Gifts for Teachers

I think the gifts for teachers is getting a little out of hand. When I was growing up it was a box of chocolates. A colleague of mine sent her son to school with a voucher for boots last christmas and the child is in junior enfants.
I feel sorry for the kids in the class who due to their circumstances can only offer a handmade card. Imagine how they feel when their classmates are handing up expensive gifts.
A male friend of mine received expensive cuff links from one child and a tripod for his digital camera from another a few days ago. He teaches 3rd class.
Another colleague however has said that in her sons school at christmas and summer, they put a box for bothar in the school and instead of presents for teachers those who wish to can give a small donation to a good cause.
 
Declan P you obviously don't realise the stressful job that teaching is and make no mistake the law is on the side of the child and so well the children know that. What about all the out of school hours teachers freely give to their pupils, attending and carrying them to matches, sports, school tours etc., Would other workers decide when it comes to the end of their work time to stay on for another hour or two?--I don't think so. I think a little gift is a nice way to say thank you.
 

Unfortunately you don't have a monopoly on stressful jobs despite what you would like the rest of us to believe. Normally employers say thank you through the means of regular wages and it is a bit rich putting pressure on parents and kids to trump up a present in advance of teachers' more than generous holidays. And don't forget the wage hike you will be returning to!!!
 
Declan P I am not a teacher and neither do I have any children attending school. I only mentioned the fact what I thought. Everybody can make up their own mind. When my children were at school I would have sent in chocs for the teacher. I always appreciated the good work they done.
 
Apologies Ash for assuming. But my point remains. Giving presents to teachers leads to competition among parents to try and outdo each other. Very unhealthy
 
I have to agree they shouldn't get presents - they get a wage and that's enough IMO. I'm was the sameabout giving money to the binmen who worked for local authorties.
 
I certainly understand about parents outdoing each other and thats losing sight from the parents point of the real reasoning behind the giving in the first place.
 
I think this present for teacher thing has got out of hand. Yes, I'm sure it's nice to be appreciated but as someone who occasionally gets chocs or the odd bottle of wine in the course of my work, I'm not sure how comfortable teachers are with large gifts. I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable receiving large gifts as I wouldn't like to be beholden, and to be honest this must create pressure on kids whose parents don't give. If I ever receive a gift, its from an individual and the giving is not in front of a crowd and I have on occasion refused a gift which was too much, and not just a token.
I rarely gave gifts for teachers but the school my children attended was a large school with children of various incomes attending. Several times at the end of the year we used to write a cheque to the school fund and send it to the principal with a letter of thanks for the work of the teacher and the happy time the children were having in the school. This money is then used for kids who can't afford it to go on the school tour etc. or for equipment that they need.
 
I previously posted that I disgreed with teachers being given cash gifts. In this case the Teacher was being given approximately €400 cash (€15 per parent) as a Christmas token. This same class of pupils have to each bring in a handtowel in each week as the school cannot afford hand dryers for the bathroom - I think this is a ridiculous situation. I don't know how difficult it would be to organise but wouldn't it be a lot better if the gift was donated to the school for school facilities on behalf of the grateful parents of the class of Ms X? Or I would also strongly support the idea that parents who wish to give something be told that they a box is in place for the Childrens ward in the local Hospital or something similar.
 
Yes, couldn't agree more with you. Again, I think it is actually quite unprofessional for someone in the public service to receive that kind of a gift. I'm in the public service myself; I would feel that getting anything other than a token could be misconstrued.......maybe I'm old fashioned.Good teachers do good work but they have reasonable pay and good conditions. Of course to be very fair to teachers, this is more keeping up with the Jones , no harm meant, in most cases just people being generous, but I think schools should have policies in place about this.
As I said in a previous post, if you feel the teacher is exceptional, why not give a box of chocs, write to the principal and send a donation to the school fund?
 
Brianne and DeeFox have hit the nail on the head, the schools sometimes need the donation more so than the teachers. Very sensible suggestions on their part. The way things are going, the schools in dire need of refurbishment (or even hand towels) could face a long wait before they get the funding they need from the Government for improvement works.
 
Great debate started here, thanks v much for all the ideas. In my heart of hearts I think that teachers value some genuine appreciation in a nice card at Xmas and end of year more than anything. Imagine getting 30 glowing annual reviews on one day! Sadly the competition factor among parents has crept in and I would fully accept that large gifts make teachers uncomfortable as well as creating a have and have-not perception in the classroom. I have heard of €100 theatre vouchers and limited edition sports wear etc. (Children really love their pressie to be open and admired so big pressure arises.)

Very genuine comments about the volunteers in scouts football etc too and often they are overlooked in the frenzy to attend to the teachers gifts so will take that on board.

Super ideas too about the donations to the school in honour of appreciation of teacher A, B and C. If a small culture started in this respect it could catch on. I may raise it at our next Parent's Committee meeting myself. Many thanks
 
Lee May said:
Super ideas too about the donations to the school in honour of appreciation of teacher A, B and C. If a small culture started in this respect it could catch on. I may raise it at our next Parent's Committee meeting myself. Many thanks
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While I appreciate the good intentions behind this approach (and I agree it is preferable to ostentatious gifts for teachers), there is the danger that it creates a further dependance on parents for funding normal day-to-day expenditure.
 
Lee May said:
I have heard of €100 theatre vouchers and limited edition sports wear etc. (Children really love their pressie to be open and admired so big pressure arises.)
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No no, please tell me teachers do not open pressies in front of children? I have never heard of this and would be disgusted if it happened.
 
I have heard of €100 theatre vouchers and limited edition sports wear etc. (Children really love their pressie to be open and admired so big pressure arises.)

I agree that this is silly stuff and it is now up to teachers to refuse such presents and get on with their extended holidays so that they can address their massive stress levels!!!! Hope the weather improves.
 
I was in my local Centra this evening in Glasnevin and there was a basket on the floor with bottles of wine in it with a big sign over it saying 'Teachers Gifts'

I asked my 8 year old tonight would he like to give his teacher a present on Monday (he has moaned about his teacher all year) and he said 'Oh yes, maybe get him some Lynx but its a pity he isnt a girl because they are much easier to buy for' And there was I thinking Im raising him in the true spirit of equality!

Lynx it is then.....
 
Maybe your son is so astute that the teacher in question deserves a few sprays of Lynx. We will forgive him on this occasion. Go buy!!!
 
DeclanP, do you know I never even thought of that! The irony is that my 8 year old has an astounding sense of smell. I mean really astounding! Whenever they have gym class and all the school jumpers get mixed up in a pile the rest of the class ask him to smell their jumpers to identify the owners! I kid you not!

Maybe the Lynx comment had more depth than I realised! hehe
 
Maybe the teacher would interpret Lynx as a not-so-subtle hint around personal hygiene?
 
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