Why one good teacher decided to quit

[Nina~ 431]

I would kind of liken the students to the soldiers and the teachers to the leadership, so the blame is the same to me.

Except students don't get paid to sit in class, like soldiers & teachers do. There is a BIG undeniable difference between being a paid worker & being a student.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I would kind of liken the students to the soldiers and the teachers to the leadership, so the blame is the same to me.

That's a really odd equation. The teachers are the "boots on the ground" in the education system. The leadership are the school administrators, the school boards and the administration levels up from there. The students are the subjects of the education system - they're the reason it exists not the foot soldiers of it. Leadership for the students needs to be a concerted effort coming from their homes and their schools. The former is, in fact, what fails them the most.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog

[Nina~ 431]

Right - but if they get paid for 9 months a year (at a rate that would equate to $39,000 per annum) then they aren't making $39,000.

Either way, it's not a lot of money.

But they get paid at a higher rate, so it adds up to $39,000 per year. Hourly teachers has a pay rate of $28.13/hr just for the hours they worked (9mos) & salaried teacher gets a pay rate of $18.75 all year.

But you are right, that is not a lot of money especially for such a thankless job.

[Susita 175]

I went to school to be a Foreign Language teacher and did not pursue it after graduation. I love working with children (I have three of my own as well), but after doing classroom observations and working with teachers in schools, I discovered the foreign language education curriculum in our schools is horrendous. They don't start teaching children a language until the 6th grade and FLEP (foreign language elementary program) was canceled due to budgetary reasons.

Kids absorb languages best when they are very small and this has been proven by research. It is also proven that you should be immersed in the language (i.e. teacher only speaks the target language in the classroom). Neither of these things are done. So no matter how great of a teacher you are, you are already working against the odds. And to add, the goal should be for the child to be able to communicate in the target language, however the only goal I see is making sure a good percentage of your students pass the regents exam.

It discouraged me (along with the low starting salary... the cost of living here in NY is astronomical), so I decided I'd try my luck at another career.

[dalegg 143]

That's a really odd equation. The teachers are the "boots on the ground" in the education system. The leadership are the school administrators, the school boards and the administration levels up from there. The students are the subjects of the education system - they're the reason it exists not the foot soldiers of it. Leadership for the students needs to be a concerted effort coming from their homes and their schools. The former is, in fact, what fails them the most.

I guess that makes the Students the insurgents then...Hmm. That makes sense. More proof teachers need to be armed.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I guess that makes the Students the insurgents then...Hmm. That makes sense. More proof teachers need to be armed.

[slim 1,525]

We need to get away from the idea that teachers are the only connection to the future of our children and without big dollars going into school the kids have no chance of turning out well.

[Jenn! 918]

I taught high school math and I wasn't going to put up with that kind of ####### for that kind of salary. I could make a lot more money for a lot less stress.

[Golden Gate 530]

Hogwash. $39,000 but for 35 weeks work. All holidays, even made up holidays, OFF with pay and a virtually guaranteed job for life and excellent retirement. She has another agenda. Teachers are making $1000 per week (worked) and more, usually more.

Make union membership voluntary and they would be better off. She can always get a job in the summer.

Hogwash, yourself!! If I spread my teacher income out over 12 months, I'd make $1600 per month. I started out with $30,600 and four years later was making the same thing, because there is a salary freeze. In fact we've had to work some days for free!!! No longer a guaranteed job for life!! You know why? Because before you get tenure, they lay you off!! Why? So they can avoid you getting to retirement!! You know how many teachers were laid off this year who were about to get tenure? They were the first to go.

Why are unions important? Because they protect the teacher from over-zealous, self-centered, power-hungry, ladder-climbing administrators who seem to be much more prevalent than when my Dad was a personnel director. Who is keeping their jobs and their large salaries? Administrators, and they just eliminate any teacher who is going up the salary scale. Oh yeah, and we don't have unions here, so no one to protect us. Administrators can make up whatever bullcrap they want about you to get rid of you and no one can stop them.

What really sucks? NCLB, devised by an educator in Texas, a state with a what???? - a 60% rate of students not finishing high school????? What has it created? A bunch of technocrats as 'education-leaders', who think they have the latest, greatest educational philosophies they like to shove down our throats every chance they get and remind us how lucky we are to be employed. Totally demeaning atmosphere for teachers. I couldn't take it anymore, so I quit and now I am starting to teach online.

Oh, and find a summer job?? Maybe in your neck of the woods where everything is honey and self-satisfied sugar plum fairies, apparently all the time. Here in North Carolina in our county we have businesses closing left and right, the largest teenage pregnancy rate in the state, and gang and drug activity galore.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Golden Gate

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Hogwash, yourself!! If I spread my teacher income out over 12 months, I'd make $1600 per month. I started out with $30,600 and four years later was making the same thing, because there is a salary freeze. In fact we've had to work some days for free!!! No longer a guaranteed job for life!! You know why? Because before you get tenure, they lay you off!! Why? So they can avoid you getting to retirement!! You know how many teachers were laid off this year who were about to get tenure? They were the first to go.

