Why do we feed teachers for "staff appreciation" when we have so many families below poverty level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you. It is the same people who volunteer, give food, etc. That's how it works at every school. No one expects 100% parent participation so if you don't want to participate don't. No one is making you feel guilty about it except yourself. Teachers work hard, so do most people, no one is denying that. It is simply an easy way to show appreciation. I am sorry you are not appreciated at your job. Believe me, many lawyers, brokers, sales people are with far more fabulous things than an awesome home cooked lunch.

Yes, and there is a quid pro quo-that's why I used to volunteer. Thank god those years are gone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are among those who receive the lowest SAT scores.

I really think you're one of the low scorers.

And if you have to ask why, well then, there's your answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do PTSAs demand pies for teachers on Pi Day, and on staff appreciation day and on ... . Well, you get my drift. I see this at a school where many kids are supposedly without the means to have a good meal. So, teachers why don't you tell our PTSA people to make a difference by feeding the needy?

My family were originally from China where teachers are highly regarded. When my sister and I started our graduate study in the US 8 years ago, I chose to major in business and she wanted to study education because she loved children and she thought that it was an honorable job. Now 6 years after we both graduated from school I have paid off my student loans, and bought a house I wanted while she still having 10,000+ in student loans and renting the same one bed room apartment we once shared together.

When she first started, she worked about 10 hours a day during week days and also worked many hours during the weekend to plan for her lessons, prepare for classroom materials and grade student works. She also spent several hundred dollars per school year to purchase classroom materials that her school did not provide. Now, she is an experience teacher but still spending hours of her own time modifying her lessons, creating new center activities and grading students works. I often joke that I have 2 children but she has 28. In my company, I might put in an extra hour on busy days if needed, and my boss is certainly to let me know that the extra work I put in is very much appreciated, but I wonder how many times my sister gets praise on all the extra hours she did for her work.

One of my children is attending a private school, and I have been trying to recruit my sister to teach in the school my child is attending because the class size is so much smaller and the teachers get a lot of support from the PTA and the principal. But she likes her school and thinks that she is in the place where she is needed the most.

If you think that bringing food for teachers is too much, you should come to private schools and see the parents lavish each of the teachers with a $500 gift card for Christmas. Teachers like my sister will not care for a pie or any gift cards but they will care if they feel that they are not respected by the parents. If you want good teachers to stay in public school system to educate your children, please show them the respect they deserved and make them feel that they are valued.

[Anonymous]

Well, I am not from China and am a third generation teacher. Frankly, I don't need to be fed by PTAs or PTSAs which are doing nothing more than currying favor with teachers usually to benefit their own children.

I love to earn the respect of students and parents and I am vehemently opposed to any form of gift giving. Drop me a note of appreciation, or drop by and express your appreciation in person and I am more than happy.

Yes, private school parents do shower teachers with gifts. So do parents in the wealthier parts of this county. That, by no means is justification to carry on the practice.

Talk about equity? Then only allow things any parent can afford to do--express words of thanks.

[Anonymous]

My kid's private school had an annual Mother's Luncheon. I never attended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Feeding hungry children is NOT the mission of the PTA. If there are starving children, then it should be both their parents' responsibility. If they can't do it, then it should be the government's or a humanitarian organization's responsibility. The PTA is supposed to fund programs that enrich the education of ALL children. The teacher appreciation luncheons are only a small portion of the PTA's budget since most of a PTA's budget should go to support all children. Feeding hungry kids, while of course noble, is cherry picking, which the PTA frowns upon.

Oh, I don't know.

"The overall purpose of PTA is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children."

http://www.pta.org/about/content.cfm?ItemNumber=944&navItemNumber=552

Oh give me an F'ing break on feeding the poor kids. They already get free breakfast, free lunch and free backpacks of free food for the weekends. Can their parents not pick up the slack for the 7 meals of dinner. Does the government and PTA have to feed these kids 100% while their parents are at the nail salon and getting their new iPhones and sneakers? When did parents not become accountable to feed their kids? If you enable them, they will never manage their money or take care of their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do PTSAs demand pies for teachers on Pi Day, and on staff appreciation day and on ... . Well, you get my drift. I see this at a school where many kids are supposedly without the means to have a good meal. So, teachers why don't you tell our PTSA people to make a difference by feeding the needy?

My family were originally from China where teachers are highly regarded. When my sister and I started our graduate study in the US 8 years ago, I chose to major in business and she wanted to study education because she loved children and she thought that it was an honorable job. Now 6 years after we both graduated from school I have paid off my student loans, and bought a house I wanted while she still having 10,000+ in student loans and renting the same one bed room apartment we once shared together.

