Has teacher appreciation week gotten out of hand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
YES!

I am prepared to bet that some of the gestures the PTA has thought of, are of no interest whatsoever to the teachers. I'm on the PTA board, and stay far away from the Teacher Appreciation Committee, it gets so out of hand.
I think our teachers appreciate free, high quality meals (not just cheap carbs) and heartfelt gratitude most of all.
The miracle gift would, of course, be charming and non-demanding parents... but that's a non-starter

The miracle gift would be polite kids!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But her patients don't need those things. Magazines, etc are nice to have. I buy supplies for my students because they actually need them. It's hard to work without pencils, paper/notebooks, glue sticks, scissors, etc.

She buys FOOD for patients who are hungry. I get that teachers do spend a lot of money on classroom supplies, but you really don't have to get into a who-has-it-worse competition. There are other professions where people give of their personal money and time.

[Anonymous]

Here's what I would like to do...optional contribution toward a gift card to the teachers's favorite store or restaurant. Bam. You know the teacher is getting something she/he wants and can use.

Also, have the teacher create a list of much needed supplies or a registry if such a thing exists. Anyone who wants to buy can. Even a box of tissues or an extra ruler shows you want to help.

I like that our PTA opted for teacher lunches where you can contribute food, supplies, money or nothing. Only issue was, I went to contribute money and the default was $200, not 10 or $20, but 200. I kind of felt like if I gave $15, I'd look cheap so I just signed up for chips.

[Anonymous]

I feel like our school has gone a little crazy this year. Different food items for each of the 5 days + daily classroom-oriented contributions, too.

[Anonymous]

Our Wolfrap ES PTA has toned down this- but it's still not so easy for working parents.

[Anonymous]

I don't expect my DCs or DH to do anything for me for Mother's Day. It is just another day. I'm nothing special. I've known more than one parent who expects something on Mother's Day use it the occasion for emotional blackmail.

However, I donated cash for teacher appreciation and DCs will do a card. Doing something one day is more than enough. All week is for it is BS. I also resent people who judge a family by how much the contribute to this week. There are families who help out regularly, and show their appreciation through out the year. There are many ways to model appreciation for others to kids.

[Anonymous]

First of all, a big THANK YOU to all teachers. You done so much in educating my children and others. Without you, I would have to do it myself and I don't think I have the patience for it.

I think the teacher appreciation week is mostly organized by PTA, so don't blame the teachers. These appreciation week has pro and con. So contribute if you want, but don't put the blame on teachers. Speak to the organizer or PTA directly.

Most of the time, teacher appreciation week is fun for the kids too. They get to do stuffs for teachers, like in my local schools, ie crafts, cards, shared recipes, etc. The kids get to know the teachers personally, and they care about the teachers as much as teachers care about the kids.

The thing is if you grumbled in front of the kids every year about having to contribute for teacher appreciation week, the kids would think negatively about teacher, like these teachers do not deserve to be appreciate. Just like mom, not being appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Do we a dedicated Teacher's Day every year? Why not just celebrate on that particular day only.

[Anonymous]

Agree, they get paid about the same as I do as a nurse and I work weekends, holidays, all summers, have had my arm broken by a drug addict, puked on, urinated on, disimpacted elderly, changed colostomy bags, been yelled out by patients, doctors, family members, worked 30+ hours in a row in snowstorms, and usually never get a lunch break on a normal 13hr shift. But I didn't pick my job for the money. I have held hands with people as they die alone and scared. I have helped many people in many years, just as teachers help kids and that is why I am a nurse. I would never be able to like or live with myself if I was a lawyer. I may have more money but I sure wouldn't be happy. I don't demand a doctor pay scale because I didn't go thru the years of schooling they did, nor do I want that pressure for myself.

Teachers work hard no doubt but they get paid well here and have A LOT of vacation days a year. They get to spend every summer and holiday with their kids. I think there may only be 10 weeks a year, they are working 5 full days. It is very hard to appreciate the ones that feel entitled to more like the above poster.


