teacher myths

[FlightlessDuck]

while there are roughly 90 days in a three month period, there are only around 60 working days.

Ah, when you look at it that way, sure. When I hear 3 months, I think 90 days.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

In our district it would be a difference of 4 days

That's a good point. I was thinking about 184 teaching days. The teachers in the district I was using are actually in school 192 days.

 

[DawnM]

It is too bad, but I also see that many things you have said have had to be repeated as a new person comes in to comment on how teachers all make too much money and don't do any work. And they are sure of this because they know this one teacher.......

Some people just will never get it.



Dawn

It's too bad this thread has gone off track into salaries and vacation time. I was hoping to dispel some of the true misconceptions about teaching in general. For example, a couple of pages back, someone commented on a teachers workday as 4-5 classes and a couple of "free periods." Now, i think most teachers can readily say that our planning periods are not free periods at all. While we don't have students at that time, we most definitely aren't free. Some of things that I regularly do during my planning periods include writing lesson plans, running off copies, meeting with parents, planning academic bowl meetings, planning field trips, creating power points, researching for upcoming lessons, tutoring a student who is failing and having team meetings with other middle school teachers.

 

[ilovesugar]

No, I think it would mean to be able to find a job and buy a modest house within a reasonable commuting distance from the major employment centers. There really isn't anywhere in the the Twin Cities metro area where a small family, say Mom, Dad and 2 kids, could comfortably live off $66K (which is what a 15 year teacher with a masters degree in our district makes) without a second income. By modest house, nothing fancy, nothing large but 3 bedrooms and a bathrooom size house-maybe 1200 sq feet on the main floor size house. Even a single person, newer into the profession makes around $35K. An apartment, one bedroom, in safe but nothing fancy building is going to run $800-900/month-about 1/2 off their take home pay or more. That is not reasonable, nor is it a living wage, especially considering it is only a few thousand dollars above what is considered poverty level here--AND it would qualify a new teacher for food stamps--THAT is really sad.

This is not true in the least. First of all teachers in your district with even 13 years of experience and a masters can make $73,000+ per year and as you should know, it varies by the teacher and not the amount of years and their degree. It is all over the board. My sons K teacher makes

Then you say there is nowhere in the metro to buy a modest home on $66,000 salary. That is also not true. That will afford you about a $200,000 home. With a quick search there are 1,126 homes that range from $175,000 to $200,000 that are 1200 sq ft or more, 3 bedrooms or more and 1 bathroom or more. All are single family homes and they are ALL over the metro so they are not concentrated in just a small area of the ghetto.

Also, I quick check on apartments and there are 403 apartment buildings all over the metro that have apartments ranging from 600-800 per month.

I do not understand why you feel the need to exaggerate so much. I am really not trying to pick on you but you are giving out false info just for the sake of being right and that is not fair to the people who are reading it.

 

[okeydokey]

Not in jobs that require a college degree.

My husband's job requires a Masters Degree. His starting wage was $22,000. Yes, I had to get a full time job too.

 

[golfgal]

This is not true in the least. First of all teachers in your district with even 13 years of experience and a masters can make $73,000+ per year and as you should know, it varies by the teacher and not the amount of years and their degree. It is all over the board. My sons K teacher makes

Then you say there is nowhere in the metro to buy a modest home on $66,000 salary. That is also not true. That will afford you about a $200,000 home. With a quick search there are 1,126 homes that range from $175,000 to $200,000 that are 1200 sq ft or more, 3 bedrooms or more and 1 bathroom or more. All are single family homes and they are ALL over the metro so they are not concentrated in just a small area of the ghetto.

Also, I quick check on apartments and there are 403 apartment buildings all over the metro that have apartments ranging from 600-800 per month.

I do not understand why you feel the need to exaggerate so much. I am really not trying to pick on you but you are giving out false info just for the sake of being right and that is not fair to the people who are reading it.

Find a mortgage lender that will qualify you for a home loan at 3x's your annual salary...

I know for a FACT what teachers I stated for education level/degree make in our district-I don't know where you get your information. We are talking about base salary-if they coach or supervise extra curricular, yes, they can make more.

