One of my pet peeves is people who do things because they think it's going to be easy. For example, "I think I'll become a teacher because they get summers off. Teaching isn't that hard, it's so easy or I think I'll become a mom, you get to sleep and play all day." Walk a day in a teacher's or mom's shoes and then tell me it's easy.
Teaching is just like any other profession and it isn't as easy as it "looks." We don't get summers off. After check out procedures, PDI's and CE we're lucky to get 3 weeks off. We deal with a state that doesn't believe in us. They just slashed our budget by 18%. We don't get raises. We are expected to raise test scores with students who are 2 years behind when they step into our classroom with little or no resources to draw upon. Which means if you teach 3rd graders, 8 year olds, you have to figure out how to bring a developmental 6 year old to a 9 year old standard performance by the time they leave your classroom. Oh and if the state has their way, our salaries will be paid based on said performance. If you're are lucky to find a teaching job in this economy you will most likely be hired in the school that no one wants to work in with makes your job quadruple more difficult. You will see hard times because you will get a low class which means you won't ever advance your step increase. Don't even get me started on the financial aspect. You think you have bills now? Wait until you get to a district that has no money, so you either buy supplies out of your own pocket or figure out a way to supply paper for worksheets and pencils to write with. Then there's the union dues that get drawn out. If your check starts out at $1200 (which most first time teachers are lucky to get 1200 but I digress) and $300 is drawn out for union dues, $50 for teacher retirement, and then we'll say 1/4 is drawn out for taxes you're left with just enough to pay the mortgage. Sound like an easy summers off job now? Hmmm somehow I don't think so.
And because I'm not a mom I can't comment but you don't get to sleep and play all day. Rant over sorry!
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Teachers definitely have my respect! I have no idea how you do it and your commitment to your kids is incredible! You are most definitely underpaid and underappreciated!
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to go into how it's teachers that are held responsible yet parents get a free pass. I think you are a great teacher! You definately need to go into admin so you can change some of that crap!
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister. Couldn't have said it better myself!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa!
ReplyDeleteCati~I'm getting my masters right now in adminsitration!
Jamie~this blog is rant to someone who said I don't like my job I think teaching would be easy I'll try it.
I completely agree. I get so many comments about being just a teacher, I work part-time, nice to play with kids all day, etc. I really just want to poke them with something sharp. Thank you for your provocative post.
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