New career options for a teacher

[mousehockey37]

Again, it all depends on how you look at it. You're paid $x to teach. You can look at it two different ways...

Option 1
You are being paid $x to work 10 months. This means you have two months unpaid vacation

Option 2
You are being paid $x to 'work' 12 months. 99.9% of your work happens within 10 months, but you're still being paid for 12. So you get 2 months 'paid' vacation.

Either way, you get $x for the year. This is similar to someone who is salaried. They don't punch a clock. They get paid $x/year regardless of how many hours/days they work.

Here's another lesson for you... you can't control other's reaction. If you want to convince them they're wrong, go right ahead. But it sounds like it's a losing battle. Why do you care what other people think?

Here's the thing. As a teacher, even though the students are gone for 2-3 months during the summer, it's expected that teachers are continuing their education during that time whether it be attending conferences, seminars, or going for an advanced degree. Others use that time to work at the school during the summer to refine and tune their curriculum with their departments or just for their own classes.

I'm a former middle school band director. I was that low easy target on the totem pole. The "ooo new guy in fine arts, he's the first to go" victim. Couple that with a few really bad administrations and yeah, I lost any and all passion for what I was doing and didn't feel like getting beat down anymore, let alone the end of year paranoia about "reductions in staff", etc... I still love performing and such, but when it comes to teaching, forget it, it's all about state tests anyway, kids aren't allowed to be creative anymore.

 

[kimmar067]

I don't know what district you're in, but average teacher salary in LI is less than 60k.

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Public-School-Teacher-Salary-Details-Nassau-NY.aspx

Also, I'm pretty sure New York teachers can cash in banked sick days at only a fraction of their salary. I think my mother got 50 bucks for each day when she retired.

Why would this make the private sector broke?

"The average New Jersey public school teacher earned $67,412 last year, an increase of less than 1 percent over the prior year. That small pay hike ($356 on average) reflects continuing poor economic conditions and the relatively tight 2 percent cap on tax increases imposed by the state...."

- njspotlight

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I don't know what district you're in, but average teacher salary in LI is less than 60k.

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Public-School-Teacher-Salary-Details-Nassau-NY.aspx

Also, I'm pretty sure New York teachers can cash in banked sick days at only a fraction of their salary. I think my mother got 50 bucks for each day when she retired.

Why would this make the private sector broke?

Somewhat of a side note, but in some states, those cashed in sick days can figure into your final 3 years average pay, so it impacts the retirement plan as well. Illinois has actually included buyouts in the calculation (hence the reason their pension fund is under water).

 

[kimmar067]

Somewhat of a side note, but in some states, those cashed in sick days can figure into your final 3 years average pay, so it impacts the retirement plan as well. Illinois has actually included buyouts in the calculation (hence the reason their pension fund is under water).

....and do you want to know why our pension fund is under water? Because less-than-forthright politicians in Trenton did not put in their fair share while the teachers did. Plus, a former governor 'borrowed' our pension funds and never repaid it....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

....and do you want to know why our pension fund is under water? Because less-than-forthright politicians in Trenton did not put in their fair share while the teachers did. Plus, a former governor 'borrowed' our pension funds and never repaid it....

Fortunately, in Missouri the state doesn't have that option. The pension here isn't as generous as some, but it IS funded

 

[kimmar067]

Fortunately, in Missouri the state doesn't have that option. The pension here isn't as generous as some, but it IS funded

....well, we never did either [here in N. J.] but that never stopped her....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

....well, we never did either [here in N. J.] but that never stopped her....

Not to get political, but we are lucky here to have a number of things COMPLETELY off limits to the folks at the capital, including the teacher pension fund. The 1/8th cent sales tax that funds the Department of Conservation is another.

 

[IDoDis]

Somewhat of a side note, but in some states, those cashed in sick days can figure into your final 3 years average pay, so it impacts the retirement plan as well. Illinois has actually included buyouts in the calculation (hence the reason their pension fund is under water).

I have almost 7 months worth of sick leave that aren't worth a penny as far as being able to cash them in. In fact teachers here go to work sick because we are docked a point off of our evaluations for each sick day we use. Attendance counts 10% toward evaluations and test scores count 50%. For the past two years I was evaluated on 5th grade students, but I haven't taught any 5th graders in probably 6 or 7 years. I have been unable to get this fixed on my evaluations. So my livelihood depends on unfair evaluations and because of that, I can't use a sick day when I'm sick. I need every point I can get since I teach students with a variety of disabilities that severely impact their test scores. Don't even get me started on that!

I would not advise a young college person to go into teaching now. Run away as fast as you can! I am going to try and stick it out for 7 more years, although I can retire in 2 years with 25 years of teaching, but I could barely live on that retirement. Therefore I need to work more years to increase the amount. I love my students, but now there are too many cooks in the kitchen trying to fix education and have no idea what they are doing. The big elephant in the room that needs to be fixed is poverty. Teachers have become the scapegoat. I guess we are easy targets.

 

[sam_gordon]

....sorry, but that is incorrect. Every contract that I have personally seen, signed, known about, or was told about, states the 'Begin Date' [usually Sept 1 of that year] to the "End Date" [June 30 of the next year] [of course, I am speaking of a school year that goes from Sept-June. It's August-May in some states, or depends how the school year runs]. No contracts run for the entire year [ie: July 1, xxxx to June 30, xxxx], unless the district happens to BE a year-round school.

