Gifts for Teachers

pennineman

profpatpending wrote:

Don't set me off about teachers! I'm a school administrator and I see just how pampered they actually are and they still have the cheek to moan. They complain that they are low paid, but they actually only work part time hours 32.5 hours a week for only 39 weeks a year. They get over an hour for lunch and a morning and afternoon break when they aren't doing a playground duty. They also get to sit in the staff room stuffing their faces during assembly. On top of this they get half a day a week out of the classroom for planning an preparation. If anybody should moan it's the office staff who work much longer hours for much less pay (but we don't moan 'cos we're lovely!!). Most of them have never had a job in the 'real' world having never really left school (school, uni, then back to school). When I was a lass (many moons ago) teachers worked much harder and were more prepared to partake in clubs out of school hours (football, netball, cricket etc). Save your money on pressies - you pay enought out of your taxes for them! Anyway, rant over.

Just not true . . . . again.

I've just got early retirement from my teaching job. For the last 16 years I've worked part-time. All that that meant was that I was paid part-time but actually still worked full-time.

I'd get to school around 8:00 a.m. and there'd almost inevitably be a child waiting for me with an issue that needed sorting. I'd then work straight through to around 4:30. I'd have no break or lunch. I'd try to grab a bite to eat sometime during the day but often didn't manage it.

Then go home after an eight and a half hour day without a break. After grabbing tea I'd then process all the paperwork that my day had generated and prepare the next day's work. Some nights I'd email parents or maybe phone them. I'd also phone the mentors who worked with me.

I'd probably stop work around 10:30 p.m.

That's a long day. Sure I got paid reasonably well for it but not what other professionals get.

I enjoyed what I did. The only downside was hearing people go on about the long holidays we got and the short days we worked. But they wouldn't join us to share in these supposed perks.

And then there were the days when I wasn't in school (4.5 days because I worked 2.5) These again were taken up with phone calls to school to check on children or to pass on info to other teachers who I had no free time to see when I was in the building. And then there was the continuing masses of paperwork. And work on the education website I run for other teachers and parents. And yet more preparation. I worked out my hourly rate given the hours that I actually worked. It came out to something around £6 or £7 an hour . . .

If you want to moan that's OK but try to get your facts right. And maybe put in the training and come and join us if it's such a cushy job. I mean, why not?

And presents? I don't expect them. If I get them that's nice but not necessary.

And it's the small, quirky hand-made ones that I value. I have one such sitting next to me now. It was given to me around 20 years ago.

seven-day-weekend

milk wrote:

I totally agree with you at my sons school present giving has got a bit of keeping up with the jones's and it really p*****s me off that people with little or no money feel obliged to give expensive gifts twice a year to teachers.

Is that the teachers' fault???????

Don't do it if you don't want to.

Careful_girl

I wonder if anyone has thought about another factor. I always like to buy the children in my class a small gift either at Christmas, Easter and /or the end of the year. I am not saying that I do all this every year but certainly I do buy them presents. If I spend £1 per child over the year that is £30. I also buy all my assistants a present and then there is the matter of all the teaching resources we buy with our own money.......
Just wanted to mention it.
CG

jellyhead

when my nephew left the nursery she bought a bit of wooden furniture for the dolls house (she bought a computer/desk). they were very grateful.

s-j-cooper_2

This is a great thread! Makes me laugh.:rotfl:

looby75

My ds teacher has had a really rough year, she took over half way through the year to cover maternity leave and has been well and truly thrown in at the deep end. She has done a fantastic job with the kids and they all love her, she has been particularly good to my son who has missed a lot of school due to illness. My son will be getting her a small gift to say thank you (the mobile phone charm is a really good idea, thanks for that one OP!) just because its a very hard job that she's doing but she always makes my son feel special, as she does for all the children in her class.

Oh and I also think that it's good for kids to sometimes give a gift without expecting one in return.

plumpmouse

Careful_girl wrote:

I wonder if anyone has thought about another factor. I always like to buy the children in my class a small gift either at Christmas, Easter and /or the end of the year. I am not saying that I do all this every year but certainly I do buy them presents. If I spend £1 per child over the year that is £30. I also buy all my assistants a present and then there is the matter of all the teaching resources we buy with our own money.......
Just wanted to mention it.
CG

Totally agree with this. My hubby always buys all his kids a christmas present and card and an end of summer present. And as you said he also has 3 assistants that he buys 2 presents a year for.

kazstevens

cookiemonster25 wrote:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: like your style

ME too .. :laugh:

Mishy

Teachers do have to put up with alot. They have to deal with the parents that think it's down to the schools to bring their children up.

I think that is probably why the country is turning out a lot of mad children. When really imput from both parents and teachers would probably make the children's lives much better therefore improving the country.

Sorry for ranting.

Careful_girl

Just to make you laugh, I spent break time the other day washing a child's shoes and legs after a seagull pooed on him!!! I think it was a flying cow actually. No time for the for the loo or a coffee oh and no thanks!!!!;) Poo cleaning is just part of the job whether it is children's or animal's!!:rotfl: :T
Back to the reports.
CG:j