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Personally, It makes me uncomfortable to be receiving gifts for doing my job. We used to have a lot of special things during staff appreciation week- like staff raffles, dress theme days, breakfast treats, or lunch by pto- but now we might get a catered lunch one day- and that is it, which is fine with me. I know it’s not nice, but I would rather see the job itself become more sustainable over all than be expected to work so hard all the time with a once a year lunch to say thank you. I need my everyday to be better over recognition for running myself into the ground. I appreciate the efforts made. I am not ungrateful for free lunch- but when you don’t even have time to eat it… it does not feel like we are being appreiciated. It feels like admin is checking a box, snapping a photo of the spread they put on to post on social media to show false appreciation, and moving in.
If you have bad admin, then I could totally see where you're coming from. Luckily I've been fortunate to have good admin the past few years. I think it is still better than nothing, and I don't mind the cute gifts the kids give me. It helps me feel valued and like I'm making a difference for them. They're not anything extravagant - just a candy bar or two and some hand-made cards. I do agree that overall sustainability should trump a singular week of the year and I'm sorry that it feels like they're just checking boxes for you, that must be incredibly frustrating.
Can’t stand it! It’s BS. All the stuff you have to go through the rest of the year, but oh yeah here’s lunch. Feel appreciated. It’s like Teacher of the year,; it’s a popularity contest. My families can barely afford food I don’t want them worrying about having to get me some kind of chachkies, or contributing to a lunch. They have much more important stuff to worry about. I take my joy when their medically fragile kids ( my students) are healthy enough to come to school. If others enjoy the perks ; that’s great. I don’t really notice or care.
I do agree that it can feel engineered or like a popularity contest, but since I don't really interact with other teachers as often as a other teachers interact with each other I think I am somewhat immune to that. I do agree that forcing kids to participate feels wrong but if some kids want to make me a card or buy me a candy bar it really does help me appreciated.
Well deserved! Enjoy ❤️
Thank you 🙌