Good gravy. I'm not referring to contracts. All I'm saying is IF YOU WANT TO, you can look at the pay as including summer. I personally don't care if you say teachers get summer paid or not. One of the "perks" of teaching is having two months (roughly) without having to report into the place of employment. There are perks to just about every job. If someone complains because of the "perks" you get as a teacher, instead of telling them they don't understand, they're wrong, or teaching is so awful, the easy response is "so go to school and get your teaching certificate".

There are perks at many jobs that I envy (like I would two solid months off). However, there are plenty of negatives with those jobs that I wouldn't want to put up with.

 

[ilovefh]

Every vocation gets "second guessed," you just notice it more in your field.

The rationale for having business people run schools is simple, you remove all emotion from the equation. The business people are given a set budget and have to best apply those dollars to satisfy the most amount of need. When you have educators running schools, they have so much passion that the realistic amount of dollars is lost in the need to satisfy everyone. Since there is not an endless supply of money, you need the business people to stretch the money the furthest.

And I stand by my statement that you have never been in the education field.

 

[msjprincess]

I don't know what district you're in, but average teacher salary in LI is less than 60k.

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Public-School-Teacher-Salary-Details-Nassau-NY.aspx

Also, I'm pretty sure New York teachers can cash in banked sick days at only a fraction of their salary. I think my mother got 50 bucks for each day when she retired.

Why would this make the private sector broke?

There is no way that is accurate. I'm also on LI and teachers in my district start at over $50K and after 10 years they make $95k-100K. I have teachers in my family that teach in other districts on LI and it's just about the same.

Actually I take that back it might be accurate, but it's misleading. When they list salaries for the district they list all teachers including teachers that didn't work the entire year and subs. So when you average them in it could be $60K. There are no full time teachers in my district making less than $55K.

 

[Happy Snowman]

There is no way that is accurate. I'm also on LI and teachers in my district start at over $50K and after 10 years they make $95k-100K. I have teachers in my family that teach in other districts on LI and it's just about the same.

Actually I take that back it might be accurate, but it's misleading. When they list salaries for the district they list all teachers including teachers that didn't work the entire year and subs. So when you average them in it could be $60K. There are no full time teachers in my district making less than $55K.

Considering that Long Island is one of the most expensive places to live in the country...that is still peanuts...

 

[msjprincess]

Considering that Long Island is one of the most expensive places to live in the country...that is still peanuts...

What the heck does that have to do with what I posted? I wasn't complaining about how much they make. I live on LI, I know how expensive things are. I was just saying that what the previous poster said was inaccurate.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

One other crazy thing. What other fields do you know of where so many offer to come in and help you with your work?

Or criticize how much you get paid. Or complain about your contract negotiations, etc.

I would hate to be a teacher. Absolutely hate it. Parents think you are out to get their snowflakes. Administrators side with parents. School boards complain about paying your salary. Newspapers complain when your union negotiates a new contract. Politicians blame you for Everything Wrong With The Country(tm). I'd much rather worth in the private sector.

 

[Happy Snowman]

What the heck does that have to do with what I posted? I wasn't complaining about how much they make. I live on LI, I know how expensive things are. I was just saying that what the previous poster said was inaccurate.

Just backing up what you said....you can't take a random salary and say it's good or bad without knowing the cost of living in an area.

 

[emsstacey]

Maybe I should relocate. I'm making $44k/year as a full time teacher. I'm not getting rich but having the same schedule as my kids is priceless and I love having the summer off... it's the best of both worlds.

 

[NewRVLady]

I actually think my BIL's life as a University Prof is the life of riley
Now he's near retirement and stepped down as head of Ecology/Biology dept he is ALWAYS home-answers the phone at all hours....I swear he maybe works a couple, 3 hours hours a day

But he makes lots of extra $$ as a consultant. Has done many jobs for the state.

 

[tcufrog]

My sister is a reading teacher in GA. For almost 20 years she taught middle school primarily at the same school district. A few years ago her school district transferred her to high school against her wishes. She didn't realize until she was transferred that she was burned out. She fell in love with teaching again and is enjoying it. She also found that the workload at the high school was better and she had better time scheduled for planning periods. This summer she will finish up the district's continuing ed classes for gifted and honors teaching. She doesn't plan to switch right now but she feels it will give her options if she becomes burned out again. Perhaps there are some lateral move options within your district like my sister made that will rejuvenate you.

 

[okeydokey]

Pluses and minuses to every job. My DH and are both state employees in Florida. The legislature hates us and wants everything to be contracted out to private business. Our wages have been stagnant for a decade.

But we get good vacation benefits and great cheap health care. Plus we like what we do and think we make a positive difference in people's lives.

So no complaints from me. We all make career/work/life decisions. Live with them or change them.

 

[NewRVLady]

My sister is a reading teacher in GA. For almost 20 years she taught middle school primarily at the same school district. A few years ago her school district transferred her to high school against her wishes. She didn't realize until she was transferred that she was burned out. She fell in love with teaching again and is enjoying it. She also found that the workload at the high school was better and she had better time scheduled for planning periods. This summer she will finish up the district's continuing ed classes for gifted and honors teaching. She doesn't plan to switch right now but she feels it will give her options if she becomes burned out again. Perhaps there are some lateral move options within your district like my sister made that will rejuvenate you.

Great post!
My cousin was a PE teacher for years-got switched toa class with "At Risk" kids and found her true calling.....you just never know