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

[SirDuff]

Don't you mean $45,000 over 12 months AND 10 months? That is what is happening with my coworker's daughter.

Opps. Added an extra zero to the monthly salary in the 12 month version! Off to fix.

 

[declansdad]

That is what I have always thought but the statement about only getting paid for 10 months does not make sense to me.

It means the typical contract for a teacher is for 10 months work during the year but in many areas they have the option to spread the amount ($45000 in your example) over a 12 month period. This allows for a steady income stream during the year.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

It means the typical contract for a teacher is for 10 months work during the year but in many areas they have the option to spread the amount ($45000 in your example) over a 12 month period. This allows for a steady income stream during the year.

How is that a negative thing?

 

[CuseWazowski]

I have seen this stated a number of times. Can you explain it more? Does this mean when I see a report the teachers in our school district make on average $45,000 per year that they do not acually make that amount and the real number is 10/12 * $45,000 or $37,500 per year?

No. That average salary number would be what they are actually paid. In my district, we have an annual contract salary, but the salary is paid over 21 pay periods each year. We are paid every two weeks from mid-September through the end of June. We have the option of having our salary divided by 26 and receiving 1/26 on each of the first 20 pay periods and then the last 6/26 bulk payment at the last pay period in June to carry us through the summer.

I'm careful not to gripe or gloat about any of the aspects of my job on social media. I figure there are positives and negatives to every job and since I don't really know what it's like to be in a job outside my field, I just stay out of it.

 

[declansdad]

How is that a negative thing?

I never said it was.

 

[Meriweather]

OP, is your dd a new teacher? Did she agree to the duty 4 day a week and tutoring when she signed her contract? Was she aware of what a Tite 1 school was? I read through what you claim she didn't know but it seems with any research one could have easily found all those things out, especially if one was going into that profession.

She is not a new teacher....and she has a masters in teaching.
She does know what a Title One school is.....student taught in one, but in WA state where schools are better.
She did not know about tutoring or all the meetings (her district has more than usual, almost every day), not 4 days of duty. Last year it was 3.
At least she doesn't have to spend her lunch time commuting to a different school like some of the teachers do.
This is a remote district.
And I am not the original poster
That was just my addition

 

[EMAW_KSU]

I never said it was.

I didn't mean that you did.

 

[Christine]

How is that a negative thing?

It's not a negative thing at all. Just a way to get paid. I think what someone posted way upthread was that teachers claim they have low-pay and they use that figure to compare themselves to other professions. What they leave out of the comparison is that they only work 10 months out of the year, versus 12 months. So when you compare your $45,000 per year to, say, a financial analyst who makes $55,000 per year, it's really an apples-to-oranges comparison because the financial analyst works 12 months out of the year. In order to do a fair comparison, you would need to calculate what a teacher would make if they taught for 12 months versus 10 (would be higher than $45K).

 

[kamik86]

One other way teaching is not like a professional job:
Many teachers have a union. If teachers want to be treated as professionals maybe they shouldn't have one.

It's not a negative thing at all. Just a way to get paid. I think what someone posted way upthread was that teachers claim they have low-pay and they use that figure to compare themselves to other professions. What they leave out of the comparison is that they only work 10 months out of the year, versus 12 months. So when you compare your $45,000 per year to, say, a financial analyst who makes $55,000 per year, it's really an apples-to-oranges comparison because the financial analyst works 12 months out of the year. In order to do a fair comparison, you would need to calculate what a teacher would make if they taught for 12 months versus 10 (would be higher than $45K).

I also agree with the only getting paid for 10 months. Yes they could only be paid for 10 months but that is because they only work for 10 months. So they make 45K a year for 10 months of work. Which means they make 4.5K per month they work. Which would be an equivalent salary to another position of of $54,000 a year.

