Are you sick of highly-paid teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish we paid teachers more. And could fire them.

They can be fired.

Not really. They hire lawyers and the teacher's union protects them. It is VERY difficult to fire a teacher.

I'm all for increasing the amount of money a teacher can potentially make, decreasing the power of the union and giving significant pay raises only to those who truly deserve it. Yes, 90% of teachers work hard. We once dealt with someone who was part of the 10% and I have no doubt she will teach forever. It's not just about hard work. The master teachers work hard and do an amazing job and THEY should get major raises. Some people work hard and even after many years of experience they just don't blossom into good teachers. People bitch about the fact you can't measure performance and pay accordingly. Yes you can. It is done in every workplace.

It is NOT difficult to fire a teacher in the private sector, though. (Often unfairly, I may add.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to check in here. Please do NOT comment about the job of teaching unless you are a teacher, because you have no idea. Whatever it looks like to you in terms of pay, workload, vacation,etc. is nothing like what it really is. The job has no defined set of hours. I literally could work around the clock, but I have to eat and I have to sleep. It is hours of work and an incredible amount of stress. New reform metrics only have added to this unmanageable job. Stop talking about summers off. There is no "time off." Summer vacation is actually only about 3-4 weeks, similar to most mid level career people, and I still have work to do in that time. I have meetings, classes,planning- most of which I am not paid for in the other weeks.

It is midnight, and I have been working all night since I arrived home. I stopped for dinner...45 minutes. I have no kids, but if I did they would not have any attention or I would not be able to do what I need to do just to be prepared for tomorrow, or to compile the grades that are due this week, or organize endless data points for an evaluation check of how effective a teacher I am. Kids who fail my class because they complete nothing will go on to the next grade regardless and their parents will threaten me at parent conferences over these grades...as if I was responsible. If they do not pass tests in school either because they cannot due to disabilities or effort, I will labeled ineffective as a teacher. Where else in working America would this fly?

Did you read about the shooting in a middle school in New Mexico? How about the one a few weeks ago? Have you been in a classroom of angry. hungry, impoverished kids day after day?

This is no longer a job, it has to be a complete give over of one's life. Talking about our pay, unless you fully understand what this job entails, is reprehensible. [/quote


I am a teacher, too. Thank you for this post. I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to check in here. Please do NOT comment about the job of teaching unless you are a teacher, because you have no idea. Whatever it looks like to you in terms of pay, workload, vacation,etc. is nothing like what it really is. The job has no defined set of hours. I literally could work around the clock, but I have to eat and I have to sleep. It is hours of work and an incredible amount of stress. New reform metrics only have added to this unmanageable job. Stop talking about summers off. There is no "time off." Summer vacation is actually only about 3-4 weeks, similar to most mid level career people, and I still have work to do in that time. I have meetings, classes,planning- most of which I am not paid for in the other weeks.

It is midnight, and I have been working all night since I arrived home. I stopped for dinner...45 minutes. I have no kids, but if I did they would not have any attention or I would not be able to do what I need to do just to be prepared for tomorrow, or to compile the grades that are due this week, or organize endless data points for an evaluation check of how effective a teacher I am. Kids who fail my class because they complete nothing will go on to the next grade regardless and their parents will threaten me at parent conferences over these grades...as if I was responsible. If they do not pass tests in school either because they cannot due to disabilities or effort, I will labeled ineffective as a teacher. Where else in working America would this fly?

Did you read about the shooting in a middle school in New Mexico? How about the one a few weeks ago? Have you been in a classroom of angry. hungry, impoverished kids day after day?

This is no longer a job, it has to be a complete give over of one's life. Talking about our pay, unless you fully understand what this job entails, is reprehensible.

Then do something else if you're not enjoying it. Seriously. Get off the cross and find a career that makes you happy. I am a teacher (on maternity leave), my husband is a teacher, and three out of our four parents are teachers. This attitude is why so many people dislike teachers. Complain, complain, complain. We all had career day, and you knew what you were getting into.

She is NOT complaining. She IS defending her career, though. I am a teacher. I agree with her 1 million percent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to check in here. Please do NOT comment about the job of teaching unless you are a teacher, because you have no idea. Whatever it looks like to you in terms of pay, workload, vacation,etc. is nothing like what it really is. The job has no defined set of hours. I literally could work around the clock, but I have to eat and I have to sleep. It is hours of work and an incredible amount of stress. New reform metrics only have added to this unmanageable job. Stop talking about summers off. There is no "time off." Summer vacation is actually only about 3-4 weeks, similar to most mid level career people, and I still have work to do in that time. I have meetings, classes,planning- most of which I am not paid for in the other weeks.

