to expect a thank you after a school trip?

[KingscoteStaff]

We got back today after a week's residential trip, camping with Year 6s.

Out of 60 children, 3 said thank you, one mother asked why her child's sleeping bag had not been rolled properly into its bag and one dad complained that we were late. This was true (30 minutes), but we had called the school office regularly throughout the journey back, giving up to date news about the shocking traffic.

It's my job, I know, but I haven't been paid any extra for the nights or been reimbursed for the extra childcare needed for my own children while I've been away.

We had a fantastic time, and I loved watching our classes pushing their limits when abseiling or canoeing, and just hanging out around the tents in the evening.

So should I just accept that the reward is the job and not expect a thank you from the children or their parents? We got a big one from our Head Teacher, by the way.

Another parent said to me that they wanted to know who paid for the teachers and was it us subsidising them going 'on holiday'?

This, plus the incessant berating of teachers, is exactly why I have damn all to do with residential trips anymore. Who else would be expected to be on duty 24 /7 over several days without any recompense / TOIL and then be greeted with the kind of churlishness the OP mentions!

'The teachers all seem so excited about it, I'd never really considered it might be a hardship for them in anyway.'

That's what I call my game face. It's a very stressful thing to do, with so many variables that can go wrong and so many different individuals squeaking and fussing at you, children and parents alike.
But if none of the teachers went, the trips wouldn't take place and I think they are very valuable life experiences.

My dd came back from her residential a fortnight ago. Both she and I thanked the teachers and especially the TA who supported her as she has ASD. I also mentioned to the HT how I appreciated the photo he sent me showing her muddy and happy and the text to let me know she was asleep within ten minutes on the first night. HT also text Saturday morning saying she had been a star on the trip and was really happy that I had trusted them enough to take her away.
Yesterday she came home with the details for next year's residential and of course she's raring to go and of course because the school were brilliant I'll be filling in the form and sending the deposit on Monday.

Not only do teachers not get paid extra, I find residential trips cost me money, because obviously we have to kit ourselves out as well, bring food and so on, and you inevitably end up buying ice lollies for children who have run out of cash, providing bags of sweets and things...not that you mind (I'm so soft, I can't resist keeping my form in Haribo!) but school doesn't pay for any of that either. Well, bit my school.

I say thank you to all those people married. I also said thank you to my teachers at the end of the school year, but I didn't think to after a trip.

Childcare was always a major issue for me, two children and one with SN, leaving them for 4 days to look after other people's children for days.
My parents stepped in with OH, but it was yet another PITA.
Plus the trips are usually at report writing time, so you have to fit that round everything else.
I enjoyed doing it, but entirely for the benefits to the children involved. Like running a marathon for charity.

I did my first residential last summer and it was the most knackering experience of my life (bar labour). It was also a wonderful king rewarding 3 days and my form gave us all three cheers when we returned to school which was appreciated.

No we don't get overtime (haha) or extra for being part of these trips, mine cost me as I needed extra childcare, we run them for the children and to enrich their school experience.

Chops, when my DS went on residentials, he had his own risk assessment which I was involved in creating with the teachers before the trip. The staff were fantastic.

I'll be honest, it would not have crossed my mind that you were not paid to do these trips and that they were not an intrinsic part of your job. I am not thanked or paid extra for nights away from home, evenings dining clients etc in my job, it's just part of the job even when it totally scuppers my childcare. So maybe I wouldn't have gone out of my way with flowers, chocs etc. A bit thoughtless perhaps and now I know for the future (DD1 not yet at school!).

It would be nice if more people thanked each other generally in life.

Ahhh, thats sad.

11 yos are thoughtless (I have one myself) and it probably wouldn't cross their mind that you'd gone above and beyond your normal work hours, etc for their benefit. However I am sure that they had a fab time because of your commitment.

Its a shame that the parents weren't more appreciative. Maybe in the heat of the moment of picking their kids up who've they've missed/wanting to ask them how they were/etc it slipped their mind?

My dd is going on a residential trip next week, I will make very sure both her and I say a big thanks to the teachers.

Ds1 has been on resedentials with boys brigade that have been fab, and I did thank them. The school couldn't address all the issues, unfortunately. I had a few meetings, then sent an email to the ht, saying we were happy about x and y, but still had issues with z. She took that as acceptance. I didn't hear back for months and had assumed he wasn't going.

I went on 2 residentials when I was a teacher. Both times I took about 30-40 children. I only got thanked by 1 parent and 1 child (same lovely family).

As for those parents who think it's a holiday...haha. Yeah I love cleaning up sick on my 'holidays'. I also like having 2 hours sleep in 3 days because they won't go to sleep. I love making sure 40 children eat enough before realising there is no food left for me. I love hiking with moaning children who clearly haven't had to walk anywhere in their lives. I love worrying about the child who is allergic to pretty much everything.

All jesting aside. I did enjoy these residentials. I loved seeing the children grow in confidence and maturity. I loved seeing friendship groups develop. I enjoyed the relaxed environment for showing and teaching them things. I liked the activities we chose to do and so did the children.

I did however have to be on guard 24 x 7. I did have to fork out for my own kit, trip to do the rick assessment and I didn't get paid any extra. The weekend I returned was always lost as I was so unbelievably tired and inevitably I'd end up having to sort out the mess that the supply teacher had left behind in my classroom (no disprespect intended as most supply teachers are fab). I did get pissed off about lost socks comments when we had ensured their child had a great time and came home glowing and safe and sound.

One headteacher I worked for gave us a bottle of wine each when we returned. It was much appreciated. Another headteacher I had didn't even give the staff a thank you and didn't even come outside to welcome the children home. I was fuming.

