So tired of the "teachers work for free every day" FB posts

[bsblady01]

I agree with you on this. I do the extra stuff because I want not because I have to. some of the *****ing right now is from stressed out teachers getting things ready to go back to work.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

In all of my salaried positions I also had the option of coming in late, working from home, etc. along with being expected to take work home, come in early if need be. So it was a give and take on the extended hours. I have never met a salaried teacher that was given the other side of being a salaried employee - you know...the benefits. Can you go in late if you need to wait for the cable installer?

I didn't have those options as a salaried person either, so teachers are far from alone in that as well.

 

[cabanafrau]

In all of my salaried positions I also had the option of coming in late, working from home, etc. along with being expected to take work home, come in early if need be. So it was a give and take on the extended hours. I have never met a salaried teacher that was given the other side of being a salaried employee - you know...the benefits. Can you go in late if you need to wait for the cable installer?

For a great many people those flexible options come with a high cost as well, you're expected to keep abreast of your workload whenever and wherever. Several years back it was an issue when we were leaving the country and were not making provisions for cell phone coverage (deliberately). There was immense pressure on my husband to procure coverage, at our expense no less, so that he would continue to be available 24/7, vacation or no. It's also been an issue when we've headed to northern Michigan and spent time in areas where cell coverage is spotty or nonexistent. We've entered "civilization" again after a couple hours and have to take a few hours break for him to check all of his messages and email and then spend time putting out fires.

 

[morgan98]

For a great many people those flexible options come with a high cost as well, you're expected to keep abreast of your workload whenever and wherever. Several years back it was an issue when we were leaving the country and were not making provisions for cell phone coverage (deliberately). There was immense pressure on my husband to procure coverage, at our expense no less, so that he would continue to be available 24/7, vacation or no. It's also been an issue when we've headed to northern Michigan and spent time in areas where cell coverage is spotty or nonexistent. We've entered "civilization" again after a couple hours and have to take a few hours break for him to check all of his messages and email and then spend time putting out fires.

This 100%. We go out of the country (Italy) on vacation at least once a year and we always have international cell phone coverage and carry a hot spot as well. Okay, required may be a strong word, but let me just say it is in his best interest to respond to the most important issues when we are gone.

I am not telling these stories for sympathy as it is what it is. But, we really do not even talk about it because it is just something we do. Same thing with bringing work home or being available to talk to Singapore at 10pm.

 

[Disneylover99]

Celia, I think you should just "unfriend" your colleagues on FB.

 

[pryncess527]

I think there are people in virtually EVERY profession who complain about aspects of their job. I guess I should count myself lucky that the teachers on my FB feed seem to be excited to return to school and do the fulfilling job they love instead of gripe about the downsides.

But, I don't think complaining about your job and/or thinking that others have it easier/worse off than you is unique to teaching. I see it from many industries . . .I think many have a grass is greener mentality regardless of field of employment.

 

[declansdad]

I think most people are trying to stand up for teachers not insult them.

I believe the OP's first words were that they are a teacher themselves. Can you point out specific teacher bashing in the thread?

If you don't like the tenor of the discussion, perhaps you can offer a counterpoint opinion with substance to that which you find offensive?

Perhaps I was too early with my comment. Regardless of the motives of an OP in a teacher thread, it always brings people in that will bash teachers.

 

[donac]

I am a just retired teacher. I spent 38 years working with the kids and trying to the best I could to help them along. I never complained about coming early or staying late. A few years ago I did complain about the letters of recommendations I had to write but my dh turned to me and said "If you are going to teach the upper level courses then you should expect to have to write the letters." I thought about it and I have never complained since. I even have some to write this September, even thought I am retired.

The only thing I will complain about is the 20 minutes of lunch we get and many times that is cut short by a student who will stop you in the hall but that is one of the few things I will complain about my job.

 

[cabanafrau]

I think there are people in virtually EVERY profession who complain about aspects of their job. I guess I should count myself lucky that the teachers on my FB feed seem to be excited to return to school and do the fulfilling job they love instead of gripe about the downsides.

