Teachers - what would you really like as an end of year present?

[DilysPrice]

DD has ASD and her teacher and TAs have all gone absolutely above and beyond the normal call of duty this year to motivate her. From being a very demotivated child she's made big strides which they've all rejoiced in.

I always give little presents at the end of the year, but this year I really want to choose something that expresses how much I appreciate all they've done (along with a hand made card from DD of course).

So what would you really like? Money no big deal from my point of view, I'm torn between the desire not to be ostentatious and the feeling that the private school teachers shouldn't have the monopoly on nice perks.

Nothing - just a meaningful 'thank you Miss' after the last lesson (I'm secondary) is fine

Massive tin of biscuits/chocolate for the staff room.

Having worked in a school as a TA, I remember the mother of a child who had a lot of different TAs helping her, used to send in a big tin of chocolates SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE END OF TERM (in caps as that is crucial), with a sticker on it, saying "with thanks from XXX's mum." Everyone would help themselves as coffee/lunch time for a couple of weeks and was very chuffed at the kind thought.

But as I have hopefully implied, if it had arrived on the last day of term it would have been so well appreciated.

Alcohol,
Chocolates,
I did have a cracking collection of cat mugs that I'd got from various kids - they knew I liked cats and sadly they've all died a death now over the years.

No plants because I always kill them then feel levels of guilt that are insane like I've personally murdered that child's soul!

I also loved the mum who sent in a box of cakes on the first day of term to get us over the trauma of being back at work!

A male colleague was bought the best present ever - he always did a Y6 end of term waterfight on the last day of term - one of the kids bought him one of the absolutely mahooooosive super soaker water guns for him to join in the fight with! The water gun was later sighted being proudly carried around school by his 4 year old son who was about the same size as it.

'What do people write in their cards? I mean, what sounds nice but not arse-licking? Am really struggling here.'

That you made a difference, that their child is more confident or enthusiastic or braver or has better friendships. That they have thrived under your care. That you will be remembered with affection for your interest in their child as an individual. That you understood the quirks and liked the child anyway.
I've got cards from and about children who are now in their thirties. Sometimes I know what happened to them.

'I also loved the mum who sent in a box of cakes on the first day of term to get us over the trauma of being back at work! '

I do that with my son's school.

Last year I got a hand written thank you with a lottery ticket in the card!
Brilliant and meant so much.

I love plants as often go on hols straight away so no flowers.
Candles are fab, wine, jams, chutney.

A group all clubbed together and got me a restaurant voucher - wow! Think I actually cried with joy!

I think a simple thank you card or letter is quite enough.

A letter or card or a coming up to me and saying 'thank you because you did x' would be the absolute best - whether from the parent or the child.

Actually, the thing that made me walk about 6 feet taller was one of my last year's class saying to one of the children who is now in my class 'ooooh, are you going to do y with Mrs TW2K? You are soooooo lucky, that was so amazing, you learn a,b,c,d' (recounting the things they were meant to learn form it word for word, 12 months on)....

cards are nice.
once got some M&S vouchers, that was good.

My favourites so far:
Pretty pen/ notebook/ notelets (I love stationery as do a lot of teachers!)
Voucher for local farm shop/ cafe
Necklace (accesorize, just my sort of thing)
Pot plants
Wine
Pot of honey from their own bees, eggs from another kid's hens!
Notes saying that I am a great teacher - v good for the morale!!

In the past I have received: a perpetual calendar that I still use in the classroom. A huge "Best teacher" mug.

I once received a poem that made me cry. It wasn't written by the parent or child, but their personal circumstances and history meant I was incredibly touched that they had thought to do that.

Everything is hugely appreciated, believe me. I make a scrapbook every year of the cards I receive (Christmas, Easter and 'goodbye') which I love to look back at, especially the wonky handmade ones. Best presents have been the personal ones: a cookery book for dogs from someone who knew how much I love mine; a Build a Bear with a message from the child; orchids as I love them and stationery, always stationery!

But seriously, I would be blown away by a Tiffany pendant, if the child had noticed I wore Tiffany stuff. I always love wine, candles, bath stuff etc, my mum loves all of the chocolates I am given and I adore the hand painted mugs - I think I just love getting presents! One of my faves was/is (still on my desk) a hand made card in a box that one of the children made, so clever!

Oakmaiden - I still have a mug that a child painted for me about 5 years ago. I thought it was a lovely present.

Another time a parent made me a certificate for 'going above and beyond' my duty to help their child, which nearly made me cry!

Just a note saying thank you is always appreciated.

A verbal thank you would be lovely as would a card/note/letter with a personal message that meant something to the child, "thank you for introducing X to the Romans/helping improve Y's handwriting/for giving Z a happy time in Year 5".

