Gift cards to teachers. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm American and I have no idea. We didn't do this when I grew up.

I think it's ridiculous to expect families to pony up for teachers, specials teachers, aftercare teachers, support staff each for Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Week, AND the end of the school year. I understand many teachers are underpaid, but both my spouse and I have worked at nonprofits and for the govt our entire careers and we don't get monetary bonuses. Ever.

It’s part of the new tipping culture. If you are constantly giving “extra” to everyone, you will be (or feared you will be) perceived as cheap. It is a sham. Don’t buy into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school teachers are notoriously underpaid. That's why some people do it

So it’s charity. The $500+ in gift cards they get will allow them to buy presents for their kids. I would be humiliated if I were a teacher and this is the reason parents give me gift cards.

So if your boss gives you $500 you would be humiliated? What a strange response!

But it not the boss giving $500 is it?
Any professional outside of teaching would be mortified if the people that are in their care were expected to give them gifts.
But teachers in the US have become so spoiled with gifts, they actually put out into the universe what shildren/people should gift them. It is so gross and narcissistic.

Teachers now make gift wish lifts (that aren’t class supplies). Sometimes PTA encourages it, which is also a problem. This isn’t what PTA is for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just chalk it up to a cultural difference. It's pretty clear you aren't trying to understand so do what you want and let it go. If you give a gift card the teacher will not be offended or insulted. If you don't give a gift card, the teacher is not going to look at you any differently. It's fine.

I think I actually do understand and I think it comes from a bad place. You show that you are thankful by saying “thank you”, being respectful, supporting the teachers, writing a card and spending time choosing a gift or making it yourself. Not buying a gift card. We do it because everyone else does it and we just don’t think about it (my case), because we think they need our charity or because we feel they work for us.

My OBGYN delivered 2 of my 3 kids, was an amazing human and professional. He made sure to move things around so he could be the one performing my C section. He stitched my abdominal muscles without me asking him to so my belly would look flat after the 3rd pregnancy. When I went back for my visit I brought nice cupcakes and pictures of my kids to show my appreciation for all he did for me. I would have never thought of buying a $50 Amazon gift card…

Spouse of a teacher here. And some people do say thanks by food. Also, your doctor makes a lot more than a teacher so that is why you don't give $50 Amazon card!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I look at it as reimbursing the teacher for things they buy out of pocket for the classroom vs thanking the help.

I don’t. If they feel they should be reimbursed then they should set up an itemized list and specify what they spent on classroom supplies and leave options for direct reimbursements. Or submit their expenses to their boss to get reimbursement. If there isn’t money in the budget, stop buying it! Kids will learn just the same. Classrooms function (better even) all over the world with way fewer supplies and way less money spent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm American and I have no idea. We didn't do this when I grew up.

I think it's ridiculous to expect families to pony up for teachers, specials teachers, aftercare teachers, support staff each for Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Week, AND the end of the school year. I understand many teachers are underpaid, but both my spouse and I have worked at nonprofits and for the govt our entire careers and we don't get monetary bonuses. Ever.

It’s part of the new tipping culture. If you are constantly giving “extra” to everyone, you will be (or feared you will be) perceived as cheap. It is a sham. Don’t buy into it.

I hope you don't take your bonus.

[Anonymous]

When I was a teacher, I really appreciated these because my salary was very low and many of our families were quite wealthy and could afford to send a gift at the holidays. It is a token of appreciation for hard work. For example, taking a week long trip with my students for no extra compensation that involved camping, driving hours to another state, and cleaning up vomit when kids got sick from stomach flu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at it as reimbursing the teacher for things they buy out of pocket for the classroom vs thanking the help.

I don’t. If they feel they should be reimbursed then they should set up an itemized list and specify what they spent on classroom supplies and leave options for direct reimbursements. Or submit their expenses to their boss to get reimbursement. If there isn’t money in the budget, stop buying it! Kids will learn just the same. Classrooms function (better even) all over the world with way fewer supplies and way less money spent.

10,000% this!
Because teachers are constantly digging into their pockets or schools begging parents for basic supplies, they have allowed the government off the hook.
MCPS alone gets 3-4 BILLION annually and have more than enough money to purchase supplies. But they don't because no one expects them to act like they are in business of educating children at no-charge to parents (which is the law btw).
Name one other government run entity that requires the employees, attendees to bring their own paper towels.
Just STOP SPENDING OUT OF YOUR POCKET AND DEMANDING THE SAME FROM PARENTS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just chalk it up to a cultural difference. It's pretty clear you aren't trying to understand so do what you want and let it go. If you give a gift card the teacher will not be offended or insulted. If you don't give a gift card, the teacher is not going to look at you any differently. It's fine.

I think I actually do understand and I think it comes from a bad place. You show that you are thankful by saying “thank you”, being respectful, supporting the teachers, writing a card and spending time choosing a gift or making it yourself. Not buying a gift card. We do it because everyone else does it and we just don’t think about it (my case), because we think they need our charity or because we feel they work for us.

My OBGYN delivered 2 of my 3 kids, was an amazing human and professional. He made sure to move things around so he could be the one performing my C section. He stitched my abdominal muscles without me asking him to so my belly would look flat after the 3rd pregnancy. When I went back for my visit I brought nice cupcakes and pictures of my kids to show my appreciation for all he did for me. I would have never thought of buying a $50 Amazon gift card…

Spouse of a teacher here. And some people do say thanks by food. Also, your doctor makes a lot more than a teacher so that is why you don't give $50 Amazon card!

Teacher should expect the same professionalism as physicians. Which means, they would be offended by being given a gift card for doing their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just chalk it up to a cultural difference. It's pretty clear you aren't trying to understand so do what you want and let it go. If you give a gift card the teacher will not be offended or insulted. If you don't give a gift card, the teacher is not going to look at you any differently. It's fine.