When I was young my parents always bought the staff some chocolates or something like that to say thank you for trips. Also saying thank you doesn't take much really. I think it's really rude to not say thank you.

We really just appreciate a verbal thank you and a recognition that we've done something for your child that we didn't have to, took effort and planning and thought and that your children enjoyed.

OP I genuinely didn't know that teachers weren't paid extra for school trips! Feel a bit stupid. Actually, even worse than that, I've never really thought about that either way.

That aside, it is staggering that parents don't say thank you whether you are reimbursed or not.

I always say thank you - though have not bought teachers presents before. I will do next year when my ds goes on a 5 day residential so thanks for the heads up on that.

Not presents, just a thank you. Cards are lovely, I keep them.

I'm a teacher and I've organised several day/theatre trips and almost never had a thank you. It is the most stressful experience. Perhaps my problem is that I take the risk assessment too seriously, as once you have thought about everything that can go wrong you become convinced that something will. Therefore, all roads, tube stations, coaches, the Thames, etc become places of horror when you have sole responsibility for other people's children. I don't do residential trips. I can't be at that level of stress for longer than a day, especially when you don't sleep at night (due to hysterical teenagers trying to get into each other's rooms!). I can't leave my own small children for that long and finally, I am haunted by that teacher who went to prison because a child drowned when he was in charge of a trip.
It is insane really isn't it? Pupils are taken away, often abroad or to do dangerous activities by people that aren't being paid for their time. We are so lucky to have such excellent teachers who go above and beyond their salary and responsibilities. I remember really fondly the trips I had at school, and I remember my mum marching me back to the coach to say thank you after we got back from France in the early hours of the morning age 12.

In years gone by I used to get a handful of "thank you"s from children or parents collecting them from after school clubs, but I haven't had a single one for several years. Just complaints about why there aren't more clubs, or why they've only got two pieces of art in this block, why we're not awarding gymnastics badges like the local sports club, etc. Again, it's something teachers are not paid for and I know it's only an hour or so, but it's still delaying the time I can get back to tidy my classroom and set it up for the next day until nearly 5pm as many children are collected late and that room needs clearing first. I have to extend the time my DC are with the childminder and I have to work later at night when I get home.
I do it happily, as I know the children love it and it broadens their experience, but it still feels symptomatic of the "me, me, me" society that we seem to be developing. I will only run one club a week now, not the three I've done the past.

I will thank profusely any teacher who teaches well, provides good pastoral care and goes above and beyond. Likewise I will deal with any issue that concerns me in relation to achievement, poor teaching and inconsistent discipline.

- I have done many residentials in my time and know how knackering it is, despite it being hugely rewarding.

Also my DC have done a fair few (not to mention the cubs/brownies/scouts camping trips) and I have never knce had to remind them to say thank you to the staff who took them

Maybe your class / parents are just not used to saying thank you when people go the extra mile?

I worked as an Activity Instructor at a couple of Outdoor Centres and have the utmost respect and admiration for the teachers that bring the children to us.

Days starting at 6am, often after having been up through the night comforting the children that are homesick or scared about the next days activities; with them every minute of every day until bedtime; still having to be responsible for behaviour but for twice as long as an average day; making sure they eat and drink enough, wear the right clothes, suncream etc etc

And that's without all the prep, such as Risk Assessments, medical requirements etc.

I always made a point at the last activity with the kids to do a 'best bits about the trip' chat and always rounded it off with them giving a big thanks to the teachers.

It's a real shame that parents just aren't able to see what you do in the week, and how far the kids come along.

I say thank you each day I collect dd from school not least because I appreciate their efforts and input but also because good manners were instilled in me from an early age and I find it very hard not to say thank you anyway. My children are the same I remember ds when going through a rebellious stage complaining that he could never manage to be as rude and stroppy as his mates as the please and thank you just came out automatically

I probably never said thank you to my teachers for putting on a school play

I used to spend hours of my own time every year on these, including evening and weekend rehearsals, writing and adapting scripts and making props. One year my colleagues and I didn't receive a single thank you and we were very hurt.

Thank yous for residentials were few and far between too and I can't believe some parents seriously thought teachers got paid for them. The ones I took were often over half term - so I gave up my holidays to work 24/7. Some day trips I took arrived back at school late in the evening. I once drove a party back from the theatre arriving back after midnight and having to be in school the next day as normal.

I didn't want presents - cards are always nice - but a simple expression of appreciation would have gone a long way.

My daughter who is in year 6, went on one of these outward bound trips last october. She had a wonderful time and tried lots of new activities. She still talks about it as the best week of her life! We both thanked the teachers when they got back, but I noticed that many didn't. I know it must have been a hard week for the teachers, they gave up their time, and took on a huge amount of responsibility, so thank you to all those teachers who do it! :)

I used to be a brownie leader, and we often took the brownies on trips or weekend activities, and I used to be amazed at how some of the parents didn't acknowledge this with a simple thank you.

I am a teacher and no longer expect a "thankyou" after years of doing trips as it so rarely happens. I just remind myself I do it for the kids not their parents. It does get annoying when parents are late for pick up as it makes me late to get back home to my own kids. Parents who are late never say thankyou.

I am doing a count this weekend of the times I thank someone for doing something that is just doing their job. I think it'll get quite high. I don't really buy that argument for not doing it and given that I have managed to thank doctors and nurses looking after me and my family when we were under extreme pressure in emergency situations and our minds were preoccupied, I'm not sure I accept the "we were just thinking of our children" one either. But i guess no one should expect to receive thanks-I just expect to give it.