End of term gifts

Minniemoo

That’s lovely, your daughter will undoubtedly have made a difference to a lot of little children, I hope she enjoys all her gifts

Not all children give gifts. My daughter who teaches Year 2, has just sent me some pictures of the gifts she's received. Home made cards, beautifully coloured in. A posy of flowers. Framed photo of one of the children thanking her for helping him to 'grow'. Beautiful home made gifts that so much thought has gone into. Some have given wine and flowers, some just a card. The children are so happy when giving the gifts and it's a happy morning for all. My daughter has loved this class and has made each one of the children a gift bag with bits and bobs in. It's just a nice little custom and pretty harmless. The mums that spend too much are wasting their time. As my daughter says, all the hand made gifts are loved by all the teachers.

wildswan16

This comes up every year. The answer is simple - the headteachers should ban the giving of gifts altogether. Teachers should not be allowed to accept gifts of any kind. No exceptions.

If children wish to make a card or write a letter then that is acceptable and is all that is required.

Why? I like to give a gift to a teacher I’ve been impressed with, esp when they d gone above and beyond!
I also give nannies, hairdresser, cleaner etc - should they be banned from accepting a gift too? Why?

Just picked up two of my grandchildren on the last day of the school year, they have both had lovely teachers, and have been genuinely very sad to leave their classes, they were both young, enthusiastic and kind, and although I’ve got mixed feelings about presents, I think they deserved all the little gifts they were given, and they gave each child a little hand made gift in return

In my job I am forbidden to accept gifts from suppliers. It should be the same in schools. Parents tend to think it will curry them favour for the following years I think?

I am a teacher who is being made redundant next week when our area finishes.

I have never expected a gift and have been embarrassed at times, at parents generosity. Handmade cards have always been a favourite. I always send a card to all the children wishing them luck and add a thank you for any gift.

I hadn’t heard of PTA,s asking for money and think it is unacceptable

I will miss the children

Maw ?

What does coff up mean?

Handmade card and a bottle of wine, after spending 3 terms in a room full of children they need a drink!!!! ????

Today our granddaughter took a bunch of flowers for her teacher. She also gave her a lovely card. On the card she had drawn and named all the children and staff. This was all drawn with lots of detail, it must have taken her ages!

My husband mentioned to me one day this week that he had read on the internet that a school had asked parents to coff up £40 per child for the teachers end of term present, now, come on 'really' how ridiculous.

My gd gave her teacher a signedcopy of the book she had written. The teacher said it was the resent ever and looked forward to her being a famous author..

I do a lot of craftwork and so I always use to make something for the teachers (quilted pencil case, cross stitch initial and they were always very grateful. However, things don't need to cost much as it can be very expensive, especially if you have a number of children so maybe a trip to the £1 shop - there are lots of nice things there perhaps (cosmetics - male and female)

Gabriella G-no weekend work, you must be joking!

Having taught for over 30 years until I retired a few years ago I would just like to let GC54 know that as a teacher I worked at school from 7.30 a.m. until 6pm plus 4out of 5 evenings at home preparing, marking and assessing children’s progress. I also worked at least one of the two days each weekend plus at least 50% of all of the school holidays. This was the practice for every teacher in the primary school in which I worked. At report writing time I used to spend one and a half hours on each child’s report. Parents seemed to think we had time to write these in school and were amazed to learn they were done at weekends.
Any presents we received were very much appreciated but not necessary or expected. A verbal or written thank you was treasured even more.
Teachers work hard. Furthermore, if you pass a school in the holidays you will notice many cars in the staff car park as the majority of teachers spend a good part of their “long holidays” in school preparing for the next term.

Sounds great, Amagran. Something the child has written is lovely.
There is no need or expectation of a present. Teachers are not greedy. ( the latest pay rise comes after years of no increases or below inflation increases).

As for not allowing teachers to accept gifts, how is that supposed to work? Flowers and plants will be enjoyed while they last, chocolates will be shared. Other objects may be appreciated, or can be sent to charity shops.
To refuse would cause hurt and offence.

Last year when my daughter had a lot on at work, I offered to sort out the whole end-of-year thank yous to the staff. I got the GCs to make cards for their teachers and TAs and write their own comments and thank-yous, which were lovely. I asked the headteacher whether she thought little gifts for the teachers, or a donation to school funds would be better. Her answer was very non-committal. I therefore made my own decision; I said how much the family had appreciated the teacher's support, inspirational teaching etc. in a card and added some cash for school funds as a thank you. I never received any sort of feedback. I didn't want or expect thanks, but I just wasn't sure whether I had committed some sort of faux-pas.

I'm with wildswan16
What happens to all of the unwanted gifts?
It's about time we stopped adopting all of these American things that cost money that not all can afford - proms, baby showers (?), end of year teachers gifts, your neighbours budgie day etc...……….

My favourite gifts were an album filled with little drawings and paintings from 4 7 yr olds who thanked me for teaching them art - twenty years ago and I treasure it. I also loved the one slipper made from paper, lovingly sellotaped and stapled together which I kept until it fell apart. I have no idea what prompted it but the child's mother came to me the next day and apologised that there weren't two because the girl had to go to bed!

a plant is good...in a nice flower pot. not all this plastic card shop stuff. i volunteer in charity shop and and the amount of items we get for best teacher etc is unbelievable .teachers dont want this .maybe a book /grocery gift card...something they can use. i think my d got her children's teachers a plant pot on with some verse.

Bah humbug. If people want to give gifts to teachers, nurses, care staff etc. why shouldn't they! I always appreciated any gifts I had, no matter what the cost and it also didn't bother me if some pupils gave nothing. Best present I ever had from a pupil was a potted hyacinth she had grown for me and gave me on Mother's Day- I didn't have any children at the time .

Was it from me gillybob? You know what I'm like

It’s totally ridiculous- and should stop

Seriously, teachers shouldn’t be allowed to accept gifts!! A small box of Maltesers or a little bunch of flowers shows gratitude and respect, something many of our younger people need to be encouraged to feel.

You wouldn’t believe the backlash I got the last time this subject was brought up !
So this time round I’m pleading “no comment”