Is this normal?

[daisyduck123]

I wouldn't want my kids wrapping their teacher's presents but then I couldn't imagine the teacher's liking the wrapping job done by the kids either!

Parent volunteers are doing the wrapping, not students.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I've taught in three different school districts and have never heard of this. I'm sure it's not usual.

 

[Annette_VA]

It sounds like a PTO teacher appreciation thing. I wouldn't have an issue with it. It's just a way for the PTO to do something nice for the teachers.

My kids are in elementary school & this is something the Teacher/Staff Appreciation committee arranges each year. You can either send in gift wrap/tissue paper or you can volunteer to come in & wrap gifts. I've always just sent in paper because they do the wrapping during hours I'm usually at work.

 

[rie'smom]

No way would I do this. It could be though that I have a bad taste for doing volunteer work for teachers. One year I volunteered 5 days/week printing, collating,etc. The teachers treated me like their personal servant, asking me to run errands, etc. I have never met such an ungrateful complaining bunch of people in my life! The only reason I didn't quit is because I always taught my kids that once they agree to do something they need to see it through to the end.

 

[N&B'smom]

I find this to be very odd. 1. I don't understand why the teachers NEED someone to wrap their presents for them. 2. Why would they WANT someone else to wrap their gifts for them??

In our town school gets out at 3pm and the teachers are gone within minutes. When I was working I worked from 8am-6pm. Yet, I managed to wrap all Christmas presents myself. Is this really something teachers feel they need or want?

 

[daisyduck123]

Is this really something teachers feel they need or want?

I would bet that the teachers did not initiate this, but some parent volunteers did. Around this time of year at my school, I get parents wanting to do all kinds of things for me, just in the spirit of kindness.

 

[Teacher03]

I'm a teacher, and I think it is strange. There are many ways that parents can help teachers, but I don't think they should be asked to do something so personal. I would also agree, it is probably not teacher initiated; sounds like something the PTO came up with.

Now if a parent would volunteer to decorate all my cut out cookies, that would be perfectly acceptable.....

 

[Cindy B]

No way would I do this. It could be though that I have a bad taste for doing volunteer work for teachers. One year I volunteered 5 days/week printing, collating,etc. The teachers treated me like their personal servant, asking me to run errands, etc. I have never met such an ungrateful complaining bunch of people in my life! The only reason I didn't quit is because I always taught my kids that once they agree to do something they need to see it through to the end.

Well, you can come in any time to my classroom and my school. We have no PTO, no parent involvement and very little volunteers for any of the k to 8 grades. I would be so thankful for any help and it would not be running errands or wrapping my own christmas gifts. I would have you reading with students, helping with bulletin boards, maybe getting copies?

Thank you for your time and service to educators. I'm sorry they treated you like *(*&.

 

[sunnyday123]

It sounds to me like a little brown nosing discreetly veiled as "holiday spirit". What about the teachers who don't celebrate the holiday?

 

[palavra]

If the parents want to do this and the teachers appreciate it, I don't see the big deal. Honestly, I wouldn't want to hand my gifts over to "strangers" for wrapping.

I agree. I'm very thankful for our PTO. They go out of their way to help out the students and teachers. This year the PTO sponsored a very nice Christmas luncheon for the teachers.

 

[palavra]

For all those assuming that the teachers asked for or wanted the gift wrapping, I think it is unusual for teachers to initiate anything that the PTO does. Usually the projects are decided upon by the parents, not the teachers.In fact, the teachers may actually feel pressure to participate althought they really don't want to.

I love our PTO volunteers, but sometimes I do wonder what they are thinking when I hear some of the ideas.

 

[golfgal]

WOW, Merry Christmas everyone. So what if they organize a special treat for the teachers and offer to wrap presents for them. I am sure the teacher's can manage this as well, however it sounds like they teach in a school where the parents really appreciate their teachers.

If your boss offered gift wrapping for free at work wouldn't you take them up on it?

 

[N&B'smom]

If your boss offered gift wrapping for free at work wouldn't you take them up on it?

Nope, I think Christmas gifts are a bit personal. I'd prefer wrapping them myself. I never have them wrapped at a store that offers gift wrapping either.

 

[diz8297]

Frankly, I think the PTO should be doing things to improve the school, the classrooms, the education experience for the students!! Doing chores for the teachers seems like, well, a bit much. Then again, I am not the biggest fan of PTO's etc, because as a mother who works outside the home, I find them to be, um, exclusionary.

 

[princessmom29]

I find this to be very odd. 1. I don't understand why the teachers NEED someone to wrap their presents for them. 2. Why would they WANT someone else to wrap their gifts for them??

In our town school gets out at 3pm and the teachers are gone within minutes. When I was working I worked from 8am-6pm. Yet, I managed to wrap all Christmas presents myself. Is this really something teachers feel they need or want?

I am a teacher, nad i wouldn't want anyone wrapping gifts for me, but you are mistaken if you think those teachers leaving at 3 work 8-3. I leave at 3, but I get to school at 6:30am(school starts at 7:10) AND take work home with me. There is no way to teach and only work during the hours students are there.

 

[N&B'smom]

I am a teacher, nad i wouldn't want anyone wrapping gifts for me, but you are mistaken if you think those teachers leaving at 3 work 8-3. I leave at 3, but I get to school at 6:30am(school starts at 7:10) AND take work home with me. There is no way to teach and only work during the hours students are there.

No doubt, my mom was a teacher for 25 years so I know they don't get there right when school starts and I know they bring things home, just like I did at my job.

I'm not saying teachers have tons of spare time, just saying I think it's an odd thing to do for someone else. I think teachers can find the time to wrap gifts for themselves just like everyone else.

Since you're a teacher I have a question for you (not sure what age you teach), do you grade homework? I ask this because in my town the teachers never grade homework. I always found that to be strange. Just wondering if this is normal now!

When my mom was teaching and when I was in school we always did our homework and handed it in to be graded by the teacher. I remember my mom bringing tons of stuff home to grade.

 

[Andtototoo]

If your boss offered gift wrapping for free at work wouldn't you take them up on it?

Absolutely NOT.

If my workplace asked my clients to come in and wrap my gifts I would be appalled and embarrassed. I'd also think my boss had lost her flipping mind.

First and most importantly, it's unprofessional to mix work and a personal service in that way. It's crossing a boundary that can never be uncrossed again.

Secondly, I do not want clients to see what gifts I buy for anyone. Very intrusive.

Thirdly, I would not want to worry about my gifts being lost or mislabeled.

 

[momx2]

I would bet that the teachers did not initiate this, but some parent volunteers did. Around this time of year at my school, I get parents wanting to do all kinds of things for me, just in the spirit of kindness.

I disagree that it is in the "spirit of kindness." In my school it would be in the "spirit of sucking up to the teacher." Sorry, not a slam at you, but in what I have seen in elementary school. I finally have one in middle school and can't wait until the other one is. My oldest would ask why she was treated differently and I would tell her that one day it would even out when she went to middle school and certain moms couldn't run the school and it has!

 

[OceanAnnie]

I haven't heard of that.

Seems over the top to me.

 

[OceanAnnie]

absolutely not.

If my workplace asked my clients to come in and wrap my gifts i would be appalled and embarrassed. I'd also think my boss had lost her flipping mind.

First and most importantly, it's unprofessional to mix work and a personal service in that way. It's crossing a boundary that can never be uncrossed again.

Secondly, i do not want clients to see what gifts i buy for anyone. Very intrusive.

Thirdly, i would not want to worry about my gifts being lost or mislabeled.

ita.