Collection for teacher we have had for 6 weeks (she teaches 4 days per week)

[Snowfish]

My DS's class got a new teacher for the last half term of the year. The class rep has suggested a collection for her together with suggesting £5-£10 donation. AIBU thinking that's a bit much for teaching for 6 weeks part time (4 days per week). It's a year 6 class so they haven't even been taught anything & have not had any homework.

Depends.

Was your child happy with her?

You say they didn't learn anything, but did you ask your child or even check what they were suppose to cover?

Also not giving out homework for the sake of it is a plus.

I confess I have teacher and ex-teacher friends'. One use to do supply work at primary level. She never gave out homework as she expected kids to read and play outside school.

Is the teacher leaving after doing a 6 week supply contract? If so, the school will give her a card/ bottle of something and say thanks.
It's up to others to decide what they do. Your standard reply to demands of this sort should be 'I've arranged my own thing sorry'.

It does sound a bit much but assume you won't have any other teachers to buy gifts for? You could reply saying 3-5 pound more appropriate in circs

The 4 days wouldn't bother me.

No thanks.

Why? Why do teachers need a whip round at the end of summer?

5 to 10 quid each?? Bloody ridiculous.

Is the 'suggested donation' really just a suggestion? If so just put in what you would like to give (some people can't afford to give each of their children's teachers that much anyway). If not you could always do your own thing even if it's just a hand drawn card from your DC.

Most teachers I know actively dislike getting all the presents at the ends of terms. One once showed me a cupboard in her kitchen literally overflowing with chocolate and food stuff she'd been given that term.

When I was at school this never happened unless a teacher was leaving.

I've known it make some parents feel like shit because they feel there is one upmanship among parents in their class to give the best quality present (and there have been many threads about it over the last 7 years I've been on MN).

I put it with tipping hairdressers - why?

Ridiculous. She’s been there 6 weeks. . Did you give a present to her predecessor? Why did they leave?

When did these collections for teachers start? Never heard anything so ridiculous.

Why? Why do teachers need a whip round at the end of summer?

They don't. ( I'm a teacher)

I suspect this teacher will be seriously embarrassed if she's given something worth around £200. I'd have thought that if a collective present is needed at all, a bottle of good wine or a decent bunch of flowers would be sufficient.

Agree with echt. Teachers do not need this. Fine if someone is leaving or retiring after a lifetime of work there but 6 weeks..NO!
At that rate you could have 4 teachers over the course of a year. As a staff we only give a parting present if the teacher has been with us for the best part of a year. After 6 weeks we would just thank them and say goodbye.
10 pounds would be for a retirement present for someone who had taught all your children over a period of years. Say NO.

I was a teacher and, honestly, the things that meant the most were cards from parents expressing thanks for how you have helped their children in your class.

This is crazy (I'm a teacher). If you want to give anything 50p each would get a lovely bunch of flowers, job done

I've just finished a supply contract of 9 weeks and frankly been astonished by the amount of gifts I received from parents. They were individual (chocs and flowers) rather than a class whip round so perhaps suggest that if the consensus is to give a gift. I genuinely don't expect to receive anything but after 9 weeks I really wasn't expecting anything so I imagine the teacher will be shocked by a present of higher value.

However don't assume the school will give flowers or any kind of send off. Not all schools do for students or supply.

Well, I know they don't need it or expect it, but a year 6 teacher would have spent the last few weeks dealing with de-mob happy 11 year olds, who have finished the pressure the schools put on th over SATs. That in itself deserves a reward in my eyes. Not that I would enter into the 'you must give this amount' BS! A token of appreciation is much more appropriate.

Have the holidays not started?

I would opt out and give a personal card.

Teacher collections are ridiculous. She will have been paid to do a job at a point when Y6 do very little work for some reason. She will hardly be known to them.

£1 each would probably give her 25-30 quid. A handmade card is sufficient, 50p at most. £10? so collectively £250-£300 - not a chance.

Thanks for the replies. Making me feel better. In answer to the questions. The last teacher left in June half term. Yes there was a collection for him too - again £5-£10 the suggested amount each. The homework for the last half term was set by the old teacher before he left to be in line with the other class, but was never marked or gone through in class, so they all stopped doing it after a week or so. I agree that there is no point setting homework for the sake of it and it has been nice not worrying about it but it felt a bit lazy of the teacher imo. They have been pretty much left to their own devices over the last 6 weeks tbh - just doing projects, watching films and getting extended playtime. I think I will take your advice and suggest to my DS that he makes or writes a thank you card for the teacher tonight instead to give to her tomorrow when they break up. Thanks all

Honestly, I would either put in for a teacher present or I wouldn't. I wouldn't be counting her days a week (she gets paid for 4 days, she doesn't just have a random day at home) or number of homeworks set. Who's got time for this sort of thing?