[More] teachers' gifts... value of TA vs teacher

[OoohEr]

It's all kicking off on the class WhatsApp...

It has been decided to give the TA (TA1) half the value being given to the teacher, and the same as another TA (TA2) who only does one day in the class.

TA1 is in five days, and the teacher four. On the day the teacher isn't in, TA2 from another class covers and takes the lead.

I think reps do a bloody good and thankless task, but I am not surprised at the disquiet this has caused. I think it's insulting to the main TA1. It's a Reception class and I've no doubt she does a LOT. So far I've kept out of the chat, so I'm using mn instead

Whaddya think, mn? Fair or unfair?

TA 2 will get a present from her actual class so she's getting 2 presents by the sounds of it

Having been the TA I expect they are used to it. I’d be grateful for anything I received. But as a parent, I agree with you.

I work in secondary school now so get (and expect) nothing.

TAs are actual saints in my eyes, it should be equal. Their job is tough, their pay is shit, let's not it thankless as well!

Unfair. But these things are always a minefield and you'll never get a consensus!

I have to admit, I have no idea of how many hours or days ds3's TA's work. And it's never come up as relevant on the class WhatsApp group. We've done about 45% of the overall collection to go towards teacher and then the remaining 55% split between the two TA's.

I hate class gifts
I hate the petty politics of class gifts
I hate it that people are pressured to give more than they can afford
I hate the weird power that the organisers have to decide a teacher and TA’s ‘entitlement’

So I became ‘that mother’ who cheerily says - class gifts are not an approach for me. And sends them all cards. And sometimes buys glue sticks, craft paper, scissors, pens for the class (after asking the teacher what would help most. One year it was tissues.)

It’s embarrassing isn’t it?! Very petty. It should be split equally.

Yes, she will.

I tell you what, it ain't the teacher or TA2 dealing with bodily fluid accidents on a regular basis, and that, in my eyes, is worth a fortune in gifts.

I was a TA, in secondary school, for a long time. I always felt incredibly uncomfortable when students gave me gifts. I would have preferred it if the parents gave a donation to the school. My daughters school doesn't have basic resources like glue. If everyone gave £5 for Christmas it would raise £3000. That's lots of glue. IDK it also takes more than teachers and TAs to run a school. Unfortunately, people tend to forget the cleaners, admin staff, lunchtime supervisers, cooks, IT folk ext.

In your case I'd give the teacher and TA1 the same and TA2 a small token gift.

I'd give a teacher and an assistant the same amount, assuming both were full time. I wouldn't worry about 4 days vs 5 days either.

However, with one person only doing 1 day, and probably getting things from another class, I'd give a ratio of something like 45:45:10 or so, depending on how much you've collected.

If that would mean giving £10, I'd probably give more like 40:40:20 to even it out a bit.

I wouldn't really get involved either though, to be honest! I'm always just happy to throw in a tenner and let someone else sort it!

Leave the WhatsApp group and get each of the teachers a card.

Stop the fucking madness!

There, all fixed.

This is why i tend to do a hamper of coffee, tea, chocolates and biscuits. It goes in to the staff room and every one gets to have some. The school admin are great also, they're responsible for giving my child medication daily and very often get over looked as do the cleaners, the care taker and lunch time supervisors. Also it costs exactly the same as if i bought separate gifts for all 3 of my children's teachers/TA's.

DD6 has three TAs in her class and her teacher.

There is a group present and I couldn’t believe the endless WhatsApp discussions on it. I had already got my gifts so not part of it.

DD doesn’t have much to do with the TAs who look after specific students but she definitely gets more of her fair share of cuddles and smiles and they are important adults in her everyday life. I gave them all the same and the teacher something different.

Also have the office and the Head something because I need their patience some times as I juggle work and mumlife and forget things.

if only I didn’t need the info on the WhatsApp group, I’d be gone after this endless present discussion.

I think there are three options:

buy your own and decide for yourself

hand your money over and let the crazy fool organising it make the decisions.

neither of the above and don’t get involved.

.

Sounds like there are 10 teaching days in total - 5 for TA1, one for TA2 and 4 for T. I'd be splitting it pro-rata 50% / 10% / 40%

Also a secondary TA and we get loads of chocolates.

I'm glad I'm out of this and I was well before WhatsApp groups. I used to give a card and a lottery ticket to all adults in the class.

This.

It's all so extra.

I think there should be a blanket ban on gifts .
It's all ludicrous.
Teachers and TA's finish up with a load of stuff they probably don't even want.
How many bottles of wine, sweets and smellies does one person need.

It's bonkers isn't it. I am definitely in the camp of handing over money and letting someone else decide, but chuckling away watching this unfold.

I honestly think the reps shouldn't have been so open about what they were plotting intending and then most people probably would have assumed 50:50 and not given it a second thought.

The other camp I am very much in is vouchers rather than any more mugs, lip balms, hand creams or general tat, but having absolved my self of the responsibility I roll with it.

As I've been happily rolling for a couple of years. This under valuing of the TA has got my goat though, as well as many others. Lots of goats have been got.

We've always given TAs a better present individually. They get paid less than teachers and, in my experience, support and work more with th students than the actual teacher.