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If you keep in mind the fact that most teachers only actually work about half the year, the vast majority of them have the equivalent of six figure salaries. That's especially true when you consider the crazy benefits packages and retirement plans. Now, throw in tenure that gives them the kind of job security most people can't even imagine and it becomes a pretty cake job.
No, they frequently don't earn as much as lawyers or engineers, but they don't go through nearly the same kind of rigorous academic training, they don't work nearly as many hours in a day, and again, they only work about half the year!
Sounds good. When are you making the switch? This fall?
If you keep in mind the fact that most teachers only actually work about half the year, the vast majority of them have the equivalent of six figure salaries. That's especially true when you consider the crazy benefits packages and retirement plans. Now, throw in tenure that gives them the kind of job security most people can't even imagine and it becomes a pretty cake job.
No, they frequently don't earn as much as lawyers or engineers, but they don't go through nearly the same kind of rigorous academic training,
they don't work nearly as many hours in a day, and again, they only work about half the year!
What kind of rigorous academic training do lawyers or engineers go through. I know many in both fields and I can tell you it's no different than what teachers go through. At least in my state.
They are more concerned about what they believe you meant than what you actually said. All I did was ask the question, and got slammed for it with responses to things I didn't say. Here we are, 16 pages later, and I'm not even sure anyone who believes teachers are underpaid have actually answered the question. They're too busy firing up their personal outrage.
I believe teachers in some areas are underpaid. What your aunt is making in California is more than $10,000 more than the max amount a teacher can make in my local school district. Additionally, the cost of living isn't low where I live. First year teachers can expect to make $40,000 a year here ($4,000 more than what they made last year). It's taking the district years to catch up to the cost of living, that being said it's still not enough.
Then you can take a peek at a state like Utah which is known to have overflowing classrooms and insanely low pay. I have a family member that teaches there, she has consistently had more kids than she has desks in her room for the last 3 years. They have 6 paraprofessionals for the entire school so she relies heavily on parent volunteers for classroom activities. She has a class of over 30 kids every year and more than 15 years in her career she's making around $55,000. Starting she would be at $33,000.
Additionally, kids in the classroom today are entirely different than kids in the classroom 10 or 20 years ago. You have kindergarteners who understand and attempt to manipulate adults and this is considered normal now. Do you recall how many children you saw throw tantrums while at school? Personally I cannot recall one. However I know at my child's school that there are kids who will throw full blown screaming on the floor tantrums several times a week.
Oh, and let's not forget that they cut the amount that teachers are allowed to deduct from their taxes for what they spend in the classroom. With many districts reigning in spending teachers often find themselves buying things like pencils, glue sticks, and essentials for their rooms on top of the special touches that make a classroom feel welcoming.
You live in the area of the country which is the enemy of all of the rest of the country. Hardly representative ....lol
They "can't afford to live"??? Bizarre claim. They are all dirt poor, then??
Many, many people commute to work from outside their town. I did, when I was teaching.
Two teachers making 50k each in your town would be 100k. Basically the average. Wise saving, etc. means they can buy a house. And live okay.
I live in North Dakota and teachers here face the same problems. We had a teacher quite two years ago because she was making more being a server at a chain restaurant than she was making as a teacher.
If you keep in mind the fact that most teachers only actually work about half the year, the vast majority of them have the equivalent of six figure salaries. That's especially true when you consider the crazy benefits packages and retirement plans. Now, throw in tenure that gives them the kind of job security most people can't even imagine and it becomes a pretty cake job.
No, they frequently don't earn as much as lawyers or engineers, but they don't go through nearly the same kind of rigorous academic training, they don't work nearly as many hours in a day, and again, they only work about half the year!
Yeah, clearly some of those states are just rolling in it. But at least the school system for their benefits right? Except that's not actually an across the board thing. A lot of school districts make you pay for your benefits. That retirement though, that's a solid bump of at least $40k+ a year so that most the states can actually reach that six figure mark you're claiming teachers make after all is said and done right?
