Have you seen this teacher rant

[love2read]

I'm not a teacher basher, but I'm so sick of the complaining that I've been hearing over the past year. My niece posted this on facebook

A teacher is somewhere in the world tonight preparing lessons to teach your children while you are watching TV. In the minute it takes you to read this, teachers all over the world are sacrificing THEIR OWN TIME for your child's literacy, prosperity, and future. Re-post if you are a .........teacher, love a teacher, or appreciate our teachers. I certainly love many and appreciate you all

Years ago I taught in a public institute and don't remember this degree of whining. It was understood that part of the job was correcting work in the evenings. My husband works in the evenings when he comes home. I think many people do, it's not specific to teachers. I didn't respond, would you have? I'm I out of line here?

[unsinkable]

I'm not a teacher basher, but I'm so sick of the complaining that I've been hearing over the past year. My niece posted this on facebook

Years ago I taught in a public institute and don't remember this degree of whining. It was understood that part of the job was correcting work in the evenings. My husband works in the evenings when he comes home. I think many people do, it's not specific to teachers. I didn't respond, would you have? I'm I out of line here?

 

I think there is a "party-line" that the unions push about teachers and this is part of it...or an example of it.

 

People who are better at logic might be able to help me out: Isn't there something about appealing to emotion when a situation doesn't call for it?

[Wheres Toto]

I always figured the working at home in the evenings was the trade-off for not working the longer hours and all summer in the corporate world. Not to mention Christmas break, Spring Break, Midwinter Break and all holidays major and minor.

 

When you have a kid in public school and work full time you get a real clear idea about how often the schools close.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I always figured the working at home in the evenings was the trade-off for not working the longer hours and all summer in the corporate world. Not to mention Christmas break, Spring Break, Midwinter Break and all holidays major and minor.

 

When you have a kid in public school and work full time you get a real clear idea about how often the schools close.

 

:iagree:

 

I'm not saying that teachers don't work hard during the school year (a lot of them) but, they do only work about 180 days a year (roughly). I think they are under appreciated for what they do in a lot of ways and they have to put up with garbage I would never ever want to tolerate. It can get real stressful. I also know that with budget cuts, they are doing more with less resources every year as well--that gets tough.

 

But, a lot of jobs require working outside the typical office hours. The union does a great job of marketing the teachers' plight. I guess that's why they get paid the big bucks?;)

[fairfarmhand]

I always figured the working at home in the evenings was the trade-off for not working the longer hours and all summer in the corporate world. Not to mention Christmas break, Spring Break, Midwinter Break and all holidays major and minor.

 

When you have a kid in public school and work full time you get a real clear idea about how often the schools close.

:iagree:

[mommaduck]

And while those teachers are in the comfort of their own homes and grading with all their creature comforts, my husband is working seven nights a week, 10hrs a night, with less comfort, fewer benefits...all so those teachers can be eating cream cheese with their bagels while they grade homework :p sorry, I feel no pity.

[justamouse]

It was understood that part of the job was correcting work in the evenings. My husband works in the evenings when he comes home. I think many people do, it's not specific to teachers. I didn't respond, would you have? I'm I out of line here?

 

 

 

Amen. Seriously, most people I know either take work home with them or work very late, my husband included. You do what you have to do to get the job done.

 

You want to know the problem? They're the other side of the fence. They're state workers with a union. They contribute nothing to the overall economy, they just take out of it and they want their paychecks, no insurance copays, all their vacation time and pensions for as little work as possible, oh and tenure (oh, and failing schools, let's not forget that). I think they should all have a stint in the private sector and wake the hell up. Because everything they think they are entitled to is because someone in the private sector is making enough $ to pay their taxes. A person who may have no insurance, no job security, work long hours for minimum wage and be thankful they have those jobs.

Edited November 9, 2010 by justamouse

[LaissezFaire]

I would love to repost that. ' I know teachers who are planning lessons WHILE watching tv. And what makes you think I am watching tv at night?'

[i.love.lucy]

Amen. Seriously, most people I know either take work home with them or work very late, my husband included. You do what you have to do to get the job done.

 

You want to know the problem? They're the other side of the fence. They're state workers with a union. They contribute nothing to the overall economy, they just take out of it and they want their paychecks, no insurance copays, all their vacation time and pensions for as little work as possible, oh and tenure (oh, and failing schools, let's not forget that). I think they should all have a stint in the private sector and wake the hell up. Because everything they think they are entitled to is because someone in the private sector is making enough $ to pay their taxes. A person who may have no insurance, no job security, work long hours for minimum wage and be thankful they have those jobs.