Now teachers say they work overtime that is unpaid the rest of the year so they don't really work only 10 months. However as stated in this thread other professionals work overtime most weeks as well... for all 12 months of the year.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

It's not a negative thing at all. Just a way to get paid. I think what someone posted way upthread was that teachers claim they have low-pay and they use that figure to compare themselves to other professions. What they leave out of the comparison is that they only work 10 months out of the year, versus 12 months. So when you compare your $45,000 per year to, say, a financial analyst who makes $55,000 per year, it's really an apples-to-oranges comparison because the financial analyst works 12 months out of the year. In order to do a fair comparison, you would need to calculate what a teacher would make if they taught for 12 months versus 10 (would be higher than $45K).

I read this to mean it is negative to only get paid for 10 months.

Of course teachers can stretch their 10 month salary over 12 months but we are still only getting paid for 10 months.

 

[disykat]

It's not a negative thing at all. Just a way to get paid. I think what someone posted way upthread was that teachers claim they have low-pay and they use that figure to compare themselves to other professions. What they leave out of the comparison is that they only work 10 months out of the year, versus 12 months. So when you compare your $45,000 per year to, say, a financial analyst who makes $55,000 per year, it's really an apples-to-oranges comparison because the financial analyst works 12 months out of the year. In order to do a fair comparison, you would need to calculate what a teacher would make if they taught for 12 months versus 10 (would be higher than $45K).

Exactly. You can't compare apples to apples with a teacher's salary vs. someone who works year round. We don't work during the summer. However, we also don't get paid for time we aren't working - despite the fact that paychecks continue to come. You won't catch me complaining about my salary. But I will continue to defend the fact that I'm not paid for the days I'm not working when these conversations come up- because I'm not. I fail to understand why that irritates people so much. I actually make right around 45K and would make around 58K if I worked year round. The comparison is a relatively easy formula because we get paid based on days worked.

 

[Christine]

Exactly. You can't compare apples to apples with a teacher's salary vs. someone who works year round. We don't work during the summer. However, we also don't get paid for time we aren't working - despite the fact that paychecks continue to come. You won't catch me complaining about my salary. But I will continue to defend the fact that I'm not paid for the days I'm not working - because I'm not. I actually make right around 45K and would make around 58K if I worked year round. The comparison is a relatively easy formula because we get paid based on days worked.

Do you have a choice in how you receive your pay? My coworker's daughter's (new teacher) school system change and now they only do a 10-month paycheck. They used to do both. If she wants to have her paycheck span the 12 months, the teachers' credit union will administer that for her.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

However, we also don't get paid for time we aren't working - despite the fact that paychecks continue to come. You won't catch me complaining about my salary. But I will continue to defend the fact that I'm not paid for the days I'm not working when these conversations come up- because I'm not. I fail to understand why that irritates people so much.

How is that any different than most any other salaried employee?

 

[SandiR]

Exactly. You can't compare apples to apples with a teacher's salary vs. someone who works year round. We don't work during the summer. However, we also don't get paid for time we aren't working - despite the fact that paychecks continue to come. You won't catch me complaining about my salary. But I will continue to defend the fact that I'm not paid for the days I'm not working when these conversations come up- because I'm not. I fail to understand why that irritates people so much. I actually make right around 45K and would make around 58K if I worked year round. The comparison is a relatively easy formula because we get paid based on days worked.

Just a math issue...

If you make 45k for 10 months of work, that's 4,500 a month. If you worked an additional 2 months a year, that would be an additional 9k (4,500 x 2). 45k +9k is 54k not 58k.

 

[disykat]

Do you have a choice in how you receive your pay? My coworker's daughter's (new teacher) school system change and now they only do a 10-month paycheck. They used to do both. If she wants to have her paycheck span the 12 months, the teachers' credit union will administer that for her.

I don't have a choice. If I did, it might be less confusing for people to understand. I don't think it matters how I get my paycheck, the amount is the same either way. The fact that I'm paid by a certain contracted number of days stays the same.

