Looking for a teaching job? Rhode Island is hiring 74 at one school!

[gina2000]

We'll see... I know many college graduates who are looking for a job. Any job.

I work for a government agency (I am neither a teacher or a nurse, however), have a master's degree and earn in the neighborhood of what these teachers make.

I may work hard. My work may be important to many. But I am replaceable.

I don't doubt that for a minute.

Let us know what you do so we can take the opportunity to let you know how lazy you are, how you are living off the fat of the land, and how your work ethic is less than the rest of the world's.

We all know we are replaceable. And I can't comment on the thought process that led to the disaster in this Rhode Island community. But I do know that there are tons of gleeful people pointing fingers at a profession claiming that "it's about time."

It's a shame that people hold so little respect for those who spend more time with their children than any other adult on a daily basis. What does that say about their choices?

 

[CapeMayMommy]

Remember, Ronald Reagan fired all of the air traffic controllers.

Somehow planes didn't fall from the sky.

If you think that you are not replaceable, and that others would not or could not do your job--- You are kidding yourself.

 

[golfgal]

We'll see... I know many college graduates who are looking for a job. Any job.

I work for a government agency (I am neither a teacher or a nurse, however), have a master's degree and earn in the neighborhood of what these teachers make.

I may work hard. My work may be important to many. But I am replaceable.

I don't doubt that for a minute.

Well, there is this little part about actually being a teacher before you can get a job there or any teaching job. The teachers knew the consequences when they voted for the contract too. They also know that the district is the one that is breaking the current contract, not them.

 

[gina2000]

I think you need to reread.

 

[golfgal]

Remember, Ronald Reagan fired all of the air traffic controllers.

Somehow planes didn't fall from the sky.

If you think that you are not replaceable, and that others would not or could not do your job--- You are kidding yourself.

What does this have to do with anything? The teachers know they are replaceable, the problem the district will have is that NO ONE will want to work in that district now knowing if that the students don't pass the tests, the teachers will be fired. No teacher worth anything will work under those conditions.

 

[TheZue]

Well, there is this little part about actually being a teacher before you can get a job there or any teaching job. The teachers knew the consequences when they voted for the contract too. They also know that the district is the one that is breaking the current contract, not them.

Not only that they have to fill all the classes with teachers that actually know the varying subjects. Nobody is saying they aren't replacable, just that the replacements probably won't be any better, and might even be worse.

 

[Jen414]

Why would seasoned professional teachers want to quit their jobs and go work there?

My colleagues and I all had this discussion in the lunchroom on Thursday. I work in a very good schoool district that pays quite well. The top of our salary scale is higher than the salaries quoted here that the teachers there made. That doesn't mean that everyone I work with is at the top, but we make good money and are considered a desirable district to live in and work in. Not one of us would want to work there, even if the pay was more than we are currently making.

We do not have the problems that Central Falls does. I think someone here said CF has 96% on free and reduced lunch--I think we have less than 10 out of 360 kids on f/r lunch. It takes a truly special kind of teacher to teach in that kind of a setting and not everyone is cut out for it. When you are getting kids that are significanly below grade level (and aren't properly fed, etc), you can not catch them up in a year. Or sometimes even two. Or sometimes even three. Can you make progress for that individual child--absolutely, but it doesn't mean they'll be on grade level at the end of the year and it doesn't mean they'll be able to pass standardized tests. I say this from experience and in the town I teach in, every child comes to school dressed in weather appropriate clothing and well-fed. They all have a roof over their head and their is definitely no bad area in town. Although real estate values here have decreased over the past few years, the big joke a few years ago was that the people who lived on the "poor" side of town--there houses were worth only $350K!!!!

I have sat in IEP meetings and talked to parents about what we're doing for their child who is 2+ years behind and what we're doing for them and what sort of progress their child is making. And then in the same breath, I have told them that their child will not pass the MCAS that year. I am not a miracle-maker. If a child comes to me in 5th grade and is reading at a 2.1 (2nd grade, 1st month) and I get them to a 2.9 by the end of the year, they have made progress. Are they on grade level--no. Will they pass the ELA MCAS that year--probably not. And again, my students have many, many advantages over the kids in CF. That is not to say that some children we have don't come with their own baggage, but it's not the type of baggage that I would imagine that the kids in CF have.

I worry about what kind of teachers they are going to get for next year. It does not seem to be the type of district that people aspire to work in. It seems like they will end up with a lot of very bright-eyed, young college grads who will be first year teachers. FIrst year teachers need a lot of guidance and help--almost like interns at a hospital. Many teachers don't last past 5 years. I hope they do. I wonder how long they'll have to turn the scores around. 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? What will be the percentage increase that scores have to go up in order for them to retain their jobs?

