Nobody goes into teaching with the goal of getting gifts, but it is a nice perk. And while the occasional box of chocolates or bottle of wine is appreciated, this teacher got something slightly more unusual.
Specifically a beef tomato.
The strangest gifts from pupils to teachers
Adrian Bethune went on to ask his Twitter followers and those using the #edutwitter hashtag “What’s the strangest gift a pupil has ever given you?”
We’ve put together some of our favourite responses here:
1. The tweet that started it all: Beef tomato
“Mr Bethune, I grew you a beef tomato!”
Today’s gift from a Year 5 pupil.
What’s the strangest gift a pupil has ever given you? #edutwitter pic.twitter.com/iAMdEoPFxD
- Adrian Bethune MCCT (@AdrianBethune) September 17, 2020
2. A hamster
I got a hamster (and cage, wheel, food etc) from my first Year 11 class ??
- Miss Laing (@MissELaing) September 17, 2020
3. Stolen flowers
A year 11 bought me a bunch of ‘thank you’ flowers complete with roots and soil. Clearly nicked from a garden on the way in. Bless her.
- Krizzy (@higgibear) September 17, 2020
4. A tooth
I was once given a tooth- very nearly wrapped.
I suspect that the Tooth fairy was out of business in that particular home and suspect it was in hope
- Dan Morrow FCCT (@MoreMorrow) September 17, 2020
5. A pink ukulele
A pink Ukulele. From a lovely student who lost his passport in the airport 10 minutes before boarding on a school trip.
- James Johnson (@hulststraat103) September 17, 2020
6. Bondage perfume
Strangest was a bottle of bondage perfume, my favourite has a hand decorated box all equally appreciated ❤️ pic.twitter.com/BOchDoAZzr
- Mairi Gold (@pt_timeteacher) September 18, 2020
7. An only-licked-once lollypop
A strawberry lolly which the little girl told me she had only licked once.
- Clare Latham (@ClareLatham1) September 17, 2020
8. A thoughtful egg
We once gave an egg to my daughters teacher... my daughter loves her chickens and talked about them a lot so it felt appropriate and actually meant an awful lot to my daughter so was a big gesture
- Jodie (@JodieSmitten) September 17, 2020
9. A dead pheasant
I once got offered a pheasant that a parent had found dead on the road ??? I politely declined the offer when I realised they were serious ?
- Kayleigh Ballard (@kayleighdillon) September 17, 2020
10. A large saucepan
I got a saucepan, the largest one from a set of three. Deputy got the middle sized one and class teacher the little one! We’re really not a hierarchy!
- Headteacher at Heart (@fab_juniors) September 17, 2020
11. Stolen ornaments
I got a chipped ornament from a child whose mum then came in and said the child had stolen it from her gran!!!
- TheTattooedHeadteacher #TVTTagTeam?☀️#kindness (@KyrstieStubbs) September 17, 2020
12. Four-day-old lasagne
4 day old lasagne... That hadnt been refrigerated... Worst thing was I put it in my desk draw and forgot about it ?
- Laura D (@Littlemslaurad) September 18, 2020
13. A tray of kebab meat
Child once gave me a tray of kebab meat (I think it was chicken) bought from a local kebab shop. Was weird!
- Andrew Simankowicz (@ASimankowicz) September 17, 2020
Have you ever received anything equally as odd? Let us know below or via Twitter at @tes.