Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Is being a teacher really that difficult? During my k-12 years, I've always heard teachers complaining about lack of pay and hard work. Is this an exaggeration or the truth?
Teachers where I live with a BA/BS start at like $41k. Plus, their hours are roughly 7 hours of working a day. Add into the fact that like 3 of these hours are dedicated to supposed "curriculum planning". They also from my knowledge receive all the breaks that students get and don't work over the summer which allows them to pick up more money working side jobs.
Is being a teacher really that difficult? During my k-12 years, I've always heard teachers complaining about lack of pay and hard work. Is this an exaggeration or the truth?
Teachers where I live with a BA/BS start at like $41k. Plus, their hours are roughly 7 hours of working a day. Add into the fact that like 3 of these hours are dedicated to supposed "curriculum planning". They also from my knowledge receive all the breaks that students get and don't work over the summer which allows them to pick up more money working side jobs.
So am I fair in this assessment?
No, but you knew the feedback you'd get when you posted it.
I'd suggest you try it yourself, to see what you are talking about, but I suspect that you have no actual interest in the whole nurturing of children thing...
^ Honestly, you're viewing my pre-conceived opinions as hostile and the fact is, they aren't. This is what I've assessed through being apart of the American education system. Try actually answering the question next time. Ask yourself this question: Why would I, as a non-teacher, care either way?
This forum is anonymous so people can ACTUALLY express their opinions.
Is being a teacher really that difficult? During my k-12 years, I've always heard teachers complaining about lack of pay and hard work. Is this an exaggeration or the truth?
Teachers where I live with a BA/BS start at like $41k. Plus, their hours are roughly 7 hours of working a day. Add into the fact that like 3 of these hours are dedicated to supposed "curriculum planning". They also from my knowledge receive all the breaks that students get and don't work over the summer which allows them to pick up more money working side jobs.
So am I fair in this assessment?
Speaking from high school
1) Salary seems about right, maybe a bit high
2) Hours are short, usually about 7.5 on the clock. Many teachers stay late or take work home on a daily basis, I've never been to a curriculum planning meeting that lasts 3 hours on a school day. Teachers will get a planning period of between 45 and 90 minutes daily, depending on the school schedule, which is interupted many days by meetings, additional duties or class coverage for absent teachers. For perspective, I gave tests in three classes Friday (95 students) which gives me a bit less than 1 minute per test for correction. All our tests must contain at least 2 extended essays, so those tests don't all get corrected during planning.
3) Many days students have off are work days for teachers, so no, they don't get all the breaks.
4) Summers off for side jobs. Many teachers do other work in the summer but they also have to attend grad classes to maintain certification, many times the tuition is totally out of pocket or only partially reimbursed (I would get reimbursed $150 for a class that cost $900). In 26 years I was in at least one summer class 22 of them.
Please feel free to bash away based on your extensive time in school.
Is being a teacher really that difficult? During my k-12 years, I've always heard teachers complaining about lack of pay and hard work. Is this an exaggeration or the truth?
Teachers where I live with a BA/BS start at like $41k. Plus, their hours are roughly 7 hours of working a day. Add into the fact that like 3 of these hours are dedicated to supposed "curriculum planning". They also from my knowledge receive all the breaks that students get and don't work over the summer which allows them to pick up more money working side jobs.
So am I fair in this assessment?
I'll play along with your ham-handed attempt at criticism.
Yes, you are fair in this assessment. Teaching is a piece of cake. You only need a fourth-grade education yourself to teach fourth graders and in addition to the high salary and minimal hours, teachers receive many less-publicized perks like being able to drive in the HOV lanes with no passengers, free municipal parking, no-show patronage jobs in the summer and 50% off discount cards with dozens of merchants. As far as "curriculum planning", students in detention actually do all the work and teachers take credit for it - it is really quite the scandal.
Does that provide you with the validation you seek? I hope so.
Is being a teacher really that difficult? During my k-12 years, I've always heard teachers complaining about lack of pay and hard work. Is this an exaggeration or the truth?
Teachers where I live with a BA/BS start at like $41k. Plus, their hours are roughly 7 hours of working a day. Add into the fact that like 3 of these hours are dedicated to supposed "curriculum planning". They also from my knowledge receive all the breaks that students get and don't work over the summer which allows them to pick up more money working side jobs.
So am I fair in this assessment?
I'm in a charter so my experience may not be typical. I teach three lab based preps with one prep hour per day 4 days a week (the fifth day I babysit study hall on my prep). I arrive at school an hour before first bell and, often stay two hours after the kids leave. Then I go home and grade papers. 3 hours a day for curriculum planning sounds like heaven to me.