So what if there are apartments "all over the metro" ranging from $600-800/month, that doesn't mean they are in SAFE areas. I can buy a $50K home in North Minneapolis among the drug dealers and have drive by shootings going on all night too but I am pretty sure everyone here will agree that no one should be forced to live in an area like that. Sure, there are a few town houses for sale in our area that are in that price range and you might be able to find a short sale in that price range now too but it isn't a given.

Teacher salaries are totally based on years of experience and education level. A kindergarten teacher with 10 years experience and a masters degree will make the same amount as a high school physics teacher with 10 years experience and a masters degree.

 

[abdmom]

According to that calculator a family of 4 in our county needs $63,900 to be considered a livable wage. Our county is quite large and in the southern part of the county, this is doable, in the northern part of the county, it is not, thus the average.

I used to live and work as a teacher in a similar county in MN. The livable hourly wage is $30.66 for two adults and two children. The "typical salary" for someone in education is $20.88. I was an only parent with 3 children. Children cost more than adults. I could not make a go of it as a teacher in MN, so I moved away.

 

[ilovesugar]

Find a mortgage lender that will qualify you for a home loan at 3x's your annual salary...

I know for a FACT what teachers I stated for education level/degree make in our district-I don't know where you get your information. We are talking about base salary-if they coach or supervise extra curricular, yes, they can make more.

So what if there are apartments "all over the metro" ranging from $600-800/month, that doesn't mean they are in SAFE areas. I can buy a $50K home in North Minneapolis among the drug dealers and have drive by shootings going on all night too but I am pretty sure everyone here will agree that no one should be forced to live in an area like that. Sure, there are a few town houses for sale in our area that are in that price range and you might be able to find a short sale in that price range now too but it isn't a given.

Teacher salaries are totally based on years of experience and education level. A kindergarten teacher with 10 years experience and a masters degree will make the same amount as a high school physics teacher with 10 years experience and a masters degree.

I got them from here http://extra.twincities.com/car/schlsalaries/default.aspx the St Paul Pioneer Press. Read your district, better yet, your high school and come back and tell me I am wrong.

As I said, the homes and apartments are all over the metro, not just the ghetto. Do some research on it and get back to me on it. You seem to speak your opinions as truth and if you did a little research, you would find your wrong. There are homes even in your town, and mine that are $175,000 with the criteria you stated. Are you saying you live in an unsafe area?

And how do you know for a FACT what all the teachers in your district make? Do they come over for coffee and tell you?

 

[golfgal]

I got them from here http://extra.twincities.com/car/schlsalaries/default.aspx the St Paul Pioneer Press. Read your district, better yet, your high school and come back and tell me I am wrong.

As I said, the homes and apartments are all over the metro, not just the ghetto. Do some research on it and get back to me on it. You seem to speak your opinions as truth and if you did a little research, you would find your wrong. There are homes even in your town, and mine that are $175,000 with the criteria you stated. Are you saying you live in an unsafe area?

And how do you know for a FACT what all the teachers in your district make? Do they come over for coffee and tell you?

Let's just say they have reason to show me their W-2's and leave it at that, not that it really any of your business how I know.

I looked at the list and I didn't find a single teacher on that list with only 13 years and masters that wasn't either a school counselor or special ed teacher. Counselors and special ed teachers are paid on a different scale. Check the "assignment" tab.

 

[wvjules]

Oh, a "my anecdotal evidence is better than your anecdotal evidence" thread.

My DBF's Sister and BIL are both teachers and make quite a comfortable living. They both had off the entire summer, but a week before school started, she took a CE course in the evenings. His father just retired as a priciple and was able to put 2 kids through college, buy a home and buy a lake home, all on one salary. (Oh, He did all of those on a teacher's salary.)

Now back to teacher myth's...

Yes, they do mostly purchase their own supplies, but as I understand looking at a 1040, they get to write off atleast a portion of that, correct?

And, even though they are "supposedly" only paid for 9 months of work, they can take that over a 12 month period of time so they aren't without income for those months off during the summer.