Why are unions important? Because they protect the teacher from over-zealous, self-centered, power-hungry, ladder-climbing administrators who seem to be much more prevalent than when my Dad was a personnel director. Who is keeping their jobs and their large salaries? Administrators, and they just eliminate any teacher who is going up the salary scale. Oh yeah, and we don't have unions here, so no one to protect us. Administrators can make up whatever bullcrap they want about you to get rid of you and no one can stop them.

What really sucks? NCLB, devised by an educator in Texas, a state with a what???? - a 60% rate of students not finishing high school????? What has it created? A bunch of technocrats as 'education-leaders', who think they have the latest, greatest educational philosophies they like to shove down our throats every chance they get and remind us how lucky we are to be employed. Totally demeaning atmosphere for teachers. I couldn't take it anymore, so I quit and now I am starting to teach online.

Oh, and find a summer job?? Maybe in your neck of the woods where everything is honey and self-satisfied sugar plum fairies, apparently all the time. Here in North Carolina in our county we have businesses closing left and right, the largest teenage pregnancy rate in the state, and gang and drug activity galore.

$30,600/yr is $2550/month, not $1600.

Either way, I'm sorry but if a SINGLE person cannot live on $39,000 for 9 months, then tough #######. That's $3250/month for her if you divide it for the year. That's enough to pay a mortgage, have a decent vehicle, and live quite comfortable.

Of course as I pointed out in an earlier post, this lady was used to having more money because she was Married. Now that her husbands cash went away, she's stuck on $39,000. In other words, she's a spoiled brats. Especially in Florida where the cost of living is relatively low.

Edited July 22, 2011 by DJ Kyo

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hogwash, yourself!! If I spread my teacher income out over 12 months, I'd make $1600 per month. I started out with $30,600 and four years later was making the same thing, because there is a salary freeze. In fact we've had to work some days for free!!! No longer a guaranteed job for life!! You know why? Because before you get tenure, they lay you off!! Why? So they can avoid you getting to retirement!! You know how many teachers were laid off this year who were about to get tenure? They were the first to go.

Why are unions important? Because they protect the teacher from over-zealous, self-centered, power-hungry, ladder-climbing administrators who seem to be much more prevalent than when my Dad was a personnel director. Who is keeping their jobs and their large salaries? Administrators, and they just eliminate any teacher who is going up the salary scale. Oh yeah, and we don't have unions here, so no one to protect us. Administrators can make up whatever bullcrap they want about you to get rid of you and no one can stop them.

What really sucks? NCLB, devised by an educator in Texas, a state with a what???? - a 60% rate of students not finishing high school????? What has it created? A bunch of technocrats as 'education-leaders', who think they have the latest, greatest educational philosophies they like to shove down our throats every chance they get and remind us how lucky we are to be employed. Totally demeaning atmosphere for teachers. I couldn't take it anymore, so I quit and now I am starting to teach online.

Oh, and find a summer job?? Maybe in your neck of the woods where everything is honey and self-satisfied sugar plum fairies, apparently all the time. Here in North Carolina in our county we have businesses closing left and right, the largest teenage pregnancy rate in the state, and gang and drug activity galore.

Gary just got pwned by a teacher...

[Golden Gate 530]

$30,600/yr is $2550/month, not $1600.

Either way, I'm sorry but if a SINGLE person cannot live on $39,000 for 9 months, then tough #######. That's $3250/month for her if you divide it for the year. That's enough to pay a mortgage, have a decent vehicle, and live quite comfortable.

Of course as I pointed out in an earlier post, this lady was used to having more money because she was Married. Now that her husbands cash went away, she's stuck on $39,000. In other words, she's a spoiled brats. Especially in Florida where the cost of living is relatively low.

Oh my God, kill me now! I knew you'd be here!! That's before taxes, and before they take out for health benefits that I have to pay for my two children.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Golden Gate

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Oh my God, kill me now! I knew you'd be here!! That's before taxes, and before they take out for health benefits that I have to pay for my two children.

and you expect me to feel sorry for you? Nope, not going to happen.

You chose your career.

You chose to have two kids, which is an expensive endeavor in life.

You choose to remain teaching.

You choose to make $30k a year before taxes and pay insurance out the butt.

oh and don't blame your administrators for your problems or ask the unions for help. Why? Because at the end of the day, neither one can save you from the ones who PAY your salary, and that's the taxpayers. You got a beef? Take it up with them. Ask them if they want their property taxes raised so you can live the way you feel you deserve to live working that job.

You'd be better off working in the private sector, where things like that have a chance of happening for you though.

[Golden Gate 530]

Oh my God, kill me now! I knew you'd be here!! That's before taxes, and before they take out for health benefits that I have to pay for my two children.

Oh, yeah, and social security, life insurance and other things I don't need to divulge to you...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The point that seems lost on Paul from the OP is that if the pay isn't competitive, then we won't be attracting the best and brightest to become teachers. There's truth in the old saying that you get what you pay for.