Anonymous
Post 11/09/2025 00:59     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Yep, summers off with their kids. Plus all the breaks, extra holidays, snow days etc.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2025 00:59     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Complete nonsense. I just checked with a friend at fcps and she makes 85k on a 195 day contract. That's over $50 per hour. And her colleagues who have been there longer than she has make much more, some of them well over six figures. And they are free to work other jobs over the breaks (which my friend does).


DMV big3 Teacher salary is around 60K bases on Glassdoor.


Yeah. Public school pays more than private.

At any rate 60k on a similar length contract is going to be about $38 per hour. Less than $50, but a hell of a lot more than this $15 nonsense PP was spewing.

Here is a link to fcps pay scale. At the top of it, 30 years in with a MA, pay is $125k. That's $78 an hour. And a six figure salary with months -- plural -- off.


If you’re working 40 hour weeks, that pay is good. But when you’re working 65 hour weeks, it’s not. I figure I make a bit less than $30 an hour when I factor in my real hours, not just my contracted ones. That’s not great pay considering my experience and advanced degrees.

And those months off? Again: unpaid. And I often PAY for courses to maintain my certification during those months.

- not FCPS, but the point still stands


A salary is a salary. If you make 80k for a 195-day contract you make 80k. You are neither "unpaid" nor "paid" during the summer. It's not like you are teaching everyday but "unpaid."


My contract is literally for a set amount of days as well as a set number of hours each day.

By contract, I am paid for 1528 hours. I estimate that last year I worked 2655 hours, which includes a lot of weekend and summer work.

So yes, I feel severely underpaid for what I do.

And as for unpaid, I am literally unpaid for summer work. My contract stops in June and resumes in August, yet I am working in my classroom throughout the summer to prep for the next year.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2025 00:58     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Seriously, do you live under a rock?
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2025 00:56     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Summers are not paid, they are on a 10 month contract. Privates pay lower than publics which is crazy when they charge more per student than some teachers make.


Summers are unworked so why would they be paid.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2025 00:48     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:Why all the complaining about unpaid summers? Were you unaware teachers have the summer off when you went into teaching? It's like an ER doctor complaining about working nights.


Yes, teachers are quite aware they don’t get paid for summers. But a poster (two?) have literally written that we have paid summers.

Correcting people isn’t complaining.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:22     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Summers are not paid, they are on a 10 month contract. Privates pay lower than publics which is crazy when they charge more per student than some teachers make.


This.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:18     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Why all the complaining about unpaid summers? Were you unaware teachers have the summer off when you went into teaching? It's like an ER doctor complaining about working nights.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:16     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Complete nonsense. I just checked with a friend at fcps and she makes 85k on a 195 day contract. That's over $50 per hour. And her colleagues who have been there longer than she has make much more, some of them well over six figures. And they are free to work other jobs over the breaks (which my friend does).


Even though it might be a nonsense, don't we agree that with 60K a year (no matter how much free time one can have) it is not enough to attracts top talents into teaching that match up the nearly 60K a year tuition? What do the parents think of this?


There is a middleman pocketing the difference.


Does the low salary affect quality of teaching and education in these elite schools? If they pay so little, why is private school even quantitatively better than public school? Other than sports and arts and facilities? I did not ask this to repeat the many nonsense about this debate? But truly wondering.


It's not pc to say so, but teachers are not rocket scientists and don't need to be.


If they are to just be daycare for the masses, then that's true. That's what has happened to public education the last several decades. Poor teachers, bad students = no learning.

The average HS graduate in 1950s was more educated and more intelligent than the average PhD now. It's pathetic.


Source for your claim re:1950s HS grad.vs PhD?
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:14     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Decent pay and 3 months of paid vacation has never been true.


I second this.

It isn’t paid vacation. We are contracted for 10 months. Our pay may be spread across 12, but we aren’t paid for 12 months.

And as this is on the private school forum, “decent pay” seems to be a stretch.


Do you think you should be paid as if you are teaching all summer?

The pay is decent for working the number of days in the contract.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:13     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Complete nonsense. I just checked with a friend at fcps and she makes 85k on a 195 day contract. That's over $50 per hour. And her colleagues who have been there longer than she has make much more, some of them well over six figures. And they are free to work other jobs over the breaks (which my friend does).


Even though it might be a nonsense, don't we agree that with 60K a year (no matter how much free time one can have) it is not enough to attracts top talents into teaching that match up the nearly 60K a year tuition? What do the parents think of this?


There is a middleman pocketing the difference.


Does the low salary affect quality of teaching and education in these elite schools? If they pay so little, why is private school even quantitatively better than public school? Other than sports and arts and facilities? I did not ask this to repeat the many nonsense about this debate? But truly wondering.