Books that I could use in the classroom would be my gift of choice, perhaps an extra copy of a favourite I'd read with the class that year, or some other book that the child thinks would remind me of them in time to come. When my DD left nursery we gave picture books with her name in the title and she made a 'book plate' for the inside.

Anything I could use in the classroom would be appreciated but all the more so if it was something that had been chosen with a particular reason in mind e.g. some nice quality green pens (because I always mark in green and my pens are forever running out) or some multi coloured drywipe pens (so next year's class don't have to put up with waiting for the board to dry before I can write on it), or Blutak, a lavendar and chamomile plug in air freshener refill, bulk pack of boxes of tissues, a long-arm stapler, industrial holepunch... anything useful that had been chosen because the child had noticed that I needed/could use it.

I'm afraid I don't like many of the things people have mentioned and hate to see people waste their money on me. (I really don't like candles or smellies or jewellery or anything to do with plants or gardening). One class had a collection for me and gave me a £100 Amazon voucher which was great, and probaby cost each of them a whole lot less!

I'm not a sentamentalist and don't keep scrap books of cards, etc, but I do appreciate the odd kind word! TBH I would be satisfied with an appreciative comment at the end of a report - people so rarely write things there, and we make so much effort writing them!

I don't keep cards from anyone at any time, that includes end of year thank yous. However, I do appreciate them and read them all and I especially like it if both the child and parent have written something.

I don't drink at all, so don't like receiving wine as it's no use to me! No flowers either, as I go on holiday two days after the end of term so won't be around to appreciate them. I wouldn't mind at all if no-one in my class got me anything, it's what they say and their obvious enjoyment at school that mean the most.

I am a TA and although many of the things mentioned here are not especially to my taste, the things I like getting most, are the things that are so clearly chosen by the child. Around my home, are several nic-nacs - fridge magnets, Christmas tree ornaments, photo frames etc that were given to me by some of the children I have worked with over the years. The present that meant the most to me is one I cannot say without outing myself, but suffice it to say it cost nothing, was 'worth nothing' but meant the world to me and brought several tears to my eyes because I knew without a doubt it had been chosen by the child concerned.

This is all lovely and heartwarming, but may I just note that it's completely bloody useless !

So far we have several definite thumbs down to jewellery, alcohol, chocolate, home made cakes/biscuits, flowers, pot plants, chocolates, knick knacks, smellies and anything home made. I'm not denying that you all have good and cogent reasons for your preferences, but it's not helping at all. The only thing that nobody hates (so far) is Amazon vouchers, but I'm not even sure how to buy them for someone if I don't have their email address.

M&S vouchers.

Or a voucher to a lovely restaurant.

Oh i am glad someone else asked this. I agree a voucher would be a lovely idea - but my problem is we have a small school with 3 teachers and school sec + i ca. My 3 kids get taught by all them (including sec for some reading) and so i feel i want to buy for all of them. My youngest also has had quite a lot of health issues which have needed dealt with at school and they have been absolutely amazing and i do want to show my appreciation

BUT buying 5 vouchers would cost a fair as you couldnt really only give a £5 each!

Do teachers really 'expect' presents at the end of term? In my day - I am sure our parents never sent presents in. My DS never suggests giving a present to a teacher - perhaps he doesn't like any of them - I do send a handwritten personal letter or card at the end of term but I see a lot of 'competitiveness' over buying gifts for teachers which I think is really OTT. Is my DS likely to get 'overlooked' if I don't give a present ?

I've said this before but I think the people who really deserve presents are those who volunteer - ie: Brownie/Cub leaders etc. .

Actually sunshine, if you could stretch to 7.50 for an M&S voucher for each of them then that would buy a drinkable bottle of wine and people who didn't drink could spend it on chocolates / biscuits / knickers. If you expressed it like that in the card then that might work? Maybe?? (if M&S do gift cards in funny amounts, I think they probably do).

Of course you can "only" give £5, perfectly reasonable amount for a token gift, which is what it should be. I have several times recieved joint gifts from 2/3 families of a £10 token and never thought it wasn't enough! (Just to add to the mix of ideas, Boots tokens are good too)

Ragwort - no expectation, just an appreciated gesture and nobody would ever be overlooked / judged for not giving. Letters and cards with lovely messages that mention more than one staff member go up in our staff room for everyone to see.

Our favourite parent gift was punnets of strawberries and a carton of cream complete with disposable bowls and spoons all delivered for the last week of term. Great snack food for a healthy school and no washing up - perfect!

PS I'm very wary of homemade edible goodies lower down the school as I know where your child puts their hands all day long - these go in the staffroom for staff members who are less squeamish than me. Nothing is wasted in a primary school!