It is midnight, and I have been working all night since I arrived home. I stopped for dinner...45 minutes. I have no kids, but if I did they would not have any attention or I would not be able to do what I need to do just to be prepared for tomorrow, or to compile the grades that are due this week, or organize endless data points for an evaluation check of how effective a teacher I am. Kids who fail my class because they complete nothing will go on to the next grade regardless and their parents will threaten me at parent conferences over these grades...as if I was responsible. If they do not pass tests in school either because they cannot due to disabilities or effort, I will labeled ineffective as a teacher. Where else in working America would this fly?

Did you read about the shooting in a middle school in New Mexico? How about the one a few weeks ago? Have you been in a classroom of angry. hungry, impoverished kids day after day?

This is no longer a job, it has to be a complete give over of one's life. Talking about our pay, unless you fully understand what this job entails, is reprehensible.

Then do something else if you're not enjoying it. Seriously. Get off the cross and find a career that makes you happy. I am a teacher (on maternity leave), my husband is a teacher, and three out of our four parents are teachers. This attitude is why so many people dislike teachers. Complain, complain, complain. We all had career day, and you knew what you were getting into.

She is NOT complaining. She IS defending her career, though. I am a teacher. I agree with her 1 million percent.

Are you a math teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher but work in finance for an engineering company. If you take a salary/9 × 12.. it is more than a lot of them make. Sorry, they are overpaid.

1. A teachers contracted calendar is not the same as a student's calendar. THEN add an addional 3 weeks of setting up the classroom or closing it down. I worked a minimum of 60 hrs/week during the school year. My contract was from 8/1 until 6/30 every year... FWIW.

2. What summer job can teachers find that would substantially supplement their income while allowing time to take grad classes?

3. still had expenses like childcare, mortgage, etc.

While i love teaching, I had to make a choice of time with my own kids vs. my students. I chose my kids and now stay home while working a p/t job.

Ignore the errors. Sick right now, and it is 3:42... But you understand my point, right?

Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to check in here. Please do NOT comment about the job of teaching unless you are a teacher, because you have no idea. Whatever it looks like to you in terms of pay, workload, vacation,etc. is nothing like what it really is. The job has no defined set of hours. I literally could work around the clock, but I have to eat and I have to sleep. It is hours of work and an incredible amount of stress. New reform metrics only have added to this unmanageable job. Stop talking about summers off. There is no "time off." Summer vacation is actually only about 3-4 weeks, similar to most mid level career people, and I still have work to do in that time. I have meetings, classes,planning- most of which I am not paid for in the other weeks.

It is midnight, and I have been working all night since I arrived home. I stopped for dinner...45 minutes. I have no kids, but if I did they would not have any attention or I would not be able to do what I need to do just to be prepared for tomorrow, or to compile the grades that are due this week, or organize endless data points for an evaluation check of how effective a teacher I am. Kids who fail my class because they complete nothing will go on to the next grade regardless and their parents will threaten me at parent conferences over these grades...as if I was responsible. If they do not pass tests in school either because they cannot due to disabilities or effort, I will labeled ineffective as a teacher. Where else in working America would this fly?

Did you read about the shooting in a middle school in New Mexico? How about the one a few weeks ago? Have you been in a classroom of angry. hungry, impoverished kids day after day?

This is no longer a job, it has to be a complete give over of one's life. Talking about our pay, unless you fully understand what this job entails, is reprehensible.

Then do something else if you're not enjoying it. Seriously. Get off the cross and find a career that makes you happy. I am a teacher (on maternity leave), my husband is a teacher, and three out of our four parents are teachers. This attitude is why so many people dislike teachers. Complain, complain, complain. We all had career day, and you knew what you were getting into.

She is NOT complaining. She IS defending her career, though. I am a teacher. I agree with her 1 million percent.

Are you a math teacher?[/quot

NO! I am not! That would be the last subject I would teach (ability & interest wise!!!)

[Anonymous]

Obviously, OP never had an inspiring, life changing teacher. We should be doing all we can to encourage good teachers to stay in the profession and to attract more good teachers. Instead, I think we are doing the opposite, and dumping on them, the profession, the schools, etc. is not going to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish we paid teachers more. And could fire them.

They can be fired.

Not really. They hire lawyers and the teacher's union protects them. It is VERY difficult to fire a teacher.

I'm all for increasing the amount of money a teacher can potentially make, decreasing the power of the union and giving significant pay raises only to those who truly deserve it. Yes, 90% of teachers work hard. We once dealt with someone who was part of the 10% and I have no doubt she will teach forever. It's not just about hard work. The master teachers work hard and do an amazing job and THEY should get major raises. Some people work hard and even after many years of experience they just don't blossom into good teachers. People bitch about the fact you can't measure performance and pay accordingly. Yes you can. It is done in every workplace.

