Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher preparation is the worst! You would never let a doctor right out of med school start being a doctor on their own. You would never let a lawyer right out of law school be a lawyer on their own.
Teaching involves so much skill above and beyond knowing the subject areas. And we expect new teachers to figure it out along the way.

And I was a part of a mentoring program when I was a new teacher. Although it was nice, it didn’t help me much.

The way we develop teachers seems unlike every other profession. For other professions, you leave school or training, and they give you the more routine and boring tasks. You might work hard, even harder than the more experienced people, but you aren't doing the same level of cognitive work as the most experienced people. My spouse is an LEO. As a first year officer, he worked really hard, but he was writing traffic tickets, and responding to DV calls, not solving gang murders. He worked his way up to that. I have another family member who is a software engineer who cut his teeth on the mundane pieces of code in project where senior colleagues where writing the innovative bits. Now he gets to do the fun exciting stuff. I have another family member who is an electrician. He's got the newbies pulling wires, and redoing outlets while he's creating plans, and solving the tricky bits.

But in teaching, in many places, the newest teachers don't just have the same amount of cognitive work (that takes them three times as long to figure out) they get the most challenging situations. So, if there are two positions in a department where someone has 1 or 2 preps, and one where that person has 3? Guaranteed that the newbie will get three. If there's a kid who is particularly hard? He/she will probably be in the newbie's class. If there are classes that are more likely to have challenges, like algebra 1 in a high school (where the kids who struggle the most with math, and sometimes with behavior start), the new teacher will get it while the experienced teacher gets Honors Algebra 2.

I think that if we want to fix the teacher's shortage, we need to figure out strategies to prevent burn out and drop out. One piece of that is figuring out how to bring teachers into the profession more gradually, with more time to watch and learn from people with experience and a gradual release of responsibility. I work in special ed, and was a counselor in disability specific camps, and then spent a year as a paraeducator, and then worked in a classroom with a very experienced paraeducator, before being on my own. That actually was a pretty perfect route, but few teachers get that.

Anonymous wrote:The starting pay is good in this area but it stalls afterwards. I’ve been teaching for 22 years and my current salary is about twice what I made my first year even though I have masters plus 60 credits (PHD equivalency). I have practically maximized my steps. If I transfer to a different county, I will lose my steps and start from step 9. So basically I’m stuck.
Had I been employed in a different field, my salary would have definitely been higher and my tests of experience transferred from one organization to another.
I don’t blame young teachers working a few years in education then quitting once they find a better job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

Maybe they make more than County social workers, but much less than independent LCSW and those who work for hospitals, nursing homes, etc.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.

Everyone I went to college with earned a minimum of $75K in their first year out of college. It took me 10 years to get to that point. They earned over $100K within 3-5 years. Everyone knows that teachers are underpaid according to their educational level by a lot.

Sounds like you went to college with people going into STEM fields or business/finance. Almost certainly private sector, since feds wouldn't make that much. For a non-STEM, public sector job, $50k starting isn't terrible. It's not great, but it's not terrible.

I do agree teachers should get paid more, mind you. But they should really vary the pay based on the difficulty of recruiting, which probably mostly means SPED and STEM.

Teachers get paid far more in this area than other areas. They made about $10K more than social workers and we had to work year round and more hours (from even the teachers I know who put in extra hours).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.

Everyone I went to college with earned a minimum of $75K in their first year out of college. It took me 10 years to get to that point. They earned over $100K within 3-5 years. Everyone knows that teachers are underpaid according to their educational level by a lot.

Sounds like you went to college with people going into STEM fields or business/finance. Almost certainly private sector, since feds wouldn't make that much. For a non-STEM, public sector job, $50k starting isn't terrible. It's not great, but it's not terrible.

I do agree teachers should get paid more, mind you. But they should really vary the pay based on the difficulty of recruiting, which probably mostly means SPED and STEM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.

Everyone I went to college with earned a minimum of $75K in their first year out of college. It took me 10 years to get to that point. They earned over $100K within 3-5 years. Everyone knows that teachers are underpaid according to their educational level by a lot.

Sounds like you went to college with people going into STEM fields or business/finance. Almost certainly private sector, since feds wouldn't make that much. For a non-STEM, public sector job, $50k starting isn't terrible. It's not great, but it's not terrible.

I do agree teachers should get paid more, mind you. But they should really vary the pay based on the difficulty of recruiting, which probably mostly means SPED and STEM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.

Everyone I went to college with earned a minimum of $75K in their first year out of college. It took me 10 years to get to that point. They earned over $100K within 3-5 years. Everyone knows that teachers are underpaid according to their educational level by a lot.

Sounds like you went to college with people going into STEM fields or business/finance. Almost certainly private sector, since feds wouldn't make that much. For a non-STEM, public sector job, $50k starting isn't terrible. It's not great, but it's not terrible.

I do agree teachers should get paid more, mind you. But they should really vary the pay based on the difficulty of recruiting, which probably mostly means SPED and STEM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.

Everyone I went to college with earned a minimum of $75K in their first year out of college. It took me 10 years to get to that point. They earned over $100K within 3-5 years. Everyone knows that teachers are underpaid according to their educational level by a lot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

You can do all of those things on just your salary? Wow. Tell me your secret. Or are you married to a higher earning spouse?

Are you unfamiliar with what teachers make in this area and other well funded districts in the northeast? My best friend and her DH are both teachers and they get along just fine- sure they'll never be rich but are comfortable and have good benefits/retirement. No worse than other public employees.

Again, this is no doable on one salary. That was my point. I'm a teacher and a single parent and I forgo paying some bills each month just to get by. My kids used to qualify for FARMs my first few years of teaching. Good health insurance won't pay my monthly bills.

There aren't many public sector jobs where you'd get by in the DMV on one salary early in your career, particularly if you have kids. A $55k starting salary isn't too bad for 10 months work with a bachelor's degree.