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It's a problem of tradition. Traditionally teaching was a profession that 'anyone can do.'
Nowadays the expectations on the teacher are far beyond their compensation, to a disgusting degree. Degrees, certifications, professional development, on and on and on.
Additionally, in the case of myself and the OP, we are dealing with professional people both holding advanced degrees AND certifications. As a matter of fact, this "Highly Qualified" Teacher we keep hearing about pretty much requires an advanced degree in your field. So the federal government mandates that I hold undergraduate and graduate (with thesis') degrees in Biological Sciences and state-level certifications in order to keep my job.....and they'll offer me a starting salary of 41,000/year. Name a single other field with such ridiculous requirements that don't offer starting salaries at a minimum of 80,000/year. Ever wonder why we can't keep good teachers in schools? There's the reason, black and white.
All is not lost though, and state teacher unions are pushing salaries up and over 50k starting in many districts. Additionally, we have 2-1/2 months off in the summer to supplement our incomes. In a public school with my 3 years experience and a masters degree I'll start at about 51k, and move to about 60k in 3-4 years. With additional summer income my annual salary will push up and over 70k at that time. If more people start pushing year round schooling I will walk away from this profession in a heartbeat.
Although it is horrible that my 1st job out of college started me at 60k per year and it was almost completely pushing papers. I was beyond bored and unfulfilled so I quit flat out and got a job in a private school.....making 26k. More fulfilling in the working hours, but it certainly makes for a meager night life.
Last edited by pipeline010; 04-02-2008 at 12:24 PM..
Thank you everybody! I certainly didn't expect as many thoughtful and appropriate responses as I got. I have a better sense of where I am now. Thnx again!
Hello, I am teaching at a alternative school, after searching for 3 years and taking on two maternity positions, I have a bachelors , I was offered 38k.
There are so many people looking for jobs now...it is very difficult to negotiate anything on the salary guide.
This is sick. Something has to be done. Teachers and Social Workers are the two professions that are needed the most and are paid the least. The work involved in being a teacher is magnificent and I cannot comprehend how the system can even offer a teacher $42,000 and they go over and beyond sometimes spending 8-9 hours with the children. That's a starting salary for secretaries for heaven's sake - no college required. Wow.
Something is being done ok. Starting teachers salaries and pretty much all teachers will be taking pay cuts. Teachers are not really looked upon in a good light by our current administration. Just to give you a heads up my wife in a North Jersey town makes 42k in salary and will not break 50 for right around 8 years. Of course she loves her job and what she does but it is laughable when you think of what some other careers make.
This is sick. Something has to be done. Teachers and Social Workers are the two professions that are needed the most and are paid the least. The work involved in being a teacher is magnificent and I cannot comprehend how the system can even offer a teacher $42,000 and they go over and beyond sometimes spending 8-9 hours with the children. That's a starting salary for secretaries for heaven's sake - no college required. Wow.
Not to stir the pot or anything but what makes you think they are underpaid??? I know a lot of teachers looking for work. The poster above said they will be competing with 100 other applicants for the same position. That sounds like to me that there are too many teachers (supply is high). Everyone saying you can't negotiate your salary also proves high supply. Last but not least, I was at the shore over the weekend, and 90% of the 20 somethings there are teachers. 50K and get the summer off is not a bad gig.
Stop your whining.
Last edited by TonyStarksNJ; 08-23-2010 at 09:19 AM..
This is sick. Something has to be done. Teachers and Social Workers are the two professions that are needed the most and are paid the least. The work involved in being a teacher is magnificent and I cannot comprehend how the system can even offer a teacher $42,000 and they go over and beyond sometimes spending 8-9 hours with the children. That's a starting salary for secretaries for heaven's sake - no college required. Wow.
i think many teachers need to be paid better, but are you honestly going to criticize a post-college starting salary of $42,000 for a 9 month work schedule? that's an annualized $56,000 starting salary. plus, the benefits a teacher receives are pretty tough to match in most other jobs. you have to consider the entire package.
- I am not sure where you are getting youyr salary numbers, but I would for a very large fortune 500 company and we pay our recent college graduate trainees $45,000 to start with benefits and out administrative assistants and administrative staff start out at around $35,000...
Not to stir the pot or anything but what makes you think they are underpaid??? I know a lot of teachers looking for work. The poster above said they will be competing with 100 other applicants for the same position. That sounds like to me that there are too many teachers (supply is high). Everyone saying you can't negotiate your salary also proves high supply. Last but not least, I was at the shore over the weekend, and 90% of the 20 somethings there are teachers. 50K and get the summer off is not a bad gig.
