For many teachers, Christmas is a time for rest and relaxation after the long slog of the winter term.
After months spent marking books until the small hours and preparing resources to engage even the most exhausted student, presents are probably the last thing on their minds.
So, what do you buy for the shattered teacher who isn’t quite feeling the Christmas spirit?
Quick read: How to support vulnerable children at Christmas
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Here are seven gifts to put the smile back on their face and ensure that they start the new term right.
Teacher Stuff large tote bag - £14.50
It would be great to think that a teacher’s working day ended at the classroom door, but sometimes marking at home is the only option to stay on top of the load.
As an English teacher, my marking can seem neverending and I can’t count the number of occasions I have struggled out to the car with piles of books or stuffed them all into a plastic bag which has then promptly snapped on me, on the stairs, sending a sea of books cascading to the bottom.
This personalised tote is not only strong and durable, but it is also a great size, so a class set of books can easily fit in.
Another Pointless Meeting pen - £3.50
Most teachers have a secret rebel inside, desperate to break out of the rigid confines of the school system. So, what better way to do this without causing too much of a stir, than with a subversive pen?
It’s the gift that just keeps giving; it will make you smile for many pointless meetings to come. Just make sure you don’t lend it to your headteacher…
Desktop calendar 2020 - £6.00
There’s nothing quite like counting down till the next holiday and this desktop calendar combines monthly dates with positive affirmations and key dates, so that you don’t forget Father’s Day again.
Personalised Ofsted-report-style mug - £14.00
Finding a clean cup in our staff room is as rare as hen’s teeth and often, my cup will go missing, only to be found festering on a colleague’s desk, full of the remnants of a week-old coffee.
No teacher can ever have enough mugs and this tongue-in-cheek offering looks just like a dreaded Ofsted report but instead reads “Off on hols instead,” with a personalised report underneath. You could get the outstanding brew you have always dreamed of.
A5 drawer stackable modular drawer system - £6.80
If you’re anything like me and cannot see your desk for mock papers this term, this set of desktop drawers will keep all of your purple and green pens safe.
Start the new year with a spring clean of your classroom and the post-Christmas blues won’t seem so blue at all.
Merry Christmas Gift Bag with red wine - £29.60
If you really want to push the boat out, this amazing hamper filled with chocolate, nibbles and alcohol will banish the burnout and show any exhausted educator that you care.
I can just imagine opening up this and enjoying it in front of a Christmas movie. Merry Christmas all!
Haili Hughes is an English teacher at Saddleworth School in Oldham, Greater Manchester. She tweets @HughesHaili
