Are teacher presents necessary ???

[SnoopyLovesYou]

Last year my child bought a present for teacher and classroom assistant. One cost about £7-10 and the other £5. Bought them candles they probably didn't appreciate. This year however this particular child has 2 teachers. My OTHER child has 2 different crèche/Playgroup thingies. One is paid for. The other she has been going to for ages and is very reasonable.

My solution was to get children to make/ write cards rather than buying presents. However, gave first card this morning to paid Playgroup...

Icy response! :-(

Now the staff really are good and LOVELY but it's cost me a fortune this year. Thought they would like a handmade card. Em... no.

Any help please? Do I have to buy presents for all 4? Does anyone have any good and straightforward present ideas?

Sometimes teachers get gifts, sometimes I completely forget and sometimes DD1 and the teacher just don't hit it off.

DD2 gets on with all her teachers and reminds me to get things, I still sometimes forget.

Gifts are not compulsory and I tend only to bother when thanks are truly (as in the case if DD1s Y6 teacher) due.

When my son left primary school I went totally OTT with the gifts, several giftboxes from Lush for both his teachers, TA and SENCO. Only the small £7 ones, and a bigger one for his main teacher, but at the time for me it was a lot.

I don't know what I was thinking, particularly as when he started at secondary school I realised that a lot of their advice had been false and designed to save them extra work ('No, he won't need a statement to cope with secondary, they have the extra money in budget for SEN students.' Four months into secondary I had to withdraw him and Home Ed for three years...)

Having bought a teacher a bottle of wine for the first time last year and it being received with a none too pleased look I resolved 'never again'. In the past I had just given cards and too be honest I think they are the best thing. I put in a nice photo of DC and nice message, thinking 'if I were a teacher that is what I would like to look back on'. Having nursed for a long time it's similar to cards and letters from patients, some of which I still treasure after 20 + years.

A card means much more. I'm a TA and I have a scrap book with every little drawing/card the children have done for me.

Don't let today's experience put you off.

Mine are 15 and 18 now. We went to state primary and started to do class collections for about £2 per head to buy the teacher something nice at the the end and organised things like: umbrella signed by all the children in addition, scrap book with a thank you from every child to go with it - and one signed card from the parents - saving £30 on tat cards.

For the extra special teacher a card, personally written and a small gift token plus a letter to the head extending thanks for their exceptional support has always done it for me tbh.

DS has been very lucky and has had the same tutor, housemaster for five years. Fab bloke - he and his wife have been to dinner and DH has sent him occasionally a case of wine. Absolutely absolutely unbelievable support extended to an often undeserved little git.

After big residential trips, personally I think a hand written card afterwards from the child afterwards and a bottle of champagne pressed into their hands when they get back goes down well.

Do cards and maybe a box of biscuits for the staffroom (give the biscuits a little before the end of term so there's time to eat them).

I think it makes a lot more sense to pool your resources as a class rather than spend 5 on a gift, which, as has been said upthread - results in the teacher lugging home a huge amount of tat at the end of the year.

Depending on my budget, I would give a homemade card OR a homemade card and a contribution to a voucher. Just because someone is a teacher, it does not follow that they like apple figurines or t-shirts with everyone's signature on it.

At my kids' school, the teacher is normally given a John Lewis voucher from the whole class. Some people go off-piste and do something like a Stella and Dot voucher, which is a bit silly because what if the teacher doesn't like Stella and Dot?

I'm a teacher and I have to say that I appreciate any gifts I am given. I open them with the kids and I make an equal fuss of a homemade card/jewellery/bottle of wine/candle no matter how much time or money has been spent. (I also say how it's not necessary to give gifts as some children/families don't give gifts and they should not be made to feel bad about that.) It's the thought that counts and it would be rude and ungrateful not to appreciate whatever is given. Plus the kids are usually proud and delighted no matter what they give you and I would feel cruel to be dismissive of their gifts.

It does embarrass me if people are pressurised into contributing to collections or giving gifts if they don't really want to. I think if it makes you feel better you could buy something very small, but really the staff should appreciate your card.