 

[golfgal]

Oh, a "my anecdotal evidence is better than your anecdotal evidence" thread.

My DBF's Sister and BIL are both teachers and make quite a comfortable living. They both had off the entire summer, but a week before school started, she took a CE course in the evenings. His father just retired as a priciple and was able to put 2 kids through college, buy a home and buy a lake home, all on one salary. (Oh, He did all of those on a teacher's salary.)

Now back to teacher myth's...

Yes, they do mostly purchase their own supplies, but as I understand looking at a 1040, they get to write off atleast a portion of that, correct?

And, even though they are "supposedly" only paid for 9 months of work, they can take that over a 12 month period of time so they aren't without income for those months off during the summer.

They can write off $250 worth.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Yes, it just seems like people making the statements like "teachers make X amount of money for only working 9 months is pretty darn good money and it equals a salary of a person making X amount of money for 12 months" doesn't really understand that's not how it works. Where do they think the money comes from for those 2 or 3 months teachers are not working? From a magical tree in the back yard? I didn't become a teacher for money, I wanted the convenience of being on a similar schedule to my own 2 children.

For example this statement on another thread:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinkermommy


Teachers may get paid for 10 months, but they have to stretch that salary out for an extra 2 months. They have to figure out how to make that 40,000 dollars last for an extra 2 months out of the year, not just the 10 months they are working. A person who works for 12 months gets paid the entire twelve months, they don't have to figure out how to stretch their salary, so in reality a teacher is really making less. If I use Tinkermommy's math concept, a person making 55K over a period of 260 days is making 211.53 per day. If a person making 40K over a period of 260 days is making 153.84 per day. That's actually 57.69 less per day.

But if you know you are contracted to work for 10 months of the year and you are paid to actually work for 10 months then why do you need to stretch your salary? You could get a job for the other 2 months of the year. Then you would have a 12 month salary. You (a general you) don't want to do that because you want to be home with your kids in the summer. While I think that is great how can you expect your job to pay you to be home every school vacation with your kids? No job does that! You are getting paid for what you actually work. Nobody is going to pay someone to take every summer off. You are not working for 12 months so you shouldn't be paid for 12 months. In your example you use 40K as the amount of money. Plenty of people make that over a 12 month period of actually working. They don't get 2 months off every year.
I don't dislike teachers and the ones by me make very good money. Most make 80-100K a year. I support them having a good salary because I want quality teachers. However, I do think they have a lot more time off than the average person. I am okay with that as that is the way it is in their profession but I hate listening to whining about how hard they work and they don't get paid enough. They get plenty of perks that most people will never get. Still- I support them.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Oh, a "my anecdotal evidence is better than your anecdotal evidence" thread.

My DBF's Sister and BIL are both teachers and make quite a comfortable living. They both had off the entire summer, but a week before school started, she took a CE course in the evenings. His father just retired as a priciple and was able to put 2 kids through college, buy a home and buy a lake home, all on one salary. (Oh, He did all of those on a teacher's salary.)

Now back to teacher myth's...

Yes, they do mostly purchase their own supplies, but as I understand looking at a 1040, they get to write off atleast a portion of that, correct?

And, even though they are "supposedly" only paid for 9 months of work, they can take that over a 12 month period of time so they aren't without income for those months off during the summer.

Don't you mean that he was able to do that on a principal's salary?

The secondary principals in my school system make six-figure salaries. The elementary principals average around $85,000.

 

[ilovesugar]

Let's just say they have reason to show me their W-2's and leave it at that, not that it really any of your business how I know.

I looked at the list and I didn't find a single teacher on that list with only 13 years and masters that wasn't either a school counselor or special ed teacher. Counselors and special ed teachers are paid on a different scale. Check the "assignment" tab.

08-09 (I blocked the name) F $73,017 MA + 60 (60 or more) credits 13 (years of experience)

He is a math teacher.

 

[DawnM]

Poster said it was all done on a teacher's salary.....I am not buying it.

Dawn

Don't you mean that he was able to do that on a principal's salary?

The secondary principals in my school system make six-figure salaries. The elementary principals average around $85,000.

