Teacher Appreation - Is this too much?

[bubbaray]

However the comment that teacher's work 8-3 is also not true. I spend so much time and money beyond what is required to make sure that my students have what they need to learn. I'm not alone. Just because you don't see your teacher "working at school" doesn't mean s/he isn't "working".

Really trying to leave this thread alone, but I feel the need to address this point. *Here*, teachers are only obligated by collective agreement to put in actual classroom hours (in my district it is 8:30 to 2:30). They get a certain number of hours for prep and marking, I'm not sure how that works, but they are compensated for every.single.minute of teaching-related time. For a while, they were forbidden from doing any extra-curricular stuff (coaching, choir, that sort of thing) by their union. IIRC, that work-to-rule campaign has ended, and those that want to volunteer for such positions can. The union actually backed down on that issue because parents stepped up to do the extra-curricular stuff and the union didn't want the parents doing it -- they wanted to get paid for it, but the gov't refused.

Anyway, here at least, teachers do not have to put in one minute of extra time if they don't want to. Plus, the amount of prep and marking time is reduced exponentially for the number of years of service -- it takes long-time teachers virtually zero time to prepare lessons because they have 25 years of them filed away.... I'm not making this up, I've been told this by friends who have been teaching for 25+ yrs. They just show up for their set hours and are good to go. They have figured out how to make lesson plans that require less marking, etc..

Also, on top of their regular salaries, they often have extra jobs (marking provincial exams or teaching summer school, for example) during long school breaks.

My point is that I don't see teachers *here* as deserving a week of special activities. They are making more money than the average working parent in most school districts. Their union is highly politicized (even more so right now -- we are in the middle of an election) and, frankly, I think most parents are sick of hearing teachers whine about how little they make for the virtually part-time hours they work.

I don't mind giving a deserving teacher an end-of-the-year gift. I just don't seen the need for another Hallmark holiday that is an entire week long.

JMHO.

[mommy111]

As a teacher, I cannot begin to say how offensive your statements are. We are working very hard to educate YOUR children. If you want a mom-appreciation day, it shouldn't come from your child's teacher--it should come from the people you mother and co-parent (if there is one.)

To assume that a teacher should "parent" your child until 7pm so you can shower is ridiculous. We have our own families and our own lives, thanks so much.

In addition, wow, would I love to teach in Canada. . .that pay is amazing. I bet you don't end up with a lot of teacher turn-over as it's a well-paid and well-respected profession. However the comment that teacher's work 8-3 is also not true. I spend so much time and money beyond what is required to make sure that my students have what they need to learn. I'm not alone. Just because you don't see your teacher "working at school" doesn't mean s/he isn't "working".

To start out, I want to post the disclaimer that the statements were tongue in cheek, were meant to highlight how hard it is to take care of little kids which lower school/preschool teachers do every day, and were not meant to offend anyone.
However.....as a former teacher, let me say that I find the whole idea of forcing kids to make cards and bring in presents faintly humiliating at best. Maybe my perspective is skewed because I worked with a fair number of lower income kids and the kids were much older, but to suggest that everyone would have time to sit at home and do crafts with their kids or have particular color clothes suitable to wear to school is discriminatory against lower income and single parents some of whom work 14-16 hours a day just to make ends meet. I think it is much more equitable to have an organizing committee do stuff for the teachers so that individual parents and kids don't get singled out for doing too little (and, yes, in that situation, some people will do nothing and others will do a lot, but that's the whole point, everyone does what they can in appreciation of the teachers) or compete to outdo one another.

To illustrate, there was a little girl in my daughter's preschool and pre-K class, dad is a businessman, mom is a vet, they are very well off and she has the nicest clothes and things amongst a group of higher-income family kids at an exclusive private school. However, her mom either did not have the time, or was philosophically opposed to doing things for any organized event in school. She was always the one who never had a present for the teachers on teacher appreciation day, did not have stuff to put into the valentine's gift bags and never got the teachers anything for the holidays. I have never forgotten the look on her face as everyone brought stuff to put into Valentine's bags and the teachers took them around to do their valentine's deliveries and she watched. It was the same for her at EVERY holiday.

