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The staffroom

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Original poster

What do teachers REALLY want for end of term gifts?

81 replies

LunaLoveg00d · 20/05/2016 22:13

Getting towards that time of year again (we're in Scotland so finish end of June) and I never have a clue what to buy. Think last year I got little metal bookmarks with the teacher's name on them, year before that boring candles and wine.

I want to show my gratitude but as the daughter of a teacher I know how many boxes of Roses she got at the end of summer term and at Christmas. I also loathe with a passion any "best teacher" tat. Or twee little poems.

OP posts:
whiteagle · 22/05/2016 17:56

You can't go wrong with a bottle of prossecco imo!

sonlypuppyfat · 22/05/2016 17:58

I usually make a big chocolate cake for the staffroom my friend is a TA and she said it got eaten and it was enjoyed, I'd hate to think people didn't touch it because it came from home. My DD is leaving her school this time and I really want to give the headmaster something she's had a fabulous time at school but I'm a bit stuck what to get

nulgirl · 22/05/2016 18:03

I give M&S vouchers for teachers that the kids have really liked and little plant pots things for teachers that the kids didn't gel with as much. I also get them to do a personal card with a thank you. My dd did a card this week for a trainee teacher they have had in their classroom for the last few months saying how much they had enjoyed having her and any future school would be lucky to have her. I have a family member who is a trainee teacher and I've seen how touched/ encouraged she has been by positive feedback from the kids.

Aducknotallama · 22/05/2016 19:47

Tbh I don't expect gifts at all but wine is always appreciated!

NotQuiteThere · 22/05/2016 20:15

A child gave me an origami butterfly with a lovely thank you message written on it. I loved that.

Dangermouse1 · 22/05/2016 20:19

Your face, I work in the public sector (not personally in the kind of role that would receive gifts!) and we used to have a blanket 'no gifts' policy. There were lots of complaints from clients/service users and their families who wanted to give a small gift to someone, who was often working for minimum wage, to show appreciation for them caring for, say, an elderly parent or a disabled child. Refusal of these small gifts (like a box of chocolates) was embarrassing to the giver and demoralising to staff. Plus the majority of presents are given by people once the service / contact is over. Now there is a limit on gift value (I think around 15 pounds) and more expensive gifts do have to be declared.

Emochild · 22/05/2016 20:22

I've still got 20 bottles of wine from Christmas
I'm single, I don't sit in the house by myself drinking wine
When did it become ok for children to bring wine to school???

sellotape12 · 22/05/2016 20:25

Totally what Princessmary said.
Something that will make him/ her smile or laugh.

glenthebattleostrich · 22/05/2016 20:34

I have several teacher friends and when I see the extra hours they put in it makes me want to spoil my DD's teachers and TA's.

Last year we did a self portrait and had it printed onto a notebook with a small bottle of prosecco and some chocolate.

The year before we decorated canvas bags and put in a pretty note book and some wine.

I also write a lovely letter, which I copy into the head teacher. So far this has been justified as DD's teachers and TA's have been fantastic.

I'm struggling this year. I was thinking of doing pencil cases with a nice pen in or the notebooks again.

BestDayEver · 25/05/2016 21:24

The one that amused me the most was a couple of 18 year old kids pushing a Sainsbury's trolley around school laden with cans and bottles of beer asking everyone "have you seen Mr X? Got a present for 'im"

teacherwith2kids · 26/05/2016 12:25

A hand-written card from the child, and if the parent was feeling particularly appreciative, a letter or e-mail of thanks (if AMAZINGLY appreciative, they could copy it to the head)

Definitely nothing else.

Wyldfyre · 26/05/2016 12:39

Make sure the teacher isn't tea-total or have food allergies! My MIL is a teacher. She's also diabetic.
Despite it being reasonably well known, almost every year a good 80% of what she gets is chocolates.
She is grateful but to me it does show a lack of thought

Flisspaps · 26/05/2016 12:50

Wine Wine

teacherwith2kids · 26/05/2016 13:18

Not wine Wine! I don't really drink, and while having a steady supply of ciooking wine all year is a pleasant luxury, it does always seem an awful waste..

