Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary teachers - a straw poll

27 replies

NotInMyDay · 09/12/2012 08:07

Hi teachers,
My eldest DD started P1 this year so no experience of this yet.

Do teachers like getting Christmas gifts from their pupils? Or do you end up with a house full of quality street?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru · 09/12/2012 08:12

mine are in P2 and P5 and we have done a small gift each year - normally toiletries or wine!

cumbrialass · 09/12/2012 08:35

What's wrong with a house full of Quality Street!!
Gifts are lovely, welcome but not expected. Xmas Smile

cece · 09/12/2012 08:39

wine goes down very well ime.

Dramajustfollowsme · 09/12/2012 08:42

I have had some lovely presents in the best. I've got baubles for the tree, given to me by different children over the years. One was 15 years ago. I use them every year and it always makes me remember each child. Smile

DingDongKethryverilyonHigh · 09/12/2012 09:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrz · 09/12/2012 09:21

A thank you (spoken) if you think I'm doing a good job always goes down well. I like home made cards and one of my pupil's dad makes delicious fudge Grin. Class collections are embarrassing.

Feenie · 09/12/2012 10:00

Love thank yous, written or spoken.

Also love red wine Grin

Have received some lovely bracelets/necklaces which I wear frequently.

NotInMyDay · 09/12/2012 11:01

What about if I make a batch of tablet and give the teachers a wee bag each?

OP posts:
blackcoffee · 09/12/2012 13:01

yummy NotInMyDay - come to MY school Grin

Inclusionist · 09/12/2012 13:18

What is tablet?? Thinking all sorts.. must have worked in rough areas for too long.

No gift expected buy wine very much appreciated (well, of course anything is appreciated, but you know what I mean Grin )

blackcoffee · 09/12/2012 13:21

it's a sweet - not tabs lol

teacherwith2kids · 09/12/2012 13:22

Tbh, I'd rather a spoken 'thank you', or if you really wanted to push the boat out, a card with a personal written message in it, to any gift.

SmallSchoolPrimaryTeacher · 09/12/2012 13:35

I get really embarrassed by gifts. I am paid a good amount to do a job I love so feel absolutely no sense of entitlement to any more. If a parent feels I have gone above and beyond, I love personalised cards with a message explaining what is special, particularly at the end of the year, and I keep them (for those inevitable days when things are not so rosy!). As for Christmas, if you've baked some biscuits, count me in, or, even better, put a plate of them in the staff room.
It sounds daft, but teaching your child to read, write and count and to enjoy learning is what we do. It may seem a miracle to you, but to us, it is just the day job.
When I do appreciate gifts is when I have done extra: if I take your child away on residential, please remember to thank me when I get off the coach; if I organise and run a large school production, please say if you enjoyed it; if I prepare your child for a concert and then take them to an evening event, please show your appreciation. Those are the things that are above and beyond and are when small gifts may be suitable, but not expected.

Haberdashery · 10/12/2012 14:14

DD has made her teacher a little shrinky dink label that can be attached to a bag or zip of the animal that is the name of her class (IYSWIM). She will also be writing a card. I am contributing a multi-pack of pritt sticks and six boxes of nice soft tissues for the class room.

VonHerrBurton · 10/12/2012 14:48

mrz embarrassing as in overcome? or embarrassing as in awkward and uncomfortable? Smile

We've nearly always done class collections, end of year - not xmas - I would hate to think any of them would have been a bit cringed out by it!

Must rethink this year, teacher is an angel!

GW297 · 10/12/2012 21:19

I love getting cards with nice messages in them from the parents along the lines of what a lovely first term their child has had in my class and have a restful Christmas etc. I also like nice cards from the children that they have written themselves (infants.) I like it when parents say thank you and how much they enjoyed it after the nativity and recognise the amount of work that went into it. Honestly, a lovely card and a thank you and I'm happy!

A small gift at Christmas (wine is my favourite) but also chocolate etc is lovely and appreciated but certainly not expected. Class collections and bigger gifts tend to be given in the summer in my experience. I love it when the parents all club together for vouchers etc. I so appreciate all the effort that goes into coordinating it all and always buy something to remember that class by such as a nice picture.

mrz · 10/12/2012 21:30

VonHerrBurton embarrassed as in "this is very, very awkward, I wish the ground would open...please don't put me in this situation!"

Inclusionist · 11/12/2012 07:36

I think that is just you though mrz. I am always touched if I am given a gift. I would really rather not have parents spend much/any money but would certainly never be embarrased by a little token of appreciation.

VonHerrBurton · 11/12/2012 16:29

That's very interesting, thank you mrz .

mrz · 11/12/2012 17:01

If you had read my response Inclusionist you would know I was talking about class collections for large gifts. As I said earlier one of my pupil's father makes delicious fudge which is always gratefully received as is a simple thank you if the parent thinks I've done my job well.

Inclusionist · 11/12/2012 17:49

Sorry mrz, was skim reading. Didn't mean to offend.

mrz · 11/12/2012 17:53

I just don't like the thought that parents might feel under pressure to contribute to a collection.

Inclusionist · 11/12/2012 19:08

Yeah, absolutely agreed, especially at this time of year.

StrawberryMojito · 11/12/2012 19:13

Can I just say, as the daughter of a teacher who must have been popular, we had endless chocolate at Christmas....and it was great!! We loved it. You can't go wrong with a chocolate orange. Smellies...hit and miss, some ended up as tombola prizes for the school Christmas fair the next year.

StrawberryMojito · 11/12/2012 19:17

Also should add, my mum never expected gifts from anyone, she was always touched by the thought even if it was something she would never use.

Swipe left for the next trending thread