Sure, the meal organized by the committees is wonderful, the gift checks are greatly appreciated and the cards are cute although most end up in the trash can a few days or hours later. And, admittedly, as a former teacher, my perspective is skewed because I taught much higher grades, but I never appreciated any thing as much as the tears I saw in a parents eyes when she told me that for the first time in school, her son enjoyed doing math and had not only passed but achieved a B in math.

A heartfelt thank you, in whatever form the child and parent wants, whether it be a card or a flower, or a meal or just a hug is so much more meaningful than 5 days of mandatory stuff that parents will do so that their kids don't feel like outcasts from some arbitrary ritual.

[strollerqueen]

Ya know, I really think an entire week is WAAAAY too much. I would NOT be happy with getting a letter telling me I have to do extra things every freakin' day for a week (on top of homework, no less). I would not be happy with extra art/craft projects that are expected to be done during the week. Um, yeah, generally I have time to feed the kids, bathe them and put them to bed. I sure won't have time to go shopping for color-specific clothing, single flowers (where the heck do you buy a single flower anyway?), particular food items, gift cards, AND do arts/crafts on top of that. Don't even mention me making food to bring in -- that is DEFINITELY not gonna happen.

Seriously. This has gone too far. Give a thank you card and a small gift at the end of the year. An entire freakin' week is over the top.

Here they just ask for $20! haha! ")

[kijip]

I think that being told how to appreciate someone is ridiculously annoying.

If the list is coming from the teachers, that is just rude and weird. If the list is coming from a parent volunteer, that is just sort of invasive and bossy.

It's one thing to organize a collective present or gesture like a single memory book. Or to, as a parent volunteer send home a reminder of the day and ask for participation (like a potluck breakfast) or give ideas of things people might want to consider. It's another thing to order it up on a list, like school supplies. With a schedule. Honestly, if I taught I would not feel very appreciated by a list of such things. While I won't touch the issue of if teachers are fairly paid or not with a 10 foot pole, it is worth noting that in districts like mine, nearly 1/2 of the students in most schools are very low income and qualify for free meals. Asking for a financial contribution from a very low income family for a present to someone that is considerably better off relative to them seems awkward at best.

[strollerqueen]

Here's what I'm doing for the school this week....

Coordinating baby gift for teacher returning on maternity leave. Sub is not so good at returning e-mails making said coordination much more difficult.

Figuring out how to give said sub a celebratory send off without her figuring it out. We do not have an e-mail list for the class, not every family has e-mail and many parents do not speak any English.

Making scones for Teacher Appreciation Breakfast.

Assembling class basket for the Silent Auction for Friday's Spring Festival.

Baking cakes for the "Cake Walk" for DD's Brownie Troop to decorate Friday after school for the Fun Festival. Last time they ran out of cakes early so are asking for lots more cakes this time.

Assembling and bringing in recycled goods for event at Festival.

Baking challah for the International Dinner at the Spring Festival.

Mommy and Daughter Dinner Wednesday night. DH has a work event so I may need to find a sitter for Amy. FYI, I have no sitters and can't really afford one but I've begged and borrowed sitting from my neighbors so much I don't feel like I can ask any more.

Thursday night at 7 (yes, the night before the freaking festival with a 1000 things I need to do) be at the school with DH for GT Orientation. Also need a sitter for Amy for this. See above.

Friday afternoon, help Sarah's Brownie Troop decorate cakes for Cake Walk from 4-5, from 5-6 help set up for Spring Festival, then escort Sarah to Festival from 6-9 and then collapse.

Oh and on Tuesday afternoon Sarah has a playdate and I also need to find another sitter for the GT Orientation that is next Monday at the other school she might go to.

So yes, to me the week of TA stuff feels like a LOT on top of that.

ETA: Oh and on her own DD made 2 heartfelt cards for her two teachers even the long term sub who has been cruel to her.

