are teachers underpaid? (salaries, drugs, education, lobby)

[tangodoodles]

Originally Posted by breeze823

Well, of course they are going to complain with you around. I think all friends/family members complain about their jobs/pay, etc...around friends and family, not just teachers!

I agree. All the teachers I've heard complain have at least been familiar to me, it's not like they complain at work. But my mom is a judge and my dad is a lawyer so their lawyer friends really don't complain about money and their teacher friends seem to complain a lot in comparion.

[BigJon3475]

Originally Posted by GregW

Considering the investment in required education, initial and post grad, the "out of classroom time", the hassle of cheapskate school boards, being used as a babysitter and the public’s general attitude, I think a CEO's salary would be too little. When I was deciding on a career I looked at high school teaching and decided that the pay was definitely not worth the cost. Even having June, July and August did not make up for the low pay.

Most teachers in most districts are underpaid and some very much so.

Agreed. I would add the importance of the quality of teachers you get is directly related to the pay. If they paid more more people would be looking to be teachers. As it sits around here at least in public schools they have a hard time finding teachers even when looking for people without degrees.

[Habsburg]

Originally Posted by breeze823

My guess would be by an actual supervisor who watches how the employee works, like in most businesses.

So like... video cameras in the classrooms at public schools? jmarquise here should be the first to scream socialism at that.

They've tried using test scores, but that's not working very well.

[jmarquise]

success rate based on a students trends. or do you prefer the current method of paying the same to a hard working teacher and a worksheet chucker?

Originally Posted by Habsburg

And this would be judged how?

[jmarquise]

I wouldn't have to worry about that. my kid would never go to public school.

Originally Posted by Habsburg

So like... video cameras in the classrooms at public schools? jmarquise here should be the first to scream socialism at that.

They've tried using test scores, but that's not working very well.

[Habsburg]

Originally Posted by jmarquise

success rate based on a students trends. or do you prefer the current method of paying the same to a hard working teacher and a worksheet chucker?

Again, teaching to a test devalues the quality of kids' educations. And there are also too many teachers defrauding those bubble sheets.

[breeze823]

Originally Posted by jmarquise

success rate based on a students trends. or do you prefer the current method of paying the same to a hard working teacher and a worksheet chucker?

I think this would be the appropriate way.

[Habsburg]

Originally Posted by jmarquise

I wouldn't have to worry about that. my kid would never go to public school.

That is extremely shallow and self-centered.

[Politico]

The amount of vacation time the average teacher has per year is about 4 months total, when you factor in summer break, winter break, and spring break. A teacher making $45k for 8 months of work is equal to a person in a different job making ~$67k for a year's worth of work, with a more "normal" vacation allotment like, say, 2 weeks.

$67k/year would probably be considered by most people to be a pretty good salary, especially for someone who only needs to obtain an undergraduate degree in order to hold the position. If you look at teachers' salaries in this perspective, it becomes more obvious (to me, at least) that teachers make a good living, when you consider all the time off they have.

[breeze823]

Originally Posted by Politico

The amount of vacation time the average teacher has per year is about 4 months total, when you factor in summer break, winter break, and spring break. A teacher making $45k for 8 months of work is equal to a person in a different job making ~$67k for a year's worth of work, with a more "normal" vacation allotment like, say, 2 weeks.

$67k/year would probably be considered by most people to be a pretty good salary, especially for someone who only needs to obtain an undergraduate degree in order to hold the position. If you look at teachers' salaries in this perspective, it becomes more obvious (to me, at least) that teachers make a good living, when you consider all the time off they have.

But teachers have alot of out of pocket expenses as well to keep their classrooms running smoothly. Plus, just because our kids have the day off, does not mean the teacher is off.