Presents for teachers- help please.

[Tiredmum100]

If you've bought for teachers what have you bought, or if you are a teacher what would you like? Stuck for ideas. Thanks!

I have 6 teachers to buy for so I've got them a really lovely candle from home bargains and chocolate bar each. The candles.are Yankee dupes and only £2.99

We do a class collection which then gets spent on something the teacher would like for the classroom. Eg Lego, wooden train set, bean bags etc.

Majority of teachers I know don’t want 30 candles/boxes of chocolate/bottles of wine etc.

We do a class collection which then gets spent on something the teacher would like for the classroom. Eg Lego, wooden train set, bean bags etc.

That is admiral but not a gift for the teacher.

I got them Starbucks vouchers. Even if they aren't coffee drinkers they can still get a nice sandwich or a cake.

Because the teachers don’t want gifts. They really don’t. As explained in my second paragraph.

Because the teachers don’t want gifts. They really don’t. As explained in my second paragraph

I didn't say they did. But what you re suggesting is not a gift for a teacher. If you want to buy stuff then great but don't badge it as a favour/gift for a teacher

It’s done in conjunction with the teachers.

I don’t know a single teacher who wants xmas presents from pupils/parents. That’s from a straw poll of about 200 teachers.

I think the class collection and buying something for the classroom is a brilliant idea. I suspect many parents would disagree though!
If I were a teacher, I would prefer a bottle of wine (as opposed to chocolate, or biscuits), but I always hesitate about a young child gifting alcohol.

Notebook (cheap but nice from Asda) and a bar of good quality chocolate. Approx £3. I don't spend more as there are multiple teachers to buy for. It's just a small token. In my experience around a third to half the class get something so don't feel that you have to, no one will notice if you don't!

I got them a Costa voucher when they broke up for summer so was thinking something else? My ds is leaving a unit placement and returning to mainstream after nearly 3 years with the same teacher and LSA (x 2) so I wanted to get them something as they have been amazing with my son.

My mother taught for 30 years. Some years after leaving she gave me a bottle of baileys for my birthday. It was solid. It was something she had been given by a pupil 25 years previous (judging by the label). When they downsized we gave over 150 “world’s best teacher mugs” to charity.

They don’t want this stuff, especially when they’re supplying stationery etc for their classrooms.

I also think buying something for the classroom is nice tbh, and I'm a teacher. I'm not a fan of stuff for the sake of stuff and a lot of teacher presents are just tat. If it must be stuff, then I'd want wine or a voucher.

My ds is leaving a unit placement and returning to mainstream after nearly 3 years with the same teacher and LSA (x 2) so I wanted to get them something as they have been amazing with my son.

Quite a different scenario there.

They are a very small class, only 10 pupils.

My best friend is a teacher & LOVES getting classroom supplies! The parents clubbed together & bought glass paints, glue gun refills, colouring pens/pencils, coloured card, felt & paint etc

A few years ago (at a different school) she was given amazon vouchers for approx £75 & bought ................ craft supplies

She has a few 'best teacher' mugs that she uses as pen pots & plant pots around her house.

She hates candles as they give her a headache & doesn't eat much chocolate due to weight loss that she's maintained for about 5 yrs! She's also not keen on wine!

She is however, very gracious & knows people are showing their appreciation so is delighted to receive anything lol

As it's lots of staff you want to thank, buy them some sort of staffroom treat - basket of baked goods etc. I'd leave it until January because it will be more appreciated then imo - loads of things get sent in at this time of year. It's better to spend well on a good group present than divvy the money up between many and buy junk. Write each one an individual card too, they'll be touched by it.

We don't want mugs!
Honestly the best things are a picture or card the child has done themselves. Or a card with a nice message inside.

Are cinema vouchers a crap idea?

I was going to do thank you cards and a letter to the head. I was originally going to make a donation to the unit as well so they could buy something for the unit, but I haven't discussed it again with my dh more recently. Was just planning on going shopping in the morning and am stuck for ideas. The bus ladies and my other dc teachers have all got bags of chocs. Maybe we should just make the donation instead and a voucher for the 3 staff members.

We do a whole class collection, the money is then spent on the teacher and TA. Usually a bottle of something nice to drink, chocolates and the rest goes on a voucher for John Lewis or similar. So they can treat themselves!

The teachers and TAs love it. No one wants a £2.99 'pretend' Yankee candle

Think it's awful that collection money would be spent on something for the classroom! That's not a gift to the teacher; it's a collection for your kids. That's what the PTA is for

I don't see the other parents as my ds is taken to and from school by bus so clubbing together isn't very easy, plus there's only 10 of them. Don't worry I wasn't going to get mugs lol!

I buy those “smellie” type of sets (usually from tk maxx as you can find decent brands) figuring it’s an easy gift to regift for them, if not to taste, or they can always use more hand cream in the staff restroom. Or Christmas ornaments, if I can get a sense of their style.

Think it's awful that collection money would be spent on something for the classroom! That's not a gift to the teacher; it's a collection for your kids.

It’s using the money that would have been spent on unwanted gifts on something they do want.

That's what the PTA is for

I chair the PTA. We used to chuck a couple of hundred quid into each class for supplies - parents didn’t like it. They prefer the purchase of bigger things that benefit more children for more time.

Ikea candle £1.75
Bottle of wine £10

Done

Or club together and get a voucher, it’s all teachers want
The post office ones are the best!

As a teacher I don't expect gifts at all and although I would like extra craft stuff it would go missing as everyone and their dog would 'borrow' it. So it's not even a gift for the class let alone the teacher!! It's a donation to the school as a whole!! Let the PTA do that fundraising!
Personally if I'm totally honest, I love getting wine and chocolates!!! If they are a kind I don't like then I can regift or donate to tomboys/bottle stall without anyone recognising a specific present!!
I also like getting pens, candles etc. Would rather a couple of good tea lights than a big cheap one.
Definitely no 'best teacher' tat as it is just tat. Pictures I end up binning if I am totally honest as I get given loads every day as I work in infants. I cannot keep them as I'd be overwhelmed and would be appearing on that hoarders tv show!! Always recycle them at home though so not to hurt any feelings!
I have still got tree decorations given to me by pupils nearly 20 years ago! Still think of them every year!
So consumables or something personal (if you know the teacher well) is great if you want to give but do t ever feel obliged to give!