WHy do so many people say teaching in FL is so horrible?

[saeedab]

I currently teach in a rural area in Maryland and have been considering moving to Florida (I've been in a long distance relationship with someone in Orlando, we finally settled on me looking into moving there). It sounds like the biggest issue with teaching in Florida is the pay...I make 43k and I'm in my third year ...I'd love to here how current teachers in Florida feel about teaching there. I mean, there are still thousands of teachers there, so it can't be all bad, right?

[loves2read]

where else are they going to go when their families are there?
what other type of work can they do when teaching is all they have done? be a brain surgeon?

my daughter teaches in what is considered/rated one of the best schools in the country and she is stressed out more every year==
she has peers who don't want to change and incorporate new teaching concepts and strategies and basically just want to coast
she has a state legislature that wants perfect performance but at a WalMart price
she has administrators who are afraid to police parents and have forgotten what it takes to succeed in the classroom...

and despite that there are very few vacancies in her school because people need their jobs and some vacancies are filled by hiring someone as a permanent sub--meaning no benefits and reduced pay...to meet the budget needs...

[saeedab]

Originally Posted by loves2read

where else are they going to go when their families are there?
what other type of work can they do when teaching is all they have done? be a brain surgeon?

my daughter teaches in what is considered/rated one of the best schools in the country and she is stressed out more every year==
she has peers who don't want to change and incorporate new teaching concepts and strategies and basically just want to coast
she has a state legislature that wants perfect performance but at a WalMart price
she has administrators who are afraid to police parents and have forgotten what it takes to succeed in the classroom...

and despite that there are very few vacancies in her school because people need their jobs and some vacancies are filled by hiring someone as a permanent sub--meaning no benefits and reduced pay...to meet the budget needs...

All very valid points, but those issues aren't only found in Florida. I have also gotten frustrated with co-workers who I'm supposed to be able to plan with, yet they don't want to change anything they're doing. To add to that, they have often expressed their contempt with collaboration if it means taking suggestions and constructive criticism from those with less experience.

Shifts in how administration operates has created less support for us; if we want students to do what they're supposed to, we have to establish those boundaries and a relationship with the parents (and the students) that will lead to success.

Our evaluations are directly affected by how well students do on assessments (granted, we get to choose the assessment, but there's still lots of paperwork and extra meetings to create these assessments and track student progress).

Teaching is hard work, and it's getting much harder. And like everyone else, we are feeling the affects of the recession...everything is getting more expensive, but COL doesn't match up...any pay increases aren't even felt because of taxes and rising healthcare costs.

So...what's the real issue? I visited the Florida Dept. of Education site and saw the salary schedule...I suppose the biggest difference is the pay..? From where I'm looking, teachers have it rough regardless of the area...

[flip33]

Originally Posted by loves2read

and despite that there are very few vacancies in her school because people need their jobs and some vacancies are filled by hiring someone as a permanent sub--meaning no benefits and reduced pay...to meet the budget needs...

The permanent sub notion is disgusting. Corporations and municipalities want to save money, but did you notice that CEO's and their cronies (and government leaders) do not have to endure permatemp status?

[GoldCountry80]

Originally Posted by loves2read

because you are probably in a union that has the ability to negotiate contracts and benefits--where as FL does not allow that for its teachers
and FL is a Republican legislature/governor and those politicians put no faith in public education, don't want to tax people to raise salaries, benefits, or educational systems in general---they would love to outsource public education and turn it all over to private business which would in turn try to make a profit off education...
see how good the medical system in the US has gone since insurance companies started exerting most of the control???
that is what will happen with education if private industry take over public education---
don't kid yourself that what they (the people with this agenda) have in mind/heart is to improve education--that is lip service.
An ignorant population is one that is easily swayed and can't think beyond a sound bite...
that is what they want and they are getting it already to large extent...

Please explain to me why CA public schools are in the gutter then. I believe the schools in a lot of FL beat the CA schools.. a state with high taxes and purple government or left wing liberals.. The only true blue place that probably has better schools than FL is Massachusetts. Maybe Illinois or DC but FL schools are far better than Californias.