[jbdlfan]

Seems that anytime a discussion on teachers or teaching appear on this discussion board, there are pages upon pages of responses from folks that have not stepped foot in a classroom in years. Stories abound about "experiences" they have heard about. Please..... spend a day in a Title 1 middle or high school these days and dare to say a teacher is over-payed. Many of you wouldn't even drive through the neighborhood that these kids live in let alone spend hours a day with them. Last year alone we had weapons ranging from knives to a grenade, a three-some of sixth graders having sex in the bathroom, drugs, vandalism and even had our FFA sheep attacked with a bow and arrow. This all happened four miles from The Villages border. So many around here are absolutely clueless to what is out there and what needs to be dealt with on a daily basis. I'm not complaining about my job, I love my students and what I do. As most teachers will tell you, it's the adults, including parents and the public, that make our job difficult.

[OBXNana]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

Seems that anytime a discussion on teachers or teaching appear on this discussion board, there are pages upon pages of responses from folks that have not stepped foot in a classroom in years. Stories abound about "experiences" they have heard about. Please..... spend a day in a Title 1 middle or high school these days and dare to say a teacher is over-payed. Many of you wouldn't even drive through the neighborhood that these kids live in let alone spend hours a day with them. Last year alone we had weapons ranging from knives to a grenade, a three-some of sixth graders having sex in the bathroom, drugs, vandalism and even had our FFA sheep attacked with a bow and arrow. This all happened four miles from The Villages border. So many around here are absolutely clueless to what is out there and what needs to be dealt with on a daily basis. I'm not complaining about my job, I love my students and what I do. As most teachers will tell you, it's the adults, including parents and the public, that make our job difficult.

Bravo! The above is spot on!

Volunteer a couple days a month in a classroom. It is a real eye opener with what a teacher actually does during the course of the day. Donate a box of tissues or hand sanitizer and it will be one less thing the teacher has to pay for out of their pocket. No, I am not a teacher, but have spent many hours as a volunteer.

[RedChariot]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

Seems that anytime a discussion on teachers or teaching appear on this discussion board, there are pages upon pages of responses from folks that have not stepped foot in a classroom in years. Stories abound about "experiences" they have heard about. Please..... spend a day in a Title 1 middle or high school these days and dare to say a teacher is over-payed. Many of you wouldn't even drive through the neighborhood that these kids live in let alone spend hours a day with them. Last year alone we had weapons ranging from knives to a grenade, a three-some of sixth graders having sex in the bathroom, drugs, vandalism and even had our FFA sheep attacked with a bow and arrow. This all happened four miles from The Villages border. So many around here are absolutely clueless to what is out there and what needs to be dealt with on a daily basis. I'm not complaining about my job, I love my students and what I do. As most teachers will tell you, it's the adults, including parents and the public, that make our job difficult.

We need a like button. Teachers are grossly underpaid. John Q Public keeps chipping away at the benefits that were given to teachers in lieu of higher salaries.Those of you that worked corporate America want your children educated by learned instructors, but you don't want to pay for it. Why anyone would enter a classroom in today's world I can't imagine. Hats off to you that do.

[rjm1cc]

Originally Posted by B767drvr

Just trying to follow the logic… right now teachers aren't paid enough and apparently we need to pay more to get the best, brightest, and most highly motivated. THEREFORE, currently we're employing something less than the best and brightest (otherwise why would we need to pay more?)

I think we under estimate what a teacher is paid . Remember to count pension and health insurance that could last as as long as the teacher taught and the pension is based on ending salary. I think you will find teaching in a lot of public school systems paying more than most professions when you total all benefits.

[DougB]

Originally Posted by rjm1cc

I think we under estimate what a teacher is paid . Remember to count pension and health insurance that could last as as long as the teacher taught and the pension is based on ending salary. I think you will find teaching in a lot of public school systems paying more than most professions when you total all benefits.

See post # 61

[graciegirl]

Wasn't this about teachers getting tenure?

