Do teachers throw away home made gifts??

[Mammyofonlyone]

My daughter and I have started making gifts for her Reception. teacher and teaching assistants ready to go in a hamper to say thank you. We have always made them gifts since she started nursery aged two. However, I have read a few threads saying that teachers throw things away that are homemade??? Is this true???? I feel a bit sad if it is!
We have spent a long time growing and cooking things in some cases! Most importantly, should I keep the sloe gin to myself if it isn’t appreciated??

Over the years I have had a mix of things. some I regift (anything bath or smellies) but I have kept a selection including a small stuffed rabbit that was given to me by a child who was taken the next day into protective custody, a plate painted by a child who loved our space project and a padded coat hanger made by a child and her gran as a project in my favourite colour! Don't have angst about it just do what you want to do. Surely you don't give for the response as you can't control that from anyone even family!

It is a really nice thing to do, teaching your child to show appreciation, but it doesn’t have to be monetary. Teaching them to say thank you is sufficient in the case of a teacher. As I said previously a gift handed over in front of other children can make them feel awkward.
I have taught mainly in areas of deprivation and any gifts of chocolate etc were always shared with the children in the class. Which was probably not what the parent intended.

I teach early years so maybe that colours my judgement (and also do home visits and some houses you are reluctant to sit down in!) but I wouldn't risk eating homemade stuff - and especially not just before Christmas. Generally where I work homemade cake ends up in the staff room bin.

Personally I appreciate booze, chocolate, sweets, handcream and stationery. Chuck mugs or anything with a child's photo on it.

Our “avalanches” of chocolate do not all get eaten by us the teacher though, therefore making the gift from the child and parent not personal. If you see what I mean. If,as a parent, you found out that your box of chocolates, meant for the teacher, was shared by the class or the family of the teacher would that make you reconsider giving them?

It doesn't have to be monetary no but all the homemade stuff goes in the bin so what's the point?

If you want to do a hamper, please fill it with stationery! Glue sticks, pencils, pens. All the things that teachers fund out their own, measly pay packets. Plus wine.

Um, I'm a teacher and I love home made presents best of all! This is the first year I won't have a pile of one particular students amazing double chocolate cookies as she has gone off to Uni and dd mentioned the other day that she would miss them.
I keep each and every card and have a lot of random home made Christmas ornaments and the like.
Give me homemade over a bloody gift token any day.

Most homemade food would go into the bin if it was made by younger children. There were one or two families that I could be really confident that little Johnny wouldn't have been picking his nose or licking his fingers, but mostly I couldn't be sure of this, so in the bin it would go.
It doesn't mean that I didn't appreciate the time and effort involved though. I did, I just didn't want to eat the results. Ditto inedible offerings. I might not have wanted to actually keep it but I did appreciate the thought.

I wouldn’t eat anything homemade where a child might have been involved in making it. Sorry. I’d also think twice if I knew someone had pets. I would do the same with homemade goods from colleagues to be fair, as you generally get to know who has good hygiene.

Chocolates are shared out amongst family and stuffed toys end up with the dog. Stationary hamper is a fabulous idea.

I'm a teacher and I love homemade gifts. I probably prefer 'lasting' homemade gifts such as painted mugs rather than food, but I would usually eat the food. I certainly wouldn't throw it just because it was homemade. I've had some lovely cakes and biscuits in the past! One of my favourite gifts is a framed picture of me teaching, drawn by the child. It has pride of place on my desk.

I think that some of the previous posts have been rather harsh. I know that I'm my school, we never expect anything. We know that as teachers we probably earn more than many of the parents and we would not want anyone to feel they had to buy a present. At the same time though, my colleagues and I are genuinely touched by each gift , card or token, whether it's a huge hamper or a hand-scribbled more on a form piece of paper. And for those children who don't give anything, I try to make a point of saying that the best gift they can all give me is their hard work and smiles!

Aargh, autocorrect. A hand-scribbled note on a torn piece of paper, I was trying to say that is appreciated! It's genuinely the thought that counts.

I have come to the conclusion that Mnetters have the weakest immune systems on the planet. This throwing homemade stuff in the bin and sneering at people's hygiene standards actually enrages me. I was a teacher and any gift was acceptable.

My kids liked to give a small something but I deliberately chose stuff that could be easily shared or regifted or used up in school

In a small village school a tin of biscuits and nice tea and coffee for staff room - given to secretary

Green and blacks pack of mini choc bars - "ooh perfect for my handbag"

Really nice lavender hand wash or similar

I always thought the lavish gift packages with cellophane, ribbon and alcohol, chocs, flowers, smellies from one child looked like an attempt to win favour rather thank a simple thank you.

If you want something personal let your child write on or draw on a card and the envelope then you won't be burdening the teacher or the environment.

Mine are older but stationary sounds like a great idea but it's sad that primary schools can't afford glue sticks

Generally where I work homemade cake ends up in the staff room bin

Personally I appreciate booze, chocolate, sweets, handcream and stationery. Chuck mugs or anything with a child's photo on it

Well, yes. Teachers are exactly the same as people in other jobs. Some are appreciative, some are not.

It's a shame you just 'chuck' the mugs. You realise you could actually donate them somewhere that they might be appreciated?

I am not sneering at homemade edible gifts. I would just not choose to eat them personally. I wouldn’t dream of letting the child know that.

I feel the need to repeat one of my points again.
Children who are not able to hand over a gift to the teacher for whatever reason, especially at infant level, often feel upset and worried that they haven’t anything to give. A parent handing over a hamper or similar may make an embarrassing situation.
It is not possible to donate or regift items which have been personalised.

Where could you donate mugs?

Where could you donate mugs?

Homeless shelters, soup kitchens, that kind of thing?

Did it not occur to you that other people might actually have a use for the gifts that you lob in the bin?

Charity shops Marcine?

No, it didn't occur to me that charity shops would want loads more mugs, they always seem to be over flowing with them - but now I know where to send them next time. I will thin out the staff room mug cupboard too.

My mum used to work as a primary school TA.

When she got alcohol/wine it was normally kept to be regifted as she doesn't drink. My #1 Ta cups were kept in the staff room or charity shopped (you dont need 30 of those every year) She has sensitive skin so toiletries were passed on to me, little jewelery trinkets were also passed on to me I used to get them in payment/bribery for writing out the class Christmas cards and wrapping a bag of chocolate coins for each child. Edible shop brought chocolates were stored for our christmas. I dont remember handmade food being brought home. However, handmade decorations still hang on her tree every year and other handmade things and cards were kept a long time.

I work in a Secondary school so don't get gifts although I get some Christmas cards that I put up with the others and cherish the occasional thank you cards some of the yr 11s give at the end of the year. As for homemade food, it generally depends on the child and the standard of the food. Year 7 with questionable hygiene habits then I turn it down (or take it and bin it) child brings in a cake for charity or cupcakes that look professional then I happily eat it.

In 20 years of teaching I never once saw a colleague throw away a homemade gift. I have food allergies so couldn't always eat them myself but they were always welcome in the staff room. I have always given my children's teachers a gift, as a former teacher I am aware how hard they work and I like to show my appreciation.

My child’s teacher really goes the extra (millions of) miles so I wanted to show her that we were willing to put effort into her thank you gift this Christmas.

Has a whiff of bribery about it.
ducks

In 20 years of teaching I never once saw a colleague throw away a homemade gift.

Well you wouldn't. The 'regifting' (what a horrible word, gifting) and throwing away will be done discreetly and not necessarily on school premises