If there's an extra 20% or so available to put towards education, I can't see that keeping the kids in the classroom longer is the best use of those funds. Kids are sooo over scheduled already! LET THEM PLAY. LET. THEM. PLAY. 7 yo is far too young to become a 9 to 5 er, with a couple of weeks off in the summer .
I'll answer your question with a question: how much should doctors be paid, and what should they max out at? I think society sets these norms, and judging from teacher salaries, American society doesn't truly value education.
You are paid to your level of "replaceability" (in theory) which is dictated by skill and education. Since our "best and brightest" don't often become teachers, those that do are replaceable.
That's why teachers are paid so low to begin with. Here is something to think about. It's kind of lame, but it does make a good point. http://scout.wisc.edu/Projects/PastProjects/NH/96-01/96-01-31/0043.html By the way those figures are off since minimum wage is more than $5 an hour. Trust me I teach, and I work 10-13 hours a day when I teach, in addition to some planning time when I'm on "vacation". I know that not all teachers have to have those hours, but I teach in a 100% title 1 school which has a large population of English Language Learners. In order to get these children to bridge the gap it requires that kind of time and planning.
FB -- I expect you're an awesome teacher. ANd I know it's a difficult job to do well -- or in which to maintain sanity. BUt no way you're working 13 hour days during the school year AND amassing 20,000 cf.net posts. . We know the lawyers pad their hours, and that 'self employed' is another word for slacker. But teachers have to put in face time
You wouldn't last a month teaching at the school I do. It is incredibly hard work, and requires a huge time commitment. Teachers have additional bachelor's degree training before they can be certified as teachers. I understand that some teachers don't put in the kind of work and time as others. But that isn't a reason to penalize those teachers, but get rid of the ones that don't put in the same effort.
lol. Actually I do. I am able to post during the summer, or occasionally when the class has an assembly or something like that. Today is also a holiday so that helps. 13 hours are the extreme days, but usually I get to work at 6:00 and leave about 4:45PM. I didn't deduct for lunch and recess.
I don't like to get too specific about myself on an anonymous board, but I was a student there very recently, enough so that I feel confident in saying that your sister's opinion of PVA is likely in the minority of students there. I agree that there are some teachers there (like at any school) whose classes were not challenging or engaging enough, and some of the really good ones have either retired or taken jobs at universities recently. However, there were so many amazing, change-your-life-type teachers in both academics and the arts there (and enough of thoses still teach there) that on balance, I don't think you can say the teaching in general is poor (unless you were just really unlucky and missed all the good teachers). Knocking the school in general as a "joke" is way off the mark, but it's the kind of thing that's been going on since before I was there (i.e., "Come on, you know it's not a REAL school"). That said, I have heard about all the turmoil in the front office lately. Things had been weird there for some time, with a seemingly ever-changing group of administrators that had a different approach to running the school each year. That was annoying.
This proves Obama is an idiot.. quantity is not greater than quality... practicing 10 hours shooting granny shots will not help you more than practicing 1 hour of a kobe-like jump shot..
So, just to be clear, you think teachers are not the best or brightest, are unskilled, and are imminently replaceable? Well then, why don't you grab a ruler and a red pen and do better yourself.
Maybe if they made teaching a meritocracy where the better ones got paid more it would be a good start. DD
No, you misunderstand me. There are some teachers who are, but unfortunately we as a society don't promote academia. The money isn't in teaching, so the bulk of people who have the intellect to do something other than teach end up doing something other than teach. The bulk of people who are among the "best and brightest" don't teach because they don't have a passion for it and there is no money there to entice them. FWIW, I want to teach. That doesn't mean I'm blind to the fact that most people who end up teaching are doing it because they didn't have a better option.
First of all, take that 3 month number and trim it. Last year, the summer break in my district was 2.5 months (10 weeks), not 3. Next, take into account that teachers in my district are required to report for the new school year two weeks before school begins (now down to 8 weeks) and required to stick around one week after school ends for wrap-up (now down to 7 weeks). Add to that the week of training required during the summer (6 weeks) plus the 3 days of professional development required by the district (5.5 weeks). Subtract the two weeks leave/vacation that most paid professionals get for their jobs and you have the "real" summer break teachers get every year: 3.5 weeks. Sounds nice. But you get to work 10-12 hour days for $35,000 a year to get it. If teaching was such a sweet gig, everyone would be a teacher. Truth is, those who sign-up thinking it's an easy job with summers off account for the over 50% who quit within the first five years. It's. Not. Easy.
2.5 months off in summer. 1 week around thanksgiving 2 weeks for Christmas break 1 week for spring break 3.5 months off a year......that is a lot of time off.......almost 30% of the entire year....most people get 2 weeks or so. DD
As I showed earlier, it's not 2.5 months. It's a lot less (more like 3.5 weeks). And we don't get a week off during Thanksgiving. We get what most professionals get: the Wed. before and Friday after. That's it. So it's a wash. Okay, I'll give you that one. Not at my school. The students may get the time off, but the teachers are still working. Like I said, it's more like 3.5 weeks. Add in Christmas, and you get 5.5 weeks. We get some extra time off. I'm not saying we don't. But it's not 3 months+ like some people are saying. It's a lot less. And you work 10-12 hours per day for $35,000 to get it. So, ready to sign up?
Most of the stuff you learn in high school doesn't apply to you when you are an adulthood. Why cram in more useless information in a teen's head? I rather want less hours and more vacation.
Yes, I was a teacher from 2002-2004. Yes, it was relatively easy when compared to other jobs I have held, including my current job. I found the pay to be proper for the amount of work and effort required. I put in probably 1.5 hours a day beyond the actual in class time, when lunch and the free period were figured in, I was usually leaving school before 4 pm, and arrived at 7:30. I do not know where you got the 12 hour a day figure from. I do not know a single teacher than puts in 60 hours a week consistently, especially after the first year. There were a few teachers that did extra-curricular activities that probably put in 50 hours, but not 60. Figure in summers, spring break, all the holidays and you are not even NEAR 60 hours a week on average. As far as getting certified, that is not difficult, in fact I did it while holding a full time job. It is not even close to getting a masters degree (I know, I have both). No, increasing funding is not the simple solution. The whole formula is rotten. Teachers often times are teaching simply because they have to, not because they want to. Parents often times are not supportive of the educational system and the children at times simply do not value an education. I am not saying all teachers are bad, in fact I must say some of them really value their job, and look forward to teaching; but this is not a majority. At the time, and even now, I am amazed when I discuss the topic with teachers. Typically I get a response that it is the parents fault, it is the students fault or it is a funding issue. It is never mentioned that the teachers are partially responsible. I am simply puzzled by this victim mentality that some teachers have. Get over it, you are often times compensated decently financially speaking. Your benefits are better than other professions, as is the job security.
