With the end of the school year approaching...

[BellePrincessBelle]

Actually many teachers do NOT have tenure, and even if they do, they can be fired or have their positions reduced. In addition, not all states have teacher unions. We do not in NC, and just in our small district, we are facing $22 million in cuts at this time. This means a 3% staff cut at each school, on top of about the same last year. Last year, all state employees (including teachers) had a 1% pay cut in the form of a furlough. We were told in May and the full 1% came out in our next pay check. We were able to take 3 days off, but there were such restrictions that many teachers never took those days(could not take them when class was in session, had to be taken within a few months, etc) With all these cuts come bigger class sizes, cuts in staff, and lots more responsibility.

Oh and since when is teaching not a full day's work? My hours are from 8:15-3:45 with no lunch break. Most people work 9-5 with a 1 hour lunch break, which equals 7 hours if my addition and subtraction are correct, so I actually work longer than them, even when I do not stay after school. Many teachers either stay an hour or so after to get grading and planning done, or take things home. I prefer not to take work home, so I stay until 4:30 each day, before leaving for my second job of babysitting until 6:15. I don't do this for the heck of it; I do it because I can't pay my bills on the petty salary I make as a teacher. Still, I can't imagine doing anything else--I love the kids and most of my parents are really great. It is not about any gift they give; it is about respect and working as a team.

I am also sick and tired of people thinking teachers get all this time off. This year, school ends on June 10. I have to continue to work through June 16. Students return to school on August 25. I have to be back on August 16 to set up my room and go to meetings. During July, I have a week long workshop about a new curriculum. I am also taking classes to earn CEU's to keep my teaching certificate current and Masters Degree classes to increase my income during the summer. So if you need somewhere to sit on the couch and eat bon-bons, it sure won't be my house, or the house of any teacher I know.

That is the FUNNIEST thing I have ever heard. I do not know anyone who works 9-5 with an hour for lunch. My dh works 12-14 hours a day & gets 30 min if he's lucky. Most people I know work 8 1/2 plus hours and only get 30 min. lunches.
Back on topic I always send a GC because I want to.

 

[Ashlotte]

And here in CA they make darn good money for not working a full day and all the time off they get. QUOTE]

I'm not sure what sort of hours teachers work in CA, but when I was teaching, I was in the building for 10 hours every day doing prep work, grading papers, in meetings, responding to parents, etc. Just because the teachers aren't with the kids the whole 8 hours doesn't mean they aren't working. Lesson plans don't happen by magic, nor does any of the prep work or grading. And where I live, the money is not on par with the requirements needed for the job. Here teachers MUST have a master's degree to teach, which isn't cheap or easy to do. Most other professions that require a master's level or high pay WAY more. We do it because we love kids, but a little support from the community would be nice.

 

[3girlsfun]

Wow! Teacher's get gifts at the end of the year? As a teacher, I have NEVER received an end of the year gift, and would be shocked if I received a Christmas gift!!!!

My gift is seeing the 7th graders walk out of school on the last day of school, so I can de-stress!

However, I will say this, we have given gift cards to our DD's teacher's this year at Christmas time.

 

[badblackpug]

We are in a no gift school, thank goodness! I think that gift giving has gotten waaaay out of hand. In these economic times there are a lot of parents who can't afford gifts or can't afford to chip in for a teacher gift. I know people say "no pressure" but the pressure is there for the child. Particularly when other students are bringing in gifts or contributing to a class gift. We hear over and over "no useless trinkets," but do you think that the child that picked out that little thing and thought it was absolutely perfect thinks it's "useless?" We also hear about how teachers don't want homemade foods, and throw them away. Again, what about that child that had little or no money to give but worked hard on that batch of cookies, and was proud of it? ...and we don't celebrate Christmas, so why would I give Christmas gifts?
I think the idea of a thank you card is just fine, and if you think a teacher did an exceptional job a letter to the principal and superintendant to go into their file.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I usually give end of the year gifts to DD10's teachers (she has regular and special ed teachers) plus the adults that run the before and after care YMCA program she attends. They're always homemade and since the teachers loved the soy candles I made them for Christmas, I'm making them some for the end of the year. It's usually accompanied by a special note from DD10 thanking them for all they've done for her during the year.

The room mom *hustles* (and I mean this in a GOOD way) for the end of the year teacher gift and every year I let her know Avery is giving her own gift. The cool thing is, it's usually a book made up of notes from the students thanking the teacher and letting s/he know what she liked most about the class. Contributing to a gift card is optional.