Yesterday one of the THREE vice principals at my school came in to give me my Teacher Appreciation Gifts from the district. The district that voted to give him a $200 a month raise in his medical insurance the night before. The district that says it has no money for anything. Where did it get the money to buy a teacher appreciation gift? What was the gift you ask? A flashlight. Not only a flashlight, but a flashlight in a plastic bag with a bunch of crinkly paper strings. I'd like to know which secretary got paid a whole day's pay to sit and put all of these flashlights in these bags with paper and then tie them with a string with a little tag that said to 'let my light shine on the students' or something like that.
Now, here's the humor.
They couldn't afford to give everyone the raise, so they gave it to the people who earn the most money already because they want to attract the best people at the top of the pay scale. The people who have the least interaction with the students and have the least impact on what goes on in the classroom.
So, they give us flashlights because when we can no longer afford to pay our electricity bills, we can still grade papers at night.
At least it was a practical gift. I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with the plastic bag and crinkly paper strips. Maybe join with all the other teachers who feel so appreciated and make a bonfire to keep warm. Oh, wait, it is 100 degrees and I really don't need to keep warm.
I love my job. I really do. I just don't like some of the people I work with. They really don'[t think some times. I would rather not have gotten anything. They could have given me the $1 it cost for the flashlight and a personal hand shake and I would have felt more appreciated. Now I feel like they are wasting my money.
I did get one teacher appreciation gift from one student this year. He came up to me at the end of the period, looking down at his feet and shoved something in my hand. It was a little packet of M&M's. It said I was Marvelous and Magnificent. Now, that made me feel really good. :) He said his mom made him do it. Too cute!
2 comments:
The M&M's probably meant more to you than the flashlight, even if his mom made him do it!! I used to be a teacher. I can sure relate to your story. You did good to keep the humor in it!
That's why I am so happy to be a retired teacher! School districts do seem to have their priorities backwards and make ridiculous choices most of the time. I have always thought that those who spend the most time with the students should receive the most compensation so the best and brightest could be recruited and kept! Keep laughing and go make a quilt!
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