We've dealt with this for sev. years. Asking for general input, or specifics, I'd swear they all either lost their pencils or tongues. They drag their feet, we politely continue to ask, like the "little people" we are. We get little response, so ultimately we go with our own ideas.
And believe me, they have so much more power than the principal!!! I'm surprised anymore that the Principal can make them do anything.
We sent them out to the classroom teachers our first time and only got 6 of 25 back and it took almost one month for that last one. If your teachers don't feel they have time to answer your survey, ask the principal if you can speak at a staff meeting or inservice day when you have a captive audience. State your position with them and ask them to turn over a new leaf with you and your group. When you are trying to clean up someone else's mess, you have to be thick skinned or you will wind up with the same attitude that got your group in the position it is in now. May saying is, "If you are willing to take the time to give me your opinion, then you should be willing to give me enough time to give you mine." Believe it or not, I quit hearing criticisms and got more constructive ideas at this point.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
I feel like I am starting a new post just about every day, but I am so new to this and you guys are a wealth of knowledge!
I got the idea of the message boards todo a teacher survey to see what teachers think of PTO and how we can better help them. We had never done this before. The principal agreed it was a good idea, the pres never answered my email on it (I am VP) so I went ahead and did it. Just passed them out this past Tues, gave them a week to return them. Well, got the first one back today--it was totally blank except for the part where I asked how long they'd taught at the school.
I felt this was a slap in the face. I'm trying to reach out for the first time ever and this teacher can't even take the time to put some thought into this survey. My first thought was to find out who the teacher was (I gave them the option of remaining anonymous)and making sure she didn;t get any funds this year--petty first response that I am NOT going to act on.
I'm just really disappointed, and hope they all don't come back like this. What's the point of having a PTO if both teachers and parents don't care?