The thing about these conversations is that now there's a bunch of people out there that think I'm complaining about my salary. I'm not. I'm responding to a question and giving my opinions on the people saying that I get paid to have vacation. You won't find me posting on Facebook that I'm working for free. However, you will find me defending myself to anyone who says I'm getting paid for time I'm not working.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

One other way teaching is not like a professional job:
Many teachers have a union. If teachers want to be treated as professionals maybe they shouldn't have one.

So because teachers belong to an union, teachers shouldn't be treated like a professional. Interesting concept...

 

[scoutie]

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?

There no way that a teacher can get all he/she needs to get done in a 32 minute planning period, so all of that work gets done during nights, weekends and breaks. I teach Honors English. I can't grade 120 research papers, plan lessons, communicate with parents, help students, and make accommodations to my tests and plans in 32 minutes a day. No teacher can get what they need to get done in 32 minutes a day. That is part of the job, though, and I don't call that working for free. I've worked all summer on our new curriculum, but I won't complain about that either, because my ten month salary has been stretched into 12 months, and I am being paid. Teachers DO work for free, though. There are a lot of "behind the scenes" things they do so that their students can have a better experience. Coaching non-sport related things (I advise the newspaper staff without a stipend, and coach speech/debate without pay), all of my coworkers chaperone dances, help students before and after school, plan and attend school carnivals, etc.) My kids' teachers have attended their sporting events, cheered them on at recitals, held summer book talks, and have done countless of extras during the year.

You won't hear me complain about it, because nobody is forcing me to do these things. If we don't, the kids miss out. By pointing this out, I am in no way complaining. I'm explaining. Teachers that DO complain probably just feel tired of defending their profession.

Many teachers have a union. If teachers want to be treated like professionals maybe they shouldn't have one

In Illinois, we don't have a choice. Our dues are taken out of our check automatically.

 

[SirDuff]

Just a math issue...

If you make 45k for 10 months of work, that's 4,500 a month. If you worked an additional 2 months a year, that would be an additional 9k (4,500 x 2). 45k +9k is 53k not 58k.

Actually, it's 54K (which is still not 58K).

 

[Christine]

I don't have a choice. If I did, it might be less confusing for people to understand. I don't think it matters how I get my paycheck, the amount is the same either way. The fact that I'm paid by a certain contracted number of days stays the same.

The thing about these conversations is that now there's a bunch of people out there that think I'm complaining about my salary. I'm not. I'm responding to a question and giving my opinions on the people saying that I get paid to have vacation. You won't find me posting on Facebook that I'm working for free. However, you will find me defending myself to anyone who says I'm getting paid for time I'm not working.

I'm not sure why people think that. It's certainly easy enough to understand.

 

[Christine]

There no way that a teacher can get all he/she needs to get done in a 32 minute planning period, so all of that work gets done during nights, weekends and breaks. I teach Honors English. I can't grade 120 research papers, plan lessons, communicate with parents, help students, and make accommodations to my tests and plans in 32 minutes a day. No teacher can get what they need to get done in 32 minutes a day. That is part of the job, though, and I don't call that working for free. I've worked all summer on our new curriculum, but I won't complain about that either, because my ten month salary has been stretched into 12 months, and I am being paid. Teachers DO work for free, though. There are a lot of "behind the scenes" things they do so that their students can have a better experience. Coaching (I advise the newspaper staff without a stipend, I coach speech/debate without pay, all of my coworkers chaperone dances, help students before and after school, plan and attend school carnivals, etc.)

You won't hear me complain, but teachers that do complain probably just feel tired of defending their profession.

Well, I kind of disagree with you (in a good way!!). I think you are paid to work 10 months out of the year. During the summer months, you are not being paid to work on those days. So if you are planning your curriculum during those non-contracted days, you are indeed working for free. It doesn't matter to me that your paycheck has been administratively tweaked with so that you get paid over a year's time versus 10 months time. That was done to help teachers manage their income over the course of year. As I stated above, our local counties are no longer administrating that sort of income spread. Now maybe your area is different and some of your curriculum planning you do over the summer is contracted and that's why you get paid over 12 months.