I am a career changer who became a teacher about 25 years ago. Prior to that I was a bank manager. I am 64 years young and still am at it. I love it because I actually can make a difference. I do not love it because it is an easy and cushy job that you get a lot of vacation with. IN FACT TEACHERS GET PAID FOR A TEN MONTH CONTRACT and not a penny more, unless ,of course they work tutoring over the summer to make up for their way less than average private sector professional paycheck they get for their 10 months of work. It takes close to 25 years and lots of classes to climb a teacher pay scale to get near (not at) what professionals earn in the private sector.
Job Training: On top of that, teachers cannot remain in a job that requires a masters degree within 5 years of stating said job that basically has a starting pay in the 40,000s. Cha-ching, here come the student loans if you don't already have them for the undergraduate degree! The masters degree is not paid for by the schools. If you are lucky you might get some minor course reimbursement per year if your school has a small "pot" set aside. but everyone if trying to obtain so financial help on a first come first serve basis. That is why it is out of pocket for those getting masters level degrees. On top of that, teachers are required to continue professional development workshops and take classes to get relicensed every 5 years. The Department of Education frequently changes requirements for licensing such as when everyone, no matter, where they teach has to take a fairly expensive ESL (actually they keep changing the acronym and I cannot keep up so that is not the correct one) course. This way everyone who relicenses knows how to work with English language learners even though in many districts, like the one I work in, we see next to no non English speaking students on a yearly basis. No, worries there is a whole school full of trained teachers whose licenses have expired over the last 5 years in case you moving to our area and do not speak English. What other professional level jobs. that have this sadly lacking level of pay require this kind of training?
Teacher hours: Let's see I have to be to work by 7:40 and although I can leave at 2:40, after the kids leave at 2:13. I am never done with the things I have to do to keep up with for my paper work and so forth that cannot be done when the students are in. Basically I leave by 4:30 except during Covid, they do not let us stay because the maintenance staff has to go through every room and sanitize. Not to worry, we can do our work at home after hours. And, yes, of course, I have an hour planning block during the day, but I am always interrupted by a student who needs something, has a problem, or has had a melt down. I would never even complain about any of this because I still love it. What I do not like is being bashed.
Covid 19- No problem, we all had to learn to do our jobs over in a new way last year so that we could service kids remotely or hybrid. It was a learning curve for people like me who are immigrants into the land of technology, but I am proud of all I have learned to do, and happy with what my group of students has learned, as well. I am one of the lucky few who work with in person students, albeit they are the most needy group in the school. I get to see them in person, every day although everyone needs to stay 6 feet apart and not touch anything anyone else touches. Have you ever tried to do that and still help a student who cannot figure out how to sign on the new technology they have to use to not be near you? I have ten kids in 7th and 8th grade who each are in because they have some kind of struggle. We are maintaining 6 feet for the most part, but it is very hard with 4 adults and 10 kids working in one room. We got that mastered at this point for the most part, though.
Meanwhile a large group of parents continue to complain that their kids should be in school, Teachers, unlike police, and other caregivers who serve the public are not in the first rounds of vaccination. Even inmates in institutions for committing crimes are before teachers. We are in close quarters too, the difference being we do not sleep there. Now, in Massachusetts, teachers might be next round, although they also say there are not enough vaccines to go around. The governor has said the kids are to go back to school in April, without guaranteeing vaccines for teachers. We simply do not matter like police, fire, or other essential workers that seem to matter much more. WE WORK HARD IN SPITE OF BEING BASHED AND WE CARE ABOUT THE KIDS WHO COME TO SCHOOL. SOMETIMES WE ARE THE KIDS BEST SUPPORT SYSTEM. WE DO NOT GET THE RESPECT THAT WE DESERVE!!!!!
This makes me a little suspicious of the sense of urgency behind calls to return in less than two months, given the lack of direction, planning, and common sense wrapped up in that directive. What is the real reason? Is it so that parents have a reliable babysitting arrangement, thus facilitating the economic bounce our state needs?
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