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Original poster

Feel fed up when parents don’t say thank you to TA’s at the end of term.

86 replies

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 15/07/2020 16:43

I’ve been in this whole time. Had key worker children and a bubble of my own. We have worked so hard to make this last term fun and as normal as we can, buying ingredients for baking and crafts out of our own money etc and today as 3 of the children finished for the holidays I didn’t even get ‘have a good summer’ never mind ‘thank you’ from the parents.
I don’t expect gifts, just a bit of thought. I’m just having a moan really. TA’s get really good relationships with children, we often have more time than the class teacher. Just feel a bit deflated. Only 4 days left I suppose.

OP posts:

RosieLemonade · 15/07/2020 17:21

I know what you mean. I hate when people done appreciate the TA as they have a different but maybe more involved relationship with the children?
Saying that I taught a class for 3 years. Same 30 kids and me all day every day. On my last day as their teacher 3 of them said have a good summer and only 3 said thank you for the present I gave them.

Drivingdownthe101 · 15/07/2020 17:24

We always buy the TA a gift and the DC make them a card.
It was trickier this time as their normal class TA’s weren’t with them in their bubble, but we bought the TA in the bubble with them a gift.

Drivingdownthe101 · 15/07/2020 17:24

Ours had a teacher and a TA in their bubble.

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CoronaIsShit · 15/07/2020 17:25

Do you really need a personal thank you for doing your job?

GreenTulips · 15/07/2020 17:28

Do you really need a personal thank you for doing your job?

TAs get involved with the children in a level teachers don’t.

I mean I thank shop assistants, the post man, delivery drivers - why wouldn’t you say thank you?

Drivingdownthe101 · 15/07/2020 17:29

@CoronaIsShit

Do you really need a personal thank you for doing your job?

I like to thank the people who have cared for my children.

pinkgin85 · 15/07/2020 17:30

Our reception parents group got the same gift for the class teacher along with the TAs, it would be rude not to

Gardenista · 15/07/2020 17:33

I appreciate that TA s at my daughter's primary school, they do a fab job and yes, possibly more personal involvement than the class teacher. In addition, they are I understand on much lower salary than the class teachers. I make a point to buy them a gift and will spend more than for the teachers. Similarly at work I give my admin team a proper gift at Christmas and my manager a card.

My daughter's TA is actually in charge of their bubble. I bought her a gift (bulky plant I know she will like) but gave it on Monday as on the last day she will have other gifts to carry home.

LuvMyBoyz · 15/07/2020 17:34

I was a teacher for 30 years. Never expected a Thank You for doing my job. I did it because I loved it and enjoyed working with young people.

Drivingdownthe101 · 15/07/2020 17:35

@LuvMyBoyz

I was a teacher for 30 years. Never expected a Thank You for doing my job. I did it because I loved it and enjoyed working with young people.

Would have been nice if you’d got one though, surely?

BrexitBingoGenerator · 15/07/2020 17:36

I've just been packing up presents for my children's teachers and ta's just now. Between 2 kids, there are seven! That's a lot of stuff and a lot of people to think of. I don't mean to be rude, but people have had a lot on recently and they just might genuinely have not thought of you because they have so much else on their minds. Many of your bubble kids will have parents who are NHS, frontline services or just really vulnerable. It isn't nice to be left unacknowledged, but it is understandable during a global pandemic I think.

BwanaMakubwa · 15/07/2020 17:37

I have been an educational psychologist for about 20 years. I haven't got everything right but it wouldn't be boastful to say that I have transformed the circumstances of several hundred struggling children over that period, often knowing families of
children in the more complex circumstances for 5-10 years at a time. I have had one thankyou card ever.

Most jobs you just learn not to expect it.

OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 15/07/2020 17:38

At infants I always included TA as I knew who they were, they dealt with my DCs etc. In Juniors I have no clue who they are, not their name, what they look like, if they deal with the DC as often so I don't buy for the TA now.

Drivingdownthe101 · 15/07/2020 17:42

@OhLookHeKickedTheBall

Can’t your DC tell you who their TA’s are? Mine are 6 and 4, I just asked them their TA’s name and went from there!

OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 15/07/2020 17:54

driving the answer seems to change regularly. We've come to assume there's no consistent TA in their school unless a child has a 1 to 1 (eldest has been there 2 years and none of her friends says anything different to DD).

Drivingdownthe101 · 15/07/2020 17:57

@OhLookHeKickedTheBall

Fair enough!

EggysMom · 15/07/2020 18:01

I have no idea who have been teachers/TAs to our son since CV19 hit, our son has been in a bubble at his SEN school and I've only ever heard from the senior leadership team, not a class teacher. Our son comes home by bus - I can say a thankyou to the travel escort as we see her every day!

stopringingme · 15/07/2020 18:29

I buy for my DD's 1:1, the class TA, the class Teacher and the school administrator as she has done a lot for my DD.

Original poster

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 15/07/2020 18:44

Hi all, sorry for my moan. I’m not talking about cards and presents, and it’s different for those of you who don’t even see the TA. These are the parents who have collected their child from me at the door for the last 12 or so weeks. Just felt a bit sad that a casual ‘bye’ from them was underwhelming. It’s probably just the weird times we’ve been through- because of the small groups I’ve felt very close to them all.

OP posts:

unicornparty · 15/07/2020 18:49

I don't even know my ds' TA's name, actually I'm not sure if they have one. I guess they must do, he's in year 5.

danni0509 · 15/07/2020 19:03

It's the TA I thank more than the teacher, ds has autism and has full time 1-1, I get his actual class teacher a box of chocolates a big box of milk tray or something but I always get the Ta a gift voucher.

She works bloody hard!

Sirzy · 15/07/2020 19:06

Prior to this term I have always sent in a small present for the class TA as well as the teacher.

Ds has a 1-1 and this term we can’t send in presents but I have made sure I have sent a letter of thanks to her as well as the class teacher

FireUnderpants · 15/07/2020 19:45

Not even a ‘Thank you, have a nice summer.' is just rude.

I haven’t bought a gift for all the TAs every year. In KS2 DDs didn’t always spend a lot of time with theirs as the TA would have their own group of children who needed extra support. But at the very least would put a nice message in a card.

I think some people underestimate what a TAs role is, and think they stay in the corner sharpening pencils all day.

LolaSmiles · 15/07/2020 19:48

Not even a thank you or well wishes for the holidays is a bit rude in my opinion.

I can understand not getting cards and presents because not all parents will know the different roles of a TA, some schools may still have general TAs one per class but many it's a child having 1-1.

betteliefsen · 15/07/2020 19:54

I think it'd be nice to say thank you if you see them at the end of the day when you collect your children but buying a present isn't necessary. I'd get them both a card if I wanted to do anything.

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