teachers - what would you like as an end or year present please?

[mckenzie]

I remember reading a thread this time last year about this but my searches have proved fruitless.

About 7 or 8 of us mums will be clubbing together. Last year we bought M&S vouchers and a bunch of flowers.

What would you most like to receive from your pupils and their parents?

TIA

I always want to give a pressie to the bin men at Xmas 'cos they are always so smiley and jolly. Dh says not to 'cos they aren't allowed to accept them. Wonder if he's being a bit stingey?

I give my bin men some beers at xmas

I give my small local post office staff a big box of chocs to share at Xmas. They have to deal with grown ups behaving like children sometimes!

I've got 4 children at 4 different schools. Just handed over £10 to each class rep for the class present....

Catepiller, are you in the US?

sorry ds1 and ds2 are still not in school, had no idea parents are really having to spend £10 per teacher!! has the world gone mad!!

I don't know anyone who spends £10 on a teacher's present. It's far too much.

My son has loved his teacher this year and she has really helped us to address some issues we had concerns over. She is a young teacher and this is her first full time post. She also still lives at home. As a result I felt that a clutter free gift would be appreciated much more and bought gift vouchers for the local cinema. There is only one TA in his class and i bought her a nice little purse from Next.
As a teacher one of my fave presents this year was a plaque for the classroom wall which says Classroom Rules
Rule 1 - The teacher is always right.
Rule 2 - see Rule 1
Also got lovely jewellery (from very observant girls who obviously know exactly what my style is!!)

I would say the average cost is 99p up to about £5 from some very extravagant parents!

What do they buy that costs so little? Obviously not champagne, or big bunches of flowers like me. To be honest, I spend according to how much I like the teacher. DS1's y2 teacher got nothing.

as a teacher myself - in my first year of teaching - senior students ( aged 17 ish) clubbed together and presented me with a gorgeous crystal plate that they had engraved with their names and the year. Fabulous - I can look back and wonder what and chat about them to people.

BUT the best thing I ever got was some lovely flowers and a fabulous letter ( which I still have) telling me what a difference I made in this student's life and how she had stayed in school because of me. She also went on to say how her English class with me was the highlight of her day> As someone else said - hear so much negativity ( especially from high school students) that it was brilliant to read what a difference I had made in someone's life. Treasure that beyond any present I had been given.

So tell your children's teachers how much you appreciate and what a difference they made in your child's life. Tell the scout leader how much you value their giving of their time etc.

I always write usually in a gorgeous card how much I value and appreciate what others have done for my child and our family.

Yes teachers are paid - but having worked in the profession - some work bloody hard for their money - over and above whilst others just put in the hours - just - and collect the same money. Have even seem collect more money for less iyswim.

This year DS insists that we have to buy his teacher chocolates. Ditto the three classroom assistants. So we bought the chocolates and wrapped them and wrote tags, but all the time I kept thinking that they may not even want chocolates. As parents, we should have all got together and got them vouchers or something meaningful, but we were all too disorganised to do anything. So now they will get 24 boxes of chocolates each. Which they may not even want ....

£10 norm donation in Ds's school, but only £5 in DD's. Teacher can make or break a childs enjoyment of education. £10 for each is OK by me

I think its disgusting that anyone buys any presents for teachers:

1. We pay their salaries through our taxes
2. Its their job!!!

A hand made card/letter/picture is the most we do. Its far more personal and meaningful.

Have to say I'm utterly shocked by this thread!

Why are you shocked at people buying thank you gifts, if you dont agree with it fine but not everybody thinks the same. This was a nice thread with good ideas etc.

People tip hairdressers, takeaway delivery guys, restaurants etc all the time, regardless of them being paid already - its down to personal choice.

I get paid to do my job but get the odd box of chocs or bunch of flowers when ive gone outside my job remit - makes my day to be appreciated.

No idea how I'll feel when they are further up in school, but certainly for nursery, reception and Year 1 the teachers are having a hugely formative role in my child's life, and when they have obviously cared for them and persisted with them, then I don't think that a thank you card and gift is in anyway "disgusting". I am truely grateful for these women who in my view do not have an easy job to do. I guess when I come across a useless teacher I'll feel differently, but so far I am thankful for the teachers that we have had.

Tbh I think that it is more disgusting that someone wouldn't stop to say thank you - especially as actually you are not really paying for the teachers - it is not as if you pay extra tax whilst your children are at school, and childless people don't get a deduction in their tax bill because they don't use schools.

We usually do a whip round for some vouchers, but depending on how the year has been some parents will also add another token of appreciation as well. Ds2 has already asked me to get wine for his nursery teachers - is he trying to tell me something about them I wonder?!

Keep your hair on Phoebe. At our school the teachers go far and above the requirements of their job in terms of the time and effort they put in. I fully agree that a handmade card expressing thanks is more than suffient to express appreciation, but why is it disgusting if people want to say thank you with a present?

I am jujst doing a handmade card and note from dd1 this year I think

maybe something tiny from the present shop - sorry, like a candle

Looks like charity gifts are appreciated by teachers....but not ornaments!

Look at this

Saying thank you is one thing, which I wholeheartedly encourage as I said in my last post.

What I find disgusting is the attitude that its necessary to buy things to say thank you.

It think it sets a very poor example for our kids (money is not the be all and end all and cannot buy you success or acceptance) and all too often turns into a competition about who's bought the best present.

Who tips delivery drivers!!! Far more deserving would be nurses, care workers, street cleaners etc but no-one would ever dream of tipping them.

Arrgh! Pheebe stop being such an old misery guts!

I will when people stop being so obnoxiously materialistic

I tip delivery people at xmas! And the bin men, and I give gifts to the nurses looking after dh and my mum. jees, it is just something nice to do.

umm, I have no objection to anyone giving presents to teachers, but is is a huge faux pas not to?