do you always do teachers presents?

[Laura0806]

I always give both my childrens teachers presents at the end of every year and at christmas as I appreciate what a tough job teaching is and want to say thank you. I do this whether the teacher has been good or ok. However, this year for both of my children the teacher they have had has been awful. One was an NQT but has taught quite a lot of things incorrectly and taught to the lowest ability level in the class leaving my daughter bored and demotivated. The other refused to believe my other child had SEN but said that they thought it was just a personality issue resulting in my child feeling a lot less confident than at the start of the year. I don't feel inclined to buy a present but feel guilty for not doing....

mozzchops it's only primary teachers who get loads of presents at the end of the school year... I teach at a comp and admittedly did get flowers from a lovely parents but that was it. And I teach about three hundred children.

I remember the MN teachers moaning about the awful gifts they were landed with end of term .

They all have cupboards to put the shite in, they said. Sort of spoilt the moment for me somewhat.

Do you have a link lordStrange?

I think teachers are in loco parentis, and that's what makes them special. My kids are very attached to their teachers, and their teachers have done all sorts of lovely things for them.

You do not have to give presents. What you should stop doing is telling other people what they should do. I liked giving presents and so did my children.

I work and didn't have the opportunity to sign either card this year so despite paying the obligatory £10 the recipient is none the wiser. I don't think I will bother from now on. I will just get a gift from us if a teacher is particularly special. Many are and many are not - like most jobs. Whilst I appreciate the work they do it is a relatively well paid job with great holidays. My friend from abroad was shocked at the present buying culture. It simply isn't a thing in her country and I am pretty sure my mum never did it when I was young.

I make a point of saying thank you personally to the teacher (aside from dd2's nursery teacher this year: I'm so sorry Mrs M; I was very emotional and it was all too much...). We normally do get a little something. The dds like to, so why ever not? This year, however, dd1, who is very good at art and who has been singled out for her creative work this year, did her teacher and ta a little painting each. She used proper watercolour paint, good paper and put real effort into these two little paintings. She wrote her name and dated them, then I bought a simple clip frame for them. I hope they liked them.

Some of the parents seemed to have spent a lot - their choice of course - but dd1 is 7 and those paintings were from her.