Is a teacher sending a personal thank letter to a child's home over stepping a boundary?

[BoobiesToTheRescue]

Or normal?

I was surprised when DS got a thank you card through the post today, hand written from one of his school teachers.

Probably totally normal, I was just wondering really.

Actually greenpop2 perfumeandoranges has a point - my local council invaded my home through my letterbox today with the new council tax bill... also Scottish power had the audacity to send me an electric bill the other day ... I demand meetings with chief executives and apologies from whoever was responsible at once.

Completely standard.

In the two schools I've worked in most recently, we've surveyed students about the rewards they like best.

Other contenders were things like House Points, treats (non uniform day/film afternoon in the theatre with popcorn/pizza lunch with the Head praising them) or recognition in assemblies.

Overwhelmingly the students said what really mattered to them was their parents being contacted to say they'd done well.

We do a postcard a week per teaching group - alongside house points etc - you just pick a kid who has stood out that week.

It's win win - takes me 10 minutes each week to write out my 5 cards, which are then dropped in at the office & mailed out. It's one of the best things I do in terms of effort/impact ratio.

I've had parents come in to a consultation day months later & say that the postcard praising a kid for generally being a good egg was a huge tipping point in them feeling appreciated.

As a parent at the school where I teach now, I can honestly say dc & I love getting a card.

Ds got one today for improved participation in French (he hates French, but has tried hard recently). Now he knows his teacher has noticed his efforts. He's bucked up enormously by this.

They're such a positive thing!

More info?

For all you lovely teacher who have posted, don’t give up!!

We don’t have a huge amount of money to spend, but our DCs spent hours making Christmas cookies, wrapping them and writing little notes to their teachers for at the end of term last year. The handwritten thank you notes made them so very happy (some in school bags, a couple in the mail as the teacher didn’t have the time to write before school was out.

Wow GDPR people

GDPR

We had a letter home from school saying that they are learning about sending postcards and how they are sent and to expect one in the post in the next few weeks, it's likely teaching exercise

GDPR states that data can be used for legitimate purpose of the ‘business’. Sending a postcard from school to a pupil IS a legitimate use of that data!

It is in no way a breach of GDPR.

Also, perhaps in the age of GDPR, this is crossing a boundary due to the misuse of a persons personal data

Of course it isn't. It is perfectly legitimate to use personal data for the purpose for which it was supplied, i.e. to enable the school to communicate with the pupil's home.

Most parents would be happy for thank you cards but some might not

Why wouldn't they be? Take that to its logical conclusion and people like family friends would have to ask permission before sending notes or cards thanking children for presents.

do think that teachers should check with parents before invading the home through the letterbox.

For fuck's fucking sake what the fuck is the matter with some people? Did you actually write that in seriousness or is it a wind-up? Surely it is? Who on earth would ever be a teacher?

Any GDPR concerns are easily dealt with.

I fill out 5 postcards - we have a range of funky designs for each subject. I drop them in to the office at some point in the week.

One postcard per teaching group goes to the office, alongside an emailed shared google sheet saying which kids, which subject.

The office use the address database mail merge to print out address stickers & attach to the postcards. Then someone pops out to the postbox up the road.

As a teacher, I could actually access details like home addresses, but for this process there's no need for me to faff about doing so.

My child isn't at school yet but the postcard thanking them or congratulating them on good work sounds lovely. I'm so glad I didn't become a teacher.
I did spitmy tea out at invading people's home via letterbox... unless it was a Trojan horse of a postcard I think the ops home is safe.

If you teach my kids then thank you for sending out the postcards for good work. They are quiet and well behaved at school so often feel invisible but it means a lot to them when their teachers publicly announce that they are working hard. They are teenagers so pretend that they don't care about anything but I see their surprise and pride when their teacher sends them a postcard. Thank you.

do think that teachers should check with parents before invading the home through the letterbox.

They're not the SAS. DS has had loads of thank you and congratulations cards from teachers.

We do them at my school.
I've wrote a few of these myself. We write them out on a postcard and they're mostly "well done for.." or recognising an achievement in or outside of school. I think they're really nice for the kids and the parents , and I actually make an effort to make them individual and give specific praise.

I apologise for invading anyone's home.

This is invading the home through the letterbox. 😂

Although again all legit 👍

Ick but that's modern life

Of course it isn't. It is perfectly legitimate to use personal data for the purpose for which it was supplied, i.e. to enable the school to communicate with the pupil's home.

Indeed. But the school isn't communicating here. The teacher is using the student's address for personal correspondence. Unwise.

Oh my fucking god. The professionally offended. Op - don’t be so bloody silly. It’s a nice gesture for gods sake!

Thank you to those who are thanking teachers on this thread. It does mean A LOT.

As for asking us to not give up, it's much too late, for many, MANY outstanding, hardworking, professional teachers who actually love teaching your kids. But it's simply too hard now. And a small, yet significant and very stressful part of it, is how completely overbearing many parents are becoming now.

Having a word with someone's BOSS and wanting apologies for sending lovely correspondence to children, for heaven's sake.

I'm off at the end of this year. Alongside me will be thousands of others. I love my job, I love the kids, and I'm fucking good at what I do. I'm particularly good at getting SEN children to achieve a grade at GCSE when they might not have otherwise. But it's just isn't worth the grief, the stress and the lack of sleep anymore to get everything done for your kids, and then be faced with baseless moaning in response.

Faith if it's school policy, then the teacher will be acting on behalf of the school.

@BoobiesToTheRescue

Don't be "that" poster.....

I find it hilarious how so many people on here start spouting about GDPR when it is obvious that they don't have the first clue what the term GDPR means.

Also PerfumeandOranges I thought the OP was unhinged to even consider this to be a problem but you have taken the lunacy to a whole new level in the space of two posts.