I think it's going to be very interesting to see how this school does over the next few years.

 

[TheZue]

My colleagues and I all had this discussion in the lunchroom on Thursday. I work in a very good schoool district that pays quite well. The top of our salary scale is higher than the salaries quoted here that the teachers there made. That doesn't mean that everyone I work with is at the top, but we make good money and are considered a desirable district to live in and work in. Not one of us would want to work there, even if the pay was more than we are currently making.

We do not have the problems that Central Falls does. I think someone here said CF has 96% on free and reduced lunch--I think we have less than 10 out of 360 kids on f/r lunch. It takes a truly special kind of teacher to teach in that kind of a setting and not everyone is cut out for it. When you are getting kids that are significanly below grade level (and aren't properly fed, etc), you can not catch them up in a year. Or sometimes even two. Or sometimes even three. Can you make progress for that individual child--absolutely, but it doesn't mean they'll be on grade level at the end of the year and it doesn't mean they'll be able to pass standardized tests. I say this from experience and in the town I teach in, every child comes to school dressed in weather appropriate clothing and well-fed. They all have a roof over their head and their is definitely no bad area in town. Although real estate values here have decreased over the past few years, the big joke a few years ago was that the people who lived on the "poor" side of town--there houses were worth only $350K!!!!

I have sat in IEP meetings and talked to parents about what we're doing for their child who is 2+ years behind and what we're doing for them and what sort of progress their child is making. And then in the same breath, I have told them that their child will not pass the MCAS that year. I am not a miracle-maker. If a child comes to me in 5th grade and is reading at a 2.1 (2nd grade, 1st month) and I get them to a 2.9 by the end of the year, they have made progress. Are they on grade level--no. Will they pass the ELA MCAS that year--probably not. And again, my students have many, many advantages over the kids in CF. That is not to say that some children we have don't come with their own baggage, but it's not the type of baggage that I would imagine that the kids in CF have.

I worry about what kind of teachers they are going to get for next year. It does not seem to be the type of district that people aspire to work in. It seems like they will end up with a lot of very bright-eyed, young college grads who will be first year teachers. FIrst year teachers need a lot of guidance and help--almost like interns at a hospital. Many teachers don't last past 5 years. I hope they do. I wonder how long they'll have to turn the scores around. 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? What will be the percentage increase that scores have to go up in order for them to retain their jobs?

I think it's going to be very interesting to see how this school does over the next few years.

The other scary issue about this is if they do get all new teachers are they just going to burn them out and lead to them leaving education all together? What a waste of trained human capital. This is a really bad situation. Hopefully they do hire some of the old teachers back.

 

[MM27]

I saw on the NJEA's website once that teachers are paid less than nurses. You know---nurses who get up on Christmas, Easter, Saturday night, etc. , etc., etc. and go to work.

All professional people go to continuing education, bring work home, etc., etc. Teachers act like they've cornered the market on this.

They don't have to hire teachers who are just out of school. With the pool of applicants that they'll receive, they'll have their choice of new and seasoned professionals.

No one should over estimate their value on the market in these times.

What type of work are nurses bringing home?

 

[Kathi OD]

We'll see... I know many college graduates who are looking for a job. Any job.

I work for a government agency (I am neither a teacher or a nurse, however), have a master's degree and earn in the neighborhood of what these teachers make.

I may work hard. My work may be important to many. But I am replaceable.

I don't doubt that for a minute.

Do you really think that these teachers don't have advanced degrees?

According to the Central Falls, RI teacher's contract, for a teacher to make the "average" salary, they must have a degree beyond the bachelor's. Most of those "average" teachers have worked there for more than 10 years! Believe me, teachers don't work in inner-city schools for 10 years unless they are dedicated to the community. A few years experience there and most people are out getting themselves a new position in a community where the students are less difficult to work with.

Here is their salary scale:

ARTICLE IX SALARIES AND RATES OF PAY

Section 1. Salary Scale

The District shall provide each teacher with a copy of the negotiated salary scale for each school year not later than the orientation meeting the day before school begins.

The District shall provide, at the same time, a copy of any negotiated changes in fringe benefits.


The salary shall be:

Step 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011

1 $43,486 $44,029 $44,690
2 45,169 45,959 46,878
3 47,500 48,331 49,298
4 49,831 50,703 51,718
5 52,506 53,425 54,493
6 56,131 57,113 58,255
7 58,531 59,555 60,746
8 60,932 61,999 63,239
9 63,334 64,442 65,731
10 70,130 71,883 73,680

Horizontal Scale 2008-2011

BA + 15 $ 800
BA + 30 1,100
BA + 45 1,450
BA + 60 1,700

MA 2,800
MA +15 3,050
MA +30 3,250
MA +45 3,450

CAGS 3,650

PH.D 3,900

National Board for Professional Teaching Standard $6,000

The Districts agrees to pay one-half (1/2) of the assessment fee for new candidates, when other sources of outside funding are unavailable.

