[skyc6]

Originally Posted by keithwand

And 3 months off in the summer and Christmas break then winter break, then spring break then....

OH--YOU DID NOT SAY THAT! Every summer, Christmas and break I was either doing some committee job or taking classes so I could get ahead, and incurring more student debt at the same time.

[OBXNana]

Originally Posted by donb9006

Well...if you did the math...something a teacher should have taught you... You'd see that your McDonalds worker making $15 an hour when working the SAME number of hours a typical teacher contracts for in a year...makes a grand total of $21,600 That assumes 8 hours a day for 180 days, a normal teachers contract. So, the teacher is making substantially more per the same number of hours worked. A teacher making $35,000 a year earns $34 an hour. A teacher making $80,000 a year is making $55 an hour. And I don't think a typical teacher is "working harder" than a typical McDonalds worker. Depending on your definition of "work". They're both dealing with unruly idiots all day...

Teachers have quite a racket already, I sometimes wonder why they make all the noise about how "unfair" they have it. Who else gets a couple of months off every summer? Two weeks off here...two weeks off there... Weekends, holidays off... I don't get why you're always complaining...

If I ran things, schools would be open Mon-Fri only closed during federal holidays like most people have it. Parents go through hell trying to arrange day care during all your holidays and vacations.

I would strongly suggest you spend a few hours a day in the typical class room and volunteer. Then go home with the teacher to prepare for the following day.

Don't judge until you walk in their shoes.

[Shimpy]

[QUOTE=donb9006;792570
Teachers have quite a racket already, I sometimes wonder why they make all the noise about how "unfair" they have it. Who else gets a couple of months off every summer? Two weeks off here...two weeks off there... Weekends, holidays off... I don't get why you're always complaining...
[/QUOTE]


Teachers know what they are getting into when they chose to be a teacher. They have nothing to complain about.

[KEVIN & JOSIE]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

Teachers know what they are getting into when they chose to be a teacher. They have nothing to complain about.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by keithwand

And 3 months off in the summer and Christmas break then winter break, then spring break then....

This is such a tired old worn out cliche that has been around, for me, since 1961.
Which doesn't even add to a good debate.

[jebartle]

I was referring to the average 1st year teacher in Seminole County, Fla...Of course, this depends on the subject that they would be teaching....I have a great deal of admiration for teachers (a profession that now needs to wear a bullet-proof vest to work), and I think that a jobs pay should be equal to what that job is worth to society....An Orange County deputy sheriff (who lays his life on the line) has a starting pay of $31,000 a year...An unskilled employee working the grill at a fast-food restaurant 40 hours a week will make the same thing...Hmm!...I'll say no more!

Originally Posted by KEVIN & JOSIE

Don't know what area your teachers make 35K. The teachers where I live are overpaid in salary and benefits, at the expense and sacrifice of the taxpayers. I would take all of them, cut their pay and benefits, and if they did not like it, they could look for other jobs. We have senior kindergarten teachers making 90K a year plus tremendous pensions....unlike any other public service job. And yes, if the college bound prefer, let them flip burgers at $15.00 per hour....the people who work hard at those jobs can't even make a living wage and often are on public assistance, at no fault of their own. They deserve $15.00 per hour!

[gomoho]

If it wasn't for the unions, teachers that worked hard and actually taught could be rewarded accordingly. Unfortunately the union says pay them all the same - good job or bad.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by gomoho

If it wasn't for the unions, teachers that worked hard and actually taught could be rewarded accordingly. Unfortunately the union says pay them all the same - good job or bad.

gomoho - the concept of teacher reward based on performance is an interesting one...have you yet been able to identify performance factors that actually measure "worked hard and actually taught"? I haven't - and I have designed performance standards and compensation levels as part of my career! I'd love to hear them if you have.

[jbdlfan]

WOW! Quite a bit of bologna being sliced here. Some of these comments are obviously from those that never stepped foot into a classroom. But hey, that's alright. First wrong statement......a teacher with 7 years experience in Marion County makes $36,000 a year, not anywhere near even $50,000, let alone $100,000. Next.....I've NEVER had a summer or Christmas vacation off.....EVER. Um...I had NO idea what I was getting into. Never imagined I would have a 13 year old student tell me the fourth day of school she was pregnant from a 7th grader. Never imagined a student telling me that he couldn't read his book last night because he is living in the bed of his grandparents pickup truck. Never imagined I would have a student with a cigarette burn in the middle of his forehead from a dad that he watched murder his mother in their kitchen right in front of him at the age of 6. Never imagined having a student that had been prostituted with her sister by her mother since the age of 5. Some of you have no idea of what you speak and really show your ignorance when you do. But hey, I'll defend your right to be ignorant to my death.....

[DougB]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

gomoho - the concept of teacher reward based on performance is an interesting one...have you yet been able to identify performance factors that actually measure "worked hard and actually taught"? I haven't - and I have designed performance standards and compensation levels as part of my career! I'd love to hear them if you have.