Wow. That was rough. But I agree! Both of my in-laws were teachers and they act like they had the toughest job in the world. :confused: Seems to me the benefits they have enjoyed for the past 20 years after retirement are a pretty good tradeoff for those 20 years of working hard. My dh works his tail off and has no pension, no guaranteed health insurance, none of their benefits.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I know! Maybe we should start a home school mom one!

 

What could it say? Ideas!?

[TXMary2]

One of my FB teacher friends (who is also in our bible study with several homeschool families) posted this on her FB status. I ignored it. She is constantly whining about how rough her job is, students that irritate her etc, but she gets really bent out of shape when anyone criticizes the public school system. She thinks it is perfectly ok to make digs (jokes) about homeschooling.

[justamouse]

Wow. That was rough. But I agree! Both of my in-laws were teachers and they act like they had the toughest job in the world. :confused: Seems to me the benefits they have enjoyed for the past 20 years after retirement are a pretty good tradeoff for those 20 years of working hard. My dh works his tail off and has no pension, no guaranteed health insurance, none of their benefits.

 

It's a particular peeve of mine.

 

Don't get me wrong, I know there are excellent teachers out there, but I think the unions should be castrated, and all of the teachers should have a flat pay-say 125,000 and out of that, pay their own insurances and no tenure. The pensions they get are just out of control. Get paid like the private sector, worry you are doing your job well, pay those 50 dollar copays and invest your $ like the rest of us. And work without whining. Like the rest of us do.

[unsinkable]

I am convinced many of the problems with teachers are union problems where I live.

 

For example:

 

9 Million spent on elective cosmetic surgeries

 

The union president made the point that they'd probably have to concede the benefit in the next contract so he told the union members to use it now, while they still could.

 

NYS has a projected 9 billion dollar deficit, BTW and I think 80% or more of the Buffalo school system's money comes from the state taxpayers.

[unsinkable]

Wow. That was rough. But I agree! Both of my in-laws were teachers and they act like they had the toughest job in the world. :confused: Seems to me the benefits they have enjoyed for the past 20 years after retirement are a pretty good tradeoff for those 20 years of working hard. My dh works his tail off and has no pension, no guaranteed health insurance, none of their benefits.

 

It's the culture that is pushed by the union, IMO. Imagine if you heard for 20 years you had the toughest job in the world and no one appreciated you, etc, etc...

 

I am not trying to excuse them, but trying to understand how they can feel that way.

 

What do you think?

[Caraway]

I think they should all have a stint in the private sector and wake the hell up.

 

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[OLG]

I think there is a "party-line" that the unions push about teachers and this is part of it...or an example of it.

 

People who are better at logic might be able to help me out: Isn't there something about appealing to emotion when a situation doesn't call for it?

 

This was my first thought as well! So much of social media these days is 'propaganda'. The teacher's unions are just so frighteningly powerful.

 

I ALWAYS had work that I brought home and that was after working many more hours during the day than our public school teachers do. Just another yank or attempted yank on the heart strings!

 

Mary

[kokotg]

It's a particular peeve of mine.

 

Don't get me wrong, I know there are excellent teachers out there, but I think the unions should be castrated, and all of the teachers should have a flat pay-say 125,000 and out of that, pay their own insurances and no tenure. The pensions they get are just out of control. Get paid like the private sector, worry you are doing your job well, pay those 50 dollar copays and invest your $ like the rest of us. And work without whining. Like the rest of us do.

 

Wow, it's a wonder everyone doesn't go into teaching, since it's so awesome. If only word got out about how easy teachers have it and how great the pay is, maybe there wouldn't be teacher shortages in critical needs areas and in urban and rural school districts.

 

My husband did work in the private sector before he went into teaching. He made much more money then and we had better insurance. He's not in a union. And, frankly, I've never heard him whine about his job nearly as much as you whined about his job just now.

 

Sorry, people bashing my husband is a particular peeve of MINE.

[atara]

Wow. You guys are mean. Some of you who are the meanest have never taught in public school. Next time don't complain when someone doesn't think you have the right to complain or even comment on the challenges of home schooling because you have it soooooooooooooo easy.

 

Teachers, especially those who work with children, are expected to do much than just present an assignment and grade a paper. If you aren't sure what those expectations are then think about why you might be home schooling in the first place.

