What do you think about the TEACHER taking time off for a vacation?

[hentob]

My brother teaches in the city, he is at the bottom of that chart in the high 90,000 range!

I couldn't imagine working 22+ years at the same job, while attaining my Master's and an additional 30+ credits and still making only making 90k.

Kudos to your brother!!

 

[Minnie_me]

I couldn't imagine working 22+ years at the same job, while attaining my Master's and an additional 30+ credits and still making only making 90k.

Kudos to your brother!!

Well, I've been working 21 years in the same job, earned a Master's Degree and an additional 30+ credits, and I make about $35,000 LESS than he does! LOL! Can you imagine that?!?!

 

[friend of pooh]

I couldn't imagine working 22+ years at the same job, while attaining my Master's and an additional 30+ credits and still making only making 90k.

Kudos to your brother!!

I can't imagine making 90K even after 22+ years and 54 credits beyond my master's degree....and my district is near where you live since I am in NEPA also

 

[Daxx]

Heck, I live in upstate NYS and make nowhere near what my colleagues in downstate Westchester do. We're talking a difference of about $15K for starting salaries.

Or even more if you're teaching in an upstate NY parochial school.

The starting salary in my upstate NY parochial school is approx. $16K. If you're a "specials" teacher (ie: upper level Math or Science), you'll prob. start at $20K. We have a trend where new teachers will stay for a year to cut their teeth then leave.

I could def. get a better job teaching in the public suburban schools and make a lot more ... but I cannot leave those who are in desperate need of a better education. To tell you a bit about how poor the area is ... we have slightly over 100 students. Of those 100 students, 90% receive funding for their education (we have a Bison fund which is partial payment of tuition from the diocese). Of those 100 students, 90% qualifiy for and receive a free or low cost (25 cents a day) lunch. We're talking about kids who come in w/very little. I was going to dump out after the first year I taught and somehow managed to stay b/c of the neediness there.

I could never live on the salary I earn. And, no ... my child does not get a discount on his tuition at another parochial school b/c I work in one. I have to pay tuition and work bingo just like every other parent. Thankfully, DH makes a great living and I am able to teach at a low pay rate. I am NOT complaining b/c I love my job, love my kids and know that I am going to make a difference in lives. But, I just want everyone to know that not all teachers are making $60K and considering it "low" on the pay scale.

 

[MushyMushy]

And, THAT was something that YOU read into as well. Nowhere did I say that the trip was invaluable. If YOU think it sounded that way, then that is YOUR opinion. YOU never asked if I valued her trip ... you ASSUMED.

I just questioned the timing of the trip with the topic of this thread. We're talking about taking time off for vacation ... summer is right around the corner and there would be plenty of time for a 5 week trip. BTW -- if you're going to go on about sick grandparents in Africa, they were here for the month of December and came to the school as a "show and tell".

Any teacher would see the value of using a trip to Africa as a teaching tool. WTH!??!

I totally get what you're saying!

Also, I don't understand why, if you're going to pull the child out for an extended amount of time (wouldn't be permitted here like that!), you wouldn't homeschool for that period. Where I live, they would still be able to get all the materials from the school district -- the texts, workbooks, etc. But the parent would be doing the schooling.

It is so not fair to expect you to do all that extra work for one child. That's an enormous amount of time that they're taking away from your duties or your own personal time.

 

[hentob]

I can't imagine making 90K even after 22+ years and 54 credits beyond my master's degree....and my district is near where you live since I am in NEPA also

Sorry

I meant it to come across as: "In any other profession, someone would probably be paid more with that kind of degree and years served".


Also, take into account that the 90k is for NYC!!

My point is that teachers are underpaid.

 

[hentob]

Well, I've been working 21 years in the same job, earned a Master's Degree and an additional 30+ credits, and I make about $35,000 LESS than he does! LOL! Can you imagine that?!?!

No!

What do you do, if I may ask? Is it any type of social service? Because I feel they are VERY underpaid as well

 

[Minnie_me]

No!

What do you do, if I may ask? Is it any type of social service? Because I feel they are VERY underpaid as well

LOL - - I am a TEACHER!!!!

But, lucky me - - DH is a social worker, so it's a double-whammy!

 

[hentob]

LOL - - I am a TEACHER!!!!

But, lucky me - - DH is a social worker, so it's a double-whammy!

Thank you both for what you do for our children and those who need help well into adulthood.

You make our world a better place

 

[Teacher03]

Or even more if you're teaching in an upstate NY parochial school.

The starting salary in my upstate NY parochial school is approx. $16K. If you're a "specials" teacher (ie: upper level Math or Science), you'll prob. start at $20K. We have a trend where new teachers will stay for a year to cut their teeth then leave.