In VA, this is simply incorrect. Teachers' unions in VA have no compulsory collective bargaining rights. Essentially all public school teachers in VA are at-will. They're not even entitled to an attorney-conducted admin hearing before punitive disciplinary action can be taken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher but work in finance for an engineering company. If you take a salary/9 × 12.. it is more than a lot of them make. Sorry, they are overpaid.

1. A teachers contracted calendar is not the same as a student's calendar. THEN add an addional 3 weeks of setting up the classroom or closing it down. I worked a minimum of 60 hrs/week during the school year. My contract was from 8/1 until 6/30 every year... FWIW.

2. What summer job can teachers find that would substantially supplement their income while allowing time to take grad classes?

3. still had expenses like childcare, mortgage, etc.

While i love teaching, I had to make a choice of time with my own kids vs. my students. I chose my kids and now stay home while working a p/t job.

Ignore the errors. Sick right now, and it is 3:42... But you understand my point, right?

Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

Pp here, I taught 9 years with a Masters and my final salary was $39k. Too much? We lived in NY. What conditions are more stressful than a dad of one of our students shot 1 block from the school, a drug bust across the street from the school (after a year long investigation that involved a student's father.) About 1/2 of my students had at least 1 parent incarcerated and/or in a gang. Despite this, we were threatened with being fired if test scores did not improve. Yes, teachers were either fired or given the choice to resign. At this school, 4 teachers in 5 years.

Again, I LOVED teaching, but there is a lot more to our job than covering the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

PP, if you are a highly-educated person working for a lot less, under more stressful conditions, including unpaid overtime, then I suggest that you switch careers and become a teacher. After all, who wouldn't love to be overpaid? So, how about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

PP, if you are a highly-educated person working for a lot less, under more stressful conditions, including unpaid overtime, then I suggest that you switch careers and become a teacher. After all, who wouldn't love to be overpaid? So, how about it?

It's too late. Unfortunately, unlike the private sector where I can switch jobs and make a similar salary if I taught I would have to start at the same salary at a 22 year old. I can't afford to start over.

[Anonymous]

as a 22 year old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher but work in finance for an engineering company. If you take a salary/9 × 12.. it is more than a lot of them make. Sorry, they are overpaid.

1. A teachers contracted calendar is not the same as a student's calendar. THEN add an addional 3 weeks of setting up the classroom or closing it down. I worked a minimum of 60 hrs/week during the school year. My contract was from 8/1 until 6/30 every year... FWIW.

2. What summer job can teachers find that would substantially supplement their income while allowing time to take grad classes?

3. still had expenses like childcare, mortgage, etc.

While i love teaching, I had to make a choice of time with my own kids vs. my students. I chose my kids and now stay home while working a p/t job.

Ignore the errors. Sick right now, and it is 3:42... But you understand my point, right?

Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

Pp here, I taught 9 years with a Masters and my final salary was $39k. Too much? We lived in NY. What conditions are more stressful than a dad of one of our students shot 1 block from the school, a drug bust across the street from the school (after a year long investigation that involved a student's father.) About 1/2 of my students had at least 1 parent incarcerated and/or in a gang. Despite this, we were threatened with being fired if test scores did not improve. Yes, teachers were either fired or given the choice to resign. At this school, 4 teachers in 5 years.

Again, I LOVED teaching, but there is a lot more to our job than covering the curriculum.

No you were not overpaid. I am talking about the folks who work for 15-20 years as a teacher at MCPS and are making $90K-110K plus cushy benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

PP, if you are a highly-educated person working for a lot less, under more stressful conditions, including unpaid overtime, then I suggest that you switch careers and become a teacher. After all, who wouldn't love to be overpaid? So, how about it?

It's too late. Unfortunately, unlike the private sector where I can switch jobs and make a similar salary if I taught I would have to start at the same salary at a 22 year old. I can't afford to start over.

OK. But how about all of those 22-year-olds? All they have to do is stick around for a few years, and then they can have a cushy, overpaid teaching job. So why aren't they doing it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you can't supplement your income easily..but all I am saying is in the private sector many highly educated people work for a lot less under more stressful conditions. We who work in the private sector work unpaid overtime too. This is for MCPS teachers not private school teachers. Private school teachers are not overpaid,

PP, if you are a highly-educated person working for a lot less, under more stressful conditions, including unpaid overtime, then I suggest that you switch careers and become a teacher. After all, who wouldn't love to be overpaid? So, how about it?

It's too late. Unfortunately, unlike the private sector where I can switch jobs and make a similar salary if I taught I would have to start at the same salary at a 22 year old. I can't afford to start over.

OK. But how about all of those 22-year-olds? All they have to do is stick around for a few years, and then they can have a cushy, overpaid teaching job. So why aren't they doing it?

I'm not saying teaching isn't hard work and lets face it many 22 years change jobs. I am just saying compared with the private sector they are paid much better.