Edited November 10, 2010 by atara

[unsinkable]

Wow, it's a wonder everyone doesn't go into teaching, since it's so awesome. If only word got out about how easy teachers have it and how great the pay is, maybe there wouldn't be teacher shortages in critical needs areas and in urban and rural school districts.

 

My husband did work in the private sector before he went into teaching. He made much more money then and we had better insurance. He's not in a union. And, frankly, I've never heard him whine about his job nearly as much as you whined about his job just now.

 

Sorry, people bashing my husband is a particular peeve of MINE.

 

kokotg,

 

I see you are in GA. I think I've heard that your teachers' pay scales are much lower than those in NY.

 

I think there are HUGELY different regional differences in the pay and benefits for teachers. I see your point but I also see the point of the people who don't want to pay for 9 million dollars of elective plastic surgery.

[unsinkable]

Wow. You guys are mean. Some of you who are the meanest have never taught in public school. Next time don't complain when someone doesn't think you have the right to complain or even comment on the challenges of home schooling because you have it soooooooooooooo easy.

 

Teachers, especially those who work with children, are expected to do much than just present an assignment and grade a paper.

 

Am I allowed to complain? I taught in public and Catholic school. :D

[Impish]

I can't speak to teacher's unions, but I thank God I have one. There's no way I could have made it through the labyrinth of Hell that is WCB without my union rep wading in the fray, kicking butt and taking no prisoners.

 

That being said...

 

I know it was a tremendous relief when Wolf switched careers. He went from sales and marketing to landscaping. No more bringing stress home. Work is left at work.

 

I'm glad of it. I love that his off hours are exactly that. 'Off'. I have family members and friends that are teachers, and I wouldn't take their jobs on a bad bet. Kids throwing desks at other students, more time spent disciplining than teaching...I'd lose my ever lovin mind.

[UnsinkableKristen]

Those facebook status "forwards" are always over dramatic. I don't think it's fair to assume that every teacher in the country holds that same attitude. It's like being irritated at every mom on the planet because one mom keeps posting about how hard it is to be a SAHM. It's not always the collective, sometimes it's the individual.

 

For what it's worth, my MIL is PS teacher and she is awesome. She works hard, doesn't complain, gives all her students as much extra help outside of school that she can, and I think appreciating her for that is a wonderful idea.

[kokotg]

kokotg,

 

I see you are in GA. I think I've heard that your teachers' pay scales are much lower than those in NY.

 

I think there are HUGELY different regional differences in the pay and benefits for teachers. I see your point but I also see the point of the people who don't want to pay for 9 million dollars of elective plastic surgery.

 

I think teacher salaries in Georgia are pretty competitive (with other states) given the cost of living here. Certainly we have better benefits than many other states (in a lot of states, teachers get no health insurance benefits for dependents, for example).

[MBM]

Wow, it's a wonder everyone doesn't go into teaching, since it's so awesome. If only word got out about how easy teachers have it and how great the pay is, maybe there wouldn't be teacher shortages in critical needs areas and in urban and rural school districts.

 

My husband did work in the private sector before he went into teaching. He made much more money then and we had better insurance. He's not in a union. And, frankly, I've never heard him whine about his job nearly as much as you whined about his job just now.

 

Sorry, people bashing my husband is a particular peeve of MINE.

 

:iagree:

 

I am trying not to comment.

[MyLittleWonders]

Wow, it's a wonder everyone doesn't go into teaching, since it's so awesome. If only word got out about how easy teachers have it and how great the pay is, maybe there wouldn't be teacher shortages in critical needs areas and in urban and rural school districts.

 

Sorry, people bashing my husband is a particular peeve of MINE.

:iagree: :glare:

I get tired of the "party line" from the media and those who have never stepped foot into a teacher's shoes. It's pretty much as bad as the "debate" between stay-at-home moms and work-out-of-the-home moms.

[kokotg]

Less heated now.

 

I think there's a breakdown of logic at work in suggesting that teacher salaries and benefits are TOO generous for the work teachers do when, even in this economy and with the unemployment rate today there are shortages of teachers in many areas. It doesn't make any sense. If we believe in the internal logic of the marketplace at all, shouldn't it follow that a job that pays very generously would have no trouble attracting plenty of highly qualified people? Perhaps the answer is that actually teachers do work very hard for not a whole lot of money. Yes, other people do, too. And they complain sometimes, too.

[lauranc]

Wow, it's a wonder everyone doesn't go into teaching, since it's so awesome. If only word got out about how easy teachers have it and how great the pay is, maybe there wouldn't be teacher shortages in critical needs areas and in urban and rural school districts.