I think it is well established that most people of our age respect the job of teaching and are deeply grateful that they had good teachers and their children had good teachers and that most teachers are dedicated, prepared, professional, hard working, caring and face impossible expectations, because some children are not able despite all dedicated efforts to meet the standards of the state.

The job of teaching has had extreme change with FAR less respect from families and students and not much back up from administration. Classrooms are full of so many different children from different environments and so much time is needed to control wayward behavior. Teachers are faced with extremely diverse economic situations and horrific family and social problems that must be reported. Children are sent to school sick and hungry and abused. Teachers cannot do much about bullying although they are forced to witness it's effects. Teachers aren't allowed to teach ethics other than school rules and it has become a very unrewarding job for many.


But that being said. few jobs are guaranteed and rightfully so. And ALL jobs have challenges, great and small and that is the reason that people are paid to do them. Stress is part of life. One must choose which stressful job to have with no guarantees of keeping it. It is the new American way. Sadly...people have changed.

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

Seems that anytime a discussion on teachers or teaching appear on this discussion board, there are pages upon pages of responses from folks that have not stepped foot in a classroom in years. Stories abound about "experiences" they have heard about. Please..... spend a day in a Title 1 middle or high school these days and dare to say a teacher is over-payed. Many of you wouldn't even drive through the neighborhood that these kids live in let alone spend hours a day with them. Last year alone we had weapons ranging from knives to a grenade, a three-some of sixth graders having sex in the bathroom, drugs, vandalism and even had our FFA sheep attacked with a bow and arrow. This all happened four miles from The Villages border. So many around here are absolutely clueless to what is out there and what needs to be dealt with on a daily basis. I'm not complaining about my job, I love my students and what I do. As most teachers will tell you, it's the adults, including parents and the public, that make our job difficult.

Thank you!!!!!!!!! Keep writing!

[gatherer47]

The people who complain about tenure,salary,pensions etc.should give it a try.Most wouldn't last ten minutes on the job.I don't apologize to the "anti-teacher crowd" about my salary,excellent pension,summers off,etc.I did my job and did it well. And I repeat tenure is just a word-if they want rid of you for poor performance,they'll find a way.I have no problem with that either!

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by jbdlfan

Seems that anytime a discussion on teachers or teaching appear on this discussion board, there are pages upon pages of responses from folks that have not stepped foot in a classroom in years. Stories abound about "experiences" they have heard about. Please..... spend a day in a Title 1 middle or high school these days and dare to say a teacher is over-payed. Many of you wouldn't even drive through the neighborhood that these kids live in let alone spend hours a day with them. Last year alone we had weapons ranging from knives to a grenade, a three-some of sixth graders having sex in the bathroom, drugs, vandalism and even had our FFA sheep attacked with a bow and arrow. This all happened four miles from The Villages border. So many around here are absolutely clueless to what is out there and what needs to be dealt with on a daily basis. I'm not complaining about my job, I love my students and what I do. As most teachers will tell you, it's the adults, including parents and the public, that make our job difficult.

o·ver·pay
ˌōvərˈpā/Submit verb
past tense: overpaid; past participle: overpaid
pay (someone) too highly.
"many fans think our top players are overpaid"
pay (money) in excess of what is due.
"to overpay taxes"



Many jobs today have ever increasing challenges. My former job required my technicians and myself to go into all types of neighborhoods at all hours of the night to the point we could not go alone for our safety. We were the strangers that were not trusted on their turf, targets for robberies and violence, and I was not in law enforcement. After retiring I did spend 2010-2011 in a middle school environment tutoring math with mostly Title 1 students. There are plenty of those that want to cause trouble and there are challenges to deal with but anymore there are few places we can go without running into these same behaviors. Some of the teachers worked really hard and some did not just as the workers in about any other profession. Some teachers came in after the students had arrived in the building and were on their way home before the students that had boarded a bus were even off the premises in the afternoon. Again some stay late and some don't, just like most any other profession.