How to thank teachers

[kmg1]

The 'teachers' thread has left me feeling really fed up.

My boys attend a fantastic (state) school, and the staff there are ALL absolutely BRILLIANT. I want to thank them and encourage them and make them realise they are appreciated by me. I try to do this - obviously we sent Christmas prezzies and cards with notes in ...

Clearly teachers get some satisfaction from seeing the progress the children make, but I hate to think that my boys' teachers might think that we regard them in the way some posters on here regard their teachers.

So ... on Thursday ds1 came home with a little leaflet about the forthcoming term's work (Year 2). And it was fantastic - brief, but extremely informative, and very well put together. Both dh and I commented how helpful it is. ... Also on the first day of term he had written a book review for her (unrequested), and she read it, and wrote 3 or 4 really inspiring sentences for him about it, and about books/reading in general - on the first day of term - I'm sure she had plenty of other things to do with her time ... I don't see ds1's teacher at all during the week unless I seek her out specially. Should I seek her out specially to thank her and comment, or is that too creepy? I could put a note in his reading book, but that seems even more formal and uncomfortable.

So you teachers out there - do you get thanked/encouraged enough/at all by parents. What do you think?

A bit like a black board sized computer display mounted on the wall. It means that you can power point your lesson, use animations and film clips (think how good it would be to use to teach the Heart or Lung function) . You can use a special marker pen to 'write' on them and so can the kids. So you can have puzzles etc loaded that the kids can do as a whole class activity. They are usualy internet capable, so you can show the kids cutting edge stuff from places like the National History Museum website etc etc. The kids can do presentaions, Oh, I so want one in my lab!

Fisil, that comment of your was tempting fate!!!!

he he

suedonim - interactive whiteboard is linked to a computer. You can use it as a large display or you can interact witht he board. That is you can sue special pens to write onthe board, maybe to highlight or add some details, and you can touch the board to click on icons from the screen, etc. It works with a big projector, mine is mounted ont he ceiling, and it can be linked to the school network. I also have a remote cotrol which means I can move onto the next page of my power point presentation using that rather tha pressing the mouse, etc. A fab toy!!! Sorry - teaching tool

To my amazement, they have them in at least half the classes at my children's (state) primary. My ds had been allowed to take in a CD of some of the lego films he's made to show the rest of the class. I asked him how they managed, all crowding round the monitor, and he said airily "no, we didn't do that, we used the whiteboard" in a "you're so stoooopid" voice.

i am getting an interACTIVE WHITEBOARD SOON!
they have money for only one and thougth who would make the most use of it....
oh popsycal....

You will love it Popsy! Make sure you're not logged onto MN when you attach it to the laptop though

I use them in the ICT room all the time...
but one in my own classroom!!!!!

That'll be so fab Popsycal. Do you have lots of Power Point stuff planned? I have never used that programme so much

i can use powerpoint already using a prjector with my computer...but it'll be sooo much easier!
i also use 'drop down' menus in MSword alot too
very useful for 'quizzes' (ie informal tests!!!)

come to popsycal's bar!

Go on, go on, go on.

Wow, they sound great. I asked dd1 if they had any at her school and yes, they do. She gave me a quick tutorial, in her bored 16year-old-talking-to-a-numpty voice. 6,000 quid each - that's serious money. I trust you can receive Mumsnet on it??

They are much cheaper now and you can get them starting from just under £1000 now. They were horrendously expensive at the start though.

At that price, Hulababy, I'm thinking I could use one myself. I'll have it installed next to the telly and send messages to the children...put your pyjamas on...clean your teeth...get your own dinner...bring me a G&T...and then I could be permanently plugged into MN.

LOL Suedonim

Oh god - interactive whiteboards - are they really £6K each??? ds2's school now has one in every classroom (that's 9) and a huge one in the hall. I think our Friends have too much money... (ds2 says his teacher never uses his - prefers the blackboard.)

Really JanH? I HATE blackboards with a passion. I am rubbish at writing on them and hate the dust and mess from the chalk, even the so called anti dust variety. Much prefer a whitebord, and especially my interactive one. Now mich cheaper than 6K though.

Well, this teacher is a man, maybe that's the difference. Last year's teacher was a woman and she used it a lot. I'm relieved to hear that they are cheaper now!

i LOVE blackboards - my handwriting looks so loevely (modest) on a blackboard!
Whiteboards......i asked for my whiteboard to be changed back to a blackboard last summer!!!
makes my hands very dry and my nails peel though!

I thought you had ironing to do Popsy!!!

i did it!!
well 5 outfits each anyway
why do more!

Girls, the thread is back. Apparantly violence in schools is all down to us. Hulababy, don't look at it, it will make your heart problems worse. Have a look if you dare. I've got steam coming out of my ears. And guess what, my questions were not answered.

hmb, you don't mean mine, do you?

hmb - I am pulling out of it as finding it very down heartening and downright insulting in places. I have e-mailed MN to have all of my posts deleted from the thread. I want to see if I can kill some of the nastiness in it. MN has deleted some of my posts so far, but not all yet.

Goodness, no, I thought your comment was 100% sensible! In fact Your support was much needed after I read the impication that teachers provoke stabings by being dull!