Master's Degree in field shall receive a bonus of $400.

Teachers completing an I Plan Certificate shall receive a bonus of $200 payable in the fifth year upon certification.

Source: http://www.ntlongcber.com/cber/docs/_CF.htm


It also is interesting to note that the current contract is in effect until June 2011. Makes me wonder...

 

[raykay23]

What type of work are nurses bringing home?

Okay maybe I dont bring "work" home but I am a psychiatric nurse and heres what I bring home
hearing the awful stories of some of our patients- the abuse that has been done to them and that some of them have done to others. I have nursed paedophiles and victims of child sex abuse, murderers and the suicidal, drug addicts and alcoholics, the psychotic and sociopaths.
I have been afraid for my safety, been punched, pulled around by the hair, am quite sure I would have been at least seriously injured by one of my most disturbed patients had I not seen it coming seconds ahead of time and got out the door right before she got me. I have tried to coax a 12 yr old out from under a table as he is holding a knife to his wrist. I have nursed the dying and taken care of them after they have passed. At the moment I am working in a unit that is facing imminent closure forcing 21 scared elderly people to move out of the home they have lived in for most of their adult lives.
Those kind of things tend to stick in your head.

 

[gina2000]

And I know in my heart that I could never endure the heartbreak, fear, and sorrow that you experience every single day. It's bad enough to see kids who have been mentally and physically abused, who are afraid to trust anyone, who never know what awaits them when they get home but who have food on the table and roofs over their heads so DYFUS doesn't consider them in imminent danger.

A nurse has my utmost admiration. I could never, ever do your job. And I know you are not appreciated for all the work you do.

 

[CapeMayMommy]

Why would seasoned professional teachers want to quit their jobs and go work there?

I believe that the first wave of unemployment was in the private sector.

The second wave is coming---I believe that many states and municipalities will balance their budgets on the backs of public employees.

Layoffs are coming. In my area, it is already starting (before you flame me---I am a public employee too.)

 

[CapeMayMommy]

Do you really think that these teachers don't have advanced degrees?

According to the Central Falls, RI teacher's contract, for a teacher to make the "average" salary, they must have a degree beyond the bachelor's. Most of those "average" teachers have worked there for more than 10 years! Believe me, teachers don't work in inner-city schools for 10 years unless they are dedicated to the community. A few years experience there and most people are out getting themselves a new position in a community where the students are less difficult to work with.

Here is their salary scale:



Source: http://www.ntlongcber.com/cber/docs/_CF.htm


It also is interesting to note that the current contract is in effect until June 2011. Makes me wonder...

I know that many teachers have advanced degrees. That wasn't my point.

Even with a masters degree, 70-80 K is a good salary--especially with solid benefits and ample time off. I tell myself that everyday.

I am grateful for my job, and never take it for granted. I work hard, and I am always going to continuing education to hone my skills.

But I no longer believe my job is secure or that I am not replaceable.

 

[MM27]

Okay maybe I dont bring "work" home but I am a psychiatric nurse and heres what I bring home
hearing the awful stories of some of our patients- the abuse that has been done to them and that some of them have done to others. I have nursed paedophiles and victims of child sex abuse, murderers and the suicidal, drug addicts and alcoholics, the psychotic and sociopaths.
I have been afraid for my safety, been punched, pulled around by the hair, am quite sure I would have been at least seriously injured by one of my most disturbed patients had I not seen it coming seconds ahead of time and got out the door right before she got me. I have tried to coax a 12 yr old out from under a table as he is holding a knife to his wrist. I have nursed the dying and taken care of them after they have passed. At the moment I am working in a unit that is facing imminent closure forcing 21 scared elderly people to move out of the home they have lived in for most of their adult lives.
Those kind of things tend to stick in your head.

But the poster that mentioned other people bringing work home was not talking about that. They were talking about how teachers complain that we have to bring actual work home. You know, taking tests home to grade, planbooks to work on, papers to read, ect. They said every profession brings work home but only teachers complain about it. I'm just curious about what type of physical work he/she was referring to. Because I have friends and family that don't understand why I always have work to do at night or on the weekends. With their jobs, the work ends when the day ends.