 

 

:iagree: I was thinking the same thing. My husband and I come from families full of teachers or former teachers, and we have an always homeschooled son who is planning to teach-- I have to shake my head a little when reading some of these comments.

[Aubrey]

**I was going to put this at the end, but it's actually the most important thing I have to say.**

No Child Left Behind (or the way it's been implemented--not sure who to blame) *has* put an incredible amt of pressure on teachers. The responsibility for the literacy of a kid who's missing class because he's in jail for parole violation or for selling drugs, of a child who's pregnant w/ her 3rd child (in 9th grade) is *solely* on the teachers. We are told that if WE work hard enough, no child has to be left behind. They can all succeed.

 

It's a lot of pressure if all you're interested in is dotting the i's & crossing the t's, but it's a LOT of pressure if you actually believe what they say, if you think that working just a little harder, just a little longer, will make the difference in a kid's life. And a lot of being a teacher is the brain-washing. I don't mean that as harsh as it sounds--I mean, you DO have to love what you do to be good at it. You DO have to believe in what you're doing to keep working hard enough in a broken system to make a difference.

 

And sometimes, when you're told once too often to put somebody else's kid above your own, it gets to be too much. When one more parent cusses you out because their kid skipped school or their kid got expelled for knocking furniture over in the classroom & cussing you out, it gets to be too much. Some teachers deal w/ this by insulating themselves w/ these thoughts of how much better they are than everybody else. It's just a self-defense mechanism.

 

And really, for some teachers, the truth is much too painful to deal with: that they've spent their lives pouring themselves into other people's children. I've known women who chose not to have families so they'd have more to give their students. I've known women whose kids are in jail because they were never home for their kids, because they were teaching.

 

Do they need to own those choices? Sure. But once it's too late, it's awfully hard to look in the mirror. And honestly, I think it's probably better in old age to go ahead & feel good about the good you've done. What good is regret when you can't change anything? So perhaps the kindest thing for these kinds of FB posts is just a hug & a thank you. Many of them have meant well. Many of them have *done* well. Many of them *do* make sacrifices for other people's kids, even when they are not asked to do so.

 

Ok, so her'es the beginning of my post that I bumped for the end:

 

I don't like the tone & condescension of the rant at all.

 

As far as time off vs time working on grading papers, for some it's a trade off. There are benefits & draw-backs. BUT some schools are worse than others, & some subjects/grades are worse than others. English teachers grading essays, for ex, spend many more hrs than other subjects, but w/ the same pay & the same "extra" duties. I worked 80 hrs/wk during the school year when I was teaching. Summers off would not have made up for time w/ my kids during the year, & "summers off" isn't always what it seems. There is quite a bit that's expected of teachers over the summers these days, & that's often w/out any kind of extra pay. (Ie, you can't always count on not needing childcare or being able to work an extra job, etc.) BUT I was in a really bad school district.

 

And I guess I'd just ignore the post in the end. Like someone said, it's just the party line. (And it really is.) It's too bad teaching has to be political, too.

[unsinkable]

Less heated now.

 

I think there's a breakdown of logic at work in suggesting that teacher salaries and benefits are TOO generous for the work teachers do when, even in this economy and with the unemployment rate today there are shortages of teachers in many areas. It doesn't make any sense. If we believe in the internal logic of the marketplace at all, shouldn't it follow that a job that pays very generously would have no trouble attracting plenty of highly qualified people?

 

I live in one of the most difficult parts of the country to get a teaching job b/c the pay and benefits have been (historically) so great.

 

You have to know someone or be related to someone to get into a district around here.

[i.love.lucy]

It's the culture that is pushed by the union, IMO. Imagine if you heard for 20 years you had the toughest job in the world and no one appreciated you, etc, etc...

 

I am not trying to excuse them, but trying to understand how they can feel that way.

 

What do you think?

I agree that there is a definite culture of complaining and whining with teachers. Let's face it, there are WORSE jobs. Ever met a home health nurse and talked with her or him about what they see and do all day? No thanks. Or a social worker?? We can go on and on and on about different jobs that are probably worse than being a teacher. Maybe it's just the whining I am tired of, and because there are so many teachers and the union is so big, they just have a loud voice.