But, I don't think complaining about your job and/or thinking that others have it easier/worse off than you is unique to teaching. I see it from many industries . . .I think many have a grass is greener mentality regardless of field of employment.

True, I think we all bellyache about our jobs sometimes. I think part of the problem is things like Facebook expose us to a wider variety of bellyaching because it's opened up room to be "in touch" with so many more people in ways we weren't in the past. Compound that with something like the, for lack of a better word, seasonal aspects of teaching & I think it's easy to see a lot of this stuff at one time & find it annoying. To be clear, I bet if you have a lot of tax folks on your Facebook they are testy around about March 1 to April 15-ish, too.

 

[cabanafrau]

I am a just retired teacher. I spent 38 years working with the kids and trying to the best I could to help them along. I never complained about coming early or staying late. A few years ago I did complain about the letters of recommendations I had to write but my dh turned to me and said "If you are going to teach the upper level courses then you should expect to have to write the letters." I thought about it and I have never complained since. I even have some to write this September, even thought I am retired.

The only thing I will complain about is the 20 minutes of lunch we get and many times that is cut short by a student who will stop you in the hall but that is one of the few things I will complain about my job.

Every job has its pros and cons. There are indeed some very valid reasons for teachers to complain.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I think those posts are just a knee jerk reaction to people who tell teachers that they get a great salary but only work short days and summers off. I used to get offended/annoyed when people said that to me (I'm a HS teacher) but now I just say that they too can be a teacher and enjoy the same "benefits". I have yet to have anyone take me up on it. I don't make remarks about other people's professions, I don't know why they need to make snide comments on mine.

 

[disykat]

I think it starts with how frequently teachers are teased (in good spirit or otherwise) about all the "time off" they have in their profession. The rebuttal of course is that many of them will be working during a portion of that "time off".

So, it is true that for many teachers, not all of their "time off" is actually "off". And while it's fair for teachers to point that out, it's not something unique to the profession. The unique part is the ribbing they receive.

I couldn't like this enough, I was just about to point out the same thing. Teachers get tired of being told they are being paid for their time off. It is a salary, but a salary that's based on a certain number of days and a certain number of expected hours on each of those days.

 

[Tinijocaro]

No flames coming from me. Besides the time off for vacations, many teachers also get time off during the day when the kids are at recess, art, music, PE, library, and other special classes.

You are correct, we get time off for vacations, but our summer vacation is unpaid. The time when kids are at special classes is the teacher's planning time. Time to prepare the room for the next activity, clean up from previous activity, confer with other teachers, grade papers,...we don't just go straight from one activity to another all day without ANY time to prepare. Those aren't considered breaks, it's planning time.

 

[SandiR]

Why don't we ever see threads complaining about whiny accountants or pharmacists or dental hygienists, etc? Why must it always be teachers?

Maybe teachers feel under-appreciated because they are.

 

[Dawnlight]

You are correct, we get time off for vacations, but our summer vacation is unpaid. The time when kids are at special classes is the teacher's planning time. Time to prepare the room for the next activity, clean up from previous activity, confer with other teachers, grade papers,...we don't just go straight from one activity to another all day without ANY time to prepare. Those aren't considered breaks, it's planning time.

If teachers are doing all that during the breaks at school then why do they so often complain that they need to do it in the evenings, on their "own" time?

Teachers can choose to get paid for those summer months; they can have their yearly salary distributed over 12 months instead of 10.

I know what teachers make in my town; it's public information, and I take the time to look to see what taxpayers are paying these "underpaid" souls. I hardly think that for 180 days (plus several extra days before/after school start and end) that the salaries are low, especially once taking into account funded pensions and free health care. Many teachers in my town earn over $90,000 a year.

 

[SandiR]

If teachers are doing all that during the breaks at school then why do they so often complain that they need to do it in the evenings, on their "own" time?

Teachers can choose to get paid for those summer months; they can have their yearly salary distributed over 12 months instead of 10.

I know what teachers make in my town; it's public information, and I take the time to look to see what taxpayers are paying these "underpaid" souls. I hardly think that for 180 days (plus several extra days before/after school start and end) that the salaries are low, especially once taking into account funded pensions and free health care. Many teachers in my town earn over $90,000 a year.

