset the expenses of daily life…so grocery store gift voucher also.

I’ll say this again louder for the people at the back who are still dead-set on throwing away their hard-earned cash on teachers:

We do not want, need or expect gifts. A hand-written card will suffice. Add a chocolate Santa or a single bath bomb if you must. But please, please nothing more than that. It will not curry favour with the teacher or make them like your child more, we are professionals!

What any teacher would actually really appreciate (and it’s completely free), is a short email to the Headteacher once a year, telling them how much you appreciate Ms X or Mr Y, how little Johnny has blossomed in his/her class, and how helpful they have been any time you have had to contact them. Teachers are under so much pressure from the Senior Team, and often under-appreciated by them, so an email like that is like gold dust! Only if the teacher deserves it of course, and genuinely does go above and beyond.

I'm glad to read this we always get the whole team gifts. The teacher sometimes is our least favourite person in the mix. The TAs and SEN TAs also deserve thanks.

So not a gift for the teacher.
Say you work in a company, and you did a great job for a client, would you like it if instead of being able to give you a small gift, they put something in your employer's stationary cupboard?

Speak for yourself. In my school we're perfectly happy to receive a present!
However, just as we are happy to receive a present, I know I would be mortified if anyone felt they had to, and it in no way changes how I treat your child.
Just don't buy me a fucking glue stick, that's not a present!

Primary teacher here. Gifts are gratefully received, but I promise you no child is thought more or less of depending on what / if they give you anything at Christmas. But seeing as you asked… my preferred gifts are vouchers (Waterstones or Costa), chocolates I can share with family, or home made cards with a thoughtful message. Please, no home made bakes / crafts, photos of your child or ‘best teacher’ mugs.

I work in the public sector. We are (quite rightly) not allowed to accept gifts or hospitality. I am not sure why teachers don't hold themselves to these standards too. It's just professionalism to me.

I am very professional, thank you very much. I adhere strictly to my academy's policy on gifts and hospitality. It sounds like you have a rather mean attitude to presents- but don't worry, if your child is in my class and you don't get me a present, it won't change the way I treat your child one iota.

Wow at calling someone mean if they don't buy a present. How entitled!

No, that's not what I said. At all.

What I think is a little mean is where you've put up the thread it 'you wish all schools did this' in response to someone saying they thought teachers shouldn't get presents but should give a book to school instead. And then you've go on to say that teachers 'don't hold themselves' to the same standards as you, and that you said the whole teaching profession is not professional.

It's not about presents at all- it's about your denigrating the teaching profession. Time and time throughout this thread I've said it makes no difference to me if parents buy me- us- a present. We treat all children the same.

I think an apology might be in order.

Teachers like you are the problem! You’ve just now reinforced the idea that parents should do this. Teachers no more deserve a present than any other job. We get paid for our job ffs. Lots of families can’t afford to buy Christmas presents for their own kids, let alone greedy teachers.

Theres nothing mean about what I said. It's just a grown up observation that it is unethical and unprofessional for well paid professionals to accept gifts like this.

It does sound a bit whiny to be upset when someone says gifts arent appropriate.

😮 You sound like you don’t have a lot of joy in your life, i’m sorry 😔

I have plenty, thanks. But I hate to see others in my profession being graspy and entitled about gifts that their students and parents may not be able to afford. Teachers get well paid, we can all buy our own chocolates and scented candles.

I have a portrait that a child painted of me, because in her words 'I changed her life' having taught that class for two years during covid.
I don't think it's 'unethical and unprofessional' of me to have accepted that gift.

I'm not greedy. I've never dropped a hint about a present, don't say when it's my birthday, and if I am asked what I want I just smile and say peace and quiet!
But if someone gets me a present, I am happy to accept it. I do work in an affluent area so it's not really an issue of parents not having money to buy presents, but none of this makes me graspy or entitled.

Well paid??

I haven’t seen any teachers being greedy?
When I received gifts, it was the loveliest thing no matter what they were, I appreciated every mug or chocolate’s, bottle of wine…anything. I didn’t expect and found it very special, I’ve always given my Dd’s carers & teachers gifts too

Teachers are not well paid as such but I was well paid compared to the parents of the children I was teaching.

Bit “let them eat cake” isn’t it.

We are well paid compared to a lot of other jobs. I’ve also worked in LA children’s services roles and other non-teaching roles and have never come across more whingers and moaners than teachers, especially the Millennials 🙄 If you don’t like it, go into another profession.

Another poster said she welcomed gifts at Christmas - that is greedy and grabby IMO. Many families don’t have money to spend on bloody teachers or other workers.