It's not pc to say so, but teachers are not rocket scientists and don't need to be.


If they are to just be daycare for the masses, then that's true. That's what has happened to public education the last several decades. Poor teachers, bad students = no learning.

The average HS graduate in 1950s was more educated and more intelligent than the average PhD now. It's pathetic.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:13     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


DP. It’s really the one perk we get: an unpaid summer.

I think it’s fair to list the shrinking summer as a change.


Is the number of days off shrinking or are they spread throughout the year?
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:11     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Complete nonsense. I just checked with a friend at fcps and she makes 85k on a 195 day contract. That's over $50 per hour. And her colleagues who have been there longer than she has make much more, some of them well over six figures. And they are free to work other jobs over the breaks (which my friend does).


DMV big3 Teacher salary is around 60K bases on Glassdoor.


Yeah. Public school pays more than private.

At any rate 60k on a similar length contract is going to be about $38 per hour. Less than $50, but a hell of a lot more than this $15 nonsense PP was spewing.

Here is a link to fcps pay scale. At the top of it, 30 years in with a MA, pay is $125k. That's $78 an hour. And a six figure salary with months -- plural -- off.


If you’re working 40 hour weeks, that pay is good. But when you’re working 65 hour weeks, it’s not. I figure I make a bit less than $30 an hour when I factor in my real hours, not just my contracted ones. That’s not great pay considering my experience and advanced degrees.

And those months off? Again: unpaid. And I often PAY for courses to maintain my certification during those months.

- not FCPS, but the point still stands


A salary is a salary. If you make 80k for a 195-day contract you make 80k. You are neither "unpaid" nor "paid" during the summer. It's not like you are teaching everyday but "unpaid."


Exactly.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:10     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Complete nonsense. I just checked with a friend at fcps and she makes 85k on a 195 day contract. That's over $50 per hour. And her colleagues who have been there longer than she has make much more, some of them well over six figures. And they are free to work other jobs over the breaks (which my friend does).


Even though it might be a nonsense, don't we agree that with 60K a year (no matter how much free time one can have) it is not enough to attracts top talents into teaching that match up the nearly 60K a year tuition? What do the parents think of this?


There is a middleman pocketing the difference.


Does the low salary affect quality of teaching and education in these elite schools? If they pay so little, why is private school even quantitatively better than public school? Other than sports and arts and facilities? I did not ask this to repeat the many nonsense about this debate? But truly wondering.


The entire environment is different. Especially things like class size and cohort. "Quality of teaching" isn't that big of a deal. It's not pc to say so, but teachers are not rocket scientists and don't need to be.


+1
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:01     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?


Lack of autonomy in the classroom.
Lack of discipline and not being able to discipline problem students.
Federal funding addiction creating problem students who destroy classrooms and schools since they won't kick them out.
Political Correctness stifling a creative learning environment.
Mandatory "continuing education" bs during summer vacations.
Summer vacations cut from 3 months to barely 2 now.
Teacher's unions in many states sucking up their paychecks.

The list goes on.


cry me a river, lol


One of the main reasons people go into teaching is the summers off with the kids. It be what it be.

Pay more and the shorter summer vacation wouldn't be such a thing. Teachers get around $15 per hour as it is. $20-25 per hour average if you work at an inner city school like in The Substitute movies where you deal with stabbings and gang fights.


Complete nonsense. I just checked with a friend at fcps and she makes 85k on a 195 day contract. That's over $50 per hour. And her colleagues who have been there longer than she has make much more, some of them well over six figures. And they are free to work other jobs over the breaks (which my friend does).


Even though it might be a nonsense, don't we agree that with 60K a year (no matter how much free time one can have) it is not enough to attracts top talents into teaching that match up the nearly 60K a year tuition? What do the parents think of this?


Is it enough to "attract top talents"? Not if those talents are primarily concerned with money -- if that is what these "top talents" are concerned with, they will remain at fcps or wherever, and make a lot more. Either way, for a job that is max 10 months out of the year, it is plenty good money.


Def not attaching top talents. But maybe not even the qualified mediocre students, if the wage is so bare minimum.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2025 23:00     Subject: Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The teachers aren’t well trained either. They present worksheets with incorrect spelling. They don’t know how to teach phonics. They are poor in math skills and even poorer in explaining concepts. They don’t understand higher level math and how they should be better supporting it. They don’t prepare kids adequately for the next grade. They are inexperienced and think that grabbing worksheets off TpT website is a best practice! I’ve not seen much creativity in the method of teaching in 9+ years.


50 years ago, smart women became teachers. Now they have lots more options, so the pool of candidates for teaching positions is of significantly worse quality.
+1 The teachers that we keep hiring in are dingbats.