 

And let's be clear, teachers do work hard! And not all teachers are whiners! Many care very deeply about their students and work very, very hard. I am not sure I am cut out to do it. I had a home day care for a while that made me crazy. I had no choice for the health of my family but to get out of that business. I think teachers that are miserably unhappy should attempt to find other work. It's no different than any other job that you think will be great, you will change the world, etc, and then it's not great. Find something else if you can. Many do.

 

Sometimes we just need a reality check about our complaining. I need it with homeschooling. I have those days where I am all "woe is me that I am cursed with these children..." and then BAM! God reminds me that I am blessed beyond imagining. My husband sent me an email this morning about how he feels so grateful today. For his job that yes, provides unimaginable stress, but also the security so I can stay home and homeschool.

 

It's not just teachers who whine. We all do sometimes.

[Impish]

Ever met a home health nurse and talked with her or him about what they see and do all day?

:seeya:

[WarriorMama]

I'm not a teacher basher either, and many of my nearest and dearest are public school teachers. But I hate crap like that. For one, the attitude that teachers are slogging their way through a hard, lonely life for no other reason than to benefit 'someone else's child'. For another, the implication that parents are, in turn, sitting around on their butts doing absolutely nothing to benefit their own children.

 

I want the whiners to get a grip. Really.

 

I know things are somewhat different in the states than here, but I hear the same whining (NOT from my loved ones who are teachers, btw...they don't seem to think they have it so rough). Here, teachers are guaranteed a certain amount of 'prep time' during the school day - time when someone else is covering their class. Do some grading then! They also get to leave work several HOURS earlier than anybody working a 9-5 job. They have amazing benefits, tons of sick/leave time, vacation, and it's virtually impossible for them to ever lose their job.

 

An hour of grading papers or lesson planning is not high suffering. The whiners really make the good teachers, who do their jobs - extras included - happily and willingly look bad.

 

I have personally found the whiners to be folks who went into teaching because they thought it would be easy, it has good pay, and they get lots of time off...then they found out it's not easy and they don't like it. Cue the violins.

 

I don't think teaching is easy or always fun, and to be perfectly honest you couldn't pay me enough to deal with other people's kids all day. But I do think THAT kind of complaining is nuts. Teachers lives are not filled with long-suffering woe...and I have yet to meet a dedicated, passionate educator who would tell you any different.

[lisabees]

Wow, it's a wonder everyone doesn't go into teaching, since it's so awesome. If only word got out about how easy teachers have it and how great the pay is, maybe there wouldn't be teacher shortages in critical needs areas and in urban and rural school districts.

 

My husband did work in the private sector before he went into teaching. He made much more money then and we had better insurance. He's not in a union. And, frankly, I've never heard him whine about his job nearly as much as you whined about his job just now.

 

Sorry, people bashing my husband is a particular peeve of MINE.

 

:iagree: Many of my friends are teachers and they don't complain. They love their jobs, minus the strict testing requirements. Doesn't everyone want a little respect for what they do? Geez.

[Old Dominion Heather]

"all of the teachers should have a flat pay-say 125,000"

 

That would be incredible... If my salary had been that, I would have made $100,000 more than when I was teaching in VA. Va is a non-union state.

 

If you have not been in a classroom, then I think you really cannot understand the job. It is NOTHING like homeschooling. NOTHING.

[unsinkable]

I think teacher salaries in Georgia are pretty competitive (with other states) given the cost of living here. Certainly we have better benefits than many other states (in a lot of states, teachers get no health insurance benefits for dependents, for example).

 

So I was wrong that it was worse for teachers in Ga. I'm sorry.

 

Georgia is ranked 3rd in teacher salary comfort index:

 

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

[unsinkable]

:iagree: Many of my friends are teachers and they don't complain. They love their jobs, minus the strict testing requirements. Doesn't everyone want a little respect for what they do? Geez.

 

Not from the entire free world.

[Aubrey]

Amen. Seriously, most people I know either take work home with them or work very late, my husband included. You do what you have to do to get the job done.

 

You want to know the problem? They're the other side of the fence. They're state workers with a union. They contribute nothing to the overall economy, they just take out of it and they want their paychecks, no insurance copays, all their vacation time and pensions for as little work as possible, oh and tenure (oh, and failing schools, let's not forget that). I think they should all have a stint in the private sector and wake the hell up. Because everything they think they are entitled to is because someone in the private sector is making enough $ to pay their taxes. A person who may have no insurance, no job security, work long hours for minimum wage and be thankful they have those jobs.

