Quote:
Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos
I've got an assumption based on evidence... you work like a dog in the private world, and here you are arguing with a bunch of strangers about how easy teachers have it in the middle of a weekday.
I also work in the corporate world, and it's a cakewalk every day. I've also worked as a teacher, and it wasn't.
Regarding all the "time off" teachers get, you realize of course that their business has shut down and they don't have any customers when they get holidays and summers off, and they get paid for 9 months a year.
There are no students. Would you be happier to pay them to show up for work when there are no students?
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First of all, teachers get paid 12 months a year. And I'm not saying they get 9 months of pay divided out over 12 months - I'm saying they get 12 months of pay for 9 months of work. That's a fantastic deal.
As for it being hard to find a job right now, welcome to the real world. Teaching is probably one of few degrees that comes with an automatic interview in the first place, so if you're exceptional that's a great opportunity to get noticed.
I should also clarify that I don't think every aspect of teaching is easy. I thought I did that a couple pages ago when I said chaperoning a field trip looked very hard, but maybe I didn't go far enough. Of course there are challenges, but there are with every job so that's a wash to me.
The difference is teachers get paid well, have a lifetime of security with their amazing pension, and have more time off than every other position in our society. I don't begrudge them that - I want my kids to be teachers - but I do begrudge complaints about it and especially dishonesty about how great the benefits package is (like when yeahbaby said they get 1.5 months off per year...that's just a lie).
What do I do for a living? That's a fair question. I have an English degree and was in the corporate world in marketing/investor relations role for 5 years. Great company and great job, but I didn't see it or most corporate jobs as offering enough personal time or flexibility. Now I own my own business and have a way more flexible schedule. I don't have as much time off as a teacher (I take 1/3 of the time off they get), but in five years I plan to go to a four-day work week, and I want to be wintering in Arizona or California by 55.
Why do I care about teachers' compensation then since I have no vested interest? I think more than anything I'd just like them to acknowledge they are compensated very well and to know 3 months of paid vacation time is pay they receive from the taxes of people that work many weeks more per year than they do. The teacher from Toronto who posted on the previous page gave a very satisfying take on things to me. I don't get why more teachers don't look at things like him...you guys have benefits that would be impossible to get anywhere else so quit complaining about them to people who quite likely have it worse.
P.S. As I said, this post was typed with my iPhone so please go easy on typos/mistakes lol.