Pressure from Teacher Gifts

[Anonymous]

Room Parents shouldn't be a thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated when room parents seemed like they were asking for money all the time. Then, I became one. It’s a massive, thankless job. Part of that job is collecting for class gifts from the class to the teacher for TAW, Xmas and end of school year. The card will note it’s from the whole class…but is so much better when everyone just contributes to the one big gift. As a room parent, it also looks kinda of cheap to present a $75 gift card for Xmas from 30 kids. I’ve done both and I’ve experienced both as the room parent and as a teacher.

If you don’t want to give or are unable to, don’t. It’s no big deal at all. Don’t stress about it - it defeats the whole purpose of the season. We love your kids no matter what.

If you want to give, as a room parent, giving to the class gift is preferred. As a teacher, I had lots of small gift cards floating around and, logistically, it’s easier to have one rather than lots. (I don’t teach now but I still have a drawer of small gift cards because I often forget about them or don’t have them handy when I need them.)

Teachers appreciate anything - from a cherry greeting, to a card to a gift.

Finally, as both room parent and teacher, I’ve contributed way, way more for class expenses than I ever collected. Again, it’s a thankless job and people get annoyed at you for doing what is your job. And yes - at our elem school - collecting for class gifts to the teacher IS part of the job.

And yet many classes don’t have room parents.

How is this relevant? We are talking about classes that do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated when room parents seemed like they were asking for money all the time. Then, I became one. It’s a massive, thankless job. Part of that job is collecting for class gifts from the class to the teacher for TAW, Xmas and end of school year. The card will note it’s from the whole class…but is so much better when everyone just contributes to the one big gift. As a room parent, it also looks kinda of cheap to present a $75 gift card for Xmas from 30 kids. I’ve done both and I’ve experienced both as the room parent and as a teacher.

If you don’t want to give or are unable to, don’t. It’s no big deal at all. Don’t stress about it - it defeats the whole purpose of the season. We love your kids no matter what.

If you want to give, as a room parent, giving to the class gift is preferred. As a teacher, I had lots of small gift cards floating around and, logistically, it’s easier to have one rather than lots. (I don’t teach now but I still have a drawer of small gift cards because I often forget about them or don’t have them handy when I need them.)

Teachers appreciate anything - from a cherry greeting, to a card to a gift.

Finally, as both room parent and teacher, I’ve contributed way, way more for class expenses than I ever collected. Again, it’s a thankless job and people get annoyed at you for doing what is your job. And yes - at our elem school - collecting for class gifts to the teacher IS part of the job.

And yet many classes don’t have room parents.

How is this relevant? We are talking about classes that do.

It’s relevant because the PP said it’s a “massive, thankless” job…but it’s also one that’s not necessary. As others have said, we can do away with room parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated when room parents seemed like they were asking for money all the time. Then, I became one. It’s a massive, thankless job. Part of that job is collecting for class gifts from the class to the teacher for TAW, Xmas and end of school year. The card will note it’s from the whole class…but is so much better when everyone just contributes to the one big gift. As a room parent, it also looks kinda of cheap to present a $75 gift card for Xmas from 30 kids. I’ve done both and I’ve experienced both as the room parent and as a teacher.

If you don’t want to give or are unable to, don’t. It’s no big deal at all. Don’t stress about it - it defeats the whole purpose of the season. We love your kids no matter what.

If you want to give, as a room parent, giving to the class gift is preferred. As a teacher, I had lots of small gift cards floating around and, logistically, it’s easier to have one rather than lots. (I don’t teach now but I still have a drawer of small gift cards because I often forget about them or don’t have them handy when I need them.)

Teachers appreciate anything - from a cherry greeting, to a card to a gift.

Finally, as both room parent and teacher, I’ve contributed way, way more for class expenses than I ever collected. Again, it’s a thankless job and people get annoyed at you for doing what is your job. And yes - at our elem school - collecting for class gifts to the teacher IS part of the job.

And yet many classes don’t have room parents.

How is this relevant? We are talking about classes that do.

It’s relevant because the PP said it’s a “massive, thankless” job…but it’s also one that’s not necessary. As others have said, we can do away with room parents.

Room parents main job is to help the teacher out for all the "extra" stuff.

How come you guys dislike teachers so much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually like it. I wish someone would send this around for my PreK kid's classroom. Preschool teachers are very low paid and do they really need 20 $75-$100 amazon gift cards? Wouldn't they rather have cash?

Umm gift cards at Amazon are essentially the same as cash since you can buy practically anything there but ok

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does this bother you? Teachers make so little and public education is free. Why not give $20 for the holidays? These people are literally with your kids all day every day for most of the year. I don’t get why you wouldn’t want to participate. If you are truly broke, then just ignore. If you are being cheap, then just give.

They are with kids because it’s their job. Our first grade teacher makes $90,000 for 9 months of work, it’s not that bad!

Where do you live???

I’m a teacher w a masters degree and 8 years experience and I make around 50,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big difference between school experiences here. Teacher in a title 1 school and never received a class gift. I always received a ton of gifts, but a very rare $25 was definitely the most.