 

I have worked in both sectors. When my dh got his first FT job out of college, & I saw how he was treated (I was teaching at the time), I literally cried. People respected him. He had a desk & a chair, & his office supplies were provided. Nobody acted like he was trying to steal something when he printed documents for work. Nobody treated him like he was lying if his computer had a problem. He was never yelled at or treated like a child.

 

The teachers around me had, for the most part, been teaching all their lives. They didn't know people could be treated better. They *expected* to pay for their own copies, buy their own staplers & binders & even curric sometimes. For a lot of them, this left a permanent mark on their personalities. They couldn't have gotten other jobs if they'd tried. People see "teaching" on your resume & for the most part, they lose respect for you.

 

I don't mean this in a callous way. It's really bewildering to be around it, in it, every day. It doesn't take long to begin to really feel worthless, to feel like you deserve the treatment you get. Not all teachers are like this, of course, but it's not something that is easily seen outside of the school, & it's more prevalent than people think. The ones at the top that you're likely to talk to or see representing the schools--the dept chairs & principals--well...they're the ones who haven't gotten chewed up by the system. Sometimes that means they're golden. Sometimes that means they're politicians. ;)

[kokotg]

So I was wrong that it was worse for teachers in Ga. I'm sorry.

 

Georgia is ranked 3rd in teacher salary comfort index:

 

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

 

and yet, even Georgia was having so much trouble attracting math and science teachers that they approved a special salary incentive for them a couple of years ago.

[WarriorMama]

:iagree: Many of my friends are teachers and they don't complain. They love their jobs, minus the strict testing requirements. Doesn't everyone want a little respect for what they do? Geez.

 

Of course everyone wants a little respect for what they do! And teachers deserve some, for sure! If you read my post above, I said the same - I know lots of uncomplaining teachers.

 

I think this thread jumped into the teacher-bashing, but the original post wasn't, in my opinion. I don't think moaning about grading papers and implying that parents do nothing for their own children is the way to go about getting some respect, and that's what I was agreeing with.

 

I don't think most teachers have that attitude.

[Impish]

Not from the entire free world.

There's some in every crowd, though. The SAHM that's hard done by at home, AWM that want kudos for juggling work and childcare...The list goes on. For every heading, there'll *always* be at least one loud opinionated individual, banging their drum for attention.

[unsinkable]

I agree that there is a definite culture of complaining and whining with teachers. Let's face it, there are WORSE jobs. Ever met a home health nurse and talked with her or him about what they see and do all day? No thanks. Or a social worker?? We can go on and on and on about different jobs that are probably worse than being a teacher. Maybe it's just the whining I am tired of, and because there are so many teachers and the union is so big, they just have a loud voice.

 

And let's be clear, teachers do work hard! And not all teachers are whiners! Many care very deeply about their students and work very, very hard. I am not sure I am cut out to do it. I had a home day care for a while that made me crazy. I had no choice for the health of my family but to get out of that business. I think teachers that are miserably unhappy should attempt to find other work. It's no different than any other job that you think will be great, you will change the world, etc, and then it's not great. Find something else if you can. Many do.

 

Sometimes we just need a reality check about our complaining. I need it with homeschooling. I have those days where I am all "woe is me that I am cursed with these children..." and then BAM! God reminds me that I am blessed beyond imagining. My husband sent me an email this morning about how he feels so grateful today. For his job that yes, provides unimaginable stress, but also the security so I can stay home and homeschool.

 

It's not just teachers who whine. We all do sometimes.

 

Yes, ma'am. I certainly agree. Friday morning, I was crying about my stupid missed stamp class. Friday afternoon, I was in the hospital praying dd would be ok.

[unsinkable]

and yet, even Georgia was having so much trouble attracting math and science teachers that they approved a special salary incentive for them a couple of years ago.

 

Here's a thought (hold my beer!)

 

What if there are other reasons besides (or in addition to) money that "math and science people" are not attracted to teaching?

 

What if the type of person who is drawn to math and science is not the same type of person who is drawn to teaching, KWIM? Maybe they don't like the act of teaching or the atmosphere at schools or something other than just money?

 

Has there ever been any research into that?

[Aubrey]

I'm not a teacher basher either, and many of my nearest and dearest are public school teachers. But I hate crap like that. For one, the attitude that teachers are slogging their way through a hard, lonely life for no other reason than to benefit 'someone else's child'. For another, the implication that parents are, in turn, sitting around on their butts doing absolutely nothing to benefit their own children.

 

I want the whiners to get a grip. Really.

