Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!
Posted by SpecEd Teacher on 6/17/09

I am so glad to see this thread! I espouse this belief if anyone
asks and have had other teachers shout me down ("I stay at work
until 7 every night!" "I'm grading papers all weekend!" "I lesson
plan all summer!!!1!11!!") I am organized and I leave school by
3:30, do minimal work at home and enjoy my summers and breaks.

Before this job, I was a legal aid lawyer. I never made more than
$38,000/year (I made more $ during my first year of teaching) and
had one week off a year if I was lucky. Taking time off was seen as
"weak" and since lawyers are a dime a dozen, one was swiftly
replaced if one took a sick day or anything like that.

I wouldn't trade this job for anything.


On 6/17/09, WEK wrote:
> I am a
>> sometimes overworked, reasonably-paid teacher who sees a
>> brighter future ahead. :)
>>
>> I think the limits in the nursing schools are due to the
>> budget (consider the cost of fancy equipment/labs) and lack of
>> nurses who want to teach (I'm sure it pays less than a nursing
>> job). Compare that to education: all we need are 4 walls and
>> there are plenty of teachers looking to be professors. I don't
>> think it's intentional.
>
>
> I agree with you on this! I am reasonably paid, have a nice
> working environment, great benefits and excellent vacations.
> Teachers can send kids to college and travel if they live within
> their means. I dont make 6 figures, but my friends who do work
> many more hours than I do in a year. So they get to go nicer
> places on their 2 weeks off and drive nicers cars and send their
> kids to private colleges. I like my situation better.
>
> Also, the "college" point is well taken. They are in business to
> make money and/or provide an education. Its not their place or
> their job to tell studens what to major in. Students should do
> their own research and make their own decisions. There are also
> lots of Liberal Arts majors with no job prospects, but no one
> blames the colleges for that.
>
> If you want to teach, choose at least one subject area that is
> in demand where you want to teach. It may not be your first
> choice, but almost no careers offer your dream job right
> off.....why should teaching? Can you tell I am a career changer?
> Teaching has its ups and downs, but overall (in a union state)
> its a great profession!

Posts on this thread, including this one

• "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by job-seeker.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by Elena.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by pixie.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by Marina.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by WEK.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by SpecEd Teacher.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by Mark.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/17/09, by Mark.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/18/09, by job seeker.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/18/09, by NC teacher.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/18/09, by mark.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/19/09, by Marina.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/19/09, by NC teacher.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/19/09, by kate.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/19/09, by mark.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/20/09, by julia.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 6/20/09, by Catsister.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/01/09, by mel.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/14/09, by teaching in PA.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/14/09, by Compared to what?.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/14/09, by mark.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/14/09, by anon.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/14/09, by sped.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/15/09, by PA Teacher.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/16/09, by sped.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/20/09, by maybe I'm bitter.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/20/09, by deal with it.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/21/09, by Sympathetic.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/21/09, by deal with it.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/21/09, by sped.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/21/09, by maybe I'm bitter.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/21/09, by sped.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by No one gets a "contract" here.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by Pa Teacher.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by Joe.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by let me clarify.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by Not as easy in ALL states.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by Elena.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by let me clarify once again.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/22/09, by Oh New York.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/23/09, by Joe.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/23/09, by Clarification.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/23/09, by Elena.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/23/09, by don't like tests.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/23/09, by NBCTer.
• Re: "the myth of underpaid teachers" no longer true!, 7/23/09, by Clarification.