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TEACHERS! What do you want (or expect) for Christmas?

52 replies

PerArduaAdSolInvictus · 02/12/2009 21:41

Following on from another thread - are you happy to get 30-odd bottles of wine? As a primary teacher or TA - what would you actually like?

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TigerDrivesAgain · 05/12/2009 01:24

after I asked my primary teacher friend what was the best thing about her job and she said 20 bottles of wine at Xmas, what's not to like, I, er, give them a very nice bottle of wine. Not heard that there are any teetotallers in DS's school. And if there are, they can recycle the booze to their more fun pals, n'est-pas?

hippipotamiHasLost77lbs · 05/12/2009 13:11

We bought ds's teacher an oxfam 'school meals for 500 children'or something like that. Apparently she loved it and took it into teh staff room to show off (according to my friend who was a TA there at teh time)
3 years ago I baked all the teachers a batch of muffins - that is still talked about now (in a good way!!)
I am a TA now and am not expecting anything. I received a card from a little girl I work with and was very touched by that
And last year, when I was helping at the school as a volunteer one boy I did one to one reading / writing with bought me a pen because mine was running out during a session with him. I thought that was very thoughtful and I still have that pen now

So, nothing is expected and it is definately the thought that counts

And I really don't think anything is considered inferior, certainly not at my school.

Oh, and wine is always good

FreeGeorgeJackson · 05/12/2009 13:12

thats it
she is no way a teacher
NO WAY
no teacher refuses presents

hippipotamiHasLost77lbs · 05/12/2009 13:13

As for this year - the dc have chosen each teacher / TA a Christmas tree ornament and we will give them that along with a card.
In addition I am buying a big box of chocs to put in the staffroom because that way the office staff etc can enjoy it too.

tethersend · 05/12/2009 13:19

What do I want for Christmas?

2 weeks of no kids (save my own) is the best present I could wish for

Don't waste your money!

clam · 05/12/2009 13:19

Any new or nearly-new cars in a school carpark will almost certainly belong to this members of staff who have high-earning partners.

Old-fashioned, but true, I'm afraid.

Love the idea of Christmas tree decorations. Oh, and winde, of course.

biglips · 05/12/2009 13:21

i bought a big box of selection chocolate biscuits from M&S to share out with 3 teachers and i bought one too...they were extra yummy!!

hippipotamiHasLost77lbs · 05/12/2009 13:23

Thanks clam - they are nice ones (the ornaments), from a local garden centre / craft shop place. Not plasticky supermarket ones
I hope they like them, it is not always a good thing to trust the taste of a 6 year old

As for staff carpark - very modest cars and we are in supposedly posh surrey! In fact the tattiest and smallest car belongs to our head teacher!
Adn the nicest car (a snazzy coupe thing) belongs to the part time school secretary - who has a wealthy husband!

sarah293 · 05/12/2009 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ShepherdsWashedTheirLocks · 05/12/2009 13:47

Riven,

A card with a few well chosen words are often the things that are treasured most.

It really isn't about money, it's about the thought.

mummyof1butnotforlong · 05/12/2009 14:00

The best present I ever got was when all the parents got together and gave me a John Lewis voucher. I am very pregnant at the momnet so hope not to get 30 bottles of wine.......30 boxes of chocolate however.....ummmm yes that would be great!

primarymum · 05/12/2009 14:51

A lovely thing happened last night. I was at the school Xmas fair with my Mum (who comes into my class to help listen to the readers for me) when one of my Yr 6 girls bought a bunch of flowers and gave them to Mum for helping her with reading this year. We were both in tears!

pantomimecow · 05/12/2009 17:49

No teacher would say teachers earn lots of money !!!

Jajas · 05/12/2009 17:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

primarymum · 05/12/2009 18:02

All our class helpers and volunteers are bought a christmas present by the Head (well, the school anyway!) as a way of saying thank you for all their help. They are also invited to Christmas Dinner which the Yr 6's cook for the whole school, staff, governors and helpers. We are SO grateful for all the hard work they put in over the year!

Flightattendant · 05/12/2009 18:10

Oh dear. I want to know why I resent having to do this. I think it's because I don't even know the teachers. we've barely spoken and didn't even have our consultaion - i was ill and rang to cancel, we rearranged, I turned up, she'd forgotten...rearranged again and ds was at home that day.

I am afraid whatever I get will mean nothing because I have no idea what she likes, or whether I even like her, and it wouldn't be from ds. He's sending her a card because he wants to and he's doing the writing.

A gift would seem like me giving it to her, not him - and would seem very impersonal.

Morosky · 05/12/2009 18:13

I am a secondary teacher, I have already had an offer of a free range goose and some pheasant

I never expect anything, I always really appreciate a card just saying thankyou.

hippipotamiHasLost77lbs · 05/12/2009 18:15

Flight - a card is enough Especially if he goes to the trouble of drawing a picture inside it too. I get the feeling from the chatter in our staffroom that it is teh fact a child has thought about the teacher and made the effort to write a card / draw a picture which counts the most. It is most certainly not a competition to buy the biggest/best/flashest gift.

primarymum · 05/12/2009 18:17

Flightattendant

Then don't send anything! It's not compulsory, no child or parent is thought less of if they don't happen to send anything in and I would far rather have 1 present because the CHILD wants to give one than 30 because the parents feel they should! I know in some schools there is amost a competition between parents as to who can provide the most expensive flashy present, thankfully I don't work in one of those.

Flightattendant · 05/12/2009 18:34

Thankyou both, that's most reassuring!! I don't want them to think I'm mean but giving a boring 'gift' when I don't even know if they'll like it seems so weird and insincere...I thought maybe it was more what the children want to give you that counts.

A bit like if ds drew me a card - I'd treasure it - but if Grandma bought something 'from' him for me, it would seem a bit empty.

Deadworm · 05/12/2009 18:37

I really hate the idea of giving teachers and other school staff Christmas presents. I'm guessing that unless they like having piles of tat and cheap wine, staff would far rather just be respected and thanked for their work and wished a merry Christmas. Gifts tacky and commerical.

Insider333 · 05/12/2009 22:31

OooohWhatAFuss:

I don't join in with the ridicule of the quality of gifts given to staff, just reporting the sad reality of what many teachers are really like behind the staff room door.

Insider333 · 05/12/2009 22:32

I actually find the patronising and superior attitude of many teachers very disappointing.

tethersend · 05/12/2009 23:15

"I actually find the patronising and superior attitude of many teachers very disappointing."

Don't worry, Insider333; I'm sure you feel you have made a good point, and that's what counts.

PlonkerTeatowelOnTheirHeads · 05/12/2009 23:26

Insider:

WTF?

Are you serious Insider? Your staffroom is full of ridiculing teachers?

Where on earth do you work?

I'm not a teacher but am a coach at a local club - never ever has any gift been ridiculed, I would be extremely and if ever I heard it!

Back to the thread - I buy wine for dd's teachers and love getting wine/choccies off the children I coach. But no, would never expect anything. The nicest thing IMO is a note in the Christmas card