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I make about $17,000 less than that a year, WITH a Master's degree, and I work a lot harder than any teacher, believe me.
Excuse me? How do you know how hard teachers work? I am a teacher, and most people I know (people that actually are educated about the 1,000 roles we really have) wouldn't be a teacher for $100,000 a year, just because it is so much work!
By the way, I am a 5th year teacher, working on my thesis to get my Master's degree, and I don't make even close to that......(a lot less).....
Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they
only work nine or ten months a year! It's time we put
things in perspective and pay them for what they do...
baby-sit!
We can get that for less than minimum wage. That is
right. I would give them $3.00 dollars an hour and
only the hours they worked, not any of that silly
planning time.
That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 AM to 4:00 PM wi th 45
min. off for lunch).
Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers
to baby-sit their children.
Now, how many do they teach in a day... maybe 30? So
that's 19.5 X 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember
they only work 180 days a year! I am not going to pay
them for any vacations.
Let's see . . . that's $585 x 180 = $105,300 per year.
(Hold on! My calculator must need batteries!)
What about those special teachers and the ones with
master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum
wage just to be fair, round it off to
$7.00 an hour. That would be $7 times 6-1/2 hours
times 30 children times 180 days =$245,700.00 per
year.
Wait a minute, there is something wrong here![/SIZE]
Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they
only work nine or ten months a year! It's time we put
things in perspective and pay them for what they do...
baby-sit!
We can get that for less than minimum wage. That is
right. I would give them $3.00 dollars an hour and
only the hours they worked, not any of that silly
planning time.
That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 AM to 4:00 PM wi th 45
min. off for lunch).
Right up to this point I was about to light into you for being a fool... Good point made in a very enlightening manner! Nice to see a fresh approach to something. Personally I wouldn't teach for what they get paid. I know too many teachers who put supplies out for their classrooms that they buy themselves out of pocket. Warm boots, hats and gloves for the kids who show up at school without, come from the teachers, not the district. Cleaning supplies for the lower grades during the day,usually come from the teachers or their aides. There is a huge amount the quality teachers put forth that is SO much more than the 3 R's. I would rather have a higher wage and be able to attract QUALITY teachers for our schools, than save a buck and get less. We have a responsibility to our kids in school, we need as a State, and parents to give them the biggest step up for later in life. A few good teachers, can instill the desire to maintain a lifelong relationship with learning and bettering oneself. I am not a teacher, I am not even related to any teachers, but I do have kids in school and know what a dedicated bunch teachers are. $56,000 for that responsibility is a bargain I would think.
...(Hold on! My calculator must need batteries!)...
Sometimes I think it would be really neat if educated people could put forth an honest argument. I may not be up on all the statistics, but I seriously doubt most teachers have classes of 30 children from 7:45 to 4:00. I'd guess more like 4 - 5 hours tops. Then there are benefits, current and retirement. A couple I know just retired on 4K a month plus medical. If I'm not mistaken something like 30% of all school funding goes to support retirement benefits. When you add in all the costs, I'd be surprised if the average teacher isn't "making" $100K per year already.
Most employees never consider the their total cost to the employer. When I was an engineer for a defense contractor my salary was under $30/hr. On cost plus contracts engineering was billed over $100/hr. Built into my time was the cost of facilities and administrative overhead like secretaries, payroll, HR, etc. People in the daycare field provide all those things too for less than $3/hr.
If any teachers feel $50K plus is too little they are free to seek employment elsewhere. I recently interviewed for a $40K job described as fast paced, high stress with 1 - 3 weeks of travel per month. It's the best job I've seen in some time and I hope to get an offer.
BTW, a better approximation of the cost would be the average school funding of something like $7500 divided by (180 days x 8.5 hours) or about $5/hr. Seems pretty good considering a decent job these days is $10/hr.
Sometimes I think it would be really neat if educated people could put forth an honest argument. I may not be up on all the statistics, but I seriously doubt most teachers have classes of 30 children from 7:45 to 4:00. I'd guess more like 4 - 5 hours tops. Then there are benefits, current and retirement. A couple I know just retired on 4K a month plus medical. If I'm not mistaken something like 30% of all school funding goes to support retirement benefits. When you add in all the costs, I'd be surprised if the average teacher isn't "making" $100K per year already.
Most employees never consider the their total cost to the employer. When I was an engineer for a defense contractor my salary was under $30/hr. On cost plus contracts engineering was billed over $100/hr. Built into my time was the cost of facilities and administrative overhead like secretaries, payroll, HR, etc. People in the daycare field provide all those things too for less than $3/hr.
If any teachers feel $50K plus is too little they are free to seek employment elsewhere. I recently interviewed for a $40K job described as fast paced, high stress with 1 - 3 weeks of travel per month. It's the best job I've seen in some time and I hope to get an offer.
Well, I have to be at work at 7 am, and stay by contract until 2.45. IF I don't want to take home work, I usually stay until 4...That is 9 hours, and oh yeah....I get a 25 MINUTE lunch!! Woo hooo!!!
Usually though, I am ready to leave by 2.45 because I need to de-stress, so I normally end up taking home a few hours of paperwork. Besides grading papers, we have lessons to plan, No Child Left Behind legislation to follow (with no government help!!), parent meetings, staff meetings, special education meetings, and on and on.....
Oh yeah, got an extra 8 hours of parent-teacher conferences this week as well...so actually I will work from 7 to 7 today through Thursday...
but I forgot, I only work "4 to 5 hours" a day. HA!!
Well, I have to be at work at 7 am, and stay by contract until 2.45. IF I don't want to take home work, I usually stay until 4...That is 9 hours, and oh yeah....I get a 25 MINUTE lunch!! Woo hooo!!!
