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Primary education

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Original poster

Anyone else think DD's teacher is a Scrooge?

58 replies

katied73 · 21/12/2012 23:20

DD is in Year 6 and her teacher is quite a strict, rarely cracks a smile, takes things very seriously type. Year 6 did A Christmas Carol as an afternoon performance on the last day of term and the ironic thing is that DD's teacher then sent her class home a) with homework over the holidays, b) without a card to any of the children and c) without even a little sweet each!

I'm not saying for a second that teacher's are obliged to give the children anything at Christmas (my Mum was a Year 3 teacher so I know the score) but not even a card? My two DS's (Year 3 and Reception) had cards from their teacher and the TAs, as well as a little present. DD sent the teacher a card (as did most of the class) but nothing back!

As for the homework, what a fiasco. Handed out literally as they were leaving at the end of the day (no homework in the rest of the school) and told to 'interview your parents about their childhood Christmases, like the Christmas interviews we've been doing in guided reading'. Great idea, except DD's guided reading group haven't been doing that so they had no idea what that meant and there was no time to ask the teacher as they were being shooed out of the door (presumably so Ms Scrooge could turn down the heating and save money).

Anyone else think this is all a bit mean over Christmas?

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noblegiraffe · 21/12/2012 23:23

Did you all club together and get her a £300 John Lewis voucher?

RillaBlythe · 21/12/2012 23:26

TheNebulousBoojum · 21/12/2012 23:31

Seems a bit unseasonal, but SATS pressure is on, along with the new grammar assessments and they have to make more than two sublevels of progress. No time to waste being festive!
I did set all my class homework over the holidays, but also gave them a card and chocolate. And several arithmetic, grammar and spelling tests this week, which they enjoyed.
How high on the Scroogometer do I score?

LauriesFairyonthetreeeatsCake · 21/12/2012 23:31

I think year 6 is old enough to understand that task.

And I'm glad to hear at least one teacher is not handing out 30 cards.

But she could have given them a sweet , cracked a smile and wished them merry Christmas.

Original poster

katied73 · 21/12/2012 23:32

Noblegiraffe - I wish we did! If she retires anytime soon that's the kind of thing she'll get at that school. She certainly received lots of gifts from the kids/parents and from us as a family (as did five other members of staff I might add) to show that we appreciate her and the time and effort she has put in with our children. DD just felt a bit let down at the lack of card more than anything.

OP posts:

sashh · 22/12/2012 05:57

MAybe the teacher isn't Christian / doesn't celebrate Xmas?

If she is JW she will have to teach about Xmas but her faith would prevent her from handing out cards and chocolate.

nooka · 22/12/2012 06:11

I'd be a bit surprised if a Year 6 teacher gave cards or sweets to all the children in her class, as I think they are a bit old for that really. It's not something, my children have had since they were really quite small - generally they just have a bit of a fun day often where everyone brings something in for a bit of a party.

I'd not be happy about the homework, but chatting to your parents about their childhood Christmases doesn't seem incredibly onerous.

Feenie · 22/12/2012 07:31

I used to give out cards to y5 and y6 children - but got fed up of clearing away about 25 of them forgotten and discarded at the end of the day.

No chocolate is a bit mean, and I will do anything to avoid setting homework (or doing it with my own child - it's the flipping holidays, fgs.)

Feenie · 22/12/2012 07:31

Also, maybe the teacher is just a bit skint?

Worley · 22/12/2012 07:36

my sons class (albeit yr2) banned Xmas cards and donated money (ds2 donated his own money --- he wanted to!) to oxfam unwrapped. and as a class have picked what they want to spend the money on. this has really interested ds2 and I thought it was a wonderfull idea.

ds1 in yr 9 was let out of school an hour early.. no warning till I was merrily doing my shopping and he rung to say they'd been sent home early ffs... the one day his bike had broke and I had to pick him up!!

Worley · 22/12/2012 07:37

no home work for either of them too :) good as I do t have time off over Xmas and barely have time as it is..

SledsImOn · 22/12/2012 07:50

I think it's more about general attitude and if she is kind to the children normally.

My yr1 boy got an actual BOOK from his teacher this year, AND a card and a thankyou letter for his present to her. Absolutely lovely.

My yr5 boy got nothing from his. It didn't matter. I like her, he likes her, she's a great teacher and a friendly person - no issue at all with that. Our card was sent to thank her, I don't think we need one back.

It is sad though that your daughter feels so let down. And the homework sounds good, but only if she made sure they all knew what they were doing and it sounds lacking in that respect.

So in total I'd not be getting too stressed about it, but I do see what you mean.

NotLongUntilXmas · 22/12/2012 08:39

DD in year 4 did receive a card, but also homework which requires quite a lot of effort.

During the busy festive period I now need to either replace my printer cartridges so that DD can print pictures and maps from the internet, or travel to the nearest travel agent to get a brochure about India containing said items.

Then lots of research in order to make a poster about India.

TheNebulousBoojum · 22/12/2012 08:44

Send it in on a memory stick and the school can print it if they choose to, or she can upload it onto the server in her IT folder and just have an electronic copy.
No need to use expensive ink.

Panzee · 22/12/2012 08:46

I must be a Scrooge then as I never give out cards or sweets. I wouldn't have given out homework either, but then I hate homework.

TheNebulousBoojum · 22/12/2012 08:47

I hate homework, but it is school policy. The children thought the task looked interesting and were OK about it.

catnipkitty · 22/12/2012 09:02

Well, maybe she's like me and hates the whole giving out 30 cards thing just because that's what 'people do'. I think it's a waste of money and trees. Sorry! And I hate my kids being given sweets, so I would not be impressed if their teacher gave them out. Call me Bah Humbug if you like...

daisymaybe · 22/12/2012 09:36

She's almost certainly given up the vast majority of her "free" time this year to help that class do well in their SATs. I can't blame her at all if she didn't choose to spend what little of it she has left writing out however many cards. And as for the sweets thing, I know a lot of my parents wouldn't be impressed if I gave their little ones something like that. And its almost certainly school policy to give out homework. I think that you might actually be the scrooge here. Have a little bit of compassion and don't waste your energy on little things like this.

LynetteScavo · 22/12/2012 09:51

What teachers are supposed to give out sweets now?

Sometimes my DC get cards from their teachers, sometimes they don't.

DD got homework, DS didn't.

This says much more about your feelings towards the teacher overall, than the teacher was a Scrooge on one day.

I'm presuming you weren't a Scrooge and gave the teacher a generous Chirstmas gift.

manicinsomniac · 22/12/2012 10:40

homework is mean!

Cards and presents - meh, variable, I would say. nice but not essential to being a good teacher.

My Y6 class got a little present and some chocolate but no cards because I ran out of time. Their parents got thank you cards though.

juniper904 · 22/12/2012 10:50

My school bans teachers from giving any sort of gift to the children. Sometimes that stops us from doing certain school work (like baking) for fear of allergies/ resentment.

I wrote cards but many teachers didn't. Their choice.

Arisbottle · 22/12/2012 11:06

I have out hundreds of cards and sweets/ biscuits to secondary students aged 11-18 which went down very well so I do not think year 6 is too old. However I do not think this should be an expectation or that teachers should be judged for choosing to do differently .

clam · 22/12/2012 11:14

Are you sure she wasn't given a card but left it in her tray? And ate the sweet?

OrangeLily · 22/12/2012 11:32

Giving out sweets to kids can be very frowned upon in some schools due to healthy eating requirements. I know of one situation when a teacher got a bollocking from a depute head for giving 20 kids a cream egg each at Easter.

Hulababy · 22/12/2012 11:36

I'm a Y2 TA and sent all the children a card, plus a chocolate coin each. I also got them a class present of Lego - which they love to use but we were running low. We did send homework home though - it's all voluntary anyway though encourages. Nothing too hard though.

DD is in Y6 and her teacher gave the class a card and gift each. But she does have some homework - entrance exam practise as exams are in January. Enough for one a week. DD's been off a week already though.

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