teachers/parents! AIBU!!!

I think it's very unsupportive. I understand that they're not obliged to buy one but it does seem a bit churlish doesn't it.

You've gone to a lot of time and effort, you should be proud of yourself. Well done you for doing something so fab ?

Schools I know have done teatowels like this and staff do buy them so I am suprised they are not buying your bag. It sounds lovely.

Have you made any effort to chase them? I can see it being one of those things where one thinks, "oh yes, I'll order a bag" and then forgets about- is there any way you can stick a notice up or something saying "LAST DAY TO ORDER YOUR BAG IS FRIDAY" or whatever, with a sign-up sheet and pen underneath?

Sorry Muffins, but as a reception teacher it doesn't sound like the sort of thing I would buy, sounds a bit too twee - hard to say tbh without seeing. We do a similar project for a calendar which I do buy, but for my Mum, not me! As a teacher I suport my school in many ways, not least next Saturday I will be there from 9-5 for the Christmas Fair where I will no doubt buy other things so will be makng a contribution too.

I can see why you are disappointed and it would have been nice if the staff had bought one, even if just to show support. However, as a teacher, I can imagine thinking that the bags are really for the children and whether I do or don't order one won't really make much difference. I know that argument doesn't stand up if every staff member thinks it but that just what I can imagine thinking. I'm also not completely sure I would want a bag with my self portrait on! It's a fab idea for children, but maybe doesn't translate quite as much for teachers.

Please don't take it as a message that they are not supporting you. I'm sure that if someone explained it as you have done in your post, I would happily order one - I'll bet the teachers just haven't stopped to think that much about it. Well done on putting so much work in and getting such a good response from the children.

Katy x

ETA - I misunderstood the bag design. If it features everyone's self portrait, I can see why you'd expect more orders.

I can understand a parent wanting a bag with their child had been involved in making but can't really see why a teacher would. I'm guessing the school's name is on it too, I wouldn't really want to walk around with something emblazoned with my employers name - especially if I'd had to pay for it.

Thank you for your responses, its good to read from a variety of view points?

The bags are really tasteful, cream with blue line drawings of each child/teacher (my degree is in Art so I made sure it was as good as it could possibly be)

I have shown it to friends and I have had orders from them as they think it looks so professional and they do not know the school or children but the drawings look so good!

I am proud of it and have lost sleep making it, worrying about absent children and forgetting staff! but eventually every child and member of staff was on it.

I have put up posters in the staff room to gign up, the Deputy has reminded several times and I extended the closing date by three days, after telling staff that the bags are running out!

The main thing is that the children are happy and they are so proud of their new bag. xx

WSS I agree that teachers probably feel that they do lots to support the school anyway - especially in the run up to Christmas. For example, we stayed late tonight to decorate the hall and paint the backdrop for the Christmas show.

I am very aware how teachers support the school (I am a teacher too!) but this school it is lacking, no-one has signed up to help the christmas fair☹️ but I was asked for the money today for us (PTA)to buy xmas gifts for each class from the PTA, as the staff would not pay themselves and wait until we had the funds in the bank to pay them back (after the fair) but wanted the money up front asap!! No please, or thank you, just can we have...?

I have to agree with a couple of the other posters. I am a teacher and while the bag sounds fantastic, if it were at my school, I don't think I'd buy one. I'd think of it more as something for the parents and like others have said, I feel that I do an awful lot already to support my school - like running after school clubs, staying behind last week to decorate the school, next week to help at the PTA Christmas Fayre, the week after staying til at least 10 2 nights to help with the school production, staying for discos, contributing to staff hampers for raffles, buying raffle tickets, buying christmas presents / sweets / prizes for the children, buying and making extra resources for the classroom, putting money into the children's 'treat times' etc....not to mention just putting in a huge number of hours each week just doing my job! I see the time element as a far more valuable contribution that I can make. I don't really see my contribution to school as being a financial one - it's my job after all, I should be making money from it at the end of the day!

Also, I very rarely have cash at school and that would probably stop me buying one too, just because I'd forget.

Don't take it as an insult, just be really proud that they have been such a success with the parents. I'm sure you'll be seeing them around for a long time to come!

I'm not surprised people are hacked off if this is an expectation to be honest - why should people stand out of the money, particulalrly in the current cliimate? I don't think ANYONE should be asked to pay from their own pocket - if you choose to then fair enough, but it's unreasonable to be snotty anbout it if people don't want to. AS a teacher I supply lots of stuff to assist with my own teaching - most of the stationery I use day-to-day is my own and I also buy a lot of stuff for the kids to use. I don't mind, but if it became an expectation I'd stop immediately.