 

I know things are somewhat different in the states than here, but I hear the same whining (NOT from my loved ones who are teachers, btw...they don't seem to think they have it so rough). Here, teachers are guaranteed a certain amount of 'prep time' during the school day - time when someone else is covering their class. Do some grading then! They also get to leave work several HOURS earlier than anybody working a 9-5 job. They have amazing benefits, tons of sick/leave time, vacation, and it's virtually impossible for them to ever lose their job.

 

An hour of grading papers or lesson planning is not high suffering. The whiners really make the good teachers, who do their jobs - extras included - happily and willingly look bad.

 

I have personally found the whiners to be folks who went into teaching because they thought it would be easy, it has good pay, and they get lots of time off...then they found out it's not easy and they don't like it. Cue the violins.

 

I don't think teaching is easy or always fun, and to be perfectly honest you couldn't pay me enough to deal with other people's kids all day. But I do think THAT kind of complaining is nuts. Teachers lives are not filled with long-suffering woe...and I have yet to meet a dedicated, passionate educator who would tell you any different.

 

I know there are whiners. I've met them. I'm not one of them because I quit. If I had a choice between selling organs or returning to teaching, I'm not sure which I'd choose.

 

Yes, teachers get a planning period. The higher up you are, the more planning periods you have. My dept chair had three.

 

BUT the school couldn't get enough subs, so we were required to give up our planning periods to sub for other teachers. That's illegal. Do you know what they do to teachers who say so?

 

Yes, you can grade a few papers during your planning period, if you get one. Or you can plan a lesson. (They require a detailed report of the TEKS you are meeting for ea lesson, plus the alternative lessons you're making for ea of your special ed students, along w/ a detailed list of how those alternatives meet their individual needs.)

 

They *don't* put caps on class sizes, though. So if you're teaching 7 classes times 20 students, sure, that's a breeze. Even if some of them can't read because they just came into the country. Sure, the school expects you to come early & stay late for tutoring those kids, but there are only 140 of them. And it's *good* work.

 

When you have 40 in a class, though, & their parents can't speak English, & they move every week or so, due to jail or fleeing eviction, it's harder. When you're expected to call every parent of every student at least once per six weeks, plus any time they fail anything, plus any time they miss a class or get in trouble, when there are only 2 people in the school who speak Spanish, so you have to piece together your conversation from a Spanish dictionary ahead of time, it's harder.

 

Our district forced us to use curric that they hadn't bought the license for. (I didn't know.) When the publisher threatened to sue, the school backed away, & it was us teachers who were having to negotiate w/ the publisher. The school's solution? We could all spend the summer working together (for free) writing a new curric that they could use forever w/out ever paying another licensing fee.

 

I took work home because they locked the school just before midnight. That was the latest we could be there. I worked a full 12 hrs almost every Sat & Sun. BUT I *never* blamed parents for that. The system is broken. And that's on *everybody.* Not just parents. Not just teachers. In many ways, the teachers who bend over backwards to make it work are making it worse. If they'd just let it fail at last, then everybody would have to be in there helping to fix it. As long as they hold it together w/ what they can do, it will be held together by a string, w/ everybody pointing fingers.

[Mejane]

I think what irks many people is that, contrary to most jobs, teachers seem to be off more than they are on. ;)

 

In our district, it seems every time I turn around there is a day off for a holiday, vacation, "teacher work day", or somesuch. Last week they had two days off; this week they have one. Then there's that nice long summer vacation.

 

Teachers work 180 school days plus whatever planning days are required, as opposed to the "normal" full-time worker who works approximately 250 days not including vacation. That's a large difference. Many teachers I've talked to will say one of the big reasons they went into teaching was the idea that they would have time off when their kids did; that says something.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Mejane

[Rivka]

Less heated now.

 

I think there's a breakdown of logic at work in suggesting that teacher salaries and benefits are TOO generous for the work teachers do when, even in this economy and with the unemployment rate today there are shortages of teachers in many areas. It doesn't make any sense. If we believe in the internal logic of the marketplace at all, shouldn't it follow that a job that pays very generously would have no trouble attracting plenty of highly qualified people? Perhaps the answer is that actually teachers do work very hard for not a whole lot of money. Yes, other people do, too. And they complain sometimes, too.

 

:iagree:

[UnsinkableKristen]

There's some in every crowd, though. The SAHM that's hard done by at home, AWM that want kudos for juggling work and childcare...The list goes on. For every heading, there'll *always* be at least one loud opinionated individual, banging their drum for attention.