Typically, I put in 60-80 hours per week. 30 in front of classes teaching, 4 on prep and the remainder setting up, tearing down labs or cleaning the lab, grading and lesson planning. As time goes on, I'd expect lesson planning to become less but I'll still spend 5-10 hours per week setting up, tearing down labs and cleaning up after labs over and above my 8 hour duty day (half hour before/after school is required) and then have grading to tend to.
I'm trying to figure out ways to lessen grading. I'm going to try doing a check off list for homework assignments I'd just be giving credit for anyway after the first of the year. That way I'm not handling late papers either. It's either you have your homework the day it's due or you don't get credit for it.
One thing I have issues with is calling parents. I'm supposed to call each parent of each of my students, at least, once per quarter. That one falls off my table all the time and before you know it a month has passed and I've only made 5 calls on behavior issues and none of my other contacts.
I'm in a charter school so I make next to nothing. For me long hours and low pay are reality.
Is being a teacher really that difficult? During my k-12 years, I've always heard teachers complaining about lack of pay and hard work. Is this an exaggeration or the truth?
Teachers where I live with a BA/BS start at like $41k. Plus, their hours are roughly 7 hours of working a day. Add into the fact that like 3 of these hours are dedicated to supposed "curriculum planning". They also from my knowledge receive all the breaks that students get and don't work over the summer which allows them to pick up more money working side jobs.
So am I fair in this assessment?
Tell me where this is and I'm moving there. Are they hiring? I've never heard of any district in the US that has 7 hours a day, 3 of which are planning! When I taught 1st grade in FL, our "official" day was 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Planning was 40 minutes, which by the way is also the time you have to use the restroom (located way on the other side of campus), check e-mail, check mailbox by office, make copies, and anything else that needed immediate attention. Planning was never, ever done on the "planning period." Our school was so overcrowded that often times students were still in my room at 3:30 waiting for their bus to come. I couldn't do any work or even leave my room until they left every day. (our school had a 900 student capacity (after the addition was built) but we had 1,400 kids) Also, we had to escort our class through the lunch line and that often took about 10 minutes because the line was so backed up. That gave me 20 minutes to get my lunch, eat, and use the restroom.
By the way, the beginning salary right now in many districts in FL is $32,400 to around $35k. Don't plan on putting anyone else on your health insurance plan or that will cost you between $200 and $600+ per month.
I now live in GA and my county laid off 100 classroom teachers, gave us all a 2.8% pay cut, and then the state gave us 3 unpaid furlough days. We are expecting up to 7 more unpaid furlough days before the end of this school year. The Superintendent said on Friday that the board will cut 5 days off of this school year (student attendance days), so school will just end a week earlier in May. This is all due to budget shortages which are sure to get worse next year, so that means more layoffs, paycuts, and a reduced school year for the kids.
Also, good luck getting a job because there are very, very few jobs right now, anywhere in the country. I've been following this very closely. Austin, TX is saturated with teachers, MN had layoffs, and my friend in FL says there were 300 teachers who wanted jobs in her area but didn't find any. By the way, the majority of layoffs here were in Special Ed, so that isn't safe either.
^ Honestly, you're viewing my pre-conceived opinions as hostile and the fact is, they aren't. This is what I've assessed through being apart of the American education system. Try actually answering the question next time. Ask yourself this question: Why would I, as a non-teacher, care either way?
This forum is anonymous so people can ACTUALLY express their opinions.
Oddly enough, anonymity doesn't so much encourage expression of opinion as much as it does trolling and rudeness.
And I did answer your question, but you seem to have missed it.
You asked "Is this fair?" I said "No."
As for your new question, I have found that the number of reasons people have for attacking those doing something they don't like is far too high for this former math major to calculate.
So, you tell me - why are you attacking folks out of ignorance in the way you are? What is your goal? And you may have figured out by now that how you phrased your initial post does NOT leave one with any sense that your goal is to gather information - merely to make spurious claims.
If you are trying to become a teacher, then you need to reconsider your perspectives on it, or you are in for one rude shock, Nemesis. Time, work load in and out of the school day, and summer are all skewed.
Oddly enough, anonymity doesn't so much encourage expression of opinion as much as it does trolling and rudeness.
And I did answer your question, but you seem to have missed it.
You asked "Is this fair?" I said "No."
As for your new question, I have found that the number of reasons people have for attacking those doing something they don't like is far too high for this former math major to calculate.
So, you tell me - why are you attacking folks out of ignorance in the way you are? What is your goal? And you may have figured out by now that how you phrased your initial post does NOT leave one with any sense that your goal is to gather information - merely to make spurious claims.
If you are trying to become a teacher, then you need to reconsider your perspectives on it, or you are in for one rude shock, Nemesis. Time, work load in and out of the school day, and summer are all skewed.
I was hoping for a more detailed explanation than your simple yes or no response. Like I stated, this is not an attack. These were my pre-conceived thoughts, so it is what it is. Show me where I made ignorant comments?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
