Before you buy that novelty mug for your child’s teacher, read Ms Barnard’s take on more effective ways to show appreciation for SA’s educators.
Cape Town, South Africa (25 November 2025) – Teachers in SA will probably agree on one thing: it’s been a long school year.
And as schools close for the holidays, many teachers brace themselves for a rush of ‘punny’ gifts from well-intending parents who genuinely appreciate them… but may not realise that not everyone wants 50 mugs that say ‘World’s Best Teacher!’
Even when the sentiment is lovely.
That’s why a post from Kath Barnard on the Facebook group The Village caught our attention this week. Ms Barnard, a Cape Town-based English teacher who oversees Grades 8 to 12, shared sage words on the matter of teacher gifting.
Before we get into her advice, it’s worth understanding the gravity of the job teachers carry. They give a lot. Often much more than we realise.
Ms Barnard has been teaching for nine years and understands the superhuman pace teachers work at.
“Someone asked me how many children were in my class the other day. I had to explain that I teach 5 classes of 32/33… I teach 160 kids a day. I need to know and understand (as best as possible) 160 kids academically, their difficulties and strengths, any barriers to learning, any special interests that I can exploit, and how each of them can improve…” she shares.
Then there’s the part most parents never see.
“Each class does three or four assessments a term. That’s about 650 things I need to mark a term, minimum… 53.3 hours. 6.6 eight-hour working days. That’s more than a work week’s worth of work. That I need to find time to do outside my already full-time job.”
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Back to the question. How do we show teachers that we see them? Kath weighs in.
“Firstly, thank you for considering your kids teachers (and please don’t forget high school teachers, especially the ones your kids see daily).
Secondly, and most importantly, the best gift you can give a teacher is your heartfelt appreciation, and the heartfelt appreciation of your kiddo. A properly written note where you detail what made the teacher important enough to thank… We cherish these, and keep them for years, and bring them out to remind us of when things went well, and not just down the pan.
Thirdly… unless you know the teacher loves that sort of thing, leave the ‘thanks for helping me grow’ plastic flower pot. Ditto a coffee mug that says ‘It takes a big heart to teach tiny minds’. A teacher’s desk is only so big, and I promise you, very few of us decorate our homes with our profession.”
A handwritten note goes much further than a novelty gift.
That said, teachers also appreciate practical, thoughtful goodies. Beyond their superhuman responsibility at school, they’re ordinary people like you and I.
They love chocolate. Pamper things. A stiff drink. Vouchers so they can pick their own fancies.
Here is Kath’s foolproof teacher-gifting list:
- Vouchers for malls
- Vouchers for self care (if you know they’ll use it)
- Homemade baked goods (that you promise no one sneezed on!)
- Consumables like nice coffee, wine, whiskey, chocolate
- Garden centre vouchers
- Stationery for their classrooms — Pritt is apparently a luxury
- A Twinkl subscription (if you’re feeling generous)
- A Le Creuset pot (never happened, but a girl can hope!)
If all else fails, go back to the one thing every teacher truly appreciates – your genuine appreciation, and your child’s.
Interested in the musings of an everyday educator? Give Ms Barnard a follow on Instagram!
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