What do teachers really make?

[NYJets]

Re: What do teachers really make?

I don't know about anywhere, but I think being a high school teacher at the high school I went too, or in a similar town would be a real cool job. They get paid pretty well here, long vacation, and it doesn't seem like that tough of a job. I think they teach 5 periods a day, and it doesn't seem like they have a whole lot of work to do grading papers. Most of the tests were scantrons, and most of the homework that was "graded" they just checked off if you did it or not. I mean, I'm sure there were times where they had to do a lot of schoolwork at home, and obviously they have to prepare lessons, so that takes a lot of time, but there's no way they were spending hours upon hours at home every night doing work. And in my town, most of the kids are pretty good. There wasn't a lot of fighting in my school, not a lot of gangs, etc.

I would never want to be an elemetary school teacher, that seems like a much tougher job though. And I'm sure everywhere you can teach isn't like my town. I wouldn't want to teach in a poor inner city area, nor would I want to teach in a really rich town either.

But I think here at least, teachers get paid pretty fairly.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: What do teachers really make?

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Nobody can say "I want to be a teacher" and walk into a high school and teach. You need to take courses to become a teacher, during which, from the very beginning, you can clearly see what teachers make and what kind of lives they lead.

It would be like me taking four years of computer science courses, getting a degree, getting out into the field and saying, "This sucks, computer scientists are underpaid." I know what I was getting into, just like teachers do. So it's hard to justify someone's right to complain about the pay in a field they willingly enter through years of schooling, you know?

My wife wanted to be a teacher since she was in elementary school, it was never about the pay.

But when you look at what they do compared to you sitting in your cube surfing the web, making 50K a year, and them teaching kids all day long, grading papers at night, etc...yeah, they are underpaid.

[NYJets]

Re: What do teachers really make?

Everyone knows the awkward kid in high school with no friends


Man...this personal experience actually taught me something. Damn.

Fixed.

[Scottdau]

Re: What do teachers really make?

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Nobody can say "I want to be a teacher" and walk into a high school and teach. You need to take courses to become a teacher, during which, from the very beginning, you can clearly see what teachers make and what kind of lives they lead.

It would be like me taking four years of computer science courses, getting a degree, getting out into the field and saying, "This sucks, computer scientists are underpaid." I know what I was getting into, just like teachers do. So it's hard to justify someone's right to complain about the pay in a field they willingly enter through years of schooling, you know?

True the one difference is the State is always changing their mind. That is what is causing people to leave teaching.

[Beantown]

Re: What do teachers really make?

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Nobody can say "I want to be a teacher" and walk into a high school and teach. You need to take courses to become a teacher, during which, from the very beginning, you can clearly see what teachers make and what kind of lives they lead.

It would be like me taking four years of computer science courses, getting a degree, getting out into the field and saying, "This sucks, computer scientists are underpaid." I know what I was getting into, just like teachers do. So it's hard to justify someone's right to complain about the pay in a field they willingly enter through years of schooling, you know?

Have to agree with this. I realized I wanted to be a teacher my sophmore year in high school. I had the pleasure of having great role-models during middle and high school, and I just realized that it was the job for me.

I then spent junior and senior year thinking to myself: "Can I do this? Do I want to do this? Should I do this? Is it worth not having much money when other jobs could get me more? Etc."

I realize that I'm not going to be the most financially well-off person, but to me teaching isn't about the money - because there isn't a whole lot of it there. It's about being able to give the kids I teach what I had during high school. Good role-models, a place to look for if I need help even outside of school, all of that.

But hey, maybe that's just me, and I'm just an idealist in that sense.

[IlliniM1ke]

Re: What do teachers really make?

Yeah. I know a lot of people say you need to experience life on your own...but seriously what good is that experience going to do if your blowing money you're going to need in the future? What good is the experience going to do if you're living in a ****ty neighborhood, in a crappy apartment? Nothing at all. I'll take living in a nice neighborhood, a nice home, with my parents and be looked at as "uncool" than waste money.

Yeah I'm the same way, I'll gladly live at home with my parents and save a lot of money while I can, I'd rather just wait til a little later on to experience life on my own and in the mean time enjoy the cash I'm saving.

[Beantown]

Re: What do teachers really make?

But then you have all the other classes to become certified lol..

Don't know how they do things out in California but around here you become certified during your four-years in college. We just have to take an extra test after we complete college to get our teaching license...no extra classes. Secondary Education is my major...it certifies me.

[Double Eights]

Re: What do teachers really make?

My wife wanted to be a teacher since she was in elementary school, it was never about the pay.

But when you look at what they do compared to you sitting in your cube surfing the web, making 50K a year, and them teaching kids all day long, grading papers at night, etc...yeah, they are underpaid.

There are jobs where you are busting your *** all day and getting paid the bare minimum, and there are jobs where you sit on your *** all day and get paid in gold bars.

I for one, have the job where I bust my *** and get paid in pocket change, albeit it is only a part time job and minimum wage.

[Skerik]

Re: What do teachers really make?

My wife wanted to be a teacher since she was in elementary school, it was never about the pay.

But when you look at what they do compared to you sitting in your cube surfing the web, making 50K a year, and them teaching kids all day long, grading papers at night, etc...yeah, they are underpaid.

If it's not about the pay, you have even less of a right to complain. That's like complaining about being underpaid working in a soup kitchen.

And I'm sorry I have a good job, during which I can multiplex and post here. In case you haven't heard, software engineers work with computers. It's not a huge leap for me to click on a window and type some words.

Anyway, feel free to stop trying to draw me into an argument.

[Beantown]

Re: What do teachers really make?

Fixed.

Ha...ha...ha.

I was actually a damn popular kid in Middle school and high school.

[Scottdau]

Re: What do teachers really make?

Don't know how they do things out in California but around here you become certified during your four-years in college. We just have to take an extra test after we complete college to get our teaching license...no extra classes. Secondary Education is my major...it certifies me.

Yes, but the state is always changing what being certified is at least here. hell some teacher had lifetime credential and they thought they were done with classes and then the state say no, so they have to renew it lol.

[Skerik]

Re: What do teachers really make?

Yes, but the state is always changing what being certified is at least here. hell some teacher had lifetime credential and they thought they were done with classes and then the state say no, so they have to renew it lol.

You mean like I have to continually teach myself new technology and skills to keep up with what's going on at my job? The horror!

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: What do teachers really make?

You mean like I have to continually teach myself new technology and skills to keep up with what's going on at my job? The horror!

So, you are paying for it? You pay out of your own pocket for your training at work? Do you pay for those pens on your desk too?

[Scottdau]

Re: What do teachers really make?

You mean like I have to continually teach myself new technology and skills to keep up with what's going on at my job? The horror!

lol I hear you, but still the State actually changes their mind faster then technology changes lol!

[Skerik]

Re: What do teachers really make?

So, you are paying for it? You pay out of your own pocket for your training at work? Do you pay for those pens on your desk too?

Pens on my desk? Are you serious?

Ok, subtract my yearly "pen fee" from my salary....still lookin' pretty good!