Because maybe there's so much to be done that 30 minutes of "break" a day doesn't cover it. Could you maintain a classroom, create bulletin boards, plan lessons, call parents, have meetings, grade papers, complete mountains of paperwork, and meet with colleagues in 30 minutes a day?

If teachers in your town are making 90k a year, I'm going to bet that you live in an extremely high COL area like Long Island, NY. That is most certainly not the norm or anything close to the norm.

 

[tvguy]

I have learned so much about teaching across the U.S. from past posts on this forum.
There is a WIDE gap in teacher salaries across the nation.
So while teachers are well compensated where I live, that isn't the case everywhere.

It is a popular second career for people in my industry because it allows so much more time off when people's kids are out of school. So folks are willing to work more hours per work week to have more weeks off work.

 

[PollyannaMom]

If teachers are doing all that during the breaks at school then why do they so often complain that they need to do it in the evenings, on their "own" time?

Teachers can choose to get paid for those summer months; they can have their yearly salary distributed over 12 months instead of 10.

I know what teachers make in my town; it's public information, and I take the time to look to see what taxpayers are paying these "underpaid" souls. I hardly think that for 180 days (plus several extra days before/after school start and end) that the salaries are low, especially once taking into account funded pensions and free health care. Many teachers in my town earn over $90,000 a year.

My town decided to publish the top salaries in a random article once, and I was livid! They were giving the impression that everyone was making that right out of college, and it's simply not true. One of the teachers they highlighted had been teaching for thirty years! The starting salaries are much lower. I am OK with the public being able to see the average, or even representative numbers, but the names should have been left off.

As a sub, I make far less, but have none of the take-home responsibilities, and I like it that way.

There is no way the full-time teachers I work with could get all their prep done in the time the class is at gym or whatever. They don't leave when the kids leave, and they definitely work evenings and weekends. But most of them see it as a fair trade for summer. They do the amount of a "regular" job, they just condense it into 10 months. (And you are right, they can spread the pay out if they choose.)

I agree with the general consensus that any job is going to have it's perks and problems. Teachers do seem to end up having to defend their balance a lot, though.

 

[disykat]

Teachers can't "choose to get paid FOR those summer months." They can have part of their pay held back and distributed DURING those months. It always amazes me that people can't see the difference. That is precisely why teachers feel the need to defend themselves - the insinuation that teachers are getting paid for not working.

I'm happy with my salary, but it still makes me mad when people insinuate I'm being paid for my time off when I'm not. Teachers don't get vacation pay, they get paid for the contracted time they work.

If you work for an hourly salary with no paid vacation, people don't divide your daily pay by 24 and say you're getting paid to do nothing on your off time. People seem to understand that you're paid when you're working and that evenings off, weekends off, etc. you're not getting "paid." You get paid for the time you work. Teachers are no different except their salary is not hourly, it's based on a contracted number of days. They are paid for those contracted days.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Teachers can't "choose to get paid FOR those summer months." They can have part of their pay held back and distributed DURING those months. It always amazes me that people can't see the difference. That is precisely why teachers feel the need to defend themselves - the insinuation that teachers are getting paid for not working.

I'm happy with my salary, but it still makes me mad when people insinuate I'm being paid for my time off when I'm not. Teachers don't get vacation pay, they get paid for the contracted time they work.

If you work for an hourly salary with no paid vacation, people don't divide your daily pay by 24 and say you're getting paid to do nothing on your off time. People seem to understand that you're paid when you're working and that evenings off, weekends off, etc. you're not getting "paid." You get paid for the time you work. Teachers are no different except their salary is not hourly, it's based on a contracted number of days. They are paid for those contracted days.

I don't think most people mean it as a dig. Most salaries are yearly. I have never heard a teacher say I make $x/x months. I've always heard as most salaried employees say $x/year.

The difference being that for the non-teacher that means the whole year. When teachers compare yearly salary as a way of showing how much or little they make comparatively it's not really a fair comparison as you say it's not for a full year.

So many people see it as being paid for the year even if you're only actively working that job for x months.