To all the teachers who spend their hard-earned cash on little gifts for the children...

[HoneyandHaycorns]

...thank you, your gifts are truly appreciated by your small charges, but really, you do enough all year, and you really don't have to give them presents on top.

DD is in year 2, and for the third year running, she has received a thoughtful little gift, carefully wrapped, from her beloved teacher. I'm sure that these gifts are paid for by the teachers from their own pockets, and they must spend ages wrapping them all. DD was thrilled to receive something this year, and she really does cherish these items because they have come from her teachers. However, I worry that this becomes almost an expectation, and I wonder if some teachers feel under pressure to conform, just as some parents might also feel obliged to buy gifts for the teachers that they can't really afford.

But thank you, you really are kind. And fwiw, I still have the card that my reception class teacher gave to me at Christmas, 33 years on, so you will not be forgotten!

Perhaps if more professional people did, the world would be a happier place!

"hocuspontas Thu 22-Dec-11 13:16:26
For each child I wrap up 3 chocolate santas in red cellophane, tie it up with fancy ribbon and attach a handmade label, usually a holly leaf or christmas tree made out of green card . Every year I think, do parents think I'm cheap? (I'm a TA). "
No I'd marvel at the money, but mostly time it must have cost you to do all that.
Fraidy, I'm not sure why taking a personal interest in thechildren you are paid to educate makes you less professional. In partcicular did you read the post from the person who said many of her children had no books and she wants them to read for pleasure?

FraidyLady - your attitude is truly bizarre and horrible.

You are seriously saying you think less of your child's teacher because they gave them a present?

Seriously, take those judges pants off - or go hang out in AIBU

Fraidylady you need to get your facts right no one is striking for more money and as far as pensions go they are just asking the government to provide data to back up what they claim ... it appears they can't.

None of us went into teaching for the money (there are much better options out there) or contrary to popular belief the holidays (ask a teacher's family how much time they spend working or in school during the holidays).

To be honest if teachers didn't spend a large chunk of their salary to buy things for their pupils, schools would struggle to provide many of the activities parents take for granted.

Merry bloody Christmas to you, too, Fraidylady.

What kind of poster would post this to teachers on Christmas Eve? Says more about you, I'm afraid.

Perhaps Fraidylady doesn't know any doctors who volunteer with carities or solicitors who do pro bono work ..

DS's lovely teacher has left to become principle (or is that principal?) of another school. She gave all the children a small gift of crisps, a sweet and some stationery, but what almost brought me to tears was the lovely card with a message for DS about how much she will miss him and how proud he should be of the work he did this term.

Fraidy - as a professional who works with the unemployed, each and every one of my clients received a box of home-made mince pies. Trying to buy favour? No, trying to spread a little Christmas joy! All of our team clubbed together to pay for the ingredients and a colleague baked them (she enjoys baking - we didn't make her!) It wasn't a lot but everyone appreciated the thought.

Snowball's right, the world would be a happier place if more professionals were like these lovely examples of teachers and TA's

Merry xmas

Yes, I will everlong. She made lovely cards (I assume for all the other children too) with a photo of her rabbit in a Christmas scene stuck on the front. DS particularly likes the rabbit (which used to visit the class occasionally) because he and the rabbit have the same name.

Oh dear, I really hadn't expected this thread to turn nasty. :( seems like some people will find fault with teachers no matter what they do.

Fraidylady, happy Christmas to you - and bah humbug.

I'm a Ta these days and I always get my class a little gift. Was chocolate and a card each this year. Happy to do so :)

What a horrible attitude you have FraidyLady. I bought each child in my class a book related to the genre that we have been studying. I was happy to do so, because educationally it makes sense, and I happen to like them!!

Sorry OP. It is a lovely thread.

DD only started reception this year and the whole class came out on the last day clutching a small thin parcel.

When she opened it it was a Bob the Builder book and a Santa chocolate lolly, the card showed it was from her teacher and the two part-time TAs. I don't know if the school has a fund for these presents or not.

DD will write a lovely Thank you card.

I think it is absolute lovely that the teacher does it. I certainly didn't expect anything, maybe a card if at all. They do so much during the year, all the extra fundraising events, thinking about topics for assemblies, plays and the fetes.

Tbh, I think teacher profession is undervalued and underpaid. Parents of schoolfriends were teachers and I remember them sitting in their study marking exams, preparing lessons, developing projects long into the evening.

DD received a lump of sparkly homemade playdough wrapped in cellophane from her TA - she loved it!

I'm a One-to-one TA. I and the class TA got together and made a little Christmas party bag with little chocolates and pencil/ highlighter/ pen/ rubber in it. I'll be honest there are done children in the class who won't get much for Christmas and don't have access to these things at home. And you know what? I quite like the kids too :)
I was shocked this year to receive gifts from the children, it was not expected at all.

This year I adopted a Polar Bear (they voted for it) for the class to end our topic on animals - all of the kids (even the toughie Yr6s :-) ) thought it was awesome and in the new term we'll be picking a name/ involving our toy bear in our work across the year - s/he might even have their own page on our blog (if I ever get round to it :-) ).

I hope in years to come if the children think back it'll be one of those things they remember!