Now Im a parent in a very gentrified, but still Title 1 school and I am absolutely appalled at how much the class collects for the teachers at Christmas and end of the year.

How much?

I'm a room parent in a diverse (but not Title I) ES school and last year, we asked for $5-$15 each and collected $70 from a class of 28 kids. My BFF lives in McLean and she said that she was asked to contribute $25-$50 towards the class gift and that the norm is to contribute to the class gift PLUS give individual gifts, if that gives you any sense of what they get in nicer areas. I'm sure it's even more in other places, I've read about the $1000 PTA requests in some parts of DC.

I'm in Great Falls and the absolute most we were ever asked to give was $20, and I'm not aware anybody giving another gift on top of that. Maybe your McLean friend was being generous, but that is not the norm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated when room parents seemed like they were asking for money all the time. Then, I became one. It’s a massive, thankless job. Part of that job is collecting for class gifts from the class to the teacher for TAW, Xmas and end of school year. The card will note it’s from the whole class…but is so much better when everyone just contributes to the one big gift. As a room parent, it also looks kinda of cheap to present a $75 gift card for Xmas from 30 kids. I’ve done both and I’ve experienced both as the room parent and as a teacher.

If you don’t want to give or are unable to, don’t. It’s no big deal at all. Don’t stress about it - it defeats the whole purpose of the season. We love your kids no matter what.

If you want to give, as a room parent, giving to the class gift is preferred. As a teacher, I had lots of small gift cards floating around and, logistically, it’s easier to have one rather than lots. (I don’t teach now but I still have a drawer of small gift cards because I often forget about them or don’t have them handy when I need them.)

Teachers appreciate anything - from a cherry greeting, to a card to a gift.

Finally, as both room parent and teacher, I’ve contributed way, way more for class expenses than I ever collected. Again, it’s a thankless job and people get annoyed at you for doing what is your job. And yes - at our elem school - collecting for class gifts to the teacher IS part of the job.

And yet many classes don’t have room parents.

How is this relevant? We are talking about classes that do.

It’s relevant because the PP said it’s a “massive, thankless” job…but it’s also one that’s not necessary. As others have said, we can do away with room parents.

Room parents main job is to help the teacher out for all the "extra" stuff.

How come you guys dislike teachers so much?

PP that you quoted here. No teacher hate at all. DH and I are both ES teachers and we don't have room parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does this bother you? Teachers make so little and public education is free. Why not give $20 for the holidays? These people are literally with your kids all day every day for most of the year. I don’t get why you wouldn’t want to participate. If you are truly broke, then just ignore. If you are being cheap, then just give.

They are with kids because it’s their job. Our first grade teacher makes $90,000 for 9 months of work, it’s not that bad!

Where do you live???

I’m a teacher w a masters degree and 8 years experience and I make around 50,000

This is the Fairfax County Schools board. You make less than a first year teacher with a BA. https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/FY23-teacher-195-day.pdf

ES Teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- I just feel that if I can’t give my child will be singled and and it will be noticed by the teacher. It doesn’t feel fair. We don’t go out and buy new gifts for our own kids, we get a lot of hand me downs, which we appreciate. I just wish this practice wasn’t done.

Most teachers aren't noticing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I just feel that if I can’t give my child will be singled and and it will be noticed by the teacher. It doesn’t feel fair. We don’t go out and buy new gifts for our own kids, we get a lot of hand me downs, which we appreciate. I just wish this practice wasn’t done.

Most teachers aren't noticing.

Exactly, we don’t have a tally sheets marking them all off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does this bother you? Teachers make so little and public education is free. Why not give $20 for the holidays? These people are literally with your kids all day every day for most of the year. I don’t get why you wouldn’t want to participate. If you are truly broke, then just ignore. If you are being cheap, then just give.

They are with kids because it’s their job. Our first grade teacher makes $90,000 for 9 months of work, it’s not that bad!

If you think their salary is excessive and they don’t deserve a gift, then don’t buy them one. Simple.

[Anonymous]

Room parents annoy the teachers too. Just creates more work for them as they have to now give a job to the room parents to get them of their back. Otherwise the room moms keep bugging them with “what can I do? Can I plan a party?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does this bother you? Teachers make so little and public education is free. Why not give $20 for the holidays? These people are literally with your kids all day every day for most of the year. I don’t get why you wouldn’t want to participate. If you are truly broke, then just ignore. If you are being cheap, then just give.

They are with kids because it’s their job. Our first grade teacher makes $90,000 for 9 months of work, it’s not that bad!

If it’s such an easy gig, I’m sure you’ll be rushing to sign up. Enjoy your pay cut!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I just feel that if I can’t give my child will be singled and and it will be noticed by the teacher. It doesn’t feel fair. We don’t go out and buy new gifts for our own kids, we get a lot of hand me downs, which we appreciate. I just wish this practice wasn’t done.

A handmade card is just fine. Teachers don't want you to choose between gifts and your family's needs. Even a $5-10 gift card is ok.

The best teachers appreciate a simple handmade card. They don’t accept expensive gifts. But the mediocre teachers and the ones with devil personality will dump your little gift cards and handmade cards.

“Devil personality?” Are you 7?