Any teachers around? Teacher gifts!

[bakebakebake]

DD is leaving reception this year.

Her teacher has been amazing so will get a present for when she finishes next month.

As a teacher, what have you found the best kind of present?

I don't want to get a generic chocolate gift. I know she has children so not sure if alcohol would be wise 😂

All my teacher friends saw something for the school, but they all want wine or gin really.

A thank you letter is best. Always.

A homemade card from your DD really will be the loveliest thing - I would add a note from you too saying what she has meant to you all.

If you really want to buy a gift then not chocolate or flowers! A few times I have bought teachers a bottle of bubbles and a novel to read in the holidays.

DS is usinf fabric pens to decorate a cotton bag for his teacher and one for his TA; as a teacher bags are always useful to carry all the crap I lug about ha ha.

My mum was a foundation phase teacher for around 25 years and growing up I used to love the end of term because she always came home with loads and loads of chocolate that I got to steal. She hated candles/bath stuff and always got far more mugs/pens than she could ever use. Wine and chocolate were always much appreciated, with nice cards.

We used to do a lovely homemade card with a message from DD but also a paragraph from us thanking the teacher personally. Thw paragraph was different every year; different teachers helped DD in different ways! And my go to present was a gift bag containing a few magazines for the summer holidays. We could usually have a fair old stab at what mags would be of interest to individual staff members.

If it's a female I buy a bag and put in bubble bath, shower gel, small box of nice chocs and little bottle of wine.
They can have a nice bath with a glass of wine and a couple of chocs when they break up.
Male I usually get a smellies gift set from boots and a pen.

I have 2 DCs years 2 and 6 I usually just get them a bottle of wine. This year I managed to speak to their teachers on sports Day and found out their preference. My ds teacher is currently pregnant so I'm getting her a Costa gift voucher and a little something for the baby.

Best things I've ever got were letters/cards with meaningful messages and John Lewis/M&S vouchers - these can be used for treats/necessities at the teacher's discretion.

Definitely a homemade card with a message from you as well - I've been teaching for over 10 years and I still love those best!
Personally, I love stationery (and it doesn't have to be expensive - one girl gave me three Biros that she had sticky labelled with my name because I was always leaving them around school - much treasured!)

Chocolate is great - gets shared with friends and family over the holiday..
I don't drink - but I am in a minority among teachers! Word of warning though - our academy won't let us accept alcohol gifts at all and I know many are the same.
I'm not one for smellies, but I know teachers who love them.
I also love book tokens - but then I equally loved getting a story written a child about me riding my bike to school!
Basically, it really is the thought that counts! And I know we are doing our jobs - but teachers all do many, many more hours than our job and really do try to get the best for every child (including spending increasing amounts of our own money to paper over the funding cracks and make sure the kids don't lose out) - so it is just lovely when that is recognised. And like I said - just a homemade card is perfect!!

Ds3 has two male teachers job sharing this year and I haven't got a clue what to get them.

I didn't think of a letter, DD will absolutely love doing that!

Yes a letter or a card and something edible. Avoid alcohol unless you are certain she drinks. I don’t drink and always end up with several bottles of wine I don’t want. Get some retro sweets and if she doesn’t like them her kids will!

A voucher is always going to go down well

This is a nice alternative to the usual chocolate gift - Fairtrade and includes a donation to a project helping a teacher in Ghana. Plus the card includes a link to education resources about Fairtrade cocoa.

ukshop.divinechocolate.com/uk/shop/products/divine-chocolate/thank-you-teacher-gift/

I'm going down the nice stationery route I think - all I've heard all year every time I've been in either of my kids' classes is "you can't find a pen in this place... where have all the pens gone?"

A heartfelt note is the thing most teachers treasure. if you want to give a gift, maybe a small book voucher or for a local cofee shop.

A heartfelt note is the thing most teachers treasure. if you want to give a gift, maybe a small book voucher or for a local cofee shop.

We don’t expect things, but a nice comment is great!

If you do want to get things then please don’t assume that they may like chock or wine etc... go very generic unless you know for sure! I don’t go shouting my medical conditions off the rooftops at school, although upfront when necessary, so most parents unaware I don’t drink or great chocolate. They are also not to know I never have a bath and never drink tea or coffee so no mugs or bubble bath etc....

Honestly the best present if someone wanted to get me one is a Waitrose or amazon voucher! Then I can put smaller vouchers together to get a big thing, or just test myself with something small. Or that magical device Hermione has in HP to get her in two places at once so I can get more done and not work such long hours! 😜

Trinity
May I ask how much voucher is appropriate？

A card or letter is honestly so appreciated. A little note about how I've helped a child means so much to me. If you really wanted to buy a small gift though, then I love stationery. Kids like giving cute post-its and pens as they can see the teacher using them.

I like giving Amazon vouchers, they can be spent on anything then. Knowing how mich teachers spend on school resources I'm sure they come in very handy.

I've done personal gifts too and tend to avoid generic gifts and definitely anything that says teacher on.

Worked in a school for several years, chocolate and alcohol always appreciated but the best present I was got was a £10 Starbucks voucher! So useful over the holidays when out. Loved the personal messages in cards/ handmade cards too - still got them all in a scrapbook.

We are expected to give cash.
Any views on that?

Cash! I've never had cash in over 20 years. I wouldn't feel comfortable receiving it either.

Best gifts last year were a really nice pen and a fake report written in the same format as our school reports, written by the parent and the child together about me as a teacher and the things I'd done that they had liked or thought were good. :) And a card that simply said 'Thank you for being the teacher that X needed you to be.'

Both made me well up. :)

Chocolates I'm fussy about - but my kids love - and I don't drink wine or gin. Smellies are always useful but I don't use candles.