Overpaid teachers? Here's my experience.

[senseandsensibility]

Let's get this out of the way first: I am not asking for sympathy. Many people have had it much worse than me, probably in ways that I can't even imagine. I get that.

However, this is my experience and maybe some can learn from it. I graduated from college in the early eighties. I had a Masters degree and two clear teaching credentials. There were no jobs in teaching in California at the time, so I worked at a pre-school where I scrubbed toilets, made lunch, and supervised the kids for less than minimum wage. I lived with my parents, and subbed in the local school districts when they were in session. It took me two years to get my first teaching job for the princely wage of eighteen thousand dollars a year in 1984. Housing in California was already sky high by then and this wasn't even enough to rent a studio apartment. It took me a couple more years before I could afford to move out of my parent's house and into a one bedroom apartment with a roommate. This continued for several years. I had to take college classes at my own expense,spending thousands of dollars to do so, even though I already had a Masters and two clear teaching credentials. If I didn't, I would never increase my salary enough to live on my own, let alone buy a house. I attended classes every evening after teaching all day. On the week-ends, I graded papers and planned lessons. Finally, after almost a decade of teaching I could afford to rent a small one bedroom apartment on my own. The bliss of being able to go to bed at nine thirty without my roommate's music blaring!

It took me another decade to save enough to buy my own small house. I am much more financially
comfortable now, but don't even begin to approach "rich." I have ALWAYS contributed to pension
plan (six percent of my salary) and healthcare ( I pay twenty percent of the total cost for the cheapest plan available). My district does not pay for health benefits for its retirees, so I will get none, even if I teach for fifty years. For me, this is the reality.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Tell us why you teach

[senseandsensibility]

2. I teach for the kids.

I love teaching. I wouldn't have stayed with it this long if I didn't. But although I am not a materialistic person, as most people who go into teaching aren't, I did need to see a light at the end of the tunnel during the long years of my career. That is being stripped away now. I wasn't expecting much: just the ability to support myself and to retire in dignity after many years of service. The people entering the profession now will not even be able to look forward to that.

[Angry Dragon]

6. What I see as the new plan

is to get kids fresh out of college give them 5-6 weeks training
they get to put that on their resume and then get out of teaching in about 2-3 years

I grew up in a teacher neighborhood. Just a standard suburban neighborhood but it had oodles of teachers

[fedupinBushcountry]

7. What are you talking about?

You don't get training after college to teach you get it while you are still in college. Also, if they do go into teaching right after college they find out for themselves very quickly if they want it or not, and quit within their first year. Finally there are very few teaching jobs out there so it is very hard to get a teaching job. I have 2 kids who teach in 2 different states and this is true in both states. My son would love to speak out since he hasn't had a pay raise in 3 years but won't because he fears losing his job since this state is a right to work one.

Please don't speak for teachers because you have no idea what you are talking about.

[Angry Dragon]

8. I get it from the posts here and news articles

Teach for America recruits new college graduates and puts them through a 5 week training course to prepare them for the teaching profession. They then replace existing teachers. Read up on DC schools. happening all over the United States. I do not agree with it but that is what is happening.
Look for some posts from madfloridian or proud2BlibKansan and see what they have to say

Here is a recent post
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x477090

[fedupinBushcountry]

10. Well

you mean the Fellows program, I know all about it, in fact my daughter is a fellow and in order to even get in the program along with 25,000 other applicants with only 700 openings is quite difficult in itself. Way longer then 5-6 weeeks traing try 3-4 months. Yes my daughter got a job after graduating college with a music degree and 3 years of education studies under her belt. They are not handed the jobs they have to get them on there own. My daughter is now in her 2nd year of teaching and will graduate from grad school this spring thanks to the fellows program in NYC. Is she leaving teaching anytime soon? HELL NO, that is what she LOVES and she is damn good at it teaching science and math to her special ed students and even started a glee club with her music background.

I just know what my daughter has accomplished through this program and the only thing that will take her away from teaching is if some get there way and cut new teachers with less then 5 years experience, now that is what really needs to be talked about.

[Angry Dragon]

11. Could i ask a favor of you??

Post #9 in the thread
She knows much more about it, she can do a much better job of explaining what I am trying to say.
She comes from the teaching profession

[ejpoeta]

3. they like to create this fallacy of how teachers are living it up....

getting their summers off and their nights free. but teachers work their asses off. We INVEST in our kids future. people pay thousands a semester to go to college.... or how much for private schools.... we pay so much less and get so much more in our public schools... or else did before they starved the schools. i am in awe of our teachers. my 5 year old's kindergarten teacher can get 15 kids to sit on the rug. she can teach them their letters and addition and behaving. she had her work cut out for her with my oldest who has ADHD. I don't understand how people can be so stupid about teachers. So important. and not there for the money.... they are there because they love teaching. they deserve so much more than they get.

[senseandsensibility]

4. Thanks for this!

Most parents with children in the public schools are very supportive. They actually see teachers in action, not some sterotype on FAUX. I know that the parents of my students are very supportive.

[ejpoeta]

14. i remember when ashley went into prek. they have it through the school now

whereas my oldest went to a private prek twice a week for two hours and there were eight kids in her class. I always marvelled at how Ashley's teacher at the school who had 15 kids I think could get them all to sit and behave and do what once was kindergarten stuff when most of these kids didn't have any structure at all before!! I certainly couldn't do it!! I have a hard enough time with three kids at home!! We expect so much from teachers and yet feel they get paid too much??? our priorities are so far off base!! football players in the NFL are getting millions.... while teachers struggle paying for supplies for their classes out of their own pockets!! I feel so lucky that my kids can go to a good public school and I am glad to support it with our school taxes. Seems like a small price to pay for my kids to get a decent education.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

5. My youngest son was thinking of teaching

He's a senior in College now. I thought teachers had it made before he started looking into the reality of the profession. We have a ranch/farm and I thought he'd have summers off to help on the place...and they only work till 3pm...when they do work...then all those other vacations.

I know better now. The continuing education, alone, would be enough to put me off. They should be paid more. He's not sure what he's going to do now. Maybe he will teach in the end but I kind of hope he doesn't and that's a shame because he would have made a great teacher.

[ejpoeta]

13. yeah it's tough. they always have to keep updating their education

at their own expense. i was talking to some teachers while my daughter was doing her testing for kindergarten and they told me that the school system used to pay for the training or at least reimburse them. not anymore. remember obama's big speech where he said people need to go into teaching..... why would anyone in their right mind go into teaching the way teachers are villified and being treated like pinatas to blame everything on! it's disgusting.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. $7000 a year in 1980

And it took me two years to find that job. I subbed while looking and made $35 a day with no benefits.

[Reader Rabbit]

12. I had to work summers for about the first 10-12 years of my career.

Now I can finally afford to take the whole summer off, but I bet at least 50% of all teachers have to find other jobs over the summer to make ends meet.