I give money and champagne (discreetly)

Our PTA organized some stuff like massages, flowers, small gift cards, donuts and coffee, and a happy hour. Individual parents still did their own thing in addition.

We try to buy supplies to keep classrooms stocked throughout the year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone just wants to whine to whine. For fucks sake. if you want to show your teacher appreciation, do it yourself. Don't look to the PTA to plan it for you, and if the PTA does plan something and you don't like that it's "food related" then plan something yourself. Or stop pretending that the PTA is not you. If you're a parent at the school YOU ARE THE PTA. Don't like the plans in place? Then step up and volunteer yourself. Lead. Although I know it's easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize and critique.

Well no shit. That's exactly what I did and will do. I have already written my ideas for next year down.

But I am still going to vent about the lousy job the PTA did this year.

Did you ever receive anything from the PTA requesting volunteers, ideas, or money for Teacher Appreciation week festivities? If you did and you did not respond to that in some fashion, you don't really have a lot of room to vent. I'm sure parents vented last year about the lousy job my PTA did with T.A. week. Guess what? I was THE ONLY PERSON who actually stepped up to do anything. I ordered them lunch, made sure it got delivered and set up, and thanked them personally, before going back to work at my actual job.

Anonymous wrote:Everyone just wants to whine to whine. For fucks sake. if you want to show your teacher appreciation, do it yourself. Don't look to the PTA to plan it for you, and if the PTA does plan something and you don't like that it's "food related" then plan something yourself. Or stop pretending that the PTA is not you. If you're a parent at the school YOU ARE THE PTA. Don't like the plans in place? Then step up and volunteer yourself. Lead. Although I know it's easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize and critique.

Well no shit. That's exactly what I did and will do. I have already written my ideas for next year down.

But I am still going to vent about the lousy job the PTA did this year.

I'm on the PTA. We do a lunch for teachers and staff every year. This year, we ran a raffle as well and kids bought tickets for themselves, their teachers, their friends, etc. The proceeds from the raffle went to the lunch and we were able to get something much fancier than we did last year. Plus the kids were excited to participate in the process. We had "BEST TEACHER" certificates for them to decorate as well, and did a bulletin board with every teacher's name on it.

I also got a giftcard and wrote a note to my child's teacher, who is really quite exceptional. I don't know or care what other people did for their children's teachers. They're welcome to participate at whatever level they are comfortable with.

Anonymous wrote:Everyone just wants to whine to whine. For fucks sake. if you want to show your teacher appreciation, do it yourself. Don't look to the PTA to plan it for you, and if the PTA does plan something and you don't like that it's "food related" then plan something yourself. Or stop pretending that the PTA is not you. If you're a parent at the school YOU ARE THE PTA. Don't like the plans in place? Then step up and volunteer yourself. Lead. Although I know it's easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize and critique.

Amen

Everyone just wants to whine to whine. For fucks sake. if you want to show your teacher appreciation, do it yourself. Don't look to the PTA to plan it for you, and if the PTA does plan something and you don't like that it's "food related" then plan something yourself. Or stop pretending that the PTA is not you. If you're a parent at the school YOU ARE THE PTA. Don't like the plans in place? Then step up and volunteer yourself. Lead. Although I know it's easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize and critique.

I have so much appreciation for teachers and don't have a problem showing it.

But my school did a lousy job of planning and communicating their formal events. And it was almost entirely food related. I didn't participate...just had my kid make a card.

Next year I hope to be at a different school and will take a more active role in participating. Simplifying the school wide events, and providing suggestions to show appreciation on an individual level.

Anonymous wrote:Breakfast, gift cards. Whatever we did, it doesn't compensate for the average of $700 per year of their own money that teachers spend on their classrooms (national average figure). Most of my upper middle class professional friends (who earn way more than teachers) can barely handle their own children and would dial 911 after 15 minutes in charge of 20 five year olds, so I wouldn't begrudge the teachers.

+1

They toned down the expectations somewhat at our school this year, which was a RELIEF. Now it was only a card, baked goods and flowers.

Anonymous wrote:Breakfast, gift cards. Whatever we did, it doesn't compensate for the average of $700 per year of their own money that teachers spend on their classrooms (national average figure). Most of my upper middle class professional friends (who earn way more than teachers) can barely handle their own children and would dial 911 after 15 minutes in charge of 20 five year olds, so I wouldn't begrudge the teachers.

AMEN! I am not a teacher.

But regarding the teachers spending their own money on classroom supplies, this is why our PTA has increased the amount we give teachers for classroom supplies and decreased the amount we spend on gifts, events, school logo clothing for teachers etc. We think the classroom money is better for the teachers and better for the kids.

Breakfast, gift cards. Whatever we did, it doesn't compensate for the average of $700 per year of their own money that teachers spend on their classrooms (national average figure). Most of my upper middle class professional friends (who earn way more than teachers) can barely handle their own children and would dial 911 after 15 minutes in charge of 20 five year olds, so I wouldn't begrudge the teachers.

So sick of these petty threads. Not a teacher.

cake, water bottle, shirt, lunch bag

What did your schools' PTAs do? I think ours went a tad overboard. While I appreciate our teachers, I think some of the money spent on teacher appreciation gifts could have been spent elsewhere.