I'm right there with you with the bringing the stress of your job home. I teach in an urban district. I have had students with parents in prison, students that have been physically, mentally and/or sexually abused, kids that come to school dirty, hungry, tired because they had to stay up watching their younger siblings because their mother had to go out last night. Those things hurt, but that is why I teach in an urban district and why I have stayed as long as I have. It's not easy. It's not where I imagined I would be when I graduated college. But every time one of these kids tells me they love me or give me a big hug, I realize that I matter in their lives. Sure I want my students to be successful. I wish they were all on grade level. However, there are factors that I can't control in the lives of my students. What I can do is make sure that when they are in my care, they are taken care of, they feel safe and that I teach them what I can in the short time I have them.

 

[Kathi OD]

I know that many teachers have advanced degrees. That wasn't my point.

Even with a masters degree, 70-80 K is a good salary--especially with solid benefits and ample time off. I tell myself that everyday.

I am grateful for my job, and never take it for granted. I work hard, and I am always going to continuing education to hone my skills.

But I no longer believe my job is secure or that I am not replaceable.

Do you really think these teachers aren't grateful for their jobs?

Everyone is replaceable. Teachers know that, but these teachers did nothing that called for them to be fired. They were following the terms of their contract. The district wanted to change it in the middle of the contract. All their union did was try to negotiate; which is how the process is supposed to work. I foresee a long, drawn-out court battle ahead for the district. Any money they would have saved by not negotiating the added cost for increased time, is going to be spent in legal fees and back pay when all the teachers are rehired.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

As a special ed teacher, I have been hit, bit, spit and even stabbed by a student. That 30 minutes without my students is a way to regroup myself so that I can effectively teach them. I still don't know why any teacher would want to work in a district that would do that. Experienced teachers aren't going to teach there. This mass firing isn't going to solve the real problem and that is the socio-economic factors at play. When you're worried about where you'll sleep that night and if you'll get to eat dinner, school is the last thing on your mind.

 

[Minnie]

Teachers don't miss the point. People who claim that teachers are overpaid do. It's the first point people make when they seek to deride the teaching profession.

I haven't seen a 6 1/2 hour day since the day I started. Try 7 or 7:30 am til 4 or 5 pm every day. That's my work ethic and I'm proud of it. And I will defend my work ethic against your sardonic "time is money, honey" comment each and every time you make it.

First, no way in heck would I want your job... I know my limitations and working with children all day - nope - spreadsheets and an office - that is my kind of work

But... I'm in the corporate world with 3wks vacation, 11 paid holidays and easily put in minimum 60hr work weeks. Thus I do work more days and hours than many teachers.

I think most people understand what they are getting into when they select their career path. I for one love my job and the challenges that go with it.

I do wish I was able to take more time off when DS was out of school especially when he was younger.... And envy teachers that have been able to do so

In the end this is a loose/loose situation for everyone.... The teachers out of a job, the new teachers without the experienced teachers to mentor, the district dealing with the mess, and most of all the students without experienced teachers

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

As a special ed teacher, I have been hit, bit, spit and even stabbed by a student. That 30 minutes without my students is a way to regroup myself so that I can effectively teach them. I still don't know why any teacher would want to work in a district that would do that. Experienced teachers aren't going to teach there. This mass firing isn't going to solve the real problem and that is the socio-economic factors at play. When you're worried about where you'll sleep that night and if you'll get to eat dinner, school is the last thing on your mind.

I have to agree, when student teaching I didn't get to prep with my teacher, she just didn't allow it, instead I had to go to all the specials with the kids, I had a rather short lunch b/c I had to help the kids get situated with their lunches (it was kindergarten so I was opening up things, etc.) and I was also working on things that I couldn't get to during what was supposed to be my prep. And then on top of it I came home and was up til 11 or 12 at night making lesson plans, visuals aids, making different manipulatives for the kiddos, it just never seemed to end, by January I was tired and happy that I was done with student teaching. Yeah I miss the kids, they were great, but anyone who says a teacher only works 6 hours a day and has the summers off...they need to walk in a teacher's shoes.
And honestly, as a teacher who just graduated from school I don't think I would want to be in a school that I did not have a mentor to help me and guide me.

 

[npmommie]

What type of work are nurses bringing home?

I can tell you that when I worked in primary care as an NP there is a lot of work done after hours.
I only worked part time so I was hourly, but my co workers who were full time and salaried were different.
when do you think we get a chance to call patients back, or call their families, or look at lab/test results, or dictate our notes, call results to patients, etc etc etc..........I was lucky enough to be paid for all of that when I was done seeing patients for the day, but like I said anyone salaried is doing that after they are done seeing patients for the day,
same thing as bringing the work home. its after hours.
so how would it feel to not get your call back with lab results because its "after 4 pm and we don't see patients after 4 pm"