I think I actually do understand and I think it comes from a bad place. You show that you are thankful by saying “thank you”, being respectful, supporting the teachers, writing a card and spending time choosing a gift or making it yourself. Not buying a gift card. We do it because everyone else does it and we just don’t think about it (my case), because we think they need our charity or because we feel they work for us.

My OBGYN delivered 2 of my 3 kids, was an amazing human and professional. He made sure to move things around so he could be the one performing my C section. He stitched my abdominal muscles without me asking him to so my belly would look flat after the 3rd pregnancy. When I went back for my visit I brought nice cupcakes and pictures of my kids to show my appreciation for all he did for me. I would have never thought of buying a $50 Amazon gift card…

Spouse of a teacher here. And some people do say thanks by food. Also, your doctor makes a lot more than a teacher so that is why you don't give $50 Amazon card!

Teacher should expect the same professionalism as physicians. Which means, they would be offended by being given a gift card for doing their job.

Ok, but they aren’t offended, so…

[Anonymous]

yes, we send gift cards to our kids’ teachers at the holidays as well as at the end of the school year. I do it because I love my kids’ teachers and want to give them a gift of some sort and gift card seems the best option since I don’t know them well enough to know what else they may want. If I give a gift card to target or Amazon, they can get themselves a nice gift from me.

If I ever happen to know a teacher really well, I’d try to think of a more personal gift. But as it is I think gift card is the best. No teacher wants food as a gift as they get plenty of food/treat related gifts and no one wants another coffee mug or candle or Christmas ornament or other trinket/knick knack…so I guess my question for op is if you didn’t give a gift card, would you give them another gift? If so, what?

[Anonymous]

I give a lot because one of my kids is difficult and i want his teachers to know that we see and appreciate them. I cant imagine anyone being the slightest bit offended by receiving a heartfelt gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at it as reimbursing the teacher for things they buy out of pocket for the classroom vs thanking the help.

I don’t. If they feel they should be reimbursed then they should set up an itemized list and specify what they spent on classroom supplies and leave options for direct reimbursements. Or submit their expenses to their boss to get reimbursement. If there isn’t money in the budget, stop buying it! Kids will learn just the same. Classrooms function (better even) all over the world with way fewer supplies and way less money spent.

10,000% this!
Because teachers are constantly digging into their pockets or schools begging parents for basic supplies, they have allowed the government off the hook.
MCPS alone gets 3-4 BILLION annually and have more than enough money to purchase supplies. But they don't because no one expects them to act like they are in business of educating children at no-charge to parents (which is the law btw).
Name one other government run entity that requires the employees, attendees to bring their own paper towels.
Just STOP SPENDING OUT OF YOUR POCKET AND DEMANDING THE SAME FROM PARENTS.

Your kids' teachers are emailing you and demanding funds? I'm sorry, but whatever pressure you might feel is coming from yourself. Gifts are optional. That's why they are called gifts. Do not give a penny if you don't feel the desire to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher Appreciation Week always makes me think of that show The Good Place (spoilers below if you haven't seen it).

The whole premise of that show is that the characters thing they are in heaven but they are actually in a simulation created by hell's demons (bad place employees) to torture them psychologically. So "the good place" is filled with stuff that seems like it should be great, but is poorly executed or just off enough that it actually torments the people who have been sent there.

That's what Teacher Appreciation is. It sounds great! Who doesn't want to appreciate teachers? But in execution, it's actually kind of miserable for everyone, including teachers, because it winds up being a strange interaction loaded with guilt, obligation, fear of offense, and ethical minefields. If you give a card without a gift card, do you seem cheap? If you give a Target gift card, will the teacher just use it on stuff for the classroom? Should you just buy something for the classroom instead? Is that self serving? If you give cash is it offensive? If you give anything, does it look like you are currying favor? If you give nothing, does it look like you don't care?

It's dumb and we should declare some kind of moratorium on it and replace it with something sensible, but I don't even know what that would be.

In the meantime,

Yeah, I've stopped trying to keep up with the different themed days, and just come in upfront with the "Thank You" gift card and call it a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm American and I have no idea. We didn't do this when I grew up.

I think it's ridiculous to expect families to pony up for teachers, specials teachers, aftercare teachers, support staff each for Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Week, AND the end of the school year. I understand many teachers are underpaid, but both my spouse and I have worked at nonprofits and for the govt our entire careers and we don't get monetary bonuses. Ever.

It’s part of the new tipping culture. If you are constantly giving “extra” to everyone, you will be (or feared you will be) perceived as cheap. It is a sham. Don’t buy into it.

I hope you don't take your bonus.

Teachers’ bosses can buy them gift cards or give bonuses if they feel so moved. This isn’t in the realm of what parents should be expected to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm American and I have no idea. We didn't do this when I grew up.

I think it's ridiculous to expect families to pony up for teachers, specials teachers, aftercare teachers, support staff each for Christmas, Teacher Appreciation Week, AND the end of the school year. I understand many teachers are underpaid, but both my spouse and I have worked at nonprofits and for the govt our entire careers and we don't get monetary bonuses. Ever.

It’s part of the new tipping culture. If you are constantly giving “extra” to everyone, you will be (or feared you will be) perceived as cheap. It is a sham. Don’t buy into it.

I hope you don't take your bonus.

Teachers’ bosses can buy them gift cards or give bonuses if they feel so moved. This isn’t in the realm of what parents should be expected to do.

Parents are not expected to give to teachers. It is a nice thing to do if you feel so moved. I doubt 100% of parents are giving to the class pool, and the class parent makes it abundantly clear that it's completely optional.