$85,000 salaries: Teaching pays off

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | October 26, 2003 | D. AILEEN DODD

[ladylib]

And little nickel and dime stuff, such as in my brother's school, where $10,000 was alloted for some new books for the ESL Department.

The teachers couldn't get the books they needed and were promised because that $10,000 (a paltry sum I admit as far as public school expenditures go, but it adds up) went missing and nobody knew where it went, and as far as I know, nobody bothered to investigate where it went.

I'm sure this goes on all the time -- nickel and dime stuff that adds up.

[CMClay]

I went to a private school my final year of high school. It was a mixture of the children of the rich, gifted students, or those being offloaded by their parents. It really was a superior place to get an education.

I had just the opposite experience here in Texas.
I went to 2 different private schools, and had to go to a private tutor for math. No teachers at the private schools were any help. Then I went to public school my last two years and had excellent teachers.
My guess is that it's the inner-city schools that have the biggest problems.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Do you or do you not think that the statement standing 6 hours a day was an exaggeration or not? What objective evidence do you have to counter someone who actaully worked in the job?

He has the objective evidence of someone who is still working in the job, unlike the opinion of someone who obviously couldn't hack it. Maybe the reason the kids weren't learning in your class was that you were sitting down behind your desk all the time instead of being up teaching, moving around, and helping the kids out...?

[US admirer]

Fine. I'd rather let your teaching record speak for itself than listen to you sing your own praises about how wonderful everyone thought you were, so in that vain, just as long as you offered, give me a name and contact of a student of yours on the private reply if you have the guts, big-mouth, and we can see.

You certainly have no reservations about applauding yourself do you. Delusions... Hmmm you ever heard of projection?

It is interesting that you did not refute the my rebuttal of your obvious exaggerations and instead countered with ad hominems and self-laudatory BS.

Oh, and by the way, your comments about my punctuation are exactly the type of petty crap that I would expect from a blow-hard like you,,,,,"!?..

[NittanyLion]

You post a mixture of insults and unfounded assertions, and expect me to respond as though you're making a valid argument? Don't be absurd.

Incidentally, I hope you weren't an English teacher...yikes.

[US admirer]

Well it was just the two graduate degrees that I pursued (one of which while teaching) that I guess convinced me that I just did not have the mettle that you so obviously possess and hence thought that such a difficult a job as teaching high school be left to someone so obviously capable as you.

[US admirer]

An incredibly resourceful and witty ripost. Your responses surely do you justice.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Hmmm, and here I managed to get my graduate degree and still be a good teacher (at the college-level, while I was in school). If you don't want to hear me talk about myself, don't insult me by proxy (your general statements about teachers). And as soon as I get your personal info by Freep-mail, I'll send you mine (as I don't know what kind of nut-job you might be)...

[NittanyLion]

An incredibly resourceful and witty ripost. Your responses surely do you justice.

My responses aren't intended to "do me justice", they're intended to provide a measured response to your childish tactics. And it's "riposte".

[JohnSmithee]

"I had just the opposite experience here in Texas.
I went to 2 different private schools, and had to go to a private tutor for math. No teachers at the private schools were any help. Then I went to public school my last two years and had excellent teachers."

The private school was actually a "prep" school, which I suppose for those motivated enough is a good environment. I also briefly went to a school that had over 4000 students. It was total chaos and you couldn't even walk in the halls between classes because there were so many wall-to-wall people. The only thing I remember is the physics instructor pronouncing spherical as 's-p-erical' instead of 's-f-erical'.

[US admirer]

Yada Yada Yada. Suspicions confirmed. You told me to ask a student of yours. I accepted. You obfuscate. You know and I know you will never give me a name. Next time keep your mouth shut if your not willing to back it up.

[Tribune7]

This is akin to the situation in suburban Philly.

[US admirer]

ripost

\Ri*post"\, n. [F. riposte.] 1. In fencing, a return thrust after a parry.

2. A quick and sharp refort; a repartee. --J. Morley.


Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996,


ripost

Next time check your facts MORON.