Ok well all gifts have been bought. Inexpensive (but pretty) flowers wrapped in nice wrapping paper for 2 (inc the one who was a bit offhand with me!) 2 Boots gift vouchers (£5) for DC1's 2 teachers. 2 Boots gift vouchers (£5) for DC2's 2 lovely carers. And 3 boxes of Maltesers for the other 3 classroom assistant types. Total cost £27. Handwritten/ handmade cards as well. [Exhales.]

Twinklyfingers you are right. I have done some teaching of this age group too and who doesn't appreciate a gift from a small child? Oh well... Up until now this teacher has been very warm, caring and supportive. Maybe just a bad day. Anyway I'm happy enough with my shopping and next year I'm going to plan suitable gifts well in advance!!!!

Ps the Maltesers were £1 in pound world so thanks for that suggestion!

At my daughters nursery the parent reps organise a collection and then get the staff something from everyone! This year they each got £80 of John Lewis vouchers and a hamper each at Christmas. So much easier and they at least got a really good present.

I've said this on a previous similar thread. Please don't buy us a present, we are paid for doing our job. If you liked what we did send us a card or as one poster said, tell our head teacher you thought we did a good job this year. It's really nice and gives us a boost to be appreciated.
I have never ever come across a teacher who expects a present.

We did a whip round at Christmas and will do again end of year. Main teacher got £80 voucher and 2 TAs got £40 each.

Do you give presents at the end of every school year or is it when they are leaving to go to high school? I'm confused why they get gifts?! Unless they have really really helped your child that year with any personal issues or over coming something? Like valentines and Easter cards I feel like its just the card company's extorting people!

I am a teacher, working as Support/Sen rather than class teacher, don't get many presents, but if I do I love the ones that have been made or chosen by the child. Best ever presents are hugs and thank yous

No need for presents at all, but a card with a nice, sincere message in is always very much appreciated. Even just a parent making the effort at parents evening to say 'Thank you for all your work' or 'I'm really pleased with his/her progress' (only if it's true, obviously!).

I've taught an awful lot of kids over the years, and it's lovely to hear that the family values my work.

Agree with the teachers on here (I'm a HT)... Ive kept all the really heartfelt cards and notes I've had over the years. They do mean a lot. Every now and then I get them out and read them and I can remember all the children and their families. So best present is a card or note saying something nice.. Just saying something like ' he's loved being in your class, thanks so much for all your help', really is a total morale boost even years later, I find!

Also just to say I'm all for a hand made by child heart felt card just not presents!

A whip round and £80? What on earth is going on? Just say" thanks for all you've done" or " thanks for your help" just like you would do to another caring professional eg doctor.

Tell me about it. It was my son's first
year at reception. I didn't know anything. Then got a letter saying that. On one hand it was easy and dare I say cheap because I gave £10
and that got them those vouchers. I'm sure I couldn't have come up with 3 decent presents with £10. On the other hand I resent the whole obligation to give present thing. I teach in HIgher Ed and receive occasionally flowers and chocolate. It's nice. But I don't want and don't get presents! Good students with good jobs after are what I want.

I think all this present buying for teachers is getting well out of hand. I have friends who are teachers who always end up contributing plenty to the local charity shop come end of term. It would be best for all if schools banned the receiving of gifts and just allowed cards. It would put an end to competitive parents and ease burden on parents on low incomes.

DS3 has an amazing teacher this year (and will have her again next year due to mixed classes/small school). I have bought some simple white plant pots (one for teacher one for TA), DS is going to draw a thank you picture which I will scan and print on water slide paper and transfer it to the pots. The pots will each have a spider plant in that is the offspring of a spider plant we have that is producing babies left right and centre! All in all the two gifts will cost about £8 together but I'm hoping the personal nature will be appreciated. I also plan to write a card to the teacher telling her how much I appreciate everything she has done for DS.

Takeaway, who was the letter from? That's outrageous, I can't believe any headteacher would sanction that.
I agree, schools should make a clear request for no presents.

I'm a teacher and I would love a £1 bar of chocolate, percy pigs, malteasers etc and a card, perfectly acceptable if the parent/child wants to get something! I don't think presents are necessary though.

I hate getting gifts that are clearly recycled.