To expect a "thank you?"

[Penygirl]

I'm a teacher and I've just returned from a three night residential trip with pupils from my school. I enjoyed the trip and the children had a fantastic time doing the various activities. They were well behaved and settled to sleep well, although one group were wide awake just after 5.45 one morning! As arranged, I dispensed medication to two pupils, and comforted a few who became homesick on the first night. However, when we returned on the bus today not one parent uttered the words "Thank you" to me or my colleagues. Is it just expected that teachers should give up time with their own families to care for other peoples' children or is it just my school?

Manners cost nothing. Presumably the teachers are checking who is collecting the child? No gushing speech or gifts needed, just a quick "thank you! Bye!"

I'm not a teacher btw

I wonder how many parents automatically see it as something to be thankful for though?

I used to struggle to come up with the funds for residential school trips and dreaded them. (3 DCs close in age) I would have been happy if these trips didn't exist at all and no one had to go to the trouble of funding them or volunteering. I was not alone by any means. They're a PITA to some parents.

I honestly don't think it's common knowledge that the staff don't get overtime for doing these trips. Perhaps it should be made more obvious somehow?

(Before anyone jumps on me; i've been on both 'sides' of this. I did my share of residential trips when i was a TA for 8 years.)

Meant to say i would say thank you because i am a constant thanker, pleaser and sorrier

Good points Eponas - residential trips can be expensive but generally speaking they do give the children a lot of experiences that they wouldn't otherwise have.
I think head teachers could make it a little bit clearer that staff are going on a voluntary basis (perhaps some already do). When our headteacher was trying to "sell" one particular trip to parents he gave the impression that we were fighting for the privilege of going - we were not amused!

I think head teachers could make it a little bit clearer that staff are going on a voluntary basis

Yes, you're right. Perhaps work it into the letter somehow? Don't know how. Perhaps a low key mention when the bit comes about children being cared for by trusted staff members ... who are VOLUNTEERING BY THE WAY!

YANBU.

DS gave up his half term and sorted out alternative childcare for DC to take his school kids on a residential. He did get a few heartfelt thanks from parents though, which was nice. Glad you've had a couple too.

I remember seeing DD's teacher cry when she said hello to her DC after coming back from a primary residential as she had missed them while she was away (4 days).

I always thank the teachers.

I am a teacher and know you don't get paid extra. The wink was to show I was joking.

And I should read the whole thread.

My DD will be 8, do I need to be encouraging independence at this age? 11 yes but 8? Is this the normal age for residentials? I would love to take the family away to do rock climbing, kayaking etc and it would be cheaper if it was in term time as well! I wonder how many parents actually wish schools didn't offer these trips?

I've taken DofE groups away, straight from school on a FRiday and delivered them back to their parents on the Sunday evening, and had to turn up ready to teach on Monday morning having camped all weekend in the cold and wet and supervised their darlings and found them when lost and bailed them out when their food went wrong and lent them spare socks etc etc and STILL not been thanked by the parents.

I always thank people who have done anything for me, whether thats just the girl on the checkout, someone holding a door, a bus driver, a parent after a party or play date, or a teacher after a residential. Manners cost NOTHING and make the world a nicer place.

When I was in secondary school I think we had an assembly where the HT had a massive go because not a single pupil thanked a member of staff after a school trip. I think there is scope for more of that sort of message from senior staff to pupils. If parents aren't going to teach manners then the school might as well point it out. And I know that schools have enough to do etc. but filling assemblies can be tricky, so there's an easy topic.

Whyis but there are a lot of other children who don't get holidays or sleepovers at all otherwise. And the sleepover and lack of parents add a whole extra dimension.

i've spoken to enough brownies who've been to camp to be pleased my non-brownie DC get to have this sort of experience through school.

DS is about to go on his first trip at secondary school, it was originally offered to year 8 and 9 students, but has been offered to year 7 as places were available.

We had emails during half term, as the school (for that I expect the head of music who is organising the trip) were trying to source the cheapest flights. We had a meeting on Wednesday evening when I'm sure she would normally have been on her way home.