Usually though, I am ready to leave by 2.45 because I need to de-stress, so I normally end up taking home a few hours of paperwork. Besides grading papers, we have lessons to plan, No Child Left Behind legislation to follow (with no government help!!), parent meetings, staff meetings, special education meetings, and on and on.....
Oh yeah, got an extra 8 hours of parent-teacher conferences this week as well...so actually I will work from 7 to 7 today through Thursday...
but I forgot, I only work "4 to 5 hours" a day. HA!!
"Ha!" Indeed. I think people don't realize how hard (good) teachers (in any state) work. Yeah, school ends at 2:45 to 3:30 depending on the school district, but I know all the teachers I know are usually in the classroom until 5:00 getting things wrapped up from the day, and ready for the next. Oh, and some schools require the teachers to eat in the cafeteria with their students. Yeah, that's a relaxing lunch.
And when you do get home? Usually there are papers to be graded and more prep work to be done.
As for those summers off? Keep in mind that for the rest of the year, teachers get no vacation time, and are bound to a rigid schedule. Oh, and the fact that most teachers spend their time during the summer prepping for the next year.
Throw into that mix that most teachers spend a good amount of their own money on their classrooms and supplies for the students because the schools can't afford all that.
And the fact that being a teaching requires a great deal of training and skill to do well. Eastern Michigan's ed program is 5 1/2 years, MSU is pushing 6 I believe.
$10/hr? I can't think of a single highly skilled job that requires intensive training that pays anywhere near that.
Try teaching a full classroom someday, really teaching. The whole shebang, do unit planning, lesson planning, managing a classroom, Tailor your lessons to match the learning style of all of the different students without denying any of them the attention that they need. Bring the struggling students up to their potential while ensuring that the gifted students reach their full potential. Keep an eye out for children with problems at home (usually difficult because sometimes they act out, sometimes they are quiet and keep to themselves). When you do see the problem at home, act on it and do everything within your power to help the child get out of that situation, and at the same time not get too emotionally involved because the child welfare system will probably drop the kid through the cracks. Make sure that any learning, emotional, and developmental impairments are catered to, especially as an increasing number of these students are "mainstreamed" rather than having a dedicated class to address their unique needs. Try to work with parents that view any suggestion or concern of their child as a threat or attack on their parenting. Deal with budget cut backs that requires the school to layoff teachers before the school year starts, only to hire a couple back on when the state funding finally comes through.
Yeah, teaching a classroom of "only" 30 kids is a cake walk, if your a crappy teacher that doesn't give a hoot.
And that $56,000? That is the top of the pay scale, after you get your masters and your credits. Where do you start? Usually about $30,000 in most districts.
Believe me, with everything teachers due, you could pay them $100,000/yr and I wouldn't feel it was excessive. Doctors get paid that much and some of them don't put half the energy into their profession that teachers do into theirs. Teaching isn't just reciting facts to students, and anyone that feels it is that simple really needs to look at the profession more closely.
Well, I have to be at work at 7 am, and stay by contract until 2.45. IF I don't want to take home work, I usually stay until 4...That is 9 hours, and oh yeah....I get a 25 MINUTE lunch!! Woo hooo!!!
Usually though, I am ready to leave by 2.45 because I need to de-stress, so I normally end up taking home a few hours of paperwork. Besides grading papers, we have lessons to plan, No Child Left Behind legislation to follow (with no government help!!), parent meetings, staff meetings, special education meetings, and on and on.....
Oh yeah, got an extra 8 hours of parent-teacher conferences this week as well...so actually I will work from 7 to 7 today through Thursday...
but I forgot, I only work "4 to 5 hours" a day. HA!!
That sounds like a normal job to me! Except I work the entire year, and get paid only a little more than you teachers with a lot less benefits. So what else do you want?
Read my post earlier in this thread if you think I am just a teacher basher.
And if you have so much work to do, what are you doing posting this much on a school day during school hours? Are you planning a lesson? How about you turn off the computer and pay attention to the kids in your classroom, and actually teach them! What are we paying you to do anyway?
If I knew what school you taught at I would report you.
I think it's intriguing to note how the home-schooling movement is growing, even though it means more expense and effort for the parents. They just want their kids college-ready, or at least able to read a want ad.
wow, so much animosity toward educators. Do none of you folks have kids? It is sad that some of you think that most teachers are lazy, overpaid whiners. oh wait, teachers are whiners (who wouldn't be when you have to constantly defend your profession!) yeah, there are big problems, but are you putting the blame in the right place? Should we send kids to school year-round in order for teachers to work year-round? If you think that we should cut pay more, then who is going to want to teach? It's sad that we can't recruit the brightest and best for such an important job. It's sad that people don't think they're a valued member of the community. I have two Masters degrees 4 years of teaching experience, live in AZ and was paid $30,000 for a 210 days/yr contract. Yes, compared to some jobs, 30K sounds great. (no union, avg. benefits, 3 sick days) But, if my husband weren't working, we could not afford a house + our baby + our dog's medical condition. As others said, I spent a ton of my own money on supplies (in the richest district in the area). I am totally excited to teach in Michigan eventually and have a chance to make some money. Teaching can offer a really nice work/life balance. Some teachers work during all vacation, some skirt out of school early and don't work hard at all... in all professions, right?... and many of us are able to find a nice work/life balance. instead of berate us, join us!! it is a great job. i love it and miss it. being with kids all day is an honor (an exhausting one!), it gives you perspective and takes out some of the cynicism from life... and teaches you to respect and open your minds and hearts to all people and ideas...
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