Beth, you are amazing. My hat's off to you. I couldn't do it. I tried, and I failed, and I feel so guilty. But it just got too much for me. It was always more, more, more. I am in awe of the moms like you. I think YOU guys need an appreciation week!

[mommy111]

Here's what I'm doing for the school this week....

Coordinating baby gift for teacher returning on maternity leave. Sub is not so good at returning e-mails making said coordination much more difficult.

Figuring out how to give said sub a celebratory send off without her figuring it out. We do not have an e-mail list for the class, not every family has e-mail and many parents do not speak any English.

Making scones for Teacher Appreciation Breakfast.

Assembling class basket for the Silent Auction for Friday's Spring Festival.

Baking cakes for the "Cake Walk" for DD's Brownie Troop to decorate Friday after school for the Fun Festival. Last time they ran out of cakes early so are asking for lots more cakes this time.

Assembling and bringing in recycled goods for event at Festival.

Baking challah for the International Dinner at the Spring Festival.

Mommy and Daughter Dinner Wednesday night. DH has a work event so I may need to find a sitter for Amy. FYI, I have no sitters and can't really afford one but I've begged and borrowed sitting from my neighbors so much I don't feel like I can ask any more.

Thursday night at 7 (yes, the night before the freaking festival with a 1000 things I need to do) be at the school with DH for GT Orientation. Also need a sitter for Amy for this. See above.

Friday afternoon, help Sarah's Brownie Troop decorate cakes for Cake Walk from 4-5, from 5-6 help set up for Spring Festival, then escort Sarah to Festival from 6-9 and then collapse.

Oh and on Tuesday afternoon Sarah has a playdate and I also need to find another sitter for the GT Orientation that is next Monday at the other school she might go to.

So yes, to me the week of TA stuff feels like a LOT on top of that.

ETA: Oh and on her own DD made 2 heartfelt cards for her two teachers even the long term sub who has been cruel to her.

Beth, you are the kind of amazing parent that I am totally in awe of But, re the last sentence, the generosity of spirit of kids never fails to amaze me.

[citymama]

Um, when is teacher appreciation week again? Our preschool does it, and I must have missed the notice. Does it start tomorrow? I am never prepared.

I like (and I know the teachers like) our end of the year "all parents pool in what you can contribute" plan where we end up with a nice envelope of crisp, cool cash for each teacher, as well as for common staff such as the cook and "floater" teacher. I *don't* like the mandatory "you must buy flowers on Monday and bake cookies on Tuesday" thing that goes a whole week, and I imagine the teachers too are sick of the unhelpful gifts. I think one "teacher's day" would make a lot more sense, and ideally it would not be prescribed so we could celebrate our teachers as we want to, in creative, thoughtful and non-mandatory ways, according to our means!

[lovin2shop]

Yes, I got the week long list of activities as well. I did groan a bit, but think that it is a well intentioned idea, and I'm not sure that I have a better suggestion. If left to our own devices, then I have the uneasy feeling of not knowing what to bring / how much to spend, unequal treatment issues, etc. But, giving a different activity each day means that people will be inconvenienced on different days. For example, my DS really dislikes crafts/art making cards, etc. so these activites will be a major pain for me to get him to do, but are probably pretty easy for others. Bringing the flower is not so much of an issue for me because I can swing by the grocery store easily on my way home from work. But, the flower might be a pain if you have several kids to haul into and out of the store. So, you just never know how easy or small these tasks may be. Also, I feel like this is not that great for the teachers, because honestly, do they care if their students are wearing purple, or whatever? Or if they get a hodge podge of different flowers to have around for a day or two? Maybe they do, but it seems like a gift card would make a bigger difference in their lives. I personally would prefer to just write a check for a luncheon / gift card. But, I have the luxury of that not being a hardship. And someone would have to organize the luncheon, etc. So, to me, there just isn't really a perfect way to handle this stuff. Therefore, I will dutifully force my DS to make a card tonight, hope that it is not too hot to wear his long sleeved green shirt, stop by the grocery to get some baking supplies and hope that the flower I buy tonight is not wilted by tomorrow moring..