Do Teachers get more Xmas gifts than TAs

[FestiveBiscuits]

My DS has started school this year and has a great teacher and also quite a few TAs in the class. Some are one to ones for child who need them but others are there for all the kids.

One of the mums has started a collection on Facebook so they each get a voucher rather than lots of gifts they may not want.

All well and good so far, but t this mum wants to give a bigger amount to the Teacher, say around £70 and £5 to each TA.

In the past with my older children collections have been split equally and I feel a bit like this is an insult to the TAs who work hard too.

So is she unreasonable or does the Teacher deserve a much bigger gift?

[oleoleoleole]

I think in general a teacher would get a gift off every child whose parent wanted to purchase one.

TA's are often overlooked.

All gifts are appreciated regardless of what is spent.

[TaggieRR]

We do something similar and give more to the teacher but not as much as that - more like 60/40 split

[SheldonCRules]

TAs can be invaluable but the teacher will put more work in re planning, hours outside school etc so many spend more on the teacher.

[IWokeUpLikeThisHonest]

I think that's unreasonable, yes the teacher might do more/different work but they also get more pay. TAs are often essential to the class and get very low pay considering what they do. And no I'm not a TA. I usually get my kids the same present for each member of staff in their class. I'm not sure about these colletions tbh, I think they can put pressure on parents who may not have the money to contribute but could feel left out and so pressured into joining in.

[Muddlingalongalone]

We're doing £15 a head, £10 for teacher & £5 for ta, but teacher is leaving at Christmas so it's kind of a leaving gift too. £5 is insulting from a whole class. No?

[Greengoddess12]

I was a TA and really my best gift was a picture of me drawn by a child.

Think most TAs and teachers are grateful for anything really.

I used to give all the kids in my class xmas cards telling them what I valued most about them. Probably wouldn't work with seniors.

[AmIImaginingThis]

In general teachers would get more definitely as they do the bulk of the work.

[FestiveBiscuits]

I'm thinking I might just get gifts for the Teacher and the one TA involved with my child. Trouble is there are six adults involved with this class so a collection is probably the only way to make sure no one is left out completely.

[Coconut0il]

I'm a TA, I've never worked in a school where there has been a collection like this but I've been very lucky to receive lots of special gifts. Some children bring things for the teacher and me. Others bring just for the teacher. I would never expect a gift and I'm always very grateful for anything I receive.
I don't think she is being unreasonable as the teachers do a lot more work outside school but as a parent I would think a £70/ £5 split was not quite right. The TAs who worked with DS1 were lovely and sometimes I felt they knew him more than the teacher did.

[TheTroutofNoCraic]

I'm a teacher. I've never experienced a parent collection for present. The children who have bought me a gift usually give a small gift to TA (soaps, chocolate, wine etc). We generally both leave on the last day, drowning in gifts.
Gifts are not expected, however a lovely gesture when they arrive.
My favourite gifts tend to be handmade cards with a nice message, written by the child.
I ALWAYS keep every card a child gives me, handmade or not.

[AtSea1979]

£5 from the whole class? That's not good. I'd say the teacher would be very happy will £40-50 voucher and the TAs with a £20 voucher

[Tigerpaws57]

Teachers also get the "bulk" of the pay by a long shot. Pretty insulting to give the low paid ta a fiver I think.

[Grilledaubergines]

In general teachers would get more definitely as they do the bulk of the work.

I'm not sure you're right about that. They may do the more qualified level of work but TAs don't just do the leftovers whilst the teacher does the bulk. A teacher can't do their job without the massive support of a good TA.

[MistressMerryWeather]

DS1 has always needed a lot of 1 on 1 from the TAs in his class so I usually just get them the same as the teacher.

DS always writes them a nice card saying thank you and merry Christmas.

Knowing all the hard work TAs do in our school £5 seems like a bit of a joke and will probably embarrass the teacher to boot.

[noblegiraffe]

Primary teachers get the bulk of the presents. Secondary generally get bog-all...

[PurpleDaisies]

A teacher can't do their job without the massive support of a good TA.

TAs are wonderful and I'd much rather have one than not but this just isn't true.

[thatdearoctopus]

I value my TA hugely, but it does amuse me when she lets me know she might be missing for part of a lesson/day for some reason and "Will I manage?"
How does she think I managed for the 25 years I taught without any TA at all?

[FestiveBiscuits]

Seeing as this class has five adults at a time I think the Teacher would really struggle on her own!

[YouTheCat]

TAs, generally, get bugger all.

[user1479495984]

Poor TAs. The teachers obviously do more planning etc but they are paid a lot more - if there are 5 TAs then they're clearly integral.

[YouTheCat]

I had to do my own planning today.

[HeCantBeSerious]

We have a whip round for each of DC's classes, and buy something for the class rather than gifts for the teacher (usually a shedload of Lego).

[Overrunwithlego]

We're doing £15 a head, £10 for teacher & £5 for ta is that a class of 30? So teacher is getting £300 and ta £150?? That seems a lot. Can they even accept that due to gift limits?

[Helloitsme87]

The 1:1s should usually get a big gift of the child's parents who they care for, as they generally spend most of the time with them. As a TA with a teaching degree, it is lovely to be acknowledged. In previous settings, I have worked harder than the teacher (story for another day) in my current setting, my teach does the lions share or tidying and planning, but we each have key children and all work ridiculously hard. I would never expect more than a token gift (if anything) but it is nice just to have the acknowledgement. Especially when teachers are paid salary and we are paid hourly, term time only.