Maybe your SMT need to think about the ethos of the school if people don't want to get involved in extra-curricular stuff. After all, it's not directed time and people are entitled to have a life outside the classroom. I have chosen not to go to the school play this year, because I want some time at home with my OH. I'm knackered and want to be something other than a teacher for a few hours.

I posted before you had written this. In that case, it does sound like staff at your school are a bit unsupportive and therefore can understand a bit more why you feel put out. But please don't let this ruin your pride in what has obviously been a very successful project.

I wouldn't buy one if it had the school's name on it, as I wouldn't want to publicise where I work. It sounds lovely though, and I'm glad you've had good responses from the parents.

I am incredibly supportive of our school in many ways, but it just wouldn't cross my mind to buy one of those bags. I don't mean it in a horrible way, I'm sure they're lovely. I just think I'd feel a bit wick having a bag with children and teachers at my school on it. I can totally see how it is a lovely thing for parents, grannies etc, but for the teacher who gets to look at their lovely little angelic faces every day, I'm not sure I'd want to be reminded of them in my home too! ? Not sure I understand the money for Christmas gifts tho? Were you expecting teachers to pay for PTA presents out of their own pockets? Or am I mistaking you? x

I'm a TA and whilst it's great the children are buying them, I don't think it's something I'd really use so I probably wouldn't.

In the last fortnight I've forked out for the following:

Photographs, 2 class teatowels, 2 tombola donations, 1 raffle donation, raffle tickets, theatre trips, christmas cards (£20 for 16!), costume for staff play and costume for son's play.

Obviously not all of that is because I work there, but it's been a VERY expensive time, and I must say I don't blame teachers for wanting to be paid upfront either.

I possible worded this wrong!

We were asked (school asked the PTA) to donate £25 to each class for xmas treats, we agreed BUT said we had to wait till after the christmas fair because of cash flow and we did not have the money until AFTER the fair, but staff wanted it before then, I said to do this I would have to pay out of MY OWN account (NOT PTA FUNDS) and whilst if necessary I would. I was not suggesting they paid, but they would have to wait till after the xmas fair as we did not have any before. It is not an expectation and we were not 'snotty' but there is only so much we can do when we do not raise that much!

WSS

As a parent I'd think a bag with my children's faces on it was a good present for the grandparents if nothing else and would get one.

But I don't think I'd get one with my own coupon plastered across it, no - I wouldn't use it myself and who the hell would want it as a present ?

See your point then - but you shouldn't have said you'd pay out of your own acount - why would ANYONE? If treats are an expectation maybe the PTA should go out and buy them then distribute them to teachers, rather than giving teachers an extra job to do. I know I sound rather churlish, but like I say, I get hacked off at the constant taking for granted of teachers' goodwill.

I understand, I am a teacher and am very aware of how my own goodwill is daily taken for granted! I have been super sensitive to this and have tried as far as possible to do as much as I possibly can to NOT put pressure on any teacher, I know what I would do above and beyond my job and am the first to be a 'voice' of support to the teachers within this schools PTA, always taking their side, However, on this occasion I have been surprised by the lack of interest in these bags. I suppose I looked at it from my own perspective as a teacher and that I would have happily bought a bag to support the school, and to show the children that I value the effort they put into making the bag. But thats just me! (with a loft of school photographs of past classes!!?)

Please do not think I am suggesting that the only way to support schools PTA is by buying something or giving up time etc, I feel that support comes in many different ways and the main one being enthusiasm! xx

As a parent I would probably buy one with my child' picture on it but if I was a teacher I probably wouldn't. I can't see myself carrying around a bag with a pic of myself on it so I can see why they'd be more popular with the parents than the teachers. I'm sure teachers get asked to buy all sorts of things to raise school funds so they may well be supporting the school by buying raffle tickets or whatever

If I was a teacher and had been told "Hurry - buy one of these bags as they're running out!" I'd probably think "Oh well - better not buy one to make sure that all the parents who want one can have one. Never mind!"...

Do you think teachers should be ordered by the head teacher to buy one?

Because if you don't think that, then you have to accept maybe they just don't want one and choose to support the school in other ways. It's stupid to take it so personally.

I'd only buy that kind of thing if it was my son's drawing on it. I'd not want to pay to buy a bag with my work's logo on it, what's the difference? ?

I think that perhaps because you've put so much hard work an effort to something that is clearly much appreciated by the parents/families of pupils, you (understandably) feel a bit miffed that the teachers aren't coughing up too. But I think you are being a little unreasonable to expect them all to buy one, for the reasons already stated by others. My mum was a teacher and I know how much extra time, effort and cash she put into supporting the school in different ways, but she says she could possible have supported everyone, all the time - there's only so much an individual can do. I don't believe their desire not to by a bag = they are not supportinve of the school. I bet they are in all sorts of other ways.