An apple for the teacher.

Saggi

Aren’t salaries enough any more ?

Is that how you assess whether to give gifts to friends and family? Just wondering.

Aren’t salaries enough any more ?

Over the years I've had some lovely cards with heartfelt messages and occasionally received an email of thanks.
If I'm teaching your child again next year, it'd be great to have you support the school's homework & behaviour policies.

Merryweather

Primary school children- I send a card from the child and I, plus donate to the class whip round or send a bottle of something like bucks fizz. As its my eldests last year we are making paper flowers and making a paper bouquet to keep for each teacher shes had since she started there. Ive made quite a few lilies and roses so far, with my daughters help of course. I thought it would be cheery in the classroom, or at home should the teacher prefer.

Class rep role was done away with at our school, as there was literally nothing for them to do once the school system was fully automated and there was a parent whats app group for each class year.

We are asked to make a donation to the class charity by the school and not get the teachers gifts. So, usually we give half to the class charity and half in vouchers to the teacher. I think a suggested donation was of £5, or whatever you could afford/ felt comfortable with if you wanted to opt in.

If you have been asked not to give gifts to teachers why do you still give a voucher?

I think a teacher would prefer paper flowers made by the child.

Primary school children- I send a card from the child and I, plus donate to the class whip round or send a bottle of something like bucks fizz. As its my eldests last year we are making paper flowers and making a paper bouquet to keep for each teacher shes had since she started there. Ive made quite a few lilies and roses so far, with my daughters help of course. I thought it would be cheery in the classroom, or at home should the teacher prefer.

Class rep role was done away with at our school, as there was literally nothing for them to do once the school system was fully automated and there was a parent whats app group for each class year.

We are asked to make a donation to the class charity by the school and not get the teachers gifts. So, usually we give half to the class charity and half in vouchers to the teacher. I think a suggested donation was of £5, or whatever you could afford/ felt comfortable with if you wanted to opt in.

As a retired teacher - I would say a small gift is much appreciated, eg a potted plant, some chocs., something home made and thoughtful - definitely no more than £5. Parents clubbing together for a very expensive gift is a definite NO from me.

I can honestly say I never bought or had any friends who bought gifts for teachers. It just wasn’t done during my school years approx 1958-1972.

I do remember some staff retiring from my Grammar School after maybe 30 years+ and a letter would go home asking parents if they would care to donate towards a gift.

I volunteered in a charity shop for many years and the absolute junk that teachers received from kids and parents and then donated to us because they didn’t want it was embarrassing. “Best Teacher” mugs, pens, mouse mats, certificates, notebooks, etc. we got it every year at end of term and just boxed it all up when it didn’t sell ready for the next year. Total waste of money.

My children and grandchildren always were happy to make cards/presents for their teachers but the year 4 teacher one of them has had this year will be lucky to get an apple core.

My daughter is a primary school teacher - she NEVER expects gifts, but she had had many ranging from lovely homemade gifts to parents clubbing together and getting her vouchers, she still lives at home and we often smile at some of her gifts x the handwritten cards from her pupils are her favourites

This creeping development saddens me for many of the reasons given on here.
We’ve always made a modest donation to the school on behalf of the particular teachers.

I had two memorable gifts as a teacher. One was an elegant silver plated double photo frame, still in use after 20 years. The other was a rose bush. It was such a lovely one that I brought it with us when we moved and it now flourishes in our new garden. (BTW any plants you want to take from a garden should be potted before the house goes up for sale as, unless specified, you are not allowed to remove them).

As an ex teacher i always felt sorry for the child who wistfully said ‘ I’ll bring you one tomorrow Miss ‘ I taught in a very poor school in a dock area and was embarrassed to receive a gift which I knew they couldn’t afford and didn’t encourage it .

As the OP can I just point out that I did not start this thread with any other intention than to ask if present giving had got out of hand as the email I pointed out suggested.
I never intended to say presents should be banned.
Just wanted opinions as to being over the top in value.
I am sure letters, small gifts home made or not are really welcome from the teachers.