 

[golfgal]

08-09 (I blocked the name) F $73,017 MA + 60 (60 or more) credits 13 (years of experience)

He is a math teacher.

A masters+ 60 means he is just shy of credits for a Phd, not just a Master's Degree-you can edit your post now an remove my personal information thanks.

 

[MM27]

No one is saying you don't attend workshops while there, but isn't it nice that you have your own convention and time away to complete these hours? Please don't tell me what a hardship going to Atlantic City is. And what does that cost the taxpayers every year? In private corporations, like law firms, the firm itself swallows the cost of such continuing legal education for its lawyers. For teachers, the public swallows the cost.


All of this aside, I still think it's a much better job once the benefits, salary and time off are factored in. I don't feel sorry for teachers who have to get a second job during the summer to make ends meet. Most everyone works a full year.

Yes it is great that we have our own convention. However, you are not paying for it unless you are a member of NJEA. Our dues is what pays for the convention, not your tax dollars.

If it's such a great job and you are so envious of all the perks, why not become a teacher?

I always wonder why the bashing of teachers all the time. No one ever starts a thread that says:

--My mailman gets paid to much JUST to stick mail in my mailbox.

--The fireman in my community get paid too much.....all they do is stand there & shoot water at flames.

--I can't believe the amount of money a plumber charged me to unclog my drain. All he did was stick some stupid metal wand down the drain to make it work.

We all know it is unrealistic to believe that these professions I mentioned are unimportant. They are important jobs, and fireman especially have dangerous jobs. No one ever starts threads like that.

Those that say teachers continually defend their profession & state how difficult it is..........if your profession was always questioned & being interrogated, wouldn't you defend yourself also?

I don't understand that either. I've mentioned this before on another thread. I have a friend that graduated high school and college at the same time I did. He became a police officer, I became a teacher. We have both been in our respective fields for 11 years (as of September). In New Jersey, teachers and police officers are very similar in terms of benefits, pensions, etc. Although he can retire years before I can. He makes almost double my salary BEFORE overtime. Nobody complains about that.

did all of those on a teacher's salary.)

And, even though they are "supposedly" only paid for 9 months of work, they can take that over a 12 month period of time so they aren't without income for those months off during the summer.

I work for 10 months (September thru June) and no, I cannot take that over 12 months. I'm sure some places allow that, but my district does not offer it. Checks stop on June 30th.

 

[ilovesugar]

A masters+ 60 means he is just shy of credits for a Phd, not just a Master's Degree-you can edit your post now an remove my personal information thanks.

But he has a masters, not a PHD (yet) and is a math teacher, not a specialist. Your claim was you see noone on the list with 13 years of experience making that much who is not a specialist. That was not true.

I did edit my post but I have seen you post your district before so figuered it was not an issue.

 

[golfgal]

Poster said it was all done on a teacher's salary.....I am not buying it.

Dawn

Some people are good at investing, who knows, maybe the kids got a lot of scholarships or went to schools that didn't cost all that much. If someone bought a house 40 years ago their house payment was probably $200/month. I can see it on a long time teacher's salary in a place where teachers make a living wage. Once you move into administration, yes you usually take a descent bump in pay.

 

[golfgal]

But he has a masters, not a PHD (yet) and is a math teacher, not a specialist. Your claim was you see noone on the list with 13 years of experience making that much who is not a specialist. That was not true.

I did edit my post but I have seen you post your district before so figuered it was not an issue.

I have never posted my district-others have.

A Masters Degree is one thing. A Masters Degree + 60 credits is a dissertation shy of a PhD. It plainly says masters+60 or more credits on the site. I stand by my claim that there is NO ONE with JUST a masters degree that makes $70K+ base.

The teacher pay scale is very confusing. Teachers get raises based on years of service (very small increases) and amount of post grad credits. Once they achieve a masters degree there is a larger bump in pay then but after that the bumps are pretty small even with additional credit hours. That pay scale would stay the same year after year if the unions or whomever did not negotiate raises in that scale. Those 2% raises they get don't even keep up with the cost of living/inflation changes so over time teachers make less money year after year in overall spending power.