Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who was a SAHM for 20 yrs. Her husband made a really good living. She didn’t need to work but wanted some independence while staying married. She became a teacher but it is absolutely a hobby job because it’s a fraction of what the husband makes, she doesn’t need the job, she likes getting out of the house and working after 20 yrs, she uses the salary to shop and go to the spa in weekends.

Totally different question: do summers off make up for all the rest? I’ve always worked in the corporate world and would love to have the long vacations. My teacher friend says they’re still always working but I don’t see that.

I have friends who are teachers. I figured out that I worked 7 more years than they did - because they consistently got 3 months off a year. Some teachers work during the summer. A lot don't.

Yes, and you got paid for those additional months.

Many teachers work during the summer. I was at my school most of this week, working on a curriculum refresh and helping a new hire get acclimated. I was at work most of last week, redesigning an AI policy. Since I’m not paid over the summer, that’s free work I’m doing.

I also work most weekends over the school year and I have to pay for my own recertification classes that must be done on my own time.

Ask yourself this question: who is paid more adequately and appropriately for the work they perform? You or your teacher friends?

You should really not be working without compensation. It reinforces the district’s ability to continue to squeeze us for free labor and underpay. It will not be the end of the world if none of those things you did this summer get done or take longer to get done.

- Signed a teacher

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We all know teachers don’t make much, so between the low pay and summers off, is that enough to constitute a “hobby” job?

What an extremely offensive question.

It really is. As a long tenured teacher, I dont' make much money but I provide the health insurance and future pension to my husband and children.

Now subtract your husband and keep the kids. It completely changes the scenario. My kids qualified for free/reduced meals for many years when I first taught. And some states require Master's degrees for teachers. At this point, I have the equivalent of two Master's degrees since teachers have to take graduate credits every 5 yrs in order to renew their certification. That's what I'm doing this summer.

There are many jobs that are really hard. They demand a lot of you, pay not nearly enough and are passion projects. That doesn’t make it a hobby job. It’s wild only big $$ counts as being a dedicated professional.

Teachers put a lot of themselves into their work. More so than your average mouse clicking desk jockey.

Asking if teaching is a hobby job is like asking if sales is professional masturbation/cloaked sex work. You’re in it for the chase and thrill but also occasionally have to metaphorically bend over in appeasing client requests

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who was a SAHM for 20 yrs. Her husband made a really good living. She didn’t need to work but wanted some independence while staying married. She became a teacher but it is absolutely a hobby job because it’s a fraction of what the husband makes, she doesn’t need the job, she likes getting out of the house and working after 20 yrs, she uses the salary to shop and go to the spa in weekends.

Totally different question: do summers off make up for all the rest? I’ve always worked in the corporate world and would love to have the long vacations. My teacher friend says they’re still always working but I don’t see that.

I have friends who are teachers. I figured out that I worked 7 more years than they did - because they consistently got 3 months off a year. Some teachers work during the summer. A lot don't.

Yes, and you got paid for those additional months.

Many teachers work during the summer. I was at my school most of this week, working on a curriculum refresh and helping a new hire get acclimated. I was at work most of last week, redesigning an AI policy. Since I’m not paid over the summer, that’s free work I’m doing.

I also work most weekends over the school year and I have to pay for my own recertification classes that must be done on my own time.

Ask yourself this question: who is paid more adequately and appropriately for the work they perform? You or your teacher friends?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We all know teachers don’t make much, so between the low pay and summers off, is that enough to constitute a “hobby” job?

What an extremely offensive question.

It really is. As a long tenured teacher, I dont' make much money but I provide the health insurance and future pension to my husband and children.

No, it's a tough job that doesn't pay particularly well.

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who was a SAHM for 20 yrs. Her husband made a really good living. She didn’t need to work but wanted some independence while staying married. She became a teacher but it is absolutely a hobby job because it’s a fraction of what the husband makes, she doesn’t need the job, she likes getting out of the house and working after 20 yrs, she uses the salary to shop and go to the spa in weekends.

Totally different question: do summers off make up for all the rest? I’ve always worked in the corporate world and would love to have the long vacations. My teacher friend says they’re still always working but I don’t see that.

I have friends who are teachers. I figured out that I worked 7 more years than they did - because they consistently got 3 months off a year. Some teachers work during the summer. A lot don't.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a normal middle class job with a perk of getting summers off (and a lot of downsides).

I agree with this.

Fundamentally, it's a job you can do with a pretty basic education and no graduate degree and make a decent living. sure, there are some teachers who have amazing degrees, but it's certainly not a requirement. It doesn't seem to help promotion if you went to Flagship vs. Ivy.

Summers off allow for additional income, if needed, or leisure. Which certainly seems like another perk, not a detriment as so many teachers like to claim.

A teacher requires a graduate degree or equivalent graduate credits. And, that has to continue throughout teaching career to retain licensure.

Anonymous wrote:Viewing teaching as a hobby job is why we have a crisis in retaining and recruiting teachers, and why our education system is shit.

+1. I'm a Special Ed teacher. I love what I do but anyone who thinks it's a "hobby job" is welcome to come shadow me for a day.

Anonymous wrote:It's a normal middle class job with a perk of getting summers off (and a lot of downsides).

I agree with this.

Fundamentally, it's a job you can do with a pretty basic education and no graduate degree and make a decent living. sure, there are some teachers who have amazing degrees, but it's certainly not a requirement. It doesn't seem to help promotion if you went to Flagship vs. Ivy.

Summers off allow for additional income, if needed, or leisure. Which certainly seems like another perk, not a detriment as so many teachers like to claim.

Viewing teaching as a hobby job is why we have a crisis in retaining and recruiting teachers, and why our education system is shit.

There is a direct connection between posts like these and summer (aka. Teachers posting on social media season)

1. Teacher posts their relaxing summer vacations on social media.
2. The rest of the world goes bat-sh$t.
3. Teacher responds, because they aren't working, and they have the time, declare that their breaks are a. well deserved, and b. unpaid.
4. The rest of the world responds "you aren't paid because you aren't working!"
5. Teacher responds, "it's not vacation, it's unpaid leave."
6. The rest of the world "You get paid annually, just prorate your salary, time off is time off, it's a three month vacation."
7. Teacher responds "YOU DON'T understand, I am not getting PAID. I love my job!!!!

It's so boring and predictable, a DCUM re-run, and frankly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am jealous that teachers get summers and all holidays off, but I wouldn't ever want to be in that profession.

You're jealous of unpaid time? How strange.

Not really strange. It’s that I could not keep my job and take that much LWOP.

I’m a teacher and I don’t see it as a perk. I feel I’m forced to use summer for all my doctors’ appts, scheduled procedures, trainings, workshops, etc. because it’s too hard to take leave during the school year.

If I could, I’d trade the unpaid summer for better flexibility.

This. Summers off sounds good but the schedule is very inflexible. It's just a trade off. There are times when it's great and times when it would be preferable to work a regular job with PTO you can take when you want.

I also think people overestimate how much time off teachers get in the summer. In our district it is really only about a month due to the PD, training, and room prep days on either end. And hits at the hottest part of the year when it's also most expensive to travel. I'm still glad for it, but I don't know if the people who envy it would enjoy it as much as they think.

Some teachers are well paid. Depends on location.

My hobby is reading. Spending my days surrounded by noise is definitely not my idea of a hobby.