What Teachers Make!

[retiredteach]

WHAT DO TEACHERS MAKE

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education.
He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option
in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers:
"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest, "You're a teacher,
Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You
want to know what I make? She paused for a second, then began...

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents
can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make?" She paused again and looked at each and
every person at the table.

"I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need
to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the
Flag, because we live in the United States of America .
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they
were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed
in life."?

Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold
my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know
what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make?"

[TPLLTTP_PV10]

Thanks 4 this post. I want my wife to read this because she made a decision to quit nursing school and become a teacher and she is always saying she is sorry she will not be making the money she would make as a nurse. I always tell her it's not about the money it's about having a feeling of accomplishment and doing what makes you happy. I beleive when she hears this from someone elses point of view she will see i really mean what i said. This is an awesome post, and i would like to say thanks to all the teachers out there that get our youth ready for the future..... [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/getsmile.tmp007816300.gif[/img]

[greencrest1272]

Teachers pay is not that bad IMO. Considering they only work 9 months a year not including snow days. Its a respectable job with respectable pay. Just like about any occupation though, the argument for increased pay can be made with validity.

Be a teacher for a while and see if you feel the same way.

[retiredteach]

Granted, teacher pay has improved by leaps and bounds. I began in 1969 with $5700. When I retired 5 years ago, I was making 9 times that figure. However, given the same amount of education involved, training, and retraining, and the amount of stress involved, it is low compared to other professions. Working at a physical labor job, is not quite as stressful. Before anyone jumps on this, I realize that many other professions are in the same boat. Health workers, police, fire, and the other service professions.

[Unchained]

You are preaching to the choir. I guess arguments could be made for all of our professions though. Overworked and underpaid. That's the American way.

2 points, the DOC deals with trash , a lot of which has nothing to lose and the teachers deal with the future, the Army and Marines, well that makes 4. I think they are all underpaid.

[greencrest1272]

I think teaching is one of the most crucial and most important jobs in the country. But all teachers seem to have a chip on their shoulder as far as money and I can't seem to figure out why. I dont think any of them actually work an 8 hour day, forgive me if Im wrong on this but I think most have a lunch hour, a PE hour, etc... They only work 3/4 of the year, they have state benefits and retirement. I just dont get where all the frustration comes from. Ask the guy in the ditch in the freezing cold or the blazing heat who works for the water department 8+ hours a day 12 months out of the year about salaries and benefits and I would imagine he would swith in a heart beat. Please dont get me wrong here, the only point Im trying to make is that its never as bad as it seems, and like most occupations, everybody probably deserves more than what they get.

[jtw61194]

I had a friend start running off at the mouth about teacher tenure, summers off etc. and what a sweet gig teaching was. Granted, I jumped out of airplanes for a few years and teaching is a cake job to me. But, in most other jobs where your productivity is measured, evaluated, and critiqued, you can get rid of the malingerers. In teaching, you are held accountable by what you can get a child to do, regardless of their background and circumstances. And the summer thing, at least in my county, is when you take care of the classes and seminars that you have to take to retain your teaching license. I honestly believe that 8 weeks is too long and I am bored silly. It is a very stressful job. Now, DOC, they should be making six figures!!! My highest pay in the Army (and I ETS'ed in 1994) was $12,937 as an E-4 with 3 years in grade. That also included the extra jump pay I got every month. To me, a job is a job. If you don't like it, find another one. I love my job and I honestly can't tell you what I make. Enough to pay the bills.

[greencrest1272]

It may not be an accurate measuring stick with the teaching occupation, but for the most part in America, pay scales are based on how much you work and for how long. This is the easiest way to put things into perspective. So when you lay it all out, teaching is a great job and the pay although possiably a little short, is ample enough IMO for the amount of time and work involved.