Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Sorry for the confusion, but I meant the OP. Reason I asked is it seems in general teachers prefer a unified pay scale for all teachers whereas non teachers seem to prefer various forms of differentiated pay scales. Since the OP suggested differentiated pay between pre school and elementary teachers, I was curious about which perspective they were coming from. In full disclosure I think a differentiated pay scale would help teachers justify pay increases to the taxpayer.
That may be true... But the taxpayer has such a poor understanding of education that they can hardly be trusted to understand how teacher pay might be differentiated.
Do you mean childcare or preschool? If you mean childcare, then I can understand you wanting to differentiate salary. If you mean preschool, then I would disagree.
In my area, preschool teachers have to meet the same requirements as elementary school teachers. Pass several teacher certification tests, minimum of one master's degree to teach public preschool. They are members of the teacher's union. They have to turn in detailed lesson plans which includes meeting common core state standards. They are evaluated and rated. Most states have some sort of state standards for prekindergarten.
In many ways, preschool is much more difficult than upper grades. The teacher needs a lot of physical stamina. Constant lifting, bending, squatting, sitting on the floor, running, cleaning paintbrushes, toys, shelves, carpet, floors, tables. tying shoes, kneeling down to button coats and assist with clothing and food. Young children are not better behaved than older children. You can reason with older children, usually. Young children throw things at the teacher, pull their hair, kick them, hit them and teachers are at a risk for injury at different levels. Preschool teachers often get sick because they have to wipe children's noses, assist with toileting (even if the children are toilet trained), clean up vomit. Preschool teachers spend a lot of their personal money for the classroom. Even at the best preschools, teachers will spend their own money on art supplies, charts, bulletin board materials, and food for cooking experiences in the classroom. Preschool evaluations and collected data are usually performed and analyzed after school hours. Lessons are planned when students aren't in the room or at home too-just like elementary school teachers.
With private school, it can vary. Some receive some sort of public funding and in those cases, the programs have to show some sort of accountability. Those teachers generally are not paid anywhere as much as public school teachers, but maybe more than complete for profit or sectarian early childhood programs. Private school preschool teachers are usually paid very poorly and rarely get benefits. Yet, in my area, where there has been a teacher glut, especially in elementary, for the past 60 years, administration/owners require teachers to have the same credentials as public school teachers because they have many, many applicants and can afford to be picky.
Preschool teachers often end up with very challenging students, who have special education issues, that have yet to be diagnosed. They are often the ones to discover these issues and walk parents through the process of having their child evaluated. It takes a lot of tact to explain to a new parent that their child may be neuroatypical. Some parents are accepting, while others, threaten and intimidate the teacher because in their eyes, their child is just fine. By the time the child enters upper elementary, in general, the parent is already aware and mostly accepts their child's special education issues.
It may look like the children are playing all day, but that type of play is pre-planned by the teachers. Teachers set up and design the centers, choose and rotate the manipulatives, create group activities, and even with "story time," there's more to it than just reading the story to the children. Early childhood education is a complete social science of its own.
That may be true... But the taxpayer has such a poor understanding of education that they can hardly be trusted to understand how teacher pay might be differentiated.
Regardless the taxpayer is and always be the taxpayer. And teachers need taxpayer support. Calling the taxpayer ignorant and can't be trusted is hardly the way to win friends and influence people. I think we could dive much more deeply into this, but would be threadjacking the OP.
Regardless the taxpayer is and always be the taxpayer. And teachers need taxpayer support. Calling the taxpayer ignorant and can't be trusted is hardly the way to win friends and influence people. I think we could dive much more deeply into this, but would be threadjacking the OP.
Everyone in public service feels that way. I've talked to military, cops, beurocrats of all types and they say similar things. When politics works elected officials know a bit more than the people who voted for them.
...
In my area, preschool teachers have to meet the same requirements as elementary school teachers. Pass several teacher certification tests, minimum of one master's degree to teach public preschool....
Really? A preschool teacher must have a master's degree? If so, that sounds a little strange to me. If so, what state requires this master's degree, and is this true in many states?
Status:
"This too shall pass. But possibly, like a kidney stone."
(set 21 days ago)
36,102 posts, read 18,379,267 times
Reputation: 51175
Besides Head Start preschool teachers, why in the world do we have "school" for the little bittiest ones? It's not age appropriate. 3 and 4 year olds need to be engaged in play with an adult nearby to supervise. Which isn't, at all, the same thing as structured goal-oriented schooling. We don't need school for kids whose parents are able to teach basic early childhood skills.
Head Start is for kids whose parents are unable/unwilling to provide the most basic readiness for school - teaching kids colors, numbers, a good solid vocabulary, basic grammar, appropriate middle class behavior. Those teachers have a hard row to hoe, and maybe should be considered for a salary similar to elementary school teachers.
Really? A preschool teacher must have a master's degree? If so, that sounds a little strange to me. If so, what state requires this master's degree, and is this true in many states?
Most states require teachers to attain a Master's or equivalent within a specified period of time after initial hire.
Are these dual-certified teachers (general and special education)? Public school preschool programs* generally exist for the purpose of meeting the needs of 3- to 5-year-olds with IEPs, although they accept other children - "typicals" - as well. Special ed preschool is a highly specialized and demanding job! Have you ever tried to teach a skill to a 3-year-old with significant delays, who may very well be non-verbal with minimal receptive language abilities?
*at least in NH, I know other places have more universal preschool options
Are the preschool teachers part of the public school system? In other words, are they school employees? Are they certificated, meaning do they have their teaching degrees and certification in Early Childhood Education?
If the answer to the above questions is yes I'm surprised they're not already on the pay scale.
In order to be an accredited preschool then the teachers are going to have to adhere to state standards for instruction which means they will have a curriculum and will have to follow scope, sequence and pacing. So, not easier.
Yes they should get the same starting pay as a real teacher if they prove themselves. Many have degrees or experiences. They have to take endless credits either online for the company or after work sessions on how to teach certain ways.
Yes they should get the same starting pay as a real teacher if they prove themselves. Many have degrees or experiences. They have to take endless credits either online for the company or after work sessions on how to teach certain ways.
Yeah, my impression from the original question's wording is that these teachers are school system employees. I got that from the tax increase if they got a raise concerns (I guess teachers don't deserve raises or something). Anyway, unless these teachers have an abbreviated schedule like a half day then I'd think they'd already be on scale.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
