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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to post a friendly reminder about school residential trips?

416 replies

ErmNoNoNo · 27/03/2015 23:09

Seems as good a time as any: lots of school posts (as always in AIBU), the wine is flowing (Friday) and the summer term is coming up (come on weather please)...

It seems every year that there are many parents that are genuinely shocked to find out that teacher and TAs who accompany the class on residential school visits do not get paid a single penny more than their normal wage.

Yes, we volunteer. Yes, we deal with all the tears. Yes, we are on duty 24 hours and sometimes get VERY little sleep. Yes, we deal with the vomit. Yes, we encourage and make sure they get the absolute best out of their time there. Yes, we deal with all medical issues even though, surprisingly we are not qualified. Yes, when its mid-week, we also have to go back into work the next day.

Yes... we would really, really appreciate it if you just say 'thank you', when you pick your child up at he end of it.

(all you REASONABLE parents, I know you do - but honestly, the amount of parents who think we get paid for this would shock you)

OP posts:
00100001 · 30/03/2015 09:40

lem73 feel free to volunteer for the next school trip and help with the level of supervision! :)

How do you know the kids weren't supervised?

00100001 · 30/03/2015 09:41

lem also - how much do you think a skiing trip to Canada should cost per person? Bear in mind that you should factor in meal costs and transport to/from airports as well as the obvious things like flights, ski hire, accommodation insurance etc

MrGumsMum · 30/03/2015 09:48

You have NO IDEA about the amount of organisation it takes.

I have a very clear idea. I'm a Beaver Scout leader. I'm running a camp next weekend. I was doing administration for it for the best part of yesterday, and have loads more work to do in the coming week.

Nobody thinks I'm paid for it. That doesn't affect how much thanks I get.

Teachers know what they're signing up for. They're no different to anyone else who gives time and effort voluntarily, and they aren't treated with less respect than any other volunteer.

BigRedBall · 30/03/2015 09:54

Omg, I've never say thank you to teachers when dd goes on a day trip. It's not even crossed my mind. I don't know why! I always assume they have fun with the children.

Another thing learnt on MN about social etiquette. I will remember this next time dd goes on a trip Grin.

TheFairyCaravan · 30/03/2015 10:03

chicken "as i said they are expensive" - they arne;'t actually considering the activities they do and is full board. If you go to somewhere like Centre Parcs, it's FAR more expensive and you stillhav to buy food and pay extras foractivities.

They are expensive and price a lot of people out, tbh. We paid less, per person for a 7 night 5* AI holiday to Cape Verde than we did for a 3 night/4 day trip to France for DS2. He went to a cheese factory, a bakery, a Sealife centre and a water park. They slept in Nissen huts and the food left a lot to be desired. I did thank the teachers when they dropped them off.

00100001 · 30/03/2015 10:05

fairy how much per person did you pay for that Cape Verde Holiday - including all extra activities, insurance and transport to/from airport?

00100001 · 30/03/2015 10:07

gums "and they aren't treated with less respect than any other volunteer.".. they are though :/ Already people on this thread assumed teachers got overtime, and teachers have said they don't get thanked or any kid of recognition.

lem73 · 30/03/2015 10:08

Do you know what? As I have said earlier I have taken kids away on residential trips and I know how tiring it is so I am qualified to have an opinion. I can see it from both sides.
Regarding my ds's year 6 trip there were a number of things which happened when there were no staff around and the children were able to access places on their own. There were a number of complaints to the school about this and I don't want to say too much as I don't want to 'out' myself. As I said unless there is a change of location and staff by the time dd is in year 6, we won't send her. We'll make it up to her in another way.
Of course I understand why the trip cost so much. I don't think schools should offer such expensive trips.
As I you are not making the teaching profession look good here. Every job has its disadvantages and advantages. Lots of people working extra hours in their jobs. Maybe you could swap places with my dh. He works 70 - 80 hours a week, travels half the month and will have to do a couple of days of work when we go on holiday. He may not have a job next financial year. There's lots of people in the private sector who work like that and they just get on with it. Nobody thanks them. They don't get flowers and chocolates before they go off on a six week holiday.
As I said I am speaking as someone who was a teacher before starting a family so I know what the job involves.

00100001 · 30/03/2015 10:12

A six week Holiday? Are you sure you were a teacher Lem?

00100001 · 30/03/2015 10:14

Also - generally in the private sector - people are getting paid a whole lot more than teachers for the 60+ hour week, they're generally respected in their field, and aren't doing things unpaid for zero gratitude. They probably (not always) get hefty bonuses, or other rewards. Sure they don't get the flowers and chocolates, but they'll get other nice things instead.

TheFairyCaravan · 30/03/2015 10:15

We didn't pay for any extra activities.

We paid less than we paid for DS2 to go to France. HTH. Smile

clam · 30/03/2015 10:16

"Teachers know what they're signing up for."

Which is why there are fewer people willing to do it nowadays - at least, more than once. And I can only foresee that getting worse in years to come.

