Hi

Do you buy pressies for your children at the end of the term and if so, what sort of things do you get?

I have been a TA in a Reception class since September and this is the first time I have been based in one class (worked with Special Needs children on 1-2-1 basis before) and want to know what others do with regards to buying pressies for their children.

Thanks

Missyd x

my form group are year 7's, so I've got a bag of lollies to share

When class based I have given them a tube of chewits or similar, cakes to eat at break or one year the CT and I shared the cost of ice creams. It was never anything big - just a goodbye gesture. I spent more at Christmas. In our school the CTs rarely buy anything but most TAs do.

I now do intervention groups and one to one so work in several different classes and would feel bad buying just for the children I work with but couldn't affort to buy for all the classes so won't be doing anything this year.

I agree it is difficult to buy things when you are in different classes.It's boring I know but I am buying pencils again this year.Some of our kids don't have a pencil at home so I buy brightly coloured lead pencils.The Range have 16 for 99p at the moment.I have three classes.If I get time I thought I would make the Year 6's a bun saying Good Luck as well as I have taught some of them too.

I don't usually buy pressies for the kids, but this year the primary 7s moving on to secondary were my 'babies'. Because of the ASD pupil in that year I have been working with them since nursery - 8 years and I felt I needed to mark their moving on in some way.

I have had a 'gimmick' for the children I work with 1-1 and in small groups of 'brain food' - dried fruit - to be used when we need a brain break if things are getting tough or as a reward for achievement.

I got cheap plastic tubs from poundland when I was in Aberdeen and filled them with mixed dried fruits - apricots, cranberries, raisins, pear, etc and labelled them "Brain Food - for when you need a brain break" and put each child's name on the label too.. They went down very well.

I was given a mug from a child with dyslexia that I have done quite a bit of 1-1 with and she had had "Brain Food - it's the little things that make a BIG difference." written on it. Quite cool that our gifts matched!

When in a few classes I am not bothering to buy all of them, just my group I take.