Stop your whining.
I teach in northern NJ and I suppose a few of our late 20-somethings may have cracked the $50K barrier. *But* if they live on their own in northern NJ, then it's highly doubtful they can afford a shore house. On the other hand, many 20-somethings in NJ tend to live with their parents for quite some time. This was true even 25 years ago. Back in the late 80s, early 90s I was working in the financial world. All of my co-workers who were within 5-7 years of my age were living with their moms and dads. Me? I'd moved from Long Island to NJ so I could take the job, so I had my own apartment. They'd ask me, "Wanna get a shore house?"
"Uh, no, can't afford it?"
"Whaddaya mean? We have the same job!"
"Yeah, but I actually pay rent and utilities...And I buy my own food."
I changed careers in the mid-90s because I really didn't like the financial world and I wanted to do something that I felt was actually *good* for the world. Teaching has been wonderful. I'm never going to be rich, but in my 16th year, I'm doing fairly well teaching in northern NJ. That said, between my mortgage and car payments, I still can't really afford to get a shore house. And so I head down to state and national parks after 4 during the summer. No toll then.
Before anyone starts in with the bit about NJ teachers being paid higher than all but 3-4 other states in the nation, they may want to remember that NJ teachers usually live within commuting distance of their jobs. That means it's a good idea to compare the salaries to the cost of living. Teacherportal.com does that with their Teacher Comfort Scale. Where do NJ teachers rank there? I believe it's 36th. (So much for #5 in salary, huh?) I think the only neighboring state that did worse was NY, at 38. Pennsylvania is 5th. I think it's Delaware that was at 2. That said, there are always trade-offs.
i think many teachers need to be paid better, but are you honestly going to criticize a post-college starting salary of $42,000 for a 9 month work schedule? that's an annualized $56,000 starting salary. plus, the benefits a teacher receives are pretty tough to match in most other jobs. you have to consider the entire package.
First, the problem with annualizing the salary is that the teacher is just not going to be able to make $14,000 during his time off teaching. He might get to lifeguard for 10 weeks during the summer. I've found that some towns in NJ pay about $9-$10/hr. BUT...let's pay him $15/hr. If he works 40 hours a week, that's $600. 10 weeks is $6,000. Now, please keep in mind that I know some lifeguards who do not get 40 hours in a week. But, our guy just made $6,000 for the summer. So, OK, you want to annualize his pay, but he's just not getting that for the year. We're now up to $48,000 for the year. Do you think he's going to get any kind of decent job for Christmas week? Spring break? Doubtful he'd be lucky enough to find something just for those weeks. Also, on those breaks, he's probably doing lesson prep and grading. (Those are the things people always want to forget about.) This is the only thing I miss about my years in the business world: When I came home at night, I was done. As a teacher, I go home, do lesson prep, grading, and answer parent and student emails, or just do parent contacts because a student is behind...Or sometimes because I think a parent should know his/her child is doing a great job.
I really like my job. But I also know that I put a heck of a lot of time into it. For me, that even includes preparation during the summer. (So much for getting another job to make more money.)
The benefits - Sadly, those are diving down as we speak. With each successive contract, those benefits are whittled down further and further. The deductibles go up, fewer things are covered, the insurance company does its level best to keep from paying (hoping whoever the payee is will forget), and - yes - districts are expecting the teachers to pay more towards their health benefits.
Pensions? Since Christie Todd Whitman, the state has barely paid into the pension plan. She decided it wasn't necessary, despite the fact that the state was required to do so by its own law. Governors of both parties did this. Corzine did contribute a bit, but the state has NOT put one penny into that fund for 12 of the past 15 years. (And Chris Christie isn't doing it this year either, so make that 13 of 16.) The other three years? A token amount.
The teachers, on the other hand, have contributed towards their pension plan with EVERY paycheck, via a payroll deduction. Why? It's the law. (You see, the state can break the law, but employees cannot.) In fact, the teachers *increased* their contribution a few years ago.
Many teachers are afraid that because the state has not paid its debts, their pension won't exist. So many people think, "Oh, those nasty pensions." But as you, BradyKP, stated earlier, that's part of a teacher's compensation. That's part of why teachers were willing to take the salaries they took. That was part of the deal. Personally, I'm quite worried. I can easily see Chris Christie doing his level best to destroy the pensions. Then not only do the teachers not get the money the state was supposed to provide, but they don't get the money they contributed out of every paycheck!
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