Please stop with the teacher and TA gifts!

[pinkksugarmouse]

Just that really. As someone who has worked in schools and knows many people who do presents are such an unnecessary pain. It’s just stuff bought for the sheer heck of buying and needs to stop. Protecting the environment is very high on the list of pupils concerns. Inundating people with unwanted things in their name isn’t respectful.
Please no more mugs, teddies, chocolates, bizarre decorations…how many teachers, TA’s, nursery staff do you think really want it?
You are just gifting them a trip to the charity shop and/or the need for more bin bags.

I think a thank you card is plenty to show your appreciation frankly.

My dd is working in a prep school nursery for her gap year and is really looking forward to the gifts!!

I am middle ground.

I think in terms of the environment the mugs/badges/candles/keyrings type gifts are probably the worst because of the duplication potential. In terms of poverty-shaming though I think class collections are the worst. Most parents won't feel they can just "opt out" of finding the money for their child to contribute to something everyone else is doing and that pressure will be even worse for those who are poorest but trying to hide it!

My DH is a teacher and we have appreciated the edible stuff (even something like red wine that we don't use can be regifted) but would be just as happy to not get gifts. My DH is most touched by the thought - and that's shown just as well by a card...

You don’t speak for all of us. Presents from my class are the only presents I get.

I never feel obligated to buy gifts because others do. I like to get something for my DCs teachers and TAs because I know how hard they work, how much they care, how they go above and beyond and I want to say thank you. Maybe the families whose children you worked with felt that too. Even on a low income people can want to say thanks in a way that is meaningful for them.

I send in a batch of cookies for the staff room the week before Christmas and scones with a pot of cream and jar of jam for end of year.

That way the support staff get acknowledged too.

Apples - anyone?

My DH is close to breaking point as a teacher, and even a small little card is what keeps him going. He genuinely appreciates it beyond reason. Even some shitty pen from Poundland has him buzzing.

My dsis is a teacher and I know she feels really uncomfortable with the whole gift giving. Especially when she receives gifts from families that she knows are struggling. She has tried to implement a no gift giving policy at her school and suggested it should just be homemade cards but unfortunately was overruled.

I agree with you on the sheer number of teacher themed mugs/keys rings, but think if people want to do a token gift then that's nice.

Being in secondary, I've had some really thoughtful gifts from GCSE students where a few of them have put a couple of quid in and bought a book they thought I'd like, or a voucher for a local cafe, or a box of cupcakes/biscuits in my favourite flavours. None of it was expensive, but the thought meant a lot and I still keep the books with their messages written in my study at home.

I'm more concerned by some of the pushy class WhatsApp groups I read about on here where a self-appointed queen bee decides how much everyone should contribute and then chases people to pay up.

I am a secondary teacher so have had very few gifts through the years but there are two I'll never forget, both from departing year 11 students. The first was a cream tea in a box from a student whose mother ran a catering business, complete with home-made scones, clotted cream, and jam. The second was a drawing from a very talented student, illustrating a long-running inside joke that her class and I had. I have it framed and on my wall.

But it's the messages in the cards that mean the most. Even the ones that say 'your the best teacher'

I grew up in America and you were not allowed to give teachers presents (maybe it was thought to curry favour)? We used to make fudge or peppermint creams but our current school parent liaison is raising £8000 to distribute presents to all teachers!

I agree. I donate to charity instead and put a note in a card saying ‘a donation has been made in your name to….’

@maofteens

I grew up in America and you were not allowed to give teachers presents (maybe it was thought to curry favour)? We used to make fudge or peppermint creams but our current school parent liaison is raising £8000 to distribute presents to all teachers!

Yes, in the American system the decision to pass or fail a child through each grade lies with the individual teacher so there is potentially much more at stake.

That description of America sounds like my friend's experience teaching in an international school. They used to get some very expensive gifts and my friend said some of it was genuinely expressions of gratitude from appreciative (very wealthy) parents who probably viewed the gift as small cash, but other times they felt quite uncomfortable as they wondered if the parents were expecting something in return.

NHS employees aren’t allowed to accept gifts from patients worth more than a few pounds. Are teachers allowed to accept gifts with a large monetary value? I’m not sure that would be ethical?

It is the thought that counts, insist schools stop gifts full stop.
When you are buying for 6 teachers vouchers add up whereas a small trinket is manageable.

BungleandGeorge
Schools will have their own policies.

In the secondary schools I've worked in there's not generally been expensive gifts. Typically it's wine chocolates, gifts under £10, or a few students might put in together for something.

It's not uncommon for GCSE and A Level students to club together and do some nice gifts at the end of their course, and that can easily be larger. There is a culture of openness about it though.

Where schools I've worked in would be concerned would be if the value was large, the gifts were unusual for a teacher-student professional relationship, or any gifts were outside of typical gift giving occasions.

there is more to school than teachers - what about the support staff?

I think gifts from children are lovely . All year round they look after DC and children want to say thank you .Also you are assuming all Teachers are comfortably off themselves! I am quite sure nobody will say no to a nice bottle of wine /chocolates /mugs (can never have enough mugs)!

@maofteens

I grew up in America and you were not allowed to give teachers presents (maybe it was thought to curry favour)? We used to make fudge or peppermint creams but our current school parent liaison is raising £8000 to distribute presents to all teachers!

£8000?!? Do your children go to a private school?

God, you miserable moo! The children love giving their teachers gifts.

@Mistressiggi

As a secondary teacher, who therefore doesn't get gifts, I would love just one "best teacher" mug. Maybe I should buy it for myself!

The PTA at our secondary school organise a Christmas fund which the school spend on doing nice things for the staff that they couldn't afford otherwise - special breakfast, drinks at Xmas party etc. Parents can leave a message of thanks. and donate any amount. It works very well.

@Youknownothingsnow

Enjoy it, us social workers rarely get anything! I can count on one hand the number of gifts I’ve received 😂 I’m not bitter honest!!

Nobody likes social workers 😆

To be honest I've never felt pressure to provide gifts for teachers or nursery staff. They do say thank you for their gifts via newsletter each year but they don't actually ask for gifts, some parents just give a nice gesture of their appreciation for all that has been done for their child