I could def. get a better job teaching in the public suburban schools and make a lot more ... but I cannot leave those who are in desperate need of a better education. To tell you a bit about how poor the area is ... we have slightly over 100 students. Of those 100 students, 90% receive funding for their education (we have a Bison fund which is partial payment of tuition from the diocese). Of those 100 students, 90% qualifiy for and receive a free or low cost (25 cents a day) lunch. We're talking about kids who come in w/very little. I was going to dump out after the first year I taught and somehow managed to stay b/c of the neediness there.

I could never live on the salary I earn. And, no ... my child does not get a discount on his tuition at another parochial school b/c I work in one. I have to pay tuition and work bingo just like every other parent. Thankfully, DH makes a great living and I am able to teach at a low pay rate. I am NOT complaining b/c I love my job, love my kids and know that I am going to make a difference in lives. But, I just want everyone to know that not all teachers are making $60K and considering it "low" on the pay scale.

I also teach at a Catholic school. My starting pay four years ago was $19,000. I love my job and my school, but I do get aggravated with the pay at times. I don't plan on leaving, but there are no teaching jobs anywhere in my area if I wanted to. But my husband also has a good job, so we are okay. My dilemma is I am required to get my master's degree. It will cost me over $25,000 to get it, but I will only make $1,000 more a year. It will take me 25 years (I'll be 69) to make up what I put into it. I would love to be on the low pay scale of $60,000!

 

[Crazy Kanga]

Imagine people that work 52 full weeks.

Imagine working for 20-30 thousand a year less than all of your friends that have a 6 year degree. And by the way most people in professional fields get 4-6 weeks a year vacation as well as those bigger salaries.
Sorry but it really frosts me when people belittle teachers.

 

[aprilgail2]

I couldn't imagine working 22+ years at the same job, while attaining my Master's and an additional 30+ credits and still making only making 90k.

Kudos to your brother!!

My brother is a being unto himself- he could have gotten a job on the island but he says he likes the city better because the majority of the kids parents don't give a crap about school and he doesn't have to deal with the parents! Most don't speak english anyway so he has no way to communicate with them. He has taken off work ONE day in all those years and it was because he had a virus, he has never taken one personal day or other day except that one. He teaches 2 classes a day- 1st and 2nd period- (he teaches in the high school) and they are both honors classes, other than that he is senior class advisor and that is what he does with the rest of his day....many years he will volunteer to teach summer school for at least half the summer since he likes all that overtime on top of his salary!

 

[Daxx]

I totally get what you're saying!

I'm glad someone does!!!!

Also, I don't understand why, if you're going to pull the child out for an extended amount of time (wouldn't be permitted here like that!), you wouldn't homeschool for that period. Where I live, they would still be able to get all the materials from the school district -- the texts, workbooks, etc. But the parent would be doing the schooling.

It is so not fair to expect you to do all that extra work for one child. That's an enormous amount of time that they're taking away from your duties or your own personal time.

We don't have any textbooks as it's Kdg. and the kids don't use them, so she couldn't take those. I gave her the phonics workbook and the printing workbook. I couldn't give her the Reading/Lang. Arts workbook b/c it deals with recalling stories we read in class and drawing pictures based on those stories. It would be unrealistic for the mother to purchase the books and I don't know if the titles are all available at a book store.

They don't have social studies or science workbooks so I make photocopies from a master workbook.

This is how sad things are in my school -- the principal found it was less expensive to photocopy from the workbooks as opposed to buying them, so that is what we resort to. Thankfully, they over-ordered phonics and printing workbooks last year, so I have extras to use this year. Next year, I'll be photocopying everything as they are cutting down on buying workbooks for every student.

I gave Mom a list of things to work on w/the child ... but who knows if that will happen? If I can't get a sentence a day in a journal from her last 10 day trip, what can I expect from a 5 week trip?

 

[Daxx]

My brother is a being unto himself- he could have gotten a job on the island but he says he likes the city better because the majority of the kids parents don't give a crap about school and he doesn't have to deal with the parents! Most don't speak english anyway so he has no way to communicate with them. He has taken off work ONE day in all those years and it was because he had a virus, he has never taken one personal day or other day except that one. He teaches 2 classes a day- 1st and 2nd period- (he teaches in the high school) and they are both honors classes, other than that he is senior class advisor and that is what he does with the rest of his day....many years he will volunteer to teach summer school for at least half the summer since he likes all that overtime on top of his salary!

Let me get this straight ... your brother teaches 2 classes a day and gets paid $90K?

What does he do as a senior class advisor for the rest of the time? If he's not teaching, what's he doing? I think of our 8th grade class advisor (who teaches math to grades 5-8 on top of that) and she helps plan the 8th grade class trip and sends off their transcripts for high school. If our 8th grade class advisor taught 2 classes and spend the other 80% of her day was as class advisor, she'd be sitting on her butt doing nothing!

Fill us in on what a senior class advisor does -- is it a guidance counselor position?

 

[aprilgail2]

If our 8th grade class advisor taught 2 classes and spend the other 80% of her day was as class advisor, she'd be sitting on her butt doing nothing!