As I say I currently work in education so often receive them, I am perfectly capable of still understanding the fundamental problems with this custom and the little faces of children thing wouldnt impact my decision on safeguarding, understanding of the pressures on families, etc.

Oh...Supermarket ad! Please forgive the spelling errors but it became a race to beat the advert.

I taught in a private school for 19 years. We had to sign a form agreeing to refuse any gift over about £10 in value and to report offers of substantial gifts as part of our anti-bribary policy. In my opinion, this should be standard policy everywhere.

My daughter frequently receives messages from other parents urging her to contribute large sums to class collections. She has 4 children, 3 at school, and so refuses. A small gift is chosen by the children instead.

I left primary in '72, and we were very hard up, but Mum gave me £1 to buy something...I picked a book token. My teacher seemmed pleased.

Years later I helped in his classroom as a parent helper. Then we became friends, and often shared meals along with my husband and his wife (we are all still friends now). He told me he eventually spent the token in about 2000, and it had lived on his bedside table until then.

I later became a teacher, in adult and special educational needs, and never received a present because I had a poster in my space saying 'Want to buy me a present? Please buy yourself a book'.

Dearie.me.
Some people really can't bear the thoughts of teachers receiving gifts.
I started school in 1951 and my mother always sent in a gift, probably handkerchiefs or bath cubes, because she was grateful to the teacher for teaching me. Once I insisted on giving a teacher I didn't particularly like, a packet of fruit gums, but I think my mother smuggled in a suitable present.

It is a pity all these decriers of present-giving aren't in the classroom when their presents are opened, with expressions of intense delight on the face of the teacher, in front of the child, who actually enjoys giving the present.
And voluntary helpers are usually given presents by the teachers they help, and invited to a special concert and tea of thanks

Relative who is a teacher finds lots of chocolates etc hard to eat (they get distributed) but touched by any gift. Once a well known jeweller in the village where the school was, made her a silver bracelet. She treasured it. I think you can’t remove the human variability in these things, or the differences between state school communities, some quite well off. She has have some wonderfully eccentric gifts over the years, including a toaster, clearly some “repurposed” but the thought was there. Collections are often easier - if a fairly discrete envelope etc parents don’t feel so exposed - sign the card with no contribution or as you feel. Then at the end a real treat for the recipient.

LovelyLady
We know. Whether teachers are well paid or not is immaterial.

People like to give gifts.

Persuade the parents not the teachers.

Perhaps it would be better for parents to contribute cash to update libraries in school rather than award those employed by the school. Schools have many volunteers ie don’t earn a salary. Teachers are paid. No no no, it’s expected teachers give the best to our children, a card is sufficient by unnecessary.

Nonsense spending all this on a present for the teacher. Teachers are well paid (some may disagree) they are not volunteers. A letter giving examples of what they have done over and above what is expected. Being kind and being a good teacher is expected. Wine, chocolates, flowers are meaningless. A handmade card from the child is priceless.

Hetty58
I don't know when end of year gifts began for primary schools.
At school in the 1960s, my mum, along with lots of others, would give us a bunch of flowers or sometimes a box of chocolates to take in for the teacher at the end of the year.
I don’t know if it happened before then.

Should it stop? Yes. It’s getting out of hand,
but people don’t like being told what they must, or must not do. We learnt that during Covid.

Who are the people who should stop it?

The parents.

Schools can use a variety of strategies mentioned on here, but some parents like a challenge. Once one parent has succeeded others will follow.
Interestingly, very few, if any of the contributors to GransNet are young parents, or parents of primary school children and they are the ones who are currently giving the gifts.

"An apple for the teacher".

1953 meaning = a piece of fruit.

2033 meaning = a laptop or smartphone.

I still read the lovely thank you letters I received throughout my teaching career, they mean so much more to me than the end of year gifts. I especially love the one from the nine year old child who couldn’t read or write a word when they entered my class. It says “I don’t want you to live” A little threatening? No just his spelling of ‘leave’.