When she first started, she worked about 10 hours a day during week days and also worked many hours during the weekend to plan for her lessons, prepare for classroom materials and grade student works. She also spent several hundred dollars per school year to purchase classroom materials that her school did not provide. Now, she is an experience teacher but still spending hours of her own time modifying her lessons, creating new center activities and grading students works. I often joke that I have 2 children but she has 28. In my company, I might put in an extra hour on busy days if needed, and my boss is certainly to let me know that the extra work I put in is very much appreciated, but I wonder how many times my sister gets praise on all the extra hours she did for her work.

One of my children is attending a private school, and I have been trying to recruit my sister to teach in the school my child is attending because the class size is so much smaller and the teachers get a lot of support from the PTA and the principal. But she likes her school and thinks that she is in the place where she is needed the most.

If you think that bringing food for teachers is too much, you should come to private schools and see the parents lavish each of the teachers with a $500 gift card for Christmas. Teachers like my sister will not care for a pie or any gift cards but they will care if they feel that they are not respected by the parents. If you want good teachers to stay in public school system to educate your children, please show them the respect they deserved and make them feel that they are valued.

spot on

I'm glad your sister feels fulfilled.

I've told my kids (and I swear on my dad's grave) that if they take the education route, I won't be paying for college.

We are a two-teacher HH, and while our salaries are solid b/c we're both vets, I've seen the system deteriorate to such a point that I do worry about my own children's education.

[Anonymous]

For 8 years I brought in homemade chili to my kids school. But it bothered me that I never got one thank you. And when I used to go into to volunteer making copies or helping in computer lab the teachers were not friendly. If my coworkers or neighbors were like that I would call them rude. Maybe years of being under appreciated. Just very strange to me the overall attitude, not every teacher, a few were polite but more were not. Now kids in high school and middle school and teachers seem to be normal/friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For 8 years I brought in homemade chili to my kids school. But it bothered me that I never got one thank you. And when I used to go into to volunteer making copies or helping in computer lab the teachers were not friendly. If my coworkers or neighbors were like that I would call them rude. Maybe years of being under appreciated. Just very strange to me the overall attitude, not every teacher, a few were polite but more were not. Now kids in high school and middle school and teachers seem to be normal/friendly.

Maybe your chili isn't that good. Or maybe the teachers at that school just aren't chili fans. Or maybe elementary teachers are overworked and are "in the zone", especially when they're in the copy room and trying to figure out how to make their copies on a barely functioning machine, go to the bathroom, shovel down part of their lunch, contact a parent and attend a mandatory data chat before picking their class up from the cafeteria.

Or maybe they're just all rude people. Or maybe you feel you deserve everyone to fawn over you for making a pot of chil and volunteering a few times a year. Do you expect accolades every time you do something nice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are among those who receive the lowest SAT scores.

I really think you're one of the low scorers.

And if you have to ask why, well then, there's your answer.

my SATs scores were in the 90th percentile.

[Anonymous]

Then why have you written SATs scores? Is it now plural?
Careless and sloppy. Great way to set an example for the students.

[Anonymous]

I don't really understand why people think the teachers are a secret cow when people constantly complain about how they do a terrible job, get terrible SATs scores, aren't that smart, or just you just union stooges.

meanwhile I bet none of you guys wouldn't last a week in a classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 8 years I brought in homemade chili to my kids school. But it bothered me that I never got one thank you. And when I used to go into to volunteer making copies or helping in computer lab the teachers were not friendly. If my coworkers or neighbors were like that I would call them rude. Maybe years of being under appreciated. Just very strange to me the overall attitude, not every teacher, a few were polite but more were not. Now kids in high school and middle school and teachers seem to be normal/friendly.

Maybe your chili isn't that good. Or maybe the teachers at that school just aren't chili fans. Or maybe elementary teachers are overworked and are "in the zone", especially when they're in the copy room and trying to figure out how to make their copies on a barely functioning machine, go to the bathroom, shovel down part of their lunch, contact a parent and attend a mandatory data chat before picking their class up from the cafeteria.

Or maybe they're just all rude people. Or maybe you feel you deserve everyone to fawn over you for making a pot of chil and volunteering a few times a year. Do you expect accolades every time you do something nice?

Sounds like you are one of those bitchy teachers that PP is referring too. There is no excuse to not say thank you to someone who goes out of their way to show appreciation. PP wasn't making a big deal of it and it makes no difference if the chili was good or not. The fact that you reference it shows have pathetically rude YOU are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because teachers are a sacred cow. Just watch how many people are going to jump on you for asking this question.

Teachers are paid very fairly (on par with most other well-paid professionals when you compare hour-to-hour), have great work schedules, and good job stability. I am sick of their martyrdom and everyone else's putting them on a pedestal.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then why have you written SATs scores? Is it now plural?
Careless and sloppy. Great way to set an example for the students.

Most people take the SATs more than once.