Not to mention the fact that anything perfumed brings me out in horrendous eczema, as well as asthma if I am close to it, so the nice smellies are carefully wrapped in close-fitting plastic bags and re-gifted for charity raffles... which again i feel terrible about, but it would seem so presumptious to say 'please don't give Mrs Tw2K anything smelly as it makes her ill'.

Card and note every time.

mumnosbest · 03/06/2016 09:52

A card and genuine thanks is always good. Wine and flowers are great but I like chocolates so I can share with often forgotten LSAs and volunteers who I couldn't manage without

simiisme · 03/06/2016 13:34

I'm a teacher - no gift is necessary, nor should any teacher expect one. Some of the children I teach are from families that are far from well off and I would hate to feel that they spent money on me.
The things I've kept and cherished? Home made cards / hand written notes from the children - make me burst into tears!
A simple, verbal 'Thank you' goes a long way, too :)

Pipnik · 03/06/2016 19:18

I admit I have no imagination when it comes to buying gifts. I send a card with a personal thank you to the teacher and include a cheque made payable to the school which I ask the teacher to spend on their classroom for the following year. I think it is appreciated as I've had a couple of lovely thank you letters from teachers.

birdsdestiny · 03/06/2016 19:51

I have worked in residential care for many years and under no circumstances could we accept personal gifts from families. We were given boxes of biscuits / chocolates but these remained at the workplace for staff and clients to share. If we had taken these gifts home we would have been in a lot of trouble . Saying this I always buy gifts for teachers but it is interesting that different standards apply.

38cody · 05/06/2016 01:54

If I'm really truthful - wine please

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 05/06/2016 02:29

stationery - it's like crack to teachers Grin
This would explain much about my life. My DH would agree even though I no longer teach.

I also like mugs...the ones kids can draw on. To put my lukewarm Brew in.

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 05/06/2016 02:37

www.thestickerfactory.co.uk/Kudos/24mm-Star-Stamp-no-caption-/prod_7096.html

I would have liked a self-inking star stamper. Can never ever have enough stampers. Even better in a thank you card with a sucking up comment like "a star stamper for a star teacher" cos I used to be an easily-bought pushover and I'm not ashamed to admit it! Oh and a box of maltesers! Wink

Athrawes · 05/06/2016 02:52

Secondary teachers so rarely get presents. I would like about 500 blue biros and 300 rulers to replace the ones I have to give out. The best present would be every child coming to school with a pen, every day.

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 05/06/2016 03:21

I did like the idea Frank Chalk came up with...having a child's shoe as deposit for the pen. Lovely in theory til you get >single figures needing one though.

sleeponeday · 17/06/2016 13:07

My son's TA has been amazing with him. He has some additional needs and she's been genuinely loving, encouraging and appreciative, all year - he's blossomed with her.

Would a voucher for a massage at a local spa be good? I know she's very run down this end of the year and has had a lot of coughs and colds. It's a really nice spa. We aren't in an expensive part of the world so it isn't prohibitive. Would most teachers like that, do you think?

She really has gone above and beyond. He's on a My Plan but is also on the AG&T, so he takes a lot of time over and above the usual. And she makes him feel like she loves him and cares about him as a person, and to be honest I think she does. She's arranged out of school stuff and is trying to locate a source of funding for his gross motor skill problems over and above Fizzy (which she delivers for the school). I don't want to give stuff, because her husband is a head teacher and I suspect they are swamped with stuff. They have their own kids, and as has been said, I think they probably want to keep gifts from them. I don't think an Amazon voucher would be as good because I suspect it would just get spent on stuff for her kids or the school. A massage would be for her.

Good idea, or dreadful? Help please?

sleeponeday · 17/06/2016 13:08

I should add that I know precisely what to get the teacher - this isn't a case where I am leaving her out! I just know what she will like.