End of term gifts

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?

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

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?

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.

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

Yes they should Tigertooth it's ridiculous, I agree totally with Wildswan
Do you give a gift to the bus driver, shop assistant, etc.

Surely we don’t have to chuck the baby out with the bath water do we?

When was the last time a bus driver shaped your grandchild’s life? I know it gets out of hand in some schools, but I don’t think it should be banned altogether.

In deprived areas with most children on free school meals it is not usual to give gifts.
I have taught in such schools for 20 years here in London.
I bet all the teacher haters would be surprised at how many resources a teacher buys for her class out of her own pocket!
Those shiney achievement stickers? Teacher bought.
Those Christmas cards? Teacher bought.
The mini eggs? Teacher bought.
The ice lollies on that hot school trip to the zoo? Teacher bought.
The nice glass writing pens, the daffodil bulbs, the fruit for making fruit salad, the flowers or fish for observational drawing, the icing sugar and food colouring for that special art project - these are just a few things off the top of my head that I have bought on a regular basis for my class.

15 mins away from my school is the “naice” area of Hampstead - a much wealthier cohort - here the PTA organises a collection - you give whatever you want, IF you want to - there is no pressure at all.
If you don’t want to give, don’t give, it’s fine. The children are not carrying in the gifts, they are presented by PTA rep so nobody feels uncomfortable.

It’s no different to any other gift you give - if you want to buy a gift, do so. If you don’t want to, then don’t.

I don’t know if any teacher who asks for gifts so just stop the bashing.

sodapop

Yes they should Tigertooth it's ridiculous, I agree totally with Wildswan
Do you give a gift to the bus driver, shop assistant, etc.

No I don’t gift the shop assistant or bus driver because they don’t look after my child for 6.5hours, 5 days a week. My children don’t have a bond with the bus driver or the shop assistant. That’s just a silly analogy.

The best card I ever had was one which said "Dear Mrs D, thank you for happying me, love from S....". Bless her, she had meant to write ' helping me', but I much preferred her version. That was 25 years ago, and I still have that card.

I retired from sec sch teaching after 40yrs. Rarely are gifts given to sec sch teachers, and yet this week I read that teachers could expect £300+ worth of presents at the end of the summer term!
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7258161/Outraged-teachers-slam-end-term-cards-read-thank-f-kid-doesnt-year.html
People read and believe this garbage.
Thank you for all the grans who know better than those who knock.
My last year I was in school at 6.45am, worked til 5pm, went home and started lesson prep after my meal. Always went in every holiday. (What's rarely mentioned is that plenty of teachers are ill at the start of plenty of holidays, as they are just run down)
I bought most of my own consumables, I even paid for my own uni course a few years before I retired. At the end I was earning only a little more than a 20something relative working for an NGO.
And the greedy bit - 2.7% comes out of existing funds, and on today's 7am News is less than the 3 point something in the private sector last year!
PS Knockers - if it's so cushy, train to do it yourself.

I don't see anyone knocking teachers, just questioning gifts.

I think very young primary school children probably enjoy making a little card or drawing a special picture for "miss" or giving something special grown in their own garden, maybe some sweets, after all these are their first years at school and probably feel quite a bond with their teacher. Made and given lovingly like this I don't think it's a problem. However as it gets to older children and things become more competitive (probably the parents) its becoming very commercialised, not a good idea at all.

Hm999 well said and MissA.. someone further back was knocking teachers, so please read all posts before you comment.

Ah yes, there is one knocker.
I stand very much corrected.
I thought I remembered one, but I didn't want to scroll all the way back.

Tigertooth, lovely posts.

Of course no one tips/gives gifts to the bus driver, there is absolutely no relationship between a passenger and a bus driver, nor the shop assistant. However, many people tip the waiter, the hairdresser, the taxi driver, the person who brings up the cases in a hotel, the bin men at Christmas, and so on. Many others give boxes of chocolates or biscuits to the ward staff after they’ve been in hospital, and many people give gifts to their GP surgery at Christmas. Why the animosity towards teachers? Yes, they’re just doing their job. But what a job they do. They care for, nurture, educate, and encourage very young, developing minds. They help the children to learn to be kind, to respect others, to respect their own environment. What a tremendous responsibility it is. Why would anyone resent the giving of a small gift, a little bunch of flowers, some chocolates if the parent and child want to do that. How petty to resent this little gesture of thanks and appreciation for the care and support given over an entire year.

In my opinion, as an ex teacher, it is wholly inappropriate for a PTA to request money for gifts, especially large sums of money, but actually any money at all. The giving of a gift, any gift, is down to the giver, there should be no compunction. The gift is given in a spirit of generosity, and accepted with humility. The parent wants to give a small gift to express their appreciation, the child simply enjoys giving the gift. No parent or child need ever feel obliged to give a gift. A few words of appreciation is truly valued by the teacher.

Maddyone

I think that says it all

Miss excuse accepted,, You can now get off the naughty stool.

Thanks Miss!

I am not anti teacher or any other group of workers. Every worker has their role to play in our lives. I think the one upmanship that happens with children, parents and teachers is distasteful.

Thank you Morgie52 Jaylucy and paperbackwriter for highlighting that Teachers work long long hours, way beyond the average school day and deserve every penny they earn. My eldest daughter is an English teacher in a secondary school and is absolutely shattered this evening as it was the last day of term. Walk a mile in a secondary teacher’s shoes before criticising please. My daughter always says “ if you think we have it easy, re-train and spend some time in the classroom with me” . She received a bottle of wine from one parent who was grateful for her looking after her son whilst they went on a school trip, but secondary teachers usually get no gifts, it’s primary children that provide those. My daughter has had letters & cards from grateful pupils ( which on reading, have made me weep) informing her that they would have never been able to get through their exams if it hadn’t been for my daughter’s dedication to her job by encouraging them to love the subject and get the revision done, by making the lessons interesting. English is not the first language for Many of these pupils. I have huge admiration for all teachers, and they will not be sunbathing for the whole six weeks, they will be lesson planning, and making preparation for classroom layout, they’ll be thinking of next term before they’ve even enjoyed a few days of the summer holidays. There are “TEACHERS” and there are “DARNED GOOD TEACHERS” in this world.

I don't think giving the teacher a thank you card is a good idea and helps endorse the idea that you should appreciate people who help you.

Gifts - depends on the cost. I don't think there's much harm done with giving a small gift but I don't like the idea of people being competitive. Not everyone has plenty of money to spend on such things.

In lots of offices, you are not allowed to accept gifts from people you've helped but I think teaching is a different kind of job entirely.

Sorry, I meant "I don't think giving the teacher a thank you card is a bad idea...."

Silly me!

I presume your comment is satirical GabriellaG54. It certainly made me laugh.

When I was teaching and even now, doing workshops, I love getting presents, from a homemade card or a chocolate bar to slightly more expensive things. I know they are given with good hearts and they mean so much to me.

I have just caught up with this thread. Too many current and retired teachers for criticism on gransnet.
I agree with all the above comments. Usually I was given chocolates or an "interesting ornament" given by a very excited and loving child. Remember a teacher spends a lot of the day with a child over a year and the relationship is very close.