Teachers: Public v. private

[qtwns]

I have taught in public schools for 10 years and I am fed up. I am seriously considering moving into private school. BTW--I have 3 children in middle school in the district where I teach. It is one of the best systems and I teach and live in one of the better areas. I am very satisfied with the education my kids are getting. However, I am very frustrated and discouraged by how my district treats its teachers. I know the grass isn't always greener on the other side, but I want to serve in a place where my talent and efforts are valued. Those of you who have taught both, please tell me your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[luv2sew]

I think that in the times we are in you don't have to be solely in the teaching profession to feel the way you do...many of Americans feel this way....be thankful you have a job at this moment.

 

[Teacher03]

I just left my job in a parochial school for a job in a public school.

I loved my job, but worked there for six years and made less than $21,000. I didn't have a pension and was still expected by my state to get my masters degree, which I couldn't afford on my salary. If the pay was a little better, I would have stayed there forever. The families were wonderful, the staff was dedicated, and I did feel valued.

So far, I am happy with my public school job, but haven't been there long enough to compare.

 

[barkley]

i will be interested to see the posts to this because i think it REALY differs depending on if the private school is religiously affiliated, and if so what religion, and what the requirements are for private schools (education wise for teachers) state to state just to begin with. then when it comes to salary, benefits, and job security i think it will be all over the place.

i taught at a private school years ago-it was a stand alone christian school (just a single church that chose to open a k-12 school). my experience was that the salary was VERY low as compared to public schools, the benefits were very substandard, and because that state had very different labor codes for religions operating buisnesses-VERY VERY lacking in what most any employees take for granted are basic givens/protections in employment (a glaring example was that the state exempted these types of schools from having to participate in both unemployment AND workman's comp coverage which meant if something happened to an employee they were in a very scary situation. i had a co-worker who due to a damaged staircase the church failed to repair, fell and got multiple compound fractures in her leg resulting in almost a year of being unable to work-b/c of these laws she was ineligible to any kind of income. then b/c we were "at will" employees the school terminated her so they did'nt have to pay their share of health insurance (no cobra back then). she had no recourse-our contracts said in the fine print we could not sue for injuries incurred in the course of our jobs).

on the other hand-i know some teachers who are part of the adventist private school system (which you have to be an adventist as a condition of hiring into), and the teachers in that system RARELY leave it. i'm not privy to what their actual salaries are like, but i know they have good benefit and retirement plans. they seem to have a very supportive infrastructure that the teachers appreciate. i have to imagine their salary packages are somewhat competative with the public schools because the adventist private schools require that their teaching staff not only meet whatever state requirements for a public school teacher exists in the state in which you are teaching, but in most cases you must exceed.

 

[qtwns]

Barkley-you bring up some points I hadn't considered. I know the pay will be less. I have my MS and with my experience make around 55k. I loved what you said about a "supportive infrastructure." That is what I crave! I work with the best educators in the world, but we literally feel beaten into submission.

 

[tvguy]

I think the working environment really depends on the state. Here in California, pay, benefits and working conditions in the public schools are closely monitored . That's because the California Teachers Assocaition is one of the most powerful unions in the nation, and they aren't afraid to file a grievence if a teacher feels they have been wronged.
My kids went to private school from K-12. One teacher, who had gone from the private schools, to the public, and back to private said the reason he went back to private was so he could teach. He said in the public high school he was at, he spend 80 percent of his time trying to control/administer his class, 20 percent teaching. In the private schools he spends 80 percent of his time teaching, and 20 percent controling/administering the class. But private school parents are greatly involved in their children's school. Of course, when you are paying $11,000 a year tuition, you probably are more motivated to see what's going on.
And at least here in California, private school teachers do not need a credential, that could lower pay. My daughter's first grade teacher made no excuses. She had been teaching first grade for 45 years, and felt a credential would have done nothing to help her students, or improve her skills. She just never found a need for a credential.

 

[barkley]

I think the working environment really depends on the state. Here in California, pay, benefits and working conditions in the public schools are closely monitored . That's because the California Teachers Assocaition is one of the most powerful unions in the nation, and they aren't afraid to file a grievence if a teacher feels they have been wronged.
My kids went to private school from K-12. One teacher, who had gone from the private schools, to the public, and back to private said the reason he went back to private was so he could teach. He said in the public high school he was at, he spend 80 percent of his time trying to control/administer his class, 20 percent teaching. In the private schools he spends 80 percent of his time teaching, and 20 percent controling/administering the class. But private school parents are greatly involved in their children's school. Of course, when you are paying $11,000 a year tuition, you probably are more motivated to see what's going on.
And at least here in California, private school teachers do not need a credential, that could lower pay. My daughter's first grade teacher made no excuses. She had been teaching first grade for 45 years, and felt a credential would have done nothing to help her students, or improve her skills. She just never found a need for a credential.

that required credential does'nt seem to be making much of a difference right now for some of the public school teachers in california. just this afternoon i was talking to a friend who works for a district fairly near you-the teacher's union just finaly settled their contract-7 unpaid furlough days, a 4% pay cut, and increased employee contributions to health insurance.

of course these are the teachers that have managed to survive layoffs and still have jobs so it could be so much worse

i cannot imagine anyone entering college these days considering going into teaching, it's such a risk that there will be any jobs in so many states (some of the public universities up here have scaled way back on the number of students being accepted into teaching credential programs, and in at least one concentration at one university has not accepted new students for over a year b/c they say the job market just is not there for the foreseeable future).

 

[etoiles]

I have taught at both public, charter, and private schools. All of them have just really depended on the administration and how the school was run.

Public school - was okay but not a ton of support but much more free environment. It probably would have gone smoother for me having more support since I taught here my first few years.

Charter school - I could go on and on about this one but they treated their teachers like dirt. The entire administration (which there were twice as many of compared to the # of teachers (!) ) was family and the school was run like a badly run family business. Paychecks bounced regularly, zero budgets, etc, etc.... Teachers were threatened to be fired regularly and the year they cut my position they sent me a letter in August to let me know! The next year they did the same to other colleagues! I am sure not every charter school is like this but this one definitely took advantage of the lack of unions and not having to conform to certain standards!

Private school - The two private schools I have taught at are very supportive and you can tell that the principal really cares about the school, staff, and students. I feel much more supported here but I think it is because of the principals that run it this way. Some people still complain but having worked at a place that treated me like #$@ this school feels like a godsend!

If you interview someplace also ask them questions about how the staff is supported and how everyone gets along, etc... I also think that working at a smaller school brings everyone together. Even at the small charter school the teachers banded together and without them I never would have lasted there.

 

[abdmom]

Like a pp, I have worked at public schools, private schools and charter schools. It makes a big difference whether the private school is independent or parochial. Parochial teachers often make very little. Independent school teachers can often make very little too, it just depends on the school.

With independent schools, the head or principal really can affect the culture of the school and the pleasantness of the working conditions. I've worked at 2 independent schools where I just loved the heads. One other school, the head was universally reviled by the teachers. All 3 schools were great to work for, though. I've always felt supported and appreciated at the independent schools I've worked at. At the public school, I did not feel that way at all.