I will be giving DS strict instructions on behaviour (although we don't have issues, but he might get over-excited) and ask him to say thank you.

I was really pleased to see how excited his teacher was about the trip (to the Czech Republic to sing in a festival of Spiritual music) and her enthusiasm was infectious.

I'm sorry if you and your efforts aren't appreciated.

This is an enlightening thread. My DD has been on two residential school trips and it never occurred to me that the teachers would need to be specifically thanked...

Thinking about it, both trips were the whole class so parents didn't really have much choice as to whether their kids took part. As far as I was concerned, they were expensive both in terms of the cost of the trip and the things on the kit list we needed to buy for DD to take. I would have much preferred if the trips didn't happen at all but they were sold to us as just a thing that happened in years 4 and 5 and positively encouraged by the school. It was assumed that all children in each class would attend and I guess if any parents refused, their child would be at a loose end in the school for those days.

It definitely isn't common knowledge that teachers don't get any extra pay for evenings on these trips. But I've been in jobs that involved travel and never would think to complain about extra childcare costs incurred whilst I was away - it wouldn't even occur to me.

I'm guessing that whilst these trips aren't compulsory for teachers, they are heavily encouraged by those in charge? I have been in similar situations in previous jobs. You don't get on in your career if you only do what you absolutely have to do and don't make any sacrifices, I find.

How can you be a vaguely intelligent adult and not realise teachers don't get extra pay for trips and it not to occur to you to thank the teachers? How? Staggering.

And conflating moans about cost of residential with your lack of basic manners makes no sense. So you would never thank anyone providing you with a service that you have paid for? Am not a teacher but cannot get my head round some of the views on this thread!

I am a fairly enlightened and intelligent person Kerala and no I didn't know that teachers didn't receive additional payment for residentials - I had presumed that, like most other professionals, there was a system for time back etc. However I doubt if anyone knows all the ins and outs of many professions.

Ds returned from a European school trip recently at 1am having been delayed and then making a 30minute detour to drop off a teacher at their home. As ds was unrealistically expected in at school that same morning I took him straight home and tbh the teachers equally looked desperate to get away. Ds did make it in to school be lunchtime that day .... Strangely none of the teachers were in.

Yes I did email a note of thanks to the lead teacher and asked them to pass the message on

I guess I just see it as part of their job so didn't realise they'd expect a specific thank you. Especially when a lot of the parents see the trips as an expensive hassle and would prefer if they didn't happen at all. I've never actually been there when they got off the bus anyway so never had the opportunity to say a quick thank you.

I've never thanked teachers after they've organised a day trip, or sports day, or the christmas play either (or anything else that I just thought of as part of being a teacher) - should I be?

I think I just see teaching as a job like any other. I've worked in other industries and have never received pay or time off in lieu for evenings away or payment for childcare, etc.

Residential trips aren't just evenings though.

Well they get paid for the daytime bit don't they as it's in the school week?

Not always. Some are weekends and lots are school holidays.

Yes, they get paid for the daytime bit but there's the rest of the 24 hours where they are seeing to lots of children that are away from home overnight. Does that not deserve a polite thank you?

Yes, was assuming term time but thinking about it especially now at Secondary the trips are in the school holidays.

Clearly some people don't say thank you very much at all. I thank the staff at nursery every time I collect DD2 and she will be saying it too when she can speak. If I get near enough to, I thank DD1's teacher every day and try to get her to do the same. I expect her to thank the leader of every extra curricular activity she does every session. I would like to establish my girls as being polite and have to set a good example to do that.

I am at the attitudes of some people on this thread. When I ran my first ever evening (theatre) trip as a young teacher, the Head decided he'd come along, and not one child said thank you at the end. He bollocked the lot of them the next day, and told them that I had given up my evening for them to have an experience which would potentially allow them to do better in their GCSE exam. It was a very nice MC leafy comp. I now teach in a less leafy school and often run theatre trips. It is unusual for any child not to say a quick "thanks miss" as they get off the bus. I always felt like the kids in my first school were pretty entitled, whereas the kids in the school I now work in are much more excited (and therefore grateful) about extras. Perhaps they also have parents who have taught them that good manners are important.