As for job security, there are a lot of places in this country right now where finding a teaching job is near impossible. Tenure also doesn't really exist in most grade schools. That's more a university/college thing.
I live in North Dakota and teachers here face the same problems. We had a teacher quite two years ago because she was making more being a server at a chain restaurant than she was making as a teacher.
What is the starting pay for teachers in your area? What is the range?
Yeah, clearly some of those states are just rolling in it. But at least the school system for their benefits right? Except that's not actually an across the board thing. A lot of school districts make you pay for your benefits. That retirement though, that's a solid bump of at least $40k+ a year so that most the states can actually reach that six figure mark you're claiming teachers make after all is said and done right?
As for job security, there are a lot of places in this country right now where finding a teaching job is near impossible. Tenure also doesn't really exist in most grade schools. That's more a university/college thing.
It is usually two years until tenure. At any age level.
It is almost impossible to fire teachers. I know: I was a union rep.
Any STEM teacher, or specialty teacher, can find a job almost anywhere.
It is usually two years until tenure. At any age level.
It is almost impossible to fire teachers. I know: I was a union rep.
Any STEM teacher, or specialty teacher, can find a job almost anywhere.
As a school principal pointed out in this post, it isn't that difficult to fire a teacher.
I also forgot to add the emotional toll teaching can take on a person. That's not something I've really seen brought up yet. Lawyers and doctors can easily disassociate themselves from victims in situations. It's typically not someone they know well, it's not someone they see frequently and therefore remaining emotionally aloof isn't as difficult.
However teachers spend hours every day with these same kids. They know their likes, their dislikes, what incentive to use to help turn around a rough day, etc. So when you know these kids well and you see one show up with with bruises up and down their back it's upsetting. Or a students parents are getting divorced and they start acting out in class. Or someone they're close to dies. Or their parents simply suck and don't take care of their kid.
The list could go on but with good teachers they care about the kids in their classroom and that can be extremely draining.
And as for your quote above, I posted beginning and averages for teacher pay in my state and many others. Montana appears to be one of the worst states, but making six figures after benefits and retirement would require a MASSIVE amount of benefits (often the same amount a teacher actually makes in a year) in order to be true. There's no way that claim is factually accurate or representative of most teachers.
As a school principal pointed out in this post, it isn't that difficult to fire a teacher.
I also forgot to add the emotional toll teaching can take on a person. That's not something I've really seen brought up yet. Lawyers and doctors can easily disassociate themselves from victims in situations. It's typically not someone they know well, it's not someone they see frequently and therefore remaining emotionally aloof isn't as difficult.
However teachers spend hours every day with these same kids. They know their likes, their dislikes, what incentive to use to help turn around a rough day, etc. So when you know these kids well and you see one show up with with bruises up and down their back it's upsetting. Or a students parents are getting divorced and they start acting out in class. Or someone they're close to dies. Or their parents simply suck and don't take care of their kid.
The list could go on but with good teachers they care about the kids in their classroom and that can be extremely draining.
And as for your quote above, I posted beginning and averages for teacher pay in my state and many others. Montana appears to be one of the worst states, but making six figures after benefits and retirement would require a MASSIVE amount of benefits (often the same amount a teacher actually makes in a year) in order to be true. There's no way that claim is factually accurate or representative of most teachers.
I will agree with you wholeheartedly that teaching can be a difficult, stressful job. It was for me.
But back to salary and benefits: teachers are rewarded fairly today. This was not usually so, forty years ago. In some cases/places today, they are overcompensated. It is not hard to understand how that happens.
I will agree with you wholeheartedly that teaching can be a difficult, stressful job. It was for me.
But back to salary and benefits: teachers are rewarded fairly today. This was not usually so, forty years ago. In some cases/places today, they are overcompensated. It is not hard to understand how that happens.
So you're saying that starting out at $29-33k a year is an acceptable salary for a teacher? That's low enough to qualify for welfare in many situations.
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