Performances factors have been identified that measure "worked hard and actually taught" in the new Florida Instructional Personnel Performance Appraisal System. 50% on teacher performance of meeting identified indicators and 50% on student performance. If you would really love to see them, pm me your email address and I will email you the rubric for the 7 dimensions my district uses. Though I have to warn you, it is 21 pages.
If you can read this, thank a teacher!

[784caroline]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

WOW! Quite a bit of bologna being sliced here. Some of these comments are obviously from those that never stepped foot into a classroom. But hey, that's alright. First wrong statement......a teacher with 7 years experience in Marion County makes $36,000 a year, not anywhere near even $50,000, let alone $100,000. Next.....I've NEVER had a summer or Christmas vacation off.....EVER. Um...I had NO idea what I was getting into. Never imagined I would have a 13 year old student tell me the fourth day of school she was pregnant from a 7th grader. Never imagined a student telling me that he couldn't read his book last night because he is living in the bed of his grandparents pickup truck. Never imagined I would have a student with a cigarette burn in the middle of his forehead from a dad that he watched murder his mother in their kitchen right in front of him at the age of 6. Never imagined having a student that had been prostituted with her sister by her mother since the age of 5. Some of you have no idea of what you speak and really show your ignorance when you do. But hey, I'll defend your right to be ignorant to my death.....

************************************************** *********

Great post ....and from experience!!!

[PammyJ]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

WOW! Quite a bit of bologna being sliced here. Some of these comments are obviously from those that never stepped foot into a classroom. But hey, that's alright. First wrong statement......a teacher with 7 years experience in Marion County makes $36,000 a year, not anywhere near even $50,000, let alone $100,000. Next.....I've NEVER had a summer or Christmas vacation off.....EVER. Um...I had NO idea what I was getting into. Never imagined I would have a 13 year old student tell me the fourth day of school she was pregnant from a 7th grader. Never imagined a student telling me that he couldn't read his book last night because he is living in the bed of his grandparents pickup truck. Never imagined I would have a student with a cigarette burn in the middle of his forehead from a dad that he watched murder his mother in their kitchen right in front of him at the age of 6. Never imagined having a student that had been prostituted with her sister by her mother since the age of 5. Some of you have no idea of what you speak and really show your ignorance when you do. But hey, I'll defend your right to be ignorant to my death.....

Those of us who "know" get it! I don't think unless someone has walked in our shoes that they could possibly understand. I don't know exactly how this profession got such a bad reputation. Don't care what people think anymore, I know what we do and the barriers we fight every day! My passion is still alive and untouched by anyone!

[graciegirl]

I am hard wired to respect all teachers.


All policemen.


And the clergy.


And MOST of them deserve respect.


I have decided that I don't respect some mayors and some mayoral candidates and some other elected officials.

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

WOW! Quite a bit of bologna being sliced here. Some of these comments are obviously from those that never stepped foot into a classroom. But hey, that's alright. First wrong statement......a teacher with 7 years experience in Marion County makes $36,000 a year, not anywhere near even $50,000, let alone $100,000. Next.....I've NEVER had a summer or Christmas vacation off.....EVER. Um...I had NO idea what I was getting into. Never imagined I would have a 13 year old student tell me the fourth day of school she was pregnant from a 7th grader. Never imagined a student telling me that he couldn't read his book last night because he is living in the bed of his grandparents pickup truck. Never imagined I would have a student with a cigarette burn in the middle of his forehead from a dad that he watched murder his mother in their kitchen right in front of him at the age of 6. Never imagined having a student that had been prostituted with her sister by her mother since the age of 5. Some of you have no idea of what you speak and really show your ignorance when you do. But hey, I'll defend your right to be ignorant to my death.....

You are right on with this post.

I am amazed and saddened as I watch this country become a nation of "headline readers" and subjects of the political hacks on television.

This tread is so full of inane, tired cliches that are thrown around.....summers off, etc. The comparison (s) used are simply ludicrious.

The minimum wage debate cannot be held in any intelligent manner until you turn off the political hacks on TV an learn...for example...the propose 66% increase will benefit approx 15 % of those who need it. An increase as proposed WILL SPIKE UNEMPLOYMENT...that is factual.

Our wonderful "leaders" love using all the political talk on this issue when they should stop taking the easy way out and go to work on the tax code if they REALLY want to help. An increase across the board as proposed does nothing to address the problem, but it makes for great sound bites, A conversation about the facts involved on both sides of this issue would be great and informative instead of using inane comparisons to teachers and politicians.

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by PammyJ

Those of us who "know" get it! I don't think unless someone has walked in our shoes that they could possibly understand. I don't know exactly how this profession got such a bad reputation. Don't care what people think anymore, I know what we do and the barriers we fight every day! My passion is still alive and untouched by anyone!

Married to a gal who spent 35 years in the classroom, and to those who talk with such uninformed glee, it is hard for me to imagine anyone working harder than those, like you who have that "passion". Those who bring up any bad apples but tolerate the shenanigans of many people they "follow" and quote are living the true definition of hypocrisy.