Chanukah gelt for teachers?

amother

Lime

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 11:58 am

As a former teacher myself, I say this custom has to go.

The going rate in my kids' schools is $10 per teacher, and they have an average of 2 teachers, so $20 per child.

Let's say you teach 20 kids and everyone gives you their $10 (if you're lucky). But you have 5 of your own children so you have to give $20 for each of them, $100 total. So half of your Chanukah gelt is already spent giving Chanukah gelt to your own kids' teachers.

In communities that are not wealthy, where people are already paying astronomic sums to tuition, I don't see the purpose of this custom. There's gotta be a better way to show appreciation to teachers. And yes I know that teachers need to get paid and could use a bonus for chanukah. But what kind of bonus is it if they need to spend it on their own kids' teachers.

amother

Saddlebrown

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 12:32 pm

this is going to sound very selfish but I agree it has to go also. I am paying a fortune in tuition already to pay the teacher. I work full time and do not get a chanukah/cristmas bonus.

MagentaYenta

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 2:39 pm

amother wrote:

this is going to sound very selfish but I agree it has to go also. I am paying a fortune in tuition already to pay the teacher. I work full time and do not get a chanukah/cristmas bonus.

When our local school first started up one of the policies put in place was no tipping. The teachers are all certified and paid wages and receive benefits that are comparable to those in public schools.

pause

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 3:14 pm

amother wrote:

Isn't it worth it to get $100? Even if you already gave away $100, which btw, might be able to be given from ma'aser so you can keep the full $200 (minus ma'aser).

And in some places, people give more than $10 per teacher.

amother

Peach

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 3:18 pm

I agree --It is just getting so crazy...
-Channukah gelt
-Purim MM (and it can't be a simple goody bag like my kids give out. No... No homemade goods and NICE. Teachers give out letters saying what time to come by. They expect it.
-Pesach money
-end of year gifts

I can barely pay tuition. I maybe understand an end of year gift (I don't get anything from my work. Many companies prohibit clients giving gifts. And No holiday bonus or anything) and if you want to time it for pesach or Shavuous then fine. But what's next? Tu b'shvat fruit basket? Shavuous flowers? First day of school candy platter? RH fancy honey arrangements? Sukkos chicken delivery?

SRS

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 3:40 pm

This custom made sense when teachers were the direct contractors of the parents. Today, teachers are paid by the school and the school is paid by the parents. I've heard of parents giving upwards of $1000 in Chanukah gelt. Anything more than a de minimus gift can border on bribery and as far as I'm concerned none of this is in the best long term interests of schools. The employment relationship is between the school and the teacher.

amother

Coral

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 4:44 pm

amother wrote:

I give out a time for students to come by on Purim. I want to spend the day with my family also and don't want to disappoint my students. My students get excited to see my home. I don't eat any homemade goods unless I know the person well and would eat in their kitchen. Give any kind of MM. Who says it must be nice?

Ruchel

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 5:43 pm

My teachers never get anything from me and my students never get me anything. Wait, once someone gave dh a treif wine. I don't get those things at all, it's weird. Ok, so a MM can be nice. Make it small and cheap.

amother

Mustard

Sun, Dec 06 2015, 6:06 pm

I always thought it was a great way to show your Hakaras hatov to the teachers. They are taking care of your children all day and yes we pay tuition but teachers don't always get paid much. It's a good opportunity to express your appreciation for their hard work. Some companies do actually give their employers a holiday bonus/ Chanukah bonus. Mine does.
If you can't afford a tip, it's still nice to give a gift, cookies, something just to show you appreciate them.

amother

Saddlebrown

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 11:03 am

I work in the administrative office of a boys school. The school is tipping the rebbeim and not us bookkeepers and secretaries. It actually makes me really mad. I am the one making the bonus checks, I see the amounts that they are getting yet I get nothing myself. I really do not think the parents need to tip on top of it.

amother

Mustard

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 11:12 am

Some of my clients give me tips/ cards too. It shows me that they care and that they appreciate the work I do. I've seen it even at hairdressers etc, many customers give them holiday cards or small gifts. It's not about the amount of money. It's about showing that you value what they do for you and it's a nice practice (in my opinion).

amother

Pewter

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 11:19 am

amother wrote:

Oh gosh, the bolded makes me so squirmy. My school asks us to give MM to our students, and tells us to send out a letter telling them when they can come by. I feel so uncomfortable doing that, even just to ask someone to come pick up their MM, but also I feel like it could be construed as a request for MM...and apparently it is. So uncomfortable! embarrassed

amother

Pink

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 11:37 am

amother wrote:

The imbalance between Rabbaim and teachers is a different issue which I don't agree with.

My boys are with their rebbeim for double the amount of time as the teachers.

Rebbe - 8:45 - 2:15 (includes recess, organizing sports and supervising, serving lunch) = 5 1/2 hours
Teacher - 2:15 - 4:45 = 2 1/2 hours.

It makes sense to me that a Rebbe would make more.

If the time spent was the same then I would agree.

amother

Pink

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 11:38 am

SRS wrote:

But your company gives the tip, not the customers of the company. Big difference in my opinion.

Its common courtesy everywhere that people tip their bus drivers, Fed Ex delivery men, mailmen, hair dresser, manicurist, etc. We are all clients of those people. Why should teachers make any less - they educate our children?

Its a matter of showing hakaras hatov to those that teach my children, and I think it is important for my kids to see the display of thanks.

chany-frum

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 12:18 pm

My brother is a rebbe in satmar williamsburg,

do you have an idea how hard he is working? and how much he is getting paid .. ??

So yes getting a nice tip and a few nice words is a breath of fresh air

FYI

An average rabbi collects approx 5k a year in tips and its a nice percentage of the total income

Last edited by chany-frum on Mon, Dec 07 2015, 3:06 pm; edited 2 times in total

MagentaYenta

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 12:39 pm

amother wrote:

Its common courtesy everywhere that people tip their bus drivers, Fed Ex delivery men, mailmen...

No it's not everywhere. Many of us do not tip mailmen, or delivery men or bus drivers. Please don't assume. People are individuals and community expectations may vary.

amother

Pink

Mon, Dec 07 2015, 1:09 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

No it's not everywhere. Many of us do not tip mailmen, or delivery men or bus drivers. Please don't assume. People are individuals and community expectations may vary.

I've always read it was pretty expected, but I guess not everywhere.

http://emilypost.com/advice/ho.....uide/
http://money.cnn.com/pf/featur.....ping/

bus drivers aren't included.