That gif is exactly how I felt leaving work a few days last week.
As a teacher, you kind of expect to be given things at Christmas and at the end of the year from your students. Going into my job this year, I didn’t really have any expectations about Christmas, but thought maybe I’d get cards from the students. MAYBE a small gift card for coffee or something like that.
I was NOT prepared for the overwhelming generosity that graced my desk this week. It started on Monday and didn’t stop until I left work Friday at noon (it was a half day, don’t worry I didn’t just leave children unattended lol)
Obviously, I took lots of pictures of everything, but for those who don’t want to look through all the crazy pictures I have, here are just three:
It was a lot. Like I actually rented a car for the last day of school! Mostly because I needed to bring in gifts for my students, but also to take home the gifts that I was given.
We are told at my school that our pay is low because we get no funding from the government. And it’s true. Our school is completely run off of tuition and fundraising. No outside help! The parents are immigrants and sometimes these kids are first generation immigrants. Their parents are trying to make a better life for them and have started over in Canada. So tuition is kept low to help those families who need it.
So going into the Christmas season, I had no expectations at all for gifts. Also, I’d never taught before so I didn’t know what to expect anyway. But when the gifts started to roll in, I was FLOORED. The parents were so generous, and the cards they wrote literally made me cry a few times.
When I got all the stuff home, I instantly thought I’d be re-gifting a lot of it. But after going through it, and considering the fact that my students bought it for me, I only took three things out of the pile that I won’t keep. Two things are heavily scented and I won’t even open them. I am very sensitive to smells so there is no way I’m going to suffer headaches for my students lol. And the other is a cheese plate/knife set. I actually received TWO of them from parents! TWO!!! I guess they think I entertain more than I do? haha! So one is a simple board and the knife is non-threatening with a handle that says “joy”. The other one has a crazy knife that looks super dangerous so I’ve put that one aside for re-gifting lol.
Since I have the photos anyway, here are all the gifts (minus the gift cards). I kept all the cards that were written and put them into my box where I keep all the pictures the kids have drawn for me.
My daughter comes home with a ton of stuff too. Maybe I should have been a teacher instead of a medical assistant? I love the pattern on the mug with the gray and pink flowers but I also love the size of the mug that changes colors. Nice to know you are loved and appreciated, right?
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I was going to regift a few of the mugs but then decided to at least use them for the rest of the school year lol. One a month so the kids can see me using their gift
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That floral tea cup is so cute! Merry Christmas, T. You deserve all those gifts and many more.
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It is soooo pretty! Definitely brings the Jane Austen vibes when I look at it hehe
And thanks Bex! Merry Christmas to you and Fella as well! 🙂
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I’ve been off this fall/semester so I got all my goodies by mail this year! I have both recieved and given the Book of Calm before, it’s beautiful!
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Omg a whole semester off is what I feel like I need in order to have energy again. Like I can’t get through a day without a nap right now. As soon as classes ended my body was like “well you’re off for two weeks and you’re going to SLEEP!” It’s insane 😦
But that is so sweet that they sent things in the mail! That’s adorable! I can’t wait to read the book – it’s waiting in my room for when I return home from my parents.
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I had a bypass in November so the break was forced upon me 😣! With the exception of Christmas and summer breaks I feel the opposite like….LOST without a strict work schedule! I start feeling like a rat in a cage when I’m off for medical! Blerrrrf!
Naps have been my life lately and I am so no not a napper! 😂
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Omg I am such a mapper haha! This first year has destroyed my energy and motivation to do anything that isn’t work and sleep lol
I’m sorry you had to have a bypass! Hope that everything is healing well and you are getting back to your regular routine!
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The money some parents spend on teachers here is crazy. They’ve actually changed it so if a teacher is gifted something worth over a certain $ amount thy have to turn it over and declare it to the department. That’s because it was becoming competitive amongst parents, some were using it as a “bribe” (as in if I give an expensive gift maybe the teacher will give special consideration to my little cherub) and parents who couldn’t afford to gift were treated poorly by other parents.
I used to gift to teachers when the Barbarians were young (kindergarten and prep only), but that was all. And the kids had to make the card and the gift was always a small Christmas tree ornament. Nothing expensive or extravagant.
It is wonderful that your students and their families have taken to you so well, T. Not that I am surprised. But it must make you feel warm and fuzzy 🙂
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Awww! A handmade card and ornament sounds lovely! Such a great gift! I’d love to get that lol
But dang to the fact that parents were making it a competition! One of my fellow teachers got a coach purse/wallet set. Like that’s insane lol
I specifically didn’t open any presents in the class. I just thanked them genuinely for the gift and told them how much I appreciate the gesture and then put it on my desk, that way no one would see what was in it. Definitely was well taken care of!
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