As ever, with 'teacher threads,' a lot of people come on to use the opportunity to take a pop at teachers generally. How long before someone points out that it should be no hardship to go on a school trip in the holidays because teachers get too much holiday anyway? (Might have already been said, actually). Never mind that those holidays aren't pad either.

Yesmiss · 30/03/2015 10:17

This thread is so amusing! As a human being surely we should thank everyone who does something good for us regardless of whether they're paid or not. Before becoming a teacher I spent 2 decades in industry (travelling/working late etc) and I'm also a mum. I have to say I have had the best time on school trips but I do wish I'd thanked my children's teachers more because, until I became a teacher, I had no idea of the hard work and devotion that goes into the job. That doesn't in any way detract from any other working people and volunteers who also go above and beyond (eg nurses and guide leaders etc).

clam · 30/03/2015 10:19

"I am speaking as someone who was a teacher before starting a family"

Hmm, and you didn't go back? Does that not tell its own story about the demands of the job?

Whatdoesaduckdo · 30/03/2015 10:20

There is something very wrong in some of these schools. In our area staff accompanying residential trips are given one half days leave per night away, whilst this is not huge it is a very grateful break for the staff involved.
I cannot understand how some schools get away with no compensation to the staff.
I always thank staff when my kids have been away.

MrGumsMum · 30/03/2015 10:20

That is my point exactly. It doesn't matter if people think you're paid for providing a service or not, you'll rarely get thanks even when people know you're doing it with no pay.

The vast majority of volunteers get very little thanks or recognition. I only do voluntary work, I know literally hundreds of volunteers, and it is a very common observation that people fail to give thanks. We keep doing it because we want to, and because we enjoy it. I assume that's why teachers sign up for the job, because they don't mind giving time voluntarily.

It doesn't mean I think people shouldn't be thanked for doing these things, of course they should. It's just that I don't think teachers should feel they are particularly hard done to. They're no different to any other volunteer, so no need to single themselves out in a public 'please thank us' announcement, if they really feel one is necessary.

teacherwith2kids · 30/03/2015 10:22

What yesmiss said.

00100001 · 30/03/2015 10:23

The whole "Teachers know what they're signing up for." is a joke.

Did you know that as a teacher you'd be expected to dress kids? Teach them to eat properly? Worry so much about the fact a child hasn't got a coat in the middle of winter that you buy one for them? You use your own money to buy class resources? You give up your lunch break to help that child through his exams? You'd get worn at shouted at? Have that demanding parent insist that their child would never do such terrible things, and you're wrong and now they're complaining about you tot he governors? Did you think for minute that you'd be intervening in a teenage crisis?

Pfffffffffffffft

00100001 · 30/03/2015 10:25

duck "In our area staff accompanying residential trips are given one half days leave per night away, whilst this is not huge it is a very grateful break for the staff involved."

How do you know this? And also, is it actually adhered to?

rollonthesummer · 30/03/2015 10:28

As I said I am speaking as someone who was a teacher before starting a family so I know what the job involves.

When did you last teach, out of interest?

Whatdoesaduckdo · 30/03/2015 10:29

I work in the school
I was at the meeting when it was discussed that it would be staying the same despite one teacher pointing out that another school in the town offered one day per night it was agreed that we would keep with the norm for the area and have one half day per night.
Yes the leave requests have already been approved

MNpostingbot · 30/03/2015 10:32

Sounds a lot like the corporate golf days and similar I used to do in a previous life / job.

Everyone in the office would be moaning "oh it's ok for you, you are off golfing all day". The first couple of times maybe, as I expect the first couple of these trips for teachers/ TAs are a novelty (not quite free holiday, but pros and cons) soon as the novelty wears off it's just more work and means you have another days work (either at home or job work) to find time to catch up on

goshhhhhh · 30/03/2015 10:35

I'm a school governor. We volunteer & do a lot (we are a very good governing body). We all work as well. I very rarely get thanked.
I get that teachers do a lot & teaching is horrible for lots of people right now. & in my whole working career I have never met a profession that moans so much. Doctors don't know what they sign up for, neither do nurses etc etc.
I think most teachers on the whole do a great job but the my life's harder than yours thing really gets me Dow.

lem73 · 30/03/2015 10:36

People in the private sector working 60 plus hours who receive higher salaries and 'hefty' bonuses (!) generally receive that because they are very skilled and experienced in their particular area of work. No they don't get any gratitude. My dh had to drop everything a month ago to fly to the US to clean up a fuck up by a colleague. He had to travel over a weekend and missed my son's school rugby final. Nobody thanked him for that. Not the person who fucked up or his line manager who insisted he went.
Putting my dh aside I know plenty of people working in the private sector earning similar salaries to teachers working much longer than their contracts state with the constant threat of redundancy because that is a fact of life today in Britain.

goshhhhhh · 30/03/2015 10:36

Down not dow.