its that time of year again - to give or not to give a present to the teacher

[TennisFan]

As usual I have left it to the last minute. Tomorrow is the last day of school for my 2 DC and I haven't bought a present yet.

This year we have had lovely teachers - but my DS has 2 teachers on job-share which means 2 x presents; and my DD has a lovely teacher and also there is also a teaching assistant in their class.

So I am looking at 4 x presents. Need something cheap as we are broke. Or is it acceptable to just send a card with nice comments.

I think its just a acceptable to send in a little thank you card as a present, x4 teachers is a bit much unless its a liitle something each. Im in the same situation just got small bunches of flowers each..

Sorry meant to say as

Will be sending a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates for the TAS to share, they deserve it after the year theyve had with ds1

What about a pretty plant from the garden centre rather than flowers? Needn't cost a fortune - last year, I got DS's teacher and TA a plant in a little ceramic pot and it looked lovely.

I think that a thoughtfully written card is very much appreciated. I think that the present things has gone a bit bonkers from previous threads I've read.

And if you send things in to share they'll have to split them between them if possible -or decide which one gets to take them home.

I send in a cheap box of chocolates (whatever's on special offer in Co-op, normally), and get the kids to write a card thanking all of their teachers - which covers the TAs.

The only reason I bother with gifts is because otherwise my DC feel left out when they're the only child not giving their teacher a present.

We've done a class collection and are getting vouchers I think

dont give teachers flowers on the last day of term. They may be going away on holiday next day and it would be a waste of money.

I love getting cards with a message in thanking me, or a little note. That always means much more than 30 boxes of maltesers so that the kids dont feel left out!

Also, one year a parent wrote to the head saying nice things about me and my TA - thought that was loevly too.

At my DC school they will all be turning up with their Avoca gift bags tomorrow - it has got completely out of hand here.

Just a regular village primary too

ds last day of primary one was today (Scotland) - where did the year go!

ds gave teacher a handmade card and bought with his own money a bottle of wine as a thank you (it was just a £4.50 bottle of rose that I enjoy, and ds liked as it was pink, and it went down well).

I like the idea of ds taking the time to make a card to say thanks. He enjoyed being able to hand over his card and present to teacher. For that reason I personally don't like the idea of a class collections for vouchers as I think that takes away from the point and de-personalises the kids showing their own thanks to their teacher.

I potted 2 special pots of strawberry jam that will have fabric dressing and labels. ds has 2 teachers thus 1 pot of homemade jam each.

What about a big tin of sweets 'for the staff room'? And cards for the teachers/TAs.

I am a teacher. Presents are nice but not the be all and end all!

Or those small celebrations boxes the tiny ones that are about 1 pound?
Or some homemade biscuts in a box?
with a nice card?

DS always takes a thank you gift for his teacher and TA and ASC staff and I get a litle something for the head, receptionist.

I do tend to take them in at end of day though when most parents have left so unsure as to whether most buy or not.

Next year DS will have a new teacher after three years with his current one and will really miss her so I have picked a special present that I hope will be a memory for them both.

It's always lovely to receive a gift but a thank you card means just as much.

I get a lot of king size chocolate bars from my class, things like dairy milk and just over £1. They are very appreciated and go perfectly with a homemade card. As a teacher I must admit I love getting the end of year presents or card, it makes me feel appreciated. I'm glad though they are all mainly small (£1-2 range), I'd be embarrassed if any were big. Mine range from half-eaten bags of sweets to the odd bottle of wine :-) Really though, the smallest things do mean something, it's the thought really! I agree with the above idea about chocolate for staff room, we pool ours in the staff room anyway, keeps us going for ages and fair on the less visable but just as hard working staff.

As a teacher, what means most to me is a card with a nice message from the parent/child. Just knowing my efforts have been appreciated and recognised is more than enough. Much as the chocolates are lovely, they're not lovely to the diet! The nicest two presents I've ever been given that stick in my mind were 1) a photoframe with a story about me that the child had written and typed up herself, and 2) an Oxfam gift of school dinners for a child in a developing country. Both were very touching and thoughtful.

Actuallu, scrap that, the best gifts are the bottles of wine.

Only DS1 is leaving a class this year (DS2 has another year in the Year 1-2 class and DD has another year in Reception). He has made presents, a cross stitched bookmark for his teacher and cross stitched keyrings for the 2 TAs. He will also make a card.

We moved 3 weeks ago and so I am wondering what to do about presents for DS's teacher and DD's preschool (which she will be leaving at the end of the term).

DS's teacher is retiring and yesterday we were sent a blank piece of card to write a message for her - they will all be collated into a book. Am not sure quite what DS is going to write yet.