A present for the teacher?

We've all had a laugh at QVC's extravagant suggestions for teacher's gifts- Northern Nights, Gatineau, Honora earrings etc, but some of these suggestions make JR, AK et al look postively restrained!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/mar/26/teachers-gifts-presents

There was a time when a nicely polished apple was considered an appropriate offering for a teacher. In the competitive climate of key stage testing, Sats and continual assessment, however, it seems students – and their parents – are prepared to offer a little more to curry favour with Sir or Miss.
A survey of members by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers has unearthed an embarrassment of extravagant gifts lavished on teachers by their students, including a Tiffany bracelet, tickets to an England cricket match, and even a brace of pheasants.
Other gifts reported by the union's grateful members included £1,000 worth of gift vouchers, a Mulberry handbag, an Yves Saint Laurent scarf and £200 worth of opera vouchers......

Parents in general can ill afford the necessities without having the added pressure of buying gifts for teachers. A polite 'Thank you' to the teacher for all their efforts should suffice and would be appreciated. Good manners are worth more than all the riches in the world in my mind.

My daughter is a teacher and has never received gifts that are so extravagent! She has had things like mugs with "best teacher" on them!!! She appreciates any gift she is given, but if a child doesn't give her a gift it makes no difference.

Ann

I used to be a primary school teacher and come Christmas and end of term, I'd end up with so much I could hardly carry it home - I used to get the bus for the first few years I was teaching!
It was never extravagant though - most of the time it would be flowers, or those soapy type gift sets that parents probably wanted to see the back of lol but it's the thought that counts and I certainly didn't judge the child or treat the child according to any gift I might have been given.

I do still have a n engraved wooden egg cup which one girl gave me :happy:
Happy memories!

I have given gifts to my son's teachers, but usually simple things - something for the Christmas tree, flowers, that sort of thing.

I live beside the village school & every holiday I see the children going in with gift bags,wine bags,etc
The lollipop lady stands outside my house & she gets lots of stuff too.
My wall gets laden with all manner of things the kiddies have given her.

I really do think it is the thought that counts and also thanking the teacher for all their hard work. I will never forget and indeed am eternally grateful to my son's first teacher who spotted his dsylexia when he was 5. She was newly qualifed and had a special interest in this. He was assessed at a this age and given extra support throughout his education. So different from the experience that a lot of other children with this condition have. I would have given her diamonds if I could have afforded it!!. I knew that something was not right but she got the ball rolling and I remain so grateful to her.

I always gave gifts to the kids (all 7 of them!) teachers from the Oxfam Unwrapped site. Usually school dinners for £6 for a load of starving children in the 3rd world or something of around the same value.
The teachers were always delighted with a gift like that. They would get a lovely gift card outlining exactly what had been paid for.Job done:rock:

I saw a very similar article in today's Telegraph and thought how pleased qvc will be - luxury northern nights a mere trifle! I do think the media are responsible for so much hype and pressure on parents. The ones who should feel ashamed are the fools who succumb to the 'requirement' for £100 party bags etc. What kids need are love and attention from their parents and throwing money at them or their teachers will never assuage a guilty conscience.
Yes, a lot of people have very little time but even the smallest 'special time' is priceless.

A neighbour of mine who works at a private school, received this for a Christmas present from one of her pupils.

http://www.linksoflondon.com/online-shop/women/necklaces/1223-allsorts-sterling-silver-necklace

Rozzy said:

I always gave gifts to the kids (all 7 of them!) teachers from the Oxfam Unwrapped site. Usually school dinners for £6 for a load of starving children in the 3rd world or something of around the same value.
The teachers were always delighted with a gift like that. They would get a lovely gift card outlining exactly what had been paid for.Job done:rock:

Click to expand...

What an excellent idea :clapping:

Thanks x
There's loads on the site for under a tenner and it makes a real difference to peoples' lives. I've given presents from there on loads of occasions to family and friends who don't really need anything.I even "gave" my sister a goat for her 50th!:rock: