Do you ever go into school just to say thank you?

[Izzy82]

I have worked in a school as a TA for over 10 years and have noticed more and more parents coming in to complain. I mean, they complain about the most ridiculous things and think they have the right to tell the professionals how to do their job. But rarely do I see parents pop in to say thank you; thank you for giving up a week taking your child on a residential, thanks for giving up lunchtimes and after school to coach the school football team, thanks for giving up a Saturday to paint the backdrop for the school production etc).
Please remember this next time your child's teacher goes above and beyond... Because, trust me, they do it a lot and never feel appreciated!

I try hard to give compliments and show my gratitude to DDs' preschool teachers. Because they are amazing, and I am hugely thankful for what they do. And I let their boss know how great they are too!

I can't really say that I have ever really gone in to say thank you, but isn't that the case for most service industries. Teachers and the TAs do get gifts, flowers and appreciation at the end of the term.

There are ways to approach teaching staff about issues, but sometimes the schools do manage to make some incredibly short-sighted, unhelpful choices.

At the end of every year our class and all the others send a big card with each family writing a message of thanks, and at Christmas too, plus a present from the collection, and then many send small individual gifts too. That's quite a lot of thanking in itself.

I find your op a bit odd...I bet a lot of parents don't go in and say thanks partly because they know the teacher is too busy to chat at drop off or after school!

None of our teachers seem to do much of the after school or lunchtime club stuff, in fact I don't think any do. Is that the norm?

I don't go into school because I work full time and time wise it just doesn't work - but I always, always make sure to make it known when I am pleased. I wrote a letter to the head about the fabulous teacher who realised DD1 was losing confidence in Yr3, and worked with me to relearn to love school. I wrote to DD2's amazing teacher last year, the one who shared her love of reading big and interesting books and lent DD books from her own collection. I send thank you emails to the school admin staff and TAs who have fielded my DDs when there have been scrapes and bangs in the playground.

So far I haven't had to complain about anything, but honour where honour is due is very important to me.

Not sure if its the norm in all school. Every teacher in my school offers both lunchtime and after school clubs - maybe my school is just an exception.
I work with a lovely young teacher who runs one of the football teams. yesterday, after picking the team she had 2 abusive parents at 3:15 accusing her of 'favouritism' because their son's were not picked. It just made me wonder whether people really appreciated the hard work of some teachers that's all. Know I wouldn't have dreamt of doing this when my son was at school- but then again, he never was any good at football :)?

I did - twice! Do I get Brownie Points?

Yes- brownie points for you :)

I've sent in home made chocolate cake a couple of times for the teacher and ta

I dropped off a box of chocolates to the ladies on reception a while back because DC1 kept falling over in the playground and they are the first-aiders.

I did wish the teacher and TAs a happy half-term. Usually we don't have much contact with them though, they stand at the door and we stand further back, the children walk to/from us.

I always always thank the staff at DC2's nursery at drop off and pick up.

I have written to the head teacher to thank the school when staff have clearly gone beyond their duties (like the teacher who stayed with friends because it was snowing and she couldnt guarantee that if she went home she would be able to get back in for the school show!). I figure its more helpful for the staff if their boss knows how much I've appreciated the effort! I've also personally thanked DS's teacher from last year because she was brilliant and I felt she had a real gift for teaching.

But you're right. Most of the parents at the DCs school only talk to the school if they want to complain. It must be quite demoralising.

I do. I appear to have struck gold with our local primary - warmest, friendliest place I could have wished for. I help out when I can, have sent the odd email when something really impresses me, and often just stop for a chat.

The Head is so approachable, it filters down to the staff and parents.

I made pecan brittle for all the teachers at DS's nursery this past Christmas. Does that count?

I wrote a thank you card to the two P1 teachers after the P1 nativity play because it was so lovely and they had been working so hard on it and I wanted to let them know we appreciated it very much.

I have. I thanked the teacher who ran an after school club that my boys absolutely loved.

And when the school got a bad ofsted I told one of the teachers that I thought she was great and my son had made great progress at the school.

I thank them at the end of every year for putting up with my lot!

We have a 'comments' box on reports where I always write appreciative comments if they're deserved. I wrote a letter to the HT when DD had a fantastic year in (school attached) nursery and the teacher in question cried when she told me she'd worked there for 20 years and NEVER had a letter praising her before. I've made a concious effort since then

I teach secondary drama. We did the school play just before half term, which is a massive amount of work for all involved. When I got home from the final performance, exhausted and emotional, I found an email from a mother whose daughter had been in the show and whose son had done backstage, thanking me for the fun they'd both had doing the production. It meant so much.

I've taken 40 children on 3 night residentials many times. On average about 3 parents thank us at the end.

1 parent organised a whip round one year sending the teachers off camping with chocolate, cupcakes , paracetamol and earplugs! She couldn't believe it when we said it was the first time anyone had done that.

I always say thank you to both the teacher and TA after every class or year assembly and Christmas production for all the hard work they've obviously put in. Plus a thank you any other time of year as and and when appropriate.

But then I like to thank people in any profession if they've done a good job or worked hard on something for me. I guess it was the way I was brought up!

I do try to say thanks, it's not always easy at secondary because the DDs go on the bus.

I certainly did thank the primary teachers for things because you could just wander in and say hi.

And yes I confess I complain too, sometimes.

School must have been quite glad when my socially inept, dyslexic DD1 went to senior school. I don't think I complained once in the three years DD2 was there in her own.

Because of the way the job shares and split years panned out the Y5/6 teacher had 3 years of DD1 and 2 years of DD2, she did get a thank you gift.

As a parent, no I haven't

Last week we had a lovely chocolate cake and a card thanking us for helping a child settle in - totally unexpected and very appreciated.

yes, I do.

I make a point of regularly saying positive things, even trivial
'great display'
'dd is really enjoying your new topic'

When my kids have come home excited about something, I mention it in passing 'ds has been telling me all about you new space ship reading corner - he thinks it's great'

and last year when I got their reports I wrote a card for each teacher, thanking them for their work with specifics relevant to each child. 'thank you with your patience with ds, your calmness has helped him to settle more this year'

After every evening performance/concert/nativity play I make a point of saying thank you to the organising staff (and the TAs who were there in the corner trying to make the dodgy cd player behave)

The thing is, I have also complained. I do it politely but expect to be taken seriously, even if the final answer is no.

This thread reminds me I must say thankyou to DDs teacher after half term. She always goes above and beyond, treating DD as an individual, differentiating work for her, even photocopied pages from her favourite workbook to do in the holidays because she knows DD can be a handful and it will give her something calming to do. She is a bloody brilliant teacher

Dcs give teachers and ta's gifts at Xmas and end of year. I thank them when appropriate.

How often do you thank public sector employees who provide you with a good service, OP?

Cos I work in the public sector, and no one in my dept gets cards and chocs from the general public.

I sometimes take a cake in on a Friday - if I've had time to bake & loads of spare eggs, I'll make something extra and drop it off at the school office to say thank you for their hard work. And they have worked hard with my DS.

Um, not being difficult but it doesn't matter what the parents think. I imagine you can tell if the children like you and appreciate your hard work.