Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you are proposing is not the same as what the Education Chief mentioned in that article.

 

What I do know is that teachers work their asses off (at least the one's I know do). My girlfriend basically spends 7:30 am to 4 pm each day at school, and even longer if there are meetings or tutoring. She also has to spend hours at home grading tests/quizzes/homework, getting report cards done, setting up meetings with parents, and various other things i never even thought of before i dated a teacher. And she puts in numerous hours on the weekend planning for the next week's lesson plans.

 

She is truly exhausted by time the work week is over. It's not easy being a teacher, especially when kids do not want to learn. I'm sure some teachers have it easier, whether because they've been doing it longer or at a better school where kids actually do want to achieve good grades and strive to set themselves up for high school or college.

 

She enjoys teaching, she loves it when students "get it" and it's great to see student's minds grow. But she busts her butt for 9 months of the year to achieve those things. She looks forward to her 3 months of rest. Taking that away would make her question if she would continue to be a teacher, because all the stress would kill her if it were year round.

 

It wouldn't be "year round" in the sense that you would work a normal 9-5 schedule. The commonly talked about system is three months on, with one month off. The amount of days in the school year would actually not change.

It wouldn't be "year round" in the sense that you would work a normal 9-5 schedule. The commonly talked about system is three months on, with one month off. The amount of days in the school year would actually not change.

I see, that's where I was misinformed. I can still see where teacher and students would gripe about it, though.

knight, i'm sorry, but i can't get behind your proposal either.

 

as someone who did TONS of extracurriculars, I was at school sometimes from 7am to 11pm. throw in 2 more hours of class and... forget it. a 50-60 minute class 5 times a week is fine in high school, i actually felt like that was a long time back then. Once i was in college, 50 minutes felt like nothing at all. I think that's the natural progression of things. to try and make school more like the "real world" is a HUGE mistake cuz the whole POINT is to build you up to the real world, not just throw you in there and let you fend for yourself off the get-go.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you are proposing is not the same as what the Education Chief mentioned in that article.

 

What I do know is that teachers work their asses off (at least the one's I know do). My girlfriend basically spends 7:30 am to 4 pm each day at school, and even longer if there are meetings or tutoring. She also has to spend hours at home grading tests/quizzes/homework, getting report cards done, setting up meetings with parents, and various other things i never even thought of before i dated a teacher. And she puts in numerous hours on the weekend planning for the next week's lesson plans.

 

She is truly exhausted by time the work week is over. It's not easy being a teacher, especially when kids do not want to learn. I'm sure some teachers have it easier, whether because they've been doing it longer or at a better school where kids actually do want to achieve good grades and strive to set themselves up for high school or college.

 

She enjoys teaching, she loves it when students "get it" and it's great to see student's minds grow. But she busts her butt for 9 months of the year to achieve those things. She looks forward to her 3 months of rest. Taking that away would make her question if she would continue to be a teacher, because all the stress would kill her if it were year round.

 

Teachers are one of the most underpaid and overworked professions around. But, y'know, there are a lot of professionals that could use 3 months off, but don't have that choice. I don't buy that argument. There are teachers that do more and some that do less...as in any job. This is a touchy subject...I don't think the day should be longer, but I do like the 3 month on, 1 month off idea. The unions will have to ask for more money because of the loss of the second job (although I do know a teacher that works retail on weekends and days off). But, that's a good thing. Bad in the short term, but great in the long run.

 

 

 

Teachers are one of the most underpaid and overworked professions around.

 

Considering the cars we used to see in the teacher's parking lot, I think this is one of the most over-stated falsehoods ever.

 

The teachers around here start at nearly what I make after 10+ years.

Considering the cars we used to see in the teacher's parking lot, I think this is one of the most over-stated falsehoods ever.

 

The teachers around here start at nearly what I make after 10+ years.

Really depends on the school district and what type of raises the teachers see. I know that Ive grown up in places where teachers are compensated very well as education was placed VERY high in the places I have lived in. But not every town/city/etc can afford to do so. Even where I lived they were starting to layoff a lot of teachers because they couldnt afford to pay them anymore, so they just passed on workloads to the teachers that stayed. Thats the cost of making alot and a teachers' union I guess.

Chances are I'll make sub 30k starting off.

Chances are I'll make sub 30k starting off.

 

That's what teachers in my area start at, but we are one of the lowest wage rates for a 5A school in the whole state. Don't forget that school systems also have payscales that build in raises for each year a teacher has been in the system, and they also have another scale for teachers who have their masters degree. Once you have been around 20 years AND have a masters degree, you make good money. The thing is most teachers aren't on that end of the scale. The majority of teachers are under 10 years of experience and only a bachelors degree.

Several of my friends who went to U of I started teaching in and around Chicago for the 07-08 school year (Plainfield, Joliet, CPS) at or above $40k a year. A family friend makes over $75k in his 6th year of teaching graphic arts at Argo (he makes extra for doing things like coaching). The lowest-paid teacher at that school makes over $55k. It really does depend on where you go.

 

You can go to The Champion to find all public school teachers' and administrators' salaries.

Edited March 4, 200917 yr by StrangeSox