Fill us in on what a senior class advisor does -- is it a guidance counselor position?

He spends a lot of time shopping on amazon.com, I know that from the pacakges he gets delivered to my house since he doesn't have a computer at home I know he is doing it there! Other than I am not sure what it involves, I will ask him if he stops over later. I know he plans the prom, senior class trip, the fall and winter trips (they just went skiing, paintballing and snowtubing during the Martin Luther break for 3 days). In the fall they went to some hiking trail and hotel. Last year they went to Disney for 5 days.

 

[Daxx]

He spends a lot of time shopping on amazon.com, I know that from the pacakges he gets delivered to my house since he doesn't have a computer at home I know he is doing it there! Other than I am not sure what it involves, I will ask him if he stops over later. I know he plans the prom, senior class trip, the fall and winter trips (they just went skiing, paintballing and snowtubing during the Martin Luther break for 3 days). In the fall they went to some hiking trail and hotel. Last year they went to Disney for 5 days.

Dang --- where can I gets me a job like that!?!?! I'm a great planner and a good teacher. Anyone wanna pay me $90K to teach 2 classes, plan some fun junk (ie: Disney) and shop online? I totally envy your brother. Does he know how good he has it?!?!?!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Dang --- where can I gets me a job like that!?!?! I'm a great planner and a good teacher. Anyone wanna pay me $90K to teach 2 classes, plan some fun junk (ie: Disney) and shop online? I totally envy your brother. Does he know how good he has it?!?!?!

Here in Knox county(TN) high school is only 4 classes a day, so teachers have 3 classes and 1 plan(some dept heads and other advisors might only have 2 classes). Each class is 90min long and covers a standard years worth of material in 1 semester, so each kid actually completes 8 courses a year instead of seven. The problem with that is that sometimes it can be a year between certain classes that should be closer together, like foreign language or even math.
The average pay here is not anywhere close to $90k, but then again the cost of living isn't anywhere near what it is in NY either.

 

[disneyjunkie]

My brother is a being unto himself- he could have gotten a job on the island but he says he likes the city better because the majority of the kids parents don't give a crap about school and he doesn't have to deal with the parents! Most don't speak english anyway so he has no way to communicate with them.

I really the Mayor and the UFT would figure out a way to get rid of teachers like your brother. They seem to only be here for the money/perks and don't give a heck about the kids they encounter day to day. I bet he works in an low income area.

He spends a lot of time shopping on amazon.com, I know that from the pacakges he gets delivered to my house since he doesn't have a computer at home I know he is doing it there! Other than I am not sure what it involves, I will ask him if he stops over later. I know he plans the prom, senior class trip, the fall and winter trips (they just went skiing, paintballing and snowtubing during the Martin Luther break for 3 days). In the fall they went to some hiking trail and hotel. Last year they went to Disney for 5 days.

Schools across the city were just told they have to cut spending NOW. Schools are losing after school programs, tutoring, music, art, paras...

Meanwhile your brother is getting paid to shop and do nothing most of the day.

 

[mickeysgal]

Here in Knox county(TN) high school is only 4 classes a day, so teachers have 3 classes and 1 plan(some dept heads and other advisors might only have 2 classes). Each class is 90min long and covers a standard years worth of material in 1 semester, so each kid actually completes 8 courses a year instead of seven.

That is block scheduling. Our high school does the same. If a child is sick and missing a few days of school, it's a big deal since so much material is covered. Thats why it's vital, in my opinion, in this particular case, that a teacher is there to cover the material and not a sub. It is especially crucial when kids are taking AP classes in a block scheduling format.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

This is how sad things are in my school -- the principal found it was less expensive to photocopy from the workbooks as opposed to buying them, so that is what we resort to. Thankfully, they over-ordered phonics and printing workbooks last year, so I have extras to use this year. Next year, I'll be photocopying everything as they are cutting down on buying workbooks for every student.

Just a little tip from someone in the same boat... I would start copying what I need next year NOW. Seems like there's a paper shortage coming...

Oh, and just to chime in, I am given 11 days a year to use as I see fit, with the exception of state testing days and days before and after a holiday.

If I am out more than 3 days, I need a release note from an authority (doctor, judge).

I've taken two personal days in a row to visit WDW when I was given a trip as a gift. I've also taken two personal days in a row to visit my terminally ill grandmother on her birthday.

I know teachers who have gotten married and taken a week off.

When we know in advance that we are going to be out we can secure the competent building subs who can keep things flowing. If I have an emergency, chances are it will be a warm body who works from the emergency folders of work I keep.

Now, if I made it a habit to take a week off every year, if would be unacceptable.

But, life - special situations - happens. And I can't make it happen on days that we are not in school.

I really appreciate parents who see me as a partner and not an adversary. I became a teacher because I love kids. I love helping them develop their potential. I don't go to work every day trying to think of ways to make your life difficult or inconvenient.