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Forum -> Yom Tov / Holidays -> Chanukah
Class mom asking exhorbitant amount
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amother


 

Post Mon, Dec 15 2014, 9:03 am
My kid's school dropped the class mother this year and it makes me appreciate the class mother and set amount so much more now.

I feel a bit silly sending in $10 a teacher and $5 an assistant now now when others may be sending in much more. When it was one big pool of money it was easier. Its still going to cost me $30 a child. but I think when my money was part of a class pool it was much more respectable.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 15 2014, 1:17 pm
"I canot afford, and have never heard of such an amount. If culturally plausible: This teacher is paid already".
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granolamom




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 16 2014, 7:50 pm
Ruchel wrote:
"I canot afford, and have never heard of such an amount. If culturally plausible: This teacher is paid already".


Ruchel, its possible that this is an American thing. I'm not sure how tipping works in other countries, but here, certain professionals count on tips as part of their salary. for example, a hairdresser can assume that she will make enough money in tips to make her otherwise low salary liveable wage. tips are taxable and I'm not sure about this but I think that if you are the employer in such a situation, you can even get away with paying less than minimum wage because it is assumed that most people will tip. its cultural, and most people DO tip.
day camps pay very very low wages and when you interview there, they will actually state the salary as '$200 for one month but you can count on an average of $300 in tips'.
around here, teachers and rebbeim do count on their chanuka tips. they know what the typical amount asked per child is, and they know how large a typical class is. they factor it into their budgets. obviously not every teacher, but I suspect most do. I've been in some schools where the class mother decides what to collect and some where the parent council decides so that each teacher gets roughly the same. and in some schools they pool all the students contributions between all of the teachers in the school plus secretaries.

I kinda do agree with you, I pay so much in tuition and KAH have enough kids that these tips really add up to a significant expense. I wish we didnt have this cultural expectation, but no one's asking me.
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amother


 

Post Tue, Dec 16 2014, 8:12 pm
I taught for 14 years at a very ritzy private Jewish Day School and received $250 in tips and then came the gifts: Louis Vuitton wristlet, Gucci watch, cashmere scarves, leather gloves and purses, gift cards etc.

The other teachers were livid that I received such lavish gifts.

Created a hostile work environment for some of us.

Fast forward today I work at a typical orthodox Jewish Day School... The PTA collects money from all parents in August and that is split up among the entire teaching staff. $120 per teacher $75 for an assistant. I also get assorted things like costume jewelry, note pads and $5.00- $25.00 coffee gift cards. AND assisted gift cards to Bloomingdales, Nordstroms, Macy's etc.

I am grateful for the handwritten notes as well.

Although it is quite nice to never have to pay for coffee!

Last week I reached into my wallet and actually had to pull out a credit card- my coffee gift cards were finally depleted...

Thank goodness for Chanukah!!
:-)
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amother


 

Post Tue, Dec 16 2014, 9:27 pm
I just got a notice from my 2 year old's playgroup to give $36 for the main morah, $25 for the second morah, and $10 for the assistant. This is in Flatbush. Is that normal? I was thinking closer to $20 (not the OP).
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Fave




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 16 2014, 9:41 pm
I normally send in about $20-$25 per teacher. This year the class mom took over and she's collecting $15 for two teachers ($7.50 per teacher). I think this is too cheap, but I'm not saying anything.

The $ I'm saving now, will be added to the tip that I give on Purim.
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Ashrei




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Dec 16 2014, 11:19 pm
I think we're missing the main point here, which monseychick made very clear. When discussing with your class mother or PTA the amount for the tip, don't forget that "YO, what are you smoking?" Is a critical phrase for that dialogue.
I actually sent out the collection letters this year and completely expect any complaints to come to me in precisely that format.
Happy Chanuka Cool
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amother


 

Post Tue, Dec 16 2014, 11:42 pm
My children's school has a set amount where the Yiddish teachers get more than the English ones. Since I'm the class mother, I collect all the funds and then split it evenly between the two. Teaching English shouldn't make one less choshuv, especially since those are the skills my kids will need IRL when they grow up.
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imaima




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 17 2014, 1:51 am
I guess, a camp counsellor, a hairdresser and a waitor is a different kind of a job than a teacher. Years of college should be making a difference here. Am I naive?
Maybe kodesh teachers don't get such extensive training so they belong together with waitors, but a regular teacher doesn't, in my opinion.
Again, theres nothing wrong with presents, and I believe they are necessary, but institutionalizing the whole thing and imposing it on parents is so so tacky!!
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agreer




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 17 2014, 2:16 am
amother wrote:
I just got a notice from my 2 year old's playgroup to give $36 for the main morah, $25 for the second morah, and $10 for the assistant. This is in Flatbush. Is that normal? I was thinking closer to $20 (not the OP).


Yikes! What are they smoking?!
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amother


 

Post Wed, Dec 17 2014, 7:44 am
amother wrote:
My children's school has a set amount where the Yiddish teachers get more than the English ones. Since I'm the class mother, I collect all the funds and then split it evenly between the two. Teaching English shouldn't make one less choshuv, especially since those are the skills my kids will need IRL when they grow up.


My son's rebbe is with the class over 4 hours (8:45 - 1:30) hours while the English teacher is with them for 2 1/2 (1:30 - 4:00). I thought it made sense the rebbe got more because of that.
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amother


 

Post Wed, Dec 17 2014, 10:26 pm
amother wrote:
My children's school has a set amount where the Yiddish teachers get more than the English ones. Since I'm the class mother, I collect all the funds and then split it evenly between the two. Teaching English shouldn't make one less choshuv, especially since those are the skills my kids will need IRL when they grow up.


btw I totally agree with you on this, but just a thought-do the other parents chipping in know youre doing this? or do they think x amount is going to hebrew teacher?
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