 

 

:iagree:

 

It's these kind of people that post those generic, complaining, Facebook forwards, anyways. It has little to do with what the actual topic is, or whether the argument has merit - it's just generic complaining.

Edited November 9, 2010 by UnsinkableKristen
tried to figure out what that sign was by my post, LOL, think the baby hit the keyboard :)

[kokotg]

Here's a thought (hold my beer!)

 

What if there are other reasons besides (or in addition to) money that "math and science people" are not attracted to teaching?

 

What if the type of person who is drawn to math and science is not the same type of person who is drawn to teaching, KWIM? Maybe they don't like the act of teaching or the atmosphere at schools or something other than just money?

 

Has there ever been any research into that?

 

perhaps, but that was only one example. Until the economy went bad at least, just about every subject except maybe English and social studies was considered "critical needs" in Georgia and subject to special incentives and alternative certification routes. Special ed, foreign languages, math, and science. And, of course, anytime you have a school district that is less desirable for whatever reason (it's rural or it's urban, basically), attracting teachers is a problem.

[angela in ohio]

Here's a thought (hold my beer!)

 

What if there are other reasons besides (or in addition to) money that "math and science people" are not attracted to teaching?

 

What if the type of person who is drawn to math and science is not the same type of person who is drawn to teaching, KWIM? Maybe they don't like the act of teaching or the atmosphere at schools or something other than just money?

 

Has there ever been any research into that?

 

There is a certain... ummm... culture among teachers (and in teacher's lounges) that is not for everyone. :001_smile: It is hard to draw professionals when so many teachers don't act like professionals. It's an odd career: you have a four-year degree, but the union runs the show like an auto manufacturing plant. Teachers are salaried, not hourly, employees, so there should be an expectation of finishing the work load, not the hours.

 

Like a pp said, a stint in the private sector would open the eyes of many teachers. ;) There are benefits to teaching, there are negatives. I don't think they are a suprise to anyone. You really have to decide whether the pros and cons make it worth it for you. If they do, take the job and just do it. If not, do something else.

 

ETA: Married to a former teacher, family full of teachers, I'm not saying this out of a lack of understanding. :001_smile:

Edited November 9, 2010 by angela in ohio

[MBM]

After seeing what my very hard-working, incredibly caring mother endured, there is no way I would ever go into teaching. The private sector, IMO, is much easier.

People don't go into teaching for many reasons.

[MyLittleWonders]

 

I think this thread jumped into the teacher-bashing, but the original post wasn't, in my opinion. I don't think moaning about grading papers and implying that parents do nothing for their own children is the way to go about getting some respect, and that's what I was agreeing with.

 

I don't think most teachers have that attitude.

I don't think those who express their frustration in this way even have this attitude most of the time. I think we all have days where everything weighs on us until we explode. Most of the time we can deal with it as it comes - no matter what our jobs (I'm including staying home, raising and educating our kids at home as a "job" too). There have been times my dh has shared a similar attitude (only with me or his dad - a former teacher), but that does not mean he carries that around daily. There are times we just reach our ability to deal with everything. Some days are like that, "even in Australia".

 

Unfortunately, there are parents who do nothing to help their children succeed in school. And, unfortunately, the success or failure of that child is not on the parent's shoulders, where honestly a lot of it belongs; it is on the shoulders of the teacher. My dh sees approximately 200 teenagers a day, for approximately 55 minutes per class. There is very little he can do to motivate them to want to learn beyond what he already does. He cannot help their home life; he cannot modify what they have to do to accommodate students who have to pick up a job after school to help ends meet at home. He cannot do much to undo the enormous peer pressure felt by so many. He is taught to teach only the standards, even if incoming students to Geometry cannot simplify radicals or remember basic multiplication. He's been told to stop teaching them why things are the way they are in math, but simply teach how to find the answer.

 

He teaches in a good school, in a good district, and yet is beaten down often by parents who expect him to be God, and by an administration who is only interested in "winning" the standardized-score race. And yet he keeps doing it because he believes in what he does. He's an amazing teacher and even after all the years he has been teaching, holds out that he is making a difference for students who otherwise see absolutely no point to learning math. And sometimes it gets to be too much to handle. And sometimes he vents and expresses his frustration (though he doesn't have a FB account nor would he ever express it there). We all do.

 

It's disheartening to read all the negative comments on this thread in regards to teachers. Someone used FB as a platform to express their growing frustration about their job. If you don't like it or don't agree with it, ignore it.