How much are you giving teachers this holiday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

I once wrote a wonderfully handwritten sentiment to one of my children’s teachers. I heard through the grapevine from a busybody PTA mom of a friend of my child’s that the teacher was creeped out by the note and went off about it in the teachers lounge in front of the PTA mom. I was so embarrassed I’ve never written a note like that again.

[Anonymous]

$0

Just a nice personal note

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

I’m the PP. I’m surprised you took it that way.

No, we don’t receive a lot. Thank you, sincerely, for the cards at these different times of year. This isn’t usual, however. I teach 150 students. I may get 3 cards. I wrote over 40 letters of recommendation last year. I received one thank you note.

I’m not trying to insult you. On the contrary, I’m trying to explain just how impactful those cards can be. I’m not asking for money, gifts, or anything else. Heck, I’m not even asking for cards! I’m just expressing gratitude for when it happens.

[Anonymous]

MCPS has a gift limit of $20. I’m not sure about other districts in the DMV, but I suspect they’re similar. I doubt any public schools allow $50 gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

I once wrote a wonderfully handwritten sentiment to one of my children’s teachers. I heard through the grapevine from a busybody PTA mom of a friend of my child’s that the teacher was creeped out by the note and went off about it in the teachers lounge in front of the PTA mom. I was so embarrassed I’ve never written a note like that again.

ouch!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:main teachers 25 each, specials (25 each if they teach two of my kids, 15 if they teach one), SACC teachers 25, bus driver 50 (for both kids)

how much in total roughly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

I once wrote a wonderfully handwritten sentiment to one of my children’s teachers. I heard through the grapevine from a busybody PTA mom of a friend of my child’s that the teacher was creeped out by the note and went off about it in the teachers lounge in front of the PTA mom. I was so embarrassed I’ve never written a note like that again.

Sounds fishy. In 20 years of teaching, I’ve never seen a PTA mom or any parent in a teacher’s lounge other than setting up/serving/cleaning up all-staff events like a teacher appreciation brunch. But maybe you indeed wrote a really weird note?

[Anonymous]

How about you give 15?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

I once wrote a wonderfully handwritten sentiment to one of my children’s teachers. I heard through the grapevine from a busybody PTA mom of a friend of my child’s that the teacher was creeped out by the note and went off about it in the teachers lounge in front of the PTA mom. I was so embarrassed I’ve never written a note like that again.

Sounds fishy. In 20 years of teaching, I’ve never seen a PTA mom or any parent in a teacher’s lounge other than setting up/serving/cleaning up all-staff events like a teacher appreciation brunch. But maybe you indeed wrote a really weird note?

She was there for the last-day luncheon put on by the PTA My note only thanked her for being a wonderful first teacher and introduction to school, and helping my child acclimate to school so easily (it was kindergarten, which made it more awkward; I had to see her for years at school pickups!) and how my child was already sad and tearful about leaving her class. Nothing weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a really nice card. The more specific, the better. I keep these in my desk as mood boosters on the toughest days.

This! I love getting cards! Honestly, that means more to me than a gift certificate.

I also read them on rough days. Old cards have actually kept me from quitting. I had a really rough week last year, hitting rock bottom. It was a stack of old cards that helped me clearly see reasons I should stay. Teachers don’t get a ton of kind words.

So the handwritten notes at the beginning of the school year, the holidays, and Teacher Appreciation Week that I write along with a gift card are not enough for you? Good to freaking know.

I once wrote a wonderfully handwritten sentiment to one of my children’s teachers. I heard through the grapevine from a busybody PTA mom of a friend of my child’s that the teacher was creeped out by the note and went off about it in the teachers lounge in front of the PTA mom. I was so embarrassed I’ve never written a note like that again.

Sounds fishy. In 20 years of teaching, I’ve never seen a PTA mom or any parent in a teacher’s lounge other than setting up/serving/cleaning up all-staff events like a teacher appreciation brunch. But maybe you indeed wrote a really weird note?

She was there for the last-day luncheon put on by the PTA My note only thanked her for being a wonderful first teacher and introduction to school, and helping my child acclimate to school so easily (it was kindergarten, which made it more awkward; I had to see her for years at school pickups!) and how my child was already sad and tearful about leaving her class. Nothing weird.

Maybe she didn’t know what to say about the already crying stuff. Like maybe you were asking her for continued babysitting? It’s the only thing that seems strange about what you reported here.

[Anonymous]

Last year the room parent asked for $45 per child (Kindergarten) for a teacher’s class gift. That’s more than I spend on my DH for Christmas, but I Venmo’d anyway.

[Anonymous]

The acting principal sent an email out that specifically said not to exceed $20. I find it odd there was even an email sent out encouraging parents to give teachers money, at all. MCPS seems to get worse every year.

[Anonymous]

Zero because it’s not really a thing anymore I think.

I used to run the entire teacher appreciation program at our school pre-covid. I don’t bother anymore and I’m sure no one even notices the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can afford it you just don’t want to spend the money on the person your child spends the most time with

Lol.

Good one.