You chastise a teacher for putting himself/herself above others, yet you turn around and do the same thing. Let me return the favor. As a teacher, I work on weekends, holidays, and all summer. I have been attacked by a student. threatened by parents and students, puked on, urinated on, had boogers wiped on me, worked 30 plus hours with and without snowstorms, and sometimes do not get a lunch break. Similarly, I did not pick my career for the money. I picked it because I truly enjoy working with children. Whether or not we "get paid well and have A LOT of vacation days a year" is up for debate. You fail to realize that just because we do not have to report to the worksite on those days does not mean that we are not working. We also spend our summers writing lesson plans, attending professional development sessions, taking classes to keep our certification, working second jobs to meet financial obligations, and completing other tasks that we cannot complete during the school year. You are also completely off in your thinking that there is only 10 weeks a year that we work five full days.

Yet, I do not feel entitled and do not believe that I should receive the same pay as some of the other professions mentioned. However, I do believe that there should be appreciation for ALL professionals who commit to doing their jobs well. That includes nurses, doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, policeman, firemen, the McDonald's worker, etc.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and think it's a little out of hand, but we have never asked for this. I think the PTA (and Pinterest) are behind it, and while I won't turn anything down (we're all super grateful), a day of appreciation is plenty--a week is a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But her patients don't need those things. Magazines, etc are nice to have. I buy supplies for my students because they actually need them. It's hard to work without pencils, paper/notebooks, glue sticks, scissors, etc.

She buys FOOD for patients who are hungry. I get that teachers do spend a lot of money on classroom supplies, but you really don't have to get into a who-has-it-worse competition. There are other professions where people give of their personal money and time.

Why are teachers spending money on supplies? I spent $50 on school supplies like crayons, pencils, paper, glue, folders, binders, etc in Sept bc the school supply list was epic. Don't tell me that wasn't enough to last the year that the teacher needs to buy more.
And what does the Pta do with that money from the Booster tho , school pictures, Fall festival, etc?
Use that money for the teachers!!

[Anonymous]

school supplies provided by parents at the beginning of school year are not enough to last the whole year. Have you seen how many pasted pages in the spirals or writing books? its a lot, and I think they pasted pages to save time from writing from the board like old days.

money from fundraising: ask PTA directly. be involved in PTA. some of the money are use to subsidized cost of field trips etc.

[Anonymous]

All ES teachers I've had send volunteer donation lists for any school supplies they'd like/need. Parents always make these donations.

I am a working parent who regularly needs to work night/weekends and whose partner is away much of the time. I am overwhelmed by the constant requests for time and money that come from each of my kid's schools, in addition to the need to cover childcare on professional days. I feel bad, but am opting out for the rest of the year. I am exhausted, broke, and simply cannot give anything else.

[Anonymous]

At our elementary school, it is so out-of-hand that I have just backed away very slowly and do things on my own for my kids' teachers. I make efforts to recognize my child's IEP team and our teachers in small but thoughtful ways – on any other week BUT staff appreciation week. Having a prescribed week where every child in the class brings in drawings and flowers and all kinds of things seems a bit overwhelming. The in-house food and festivities at our school are for five whole days and include ice cream and salad bars, daily raffles with prices for the teachers, and my God, it's just insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But her patients don't need those things. Magazines, etc are nice to have. I buy supplies for my students because they actually need them. It's hard to work without pencils, paper/notebooks, glue sticks, scissors, etc.

She buys FOOD for patients who are hungry. I get that teachers do spend a lot of money on classroom supplies, but you really don't have to get into a who-has-it-worse competition. There are other professions where people give of their personal money and time.

Why are teachers spending money on supplies? I spent $50 on school supplies like crayons, pencils, paper, glue, folders, binders, etc in Sept bc the school supply list was epic. Don't tell me that wasn't enough to last the year that the teacher needs to buy more.
And what does the Pta do with that money from the Booster tho , school pictures, Fall festival, etc?
Use that money for the teachers!!

That's great that you send in school supplies but in my Title One school, appr. half of the parents send in what is on the list. In the younger grades, it is usually more than half and then it tapers off. I am a reading teacher so I have to buy notebooks, etc for all of my students. Same with the ESOL teachers, etc since the home room teachers aren't going to give away what little they have to work with. Our school doesn't have a PTA so teachers end up buying a lot of their own supplies for the students.