To wonder how much and how often you give presents to teachers?

[Belladonna666]

The school my child goes to have asked all parents to contribute £10 per child to the teachers communal presents. I don't mind doing this occasionally but they are going to ask for another contribution at the end of the summer of the same amount. This all adds up and we are forever being asked to contribute £ for this and that. I personally think it is more appropriate to give the teachers a present once a year at the end of the summer term. I hardly know my child's new teacher and feel that I would rather contribute at the end of the year.

The problem is that if I don't contribute it will be very obvious as it is a small school with a lot of well off parents for whom £10 is pocket money but we are on a small budget and it is a lot for us to be paying out £40 per year just for communal presents (for both my children when my youngest starts school).

AIBU?

We buy little gifts for Christmas and at the end of the year for the class teacher and TA. DD2 has bought something for the lady who comes in to do sewing/knitting club (the woman has the patience of a saint)

There's an old fashioned sweet shop in town and the kids usually want to buy them a little jar each

Yes noble I am sure teachers do give up time to help with after school clubs/trips etc but teaching is a salaried profession and surely no teacher should really expect to just work 'set hours' - I was in a salaried position for years and worked many, many hours above the set 9-5 (including weekends) or whatever it was in those days. I don't think thanks should only be reserved for volunteers but it is a sad fact that very few volunteers do get any form of thanks or appreciation yet everyone seems to fawn over teachers at Christmas.

Can anyone answer crashdoll's question, I am genuinely interested (not being sarky ).

I wonder how many teachers get their classroom assistants presents?

everyone seems to fawn over teachers at Christmas

Not at secondary they don't! And we work many hours above and beyond our contracted hours (1265) before you even start on the stuff that requires volunteers. Residential trips and so on rely very much on goodwill. It's a shame that a lot of parents who seem to go overboard at primary completely forget even a basic thank you as their kids get older.

don't give presents to teachers!
if you think they're doing well, write to them saying so. if your child wants to say thank you, or wish them happy christmas, let them write a letter or card.
these are important for the message behind them but we can also use them as evidence in our favour if anyone tries to say we're no good...

I overheard mothers from a posh school discussing how they were contributing to a Mulberry bag for the teacher last summer. Whole different world.

'After school clubs, revision sessions, residential trips, sports fixtures, competitions, concerts, plays, proms and discos are all staffed voluntarily'

so when they are being interviewed for the job,is it niot made clear that this is part and parcel of the job?

Perhaps a PE teacher might be expected to run an after school club as part of their duties and have that raised at interview.

I'm a maths teacher. I've done revision sessions, residential trips, helped at proms and discos etc and not once has it been suggested that I need to do this as part of my job. I could have turned down any of them, because they have been in my own free time, unpaid.

Thanks Noble.I am a little surprised at that to be honest.Especially nowadatys when there are so many applicants chasing each job, if I was on the panel I would definitely be wanting to know how much extra-curricular stuff they were willing to do.

In the maths department we are lucky to get any applicants for a post!

I'm not sure that requiring extra-curricular stuff couldn't be argued to be discriminatory against those with childcare commitments, young families, caring responsibilities and so on. However, a candidate may well put on their form that they are keen to set up a science club or whatever. I don't think they could then be sacked if they didn't stump up the goods.

Thinking further, I think some private schools do require extra curricular activities as part of their individual contracts, but state school terms and conditions are agreed nationally, and extra curricular activities cannot form part of required duties.

Yes, private schools tend to state that 'a full commitment to the extra curricular life of the school is required', or something to that effect. I don't think state schools make the same statement.

In the maths department we are lucky to get any applicants for a post!

Seriously? I'm surprised to hear that.

I work in an outstanding state school with really good results, nice leafy middle class area. Last year we advertised and got 3 serious applicants, only one of whom was remotely employable even before you questioned commitment to after school activities. My HOD commented that at their previous school they advertised and got no applicants on occasion so 3 was a bonus. At another colleague's school they have to bring in teachers from abroad to fill vacancies.

Strange! Why do you think that is? Do all UK schools face this issue? I had no idea.

I was under the impression that it was quite hard to get a teaching job.

Starlight - when I taught if I had a TA working with me I got them a small gift. It was secondary so not the same as was not every lesson.
I know work as a primary school TA/HLTA and my class teachers so far have always bought be a gift to say thanks. Last year's teacher used to give me thank you cards with lovely notes in them too, throughout the year - mean a lot!
As a TA I always send a card to the children in my class and a small token gift at Christmas and end of year.