[BushCountry]

It is not only nickel and dime, but you make a good point. I remember when my school system bought $2,000,000.00 worth of software only to find out that their system was incompatible. It was an iron clad contract and they paid it anyways.

The other guy wants me to prove that there is no corruption in government run school systems. I think he believes that defense departments purchases are always on the up and up. That government agencies are corruption free and are models of efficiency. In reality I think he is living on a far better planet than me. };O)

Reminds me of a famous Russian saying, "The less you know the better you sleep."

[Osage Orange]

You wrote:

"I sat down to play poker last night with 7 guys from the brokerage/banking industry. Guess which one of us was the only person not to complain about his salary and how he does all of the work, yada, yada, yada...? (*See, US admirer, that's how you use a question mark*) Anecdotes aren't evidence. You see the complaints teachers make in the newspapers more often because the goals of the liberal papers are the same as that of the liberal teachers unions. Their whines just get more media coverage.

]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

LOL...Of course I understand that anedotal evidence "is what it is". And you give a great example of it. I mentioned that, lack of hard concrete, certifiable numbers, anecdotal evidence was all I had. But I'm certain of it's validity. You aren't going to persuade me otherwise...at least not today. Hehehe...

Of course your media example is true.... and that exactly is part of my evidence. At least weekly, I hear, read or see "the whine" about teacher pay. And it's not "only" the media..that does it. Although that is the biggest part of the pie.

]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

You wrote:

Besides, I'm not dissatisfied with my pay (...more than anyone else is). I would just much rather have it be based on my performance rather than on some stupid seniority scale, as I know I would be making a lot more if it was (and many of the lousy teachers making a lot less, which is why the teachers unions... read that as "organizations invented to protect the incompetent"...will never let merit-based pay happen). I never have to worry about being employed, because when you are good at something you can always get a job doing it. I just hate watching the slacker down the hall screw over the kids and my school's general reputation, and still draw the same paycheck as I do...

========================================================

Once again...I agree. Especially the part about worrying about being employed...As that is my take also, and how I approach my job.

Best FRegards,

[ladylib]

Did heads roll over that $2 million blunder?

I bet not.

[SaveTheChief]

I am glad you said MOST anyone can teach, because I firmly believe that not everyone can.

I used to teach orchestra. My two sisters and a brother in law do teach. As far as I know, none of them are making a fortune. I certainly did not.

Being a music teacher sometimes gives you the opportunity to witness others do what you do for a living. I must say that in the music world, there are teachers out there who really have no clue how to get their students to succeed. I do not know the reason -- if it is a lack of knowledge, enthusiasm, drive or whatever. I have witnessed teachers telling students ways to do things in a manner that does more harm than good, and not willing to consider other techniques that might help them be more efficient in the classroom. I have witnessed teachers being completely happy with a poor effort from their students. Successful teachers make an effort to try different things, work with as many students as they can, and not give up when a student just doesn't understand. A battle has to be made between the teacher and ignorance. Many teachers after a few years are happy letting ingnorance win.

My point.... A warm body can complete the requirements to become a teacher, but not everyone has the skills or passion to be a good teacher. Unfortunately, those that do are a rare breed these days.

[NittanyLion]

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Get a new dictionary. No wonder you couldn't cut it as a teacher.

[pepsionice]

An interesting comparison...German teachers have class from 8AM to 1:30PM usually...and then use 2 to 3 hours each afternoon preparing for the next day. They split the class structure up after the 4th grade with the smartest kids in a special group...the capable students in a special group...and the undesirables in a special group. If you want to goof off...your whole life and future money-making ability is flushed down the toilet by being in the last group. Most German teachers make around $40k after 10 years...and few ever make more than $60k.

[BushCountry]

Actually you would lose the bet, one head rolled, it was a 2 million dollars disaster. However, the head that rolled was the wrong person, it was sad, because the head on the chopping block fought tooth and nail against the purchase, but was ordered by her superior to make it and suffered the ultimate price when things went sour.