Pennsylvania / Pittsburgh teacher salaries (low income, renting, school)

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by libertree

I love that you think teachers "don't work the whole year". You're right - teacher's only work 50 weeks per year, particularly when you consider how much professional development, staff development, and work outside the typical 8 hours per day the teacher is required to do. Most teachers I know work almost double the expected amount of time. You should be grateful they are salaried - if teachers were hourly, your pathetic taxation wouldn't cover the cost to employ teachers.

Not to mention, it's easy to blame the teacher rather than the parents, the curriculum developers, and your own elected officials for the lack of "results". You want quality education? Start it in your own home by educating yourself on the issues.

Who is this "you" you're referring to? Several teachers live in my neighborhood. I see the lifestyle. They do not appear to be putting in any more overtime than anyone else in this 'hood. They aren't sitting in the house studying all summer. Most of them have taught for many years, sure, they do lesson plans, but it's not like they're reinventing the wheel every day.

I do not begrudge teachers their pay, their benefits, their pensions. Heck, I'd like all of the above, and I'd take it if it were offered. But ALL professionals have to keep up with their field.

[J_Church]

Originally Posted by libertree

I love that you think teachers "don't work the whole year". You're right - teacher's only work 50 weeks per year, particularly when you consider how much professional development, staff development, and work outside the typical 8 hours per day the teacher is required to do. Most teachers I know work almost double the expected amount of time. You should be grateful they are salaried - if teachers were hourly, your pathetic taxation wouldn't cover the cost to employ teachers.

Not to mention, it's easy to blame the teacher rather than the parents, the curriculum developers, and your own elected officials for the lack of "results". You want quality education? Start it in your own home by educating yourself on the issues.

I'm curious why you chose to reply to this thread four years later...?

As a teacher, I agree that we probably get the blame for a lot of things we can't change.

I also think most people truly don't understand what urban schools are like and the challenges facing urban students. I know I didn't until I started working in one.

I went to public schools growing up, but very suburban public schools.

However, when I started student teaching in an urban high school, and later began working in an urban middle school, I really saw some huge differences.

It's hard for a student to do well in school if he/she has a single mom who works two to three jobs. The mom has no real time to be parent, much less to help the son or daughter with their school work, etc.

It's hard for a student to do well in school if he/she grows up in a dangerous neighborhood and has seen people shot and killed in gang violence, etc. Many students come to school with PTSD at a young age.

Are there bad teachers? Of course.

Are there good teachers trying to overcome incredible odds? Yes-- thousands of them.

The good news is that I think a lot of people are finally starting to see how difficult these situations are, and that good teaching alone can't overcome huge societal issues like poverty, urban violence, etc. Until the communities around the schools improve, the schools will continue to have problems.

[UKyank]

I only get annoyed by my teacher friends in that they all feel the need to interject how much they work & how hard their jobs are when it's not even a topic of conversation. & then post in Facebook all summer & over extended holidays how they're off & you're not.

[J_Church]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I only get annoyed by my teacher friends in that they all feel the need to interject how much they work & how hard their jobs are when it's not even a topic of conversation. & then post in Facebook all summer & over extended holidays how they're off & you're not.

I am a teacher and have lots of teacher friends, and even I am annoyed by this.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

I am completely against the public's constant need to discredit teachers and they're salaries/pensions/lifestyles etc. Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs you can have in a civilized society and they deserve all the credit in the world.

With that being said, teachers need to keep their mouth shut when it comes to gloating about how hard they work. It's doing them no favors and adds more fuel to the anti-education fire.

[sparrowmint]

Teachers who talk about that are generally responding to the attacks against them, in a general sense because it comes from all directions in our society. I'm biased, but I would say that the attacks came first, and the attacks aren't new.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by J_Church

I am a teacher and have lots of teacher friends, and even I am annoyed by this.

Not a teacher, but have a lot of teacher friends. Some are great at what they do and love the field. Some, just waiting for the pension. But that happens in every job.

I could not be a teacher, I've taught a few seminars and having to get 30 jagoffs focus on you for 8 hours is tough. Hell, teachers deserve 3 months off.

The best teacher I ever had was Miss Ivanovick, my 8th grade typing teacher. Best class I ever took and I use iafouaj jg gasdfad oafuooougg. She was great.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by sparrowmint

Teachers who talk about that are generally responding to the attacks against them, in a general sense because it comes from all directions in our society. I'm biased, but I would say that the attacks came first, and the attacks aren't new.

That too is the same in every profession. "Nurse Ratched", "mad scientist", "nerdy engineer", etc. We're all in it together.

[phatty5011]

The teacher can only do so much, Parents should be held responsible for students shortcomings.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by phatty5011

The teacher can only do so much, Parents should be held responsible for students shortcomings.

That's bull as a blanket generalization. There are some terrible teachers out there.