Teachers,
How do you feel about the PTA.PTO participation at your school.
I'm all for activities, but it seems like I am bracing myself for another year of PTA über presence.
Every week it's *something* at our school--spirit week, fund-raising for illnesses, hop-a-thons, book fairs, in-class activities run by the PTA, etc., etc., etc.
I believe in school being a well-rounded experience, I believe in donating to worthy causes, I believe in enrichment, blah, blah.
I just can't help but feel if I were a teacher, I wouldn't necessarily *like* all this involvement on a constant basis.
I mean, whatever happened to 3 class holiday parties and a field trip? Perhaps a guest reader now and then.
In the end, I feel it turns the majority of parents *off* because it NEVER ends.
I trust our school to teach and socialize my child.
I know the PTA/PTO do a lot of good, but I wonder if it isn't a case of overload, making more work for the teachers, etc.
So....IF you are a teacher, what are your honest feelings about this? Is it disruptive?
I know , I know only teachers but . . .
I am a parent that despises the PTO , it is a PITA.
There's always something. dances, parties, etc. kids don't need this stuff , if they want to get together they can do it after school with people they WANT to hang out with.
Can former teachers respond? I've been out of the classroom for just 3 years now. But no, I am NOT a fan of the PTO activities. It's just O. MORE THING that us teachers have to do. If it were during the summer, fine. But the sock-hop this weekend and the fundraiser that weekend. Book-fairs take time out of classroom teaching. Gotta let the kids go buy their overpriced books and annoying erasers that cause classroom distractions! (yes that's the sound of sarcasm). Plus lesson plans and grades and parent-teacher conferences and after-school meetings? Too much for O. teacher to handle, or at least handle happily. In O. district where I worked, I lived 45 minutes from work. So on the PTO event nights, I was often stuck at school for a 12 hour day, since it wasn't worth it to drive home and then back. I think 3 holiday parties and a field trip sounds nice. Unfortunately, I think here in Texas, we get only 2 holiday parties - "Winter" party and Valentines party.
My teaching experience is limited, but during my time teaching I DID despise all the EXTRA extracurriculars (especially PTO). I had so little free time as it was, and then there were all these different events going on, both during and after school, and on weekends. I wished that some of the parents that put so much effort into organizing SOCIAL activities for themselves could have put half that effort into working with their kid at home.
It is very difficult to cram all the subject matter into the short school year. Having extra disruptions is hard to plan around, and CAN jeopardize the students' learning.
I have already begun trying to duck the PTO organizer at my son's school. It's like they see new parents and want to leech on right away...Ugh.
Honestly? Most of the time it made us crazy. There was always some kind of "drive" or "sale" going on. It was a lot to keep track of and monitor deadlines.
Some of the help was truly "helpful". We had a whole PTA committee that did "classroom support"- they would literally have a rotation and we knew we could leave things to be copied/cut/glued/laminated, etc. This was especially helpful as our aid time was reduced.
The thing that irritated me the most (as someone who was observing the teacher doing a lesson) was when the PTA rep would just walk in and out of classrooms to collect things as though that didn't disrupt the instruction! I had to meet with the PTA president at O. point and come up with a system to have things in folders outside of the doors b/c it was really disruptive.
These are well-intentioned folks who want the best for their kids, but sometimes need a little reminding that school is about learning and that the extras need to come at times that are not disruptive!
I'm not a "teacher" but I get what you are saying...I know you only want teachers to respond...
I agree - our PTA has been in our face from the start to the end...urgh...and like you - all about volunteering and donating - but man....
I loved the PTO that gave us $300 a year for classroom expenses and had O. fundraiser a year to buy library books.
I hated my daughter's PTA because they had fundraisers monthly and then wasted it on limo rides and such. Their excuse? We are not allowed to save money from year to year or the IRS will take it. They could have designated it as a fund to save for x and been fine. They also claim they had to pay a big fine because they refused to file correct paperwork with the IRS. We could not figure that O. out.
The teachers at my daughter's school last year asked some of us to take over the PTA so the money could be spent on things that help the kids in the classroom. They said they never benefited any even when they raised $48,000.
Our PTA where I work raises money to pay for great assemblies, and artist in residence programs and our school garden. They truly benefit the school.
I wish they were not so exclusively for the wealthy white stay at home moms but what they do to benefit our students out weighs any negatives!
I know you said teachersonly but I can't stand the pto here it's filled with nothing but drama and they always have something going on. They do so much that it leaves no room for anyone else to do fundraising.
