When do you give teachers end of year gifts?

[luvmy3]

Here's the fact.. The contracts are for 12 months... by your own statement a teacher has the option to take the pay over the 12 months or over a 9 months... If a teacher doesn't wants to take a summer job that is there choice it isn't a requirement. In my Fort Worth Texas the starting salary for a teacher is a little over 43,000 a year... the average salary of the average worker in Fort Worth is a little over 32,000 a year.... Now if the average joe can make ends meet on 11,000 less than a teacher... then I see no reason why a teacher would HAVE to take a summer job unless they are just very poor at budgeting.

That may be the case where you live but its not everywhere. Starting salary for a teacher here is much lower, and the cost of living is very high. Some teachers do need to take a second job in the summer, regardless if they are getting a paycheck during those two months of summer.
The fact is it doesn't matter that they get summers off, they still deserve to be thanked and appreciated for what they do during those other 9 months.

Here's a question, what about the teachers who teach at schools that go year round. Should they more appreciated than the teachers that go from Sept. to June, in your opinion?

 

[gottaluvdis]

DD11 thought up her own gifts this year - she made photo albums for both her main teacher and the substitute who took over in April when her teacher went out on maternity leave. She brought her camera to school during several special occassions (class play, etc.) and took her own shots of everyone in the class. I sent the pictures to Wal-Mart for developing, and she came with me to choose and purchase the albums. She then personalized each album with stickers and put the photos in. I also had her write thank you notes to both teachers. She also wrote a thank you to her gifted/talented teacher and gave her a box of chocolate. All were delivered the last day of school because her teacher came back with the baby to visit the class that day. Additionally, the class threw a baby shower earlier in the month and we all contributed toward gifts, food etc. Teacher appreciation week was in May and I contributed chocolate for the chocolate fountain they had on one of the days. The teacher also received a Christmas thank you and Dunkin Donuts gift card. This was her last year in Elementary school however, and I think things will be different in middle school next year when she has a different teacher for each subject. We'll see what she wants to do then.

 

[thomas998]

That may be the case where you live but its not everywhere. Starting salary for a teacher here is much lower, and the cost of living is very high. Some teachers do need to take a second job in the summer, regardless if they are getting a paycheck during those two months of summer.
The fact is it doesn't matter that they get summers off, they still deserve to be thanked and appreciated for what they do during those other 9 months.

Here's a question, what about the teachers who teach at schools that go year round. Should they more appreciated than the teachers that go from Sept. to June, in your opinion?

Teacher that teach in year round schools get paid more.. that's why some school districts that consider the idea don't do it... it raises the cost of the state sponsored day care.

 

[luvmy3]

Teacher that teach in year round schools get paid more.. that's why some school districts that consider the idea don't do it... it raises the cost of the state sponsored day care.

And for the record,my BIL teaches year round, I know that he doesn't make as much as some teachers that work 9 months. It all depends on where you teach/live.
You still didn't answer the question. Do you think those teachers should be appreciated more than teachers who work Set. to June.

 

[torinsmom]

I believe teachers who teach at year-round schools work the same amount of days as those in traditional schools. Their days off are just spread out like the students'.

Marsha

 

[luvmy3]

I believe teachers who teach at year-round schools work the same amount of days as those in traditional schools. Their days off are just spread out like the students'.

Marsha

Thats true. Our kids have to be in school for 180 days. I assume that most states have a required number of days the same or close to 180.

 

[frannn]

I gave the teachers and aides their presents today, since there is only an hour if school tommorrow for the last day. Boy, that was a heavy bag! Everyone loved their gifts (dvd set, bath & body works), and it was nice being able to find out they liked them in person! Only sad thing is DD5's teacher may be reassigned next year .

 

[thomas998]

And for the record,my BIL teaches year round, I know that he doesn't make as much as some teachers that work 9 months. It all depends on where you teach/live.
You still didn't answer the question. Do you think those teachers should be appreciated more than teachers who work Set. to June.

To be honest I don't think either group should be any more appreciated than a garbage man or airline pilot.... Teachers like anyone else working in this country are doing a job that they wanted to do and decided to accept the pay that was offered to do that job. No one put a gun to anyones head and said you will be a teacher just as no one force your garbage man to take that job or a pilot to take that job. I personally feel the whole concept of giving a year end present is silly... do you people give your garbage man a present, your dentist, your doctor, or what about the cashier and the gas station operator... do you give those people that are doing their job a present too?

 

[torinsmom]

Well, if the garbage man spent 40 hours a week with my child, teaching them reading,writing, math and other skills, I might agree with you. As one quote states "Teaching is the profession that creates all others." Most teachers go way above and beyond what their job requires.

Oh, and yes, I do give my garbageman and mailman a gift each year. I don't think Homeland Security would want me giving my airline pilot a gift though.

Really, though, if you feel so negative about saying thanks to your child's teacher(s), don't. I would rather you not even smile at me if it is not a genuine gesture.

Marsha

 

[luvmy3]

To be honest I don't think either group should be any more appreciated than a garbage man or airline pilot.... Teachers like anyone else working in this country are doing a job that they wanted to do and decided to accept the pay that was offered to do that job. No one put a gun to anyones head and said you will be a teacher just as no one force your garbage man to take that job or a pilot to take that job. I personally feel the whole concept of giving a year end present is silly... do you people give your garbage man a present, your dentist, your doctor, or what about the cashier and the gas station operator... do you give those people that are doing their job a present too?

Thanks for answering. I have to disagree, I don't think you can compare the job of a garbage man to a pilot or to a teacher. Nothing against garbage men of course, just that they have way different job responsibilities from the other two.
I do give my garbage man, newspaper woman and mail woman gifts for the Holidays. I realize its their job to do what they do, but its just my way of showing them I appreciate them for doing it. Same for teachers. You are right, they choose to go into that profession but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be thanked and appreciated for the job they do
My ds had a not so great teacher this year, I had alot of issues with her. The fact is my ds learnerd alot in her class despite those issues. She may have not been my favorite person, but she taught my ds things that he was so happy to have learned (he's in 2nd grade) and thats why she deserved her "thank you" gift.