Low Opinion of Teachers?

I realize that this has the potential for drama (especially on a friday) but I really hope it doesnt turn out that way. I really am curious. I don't know if I am just naive but lately I seem to be surrounded (in my personal and business life) by people that have very low opinions of teachers. I also see that it has nothing to do with party lines either. My mother always encouraged me to go into teaching (which I SHOULD have). My husband however was told by relatives that those that do, do and those who dont, teach. Someone recently told me that it is ludicrous that teachers get basically the same perks and benefits as police officers AND they get their summers off to boot. Just today (hence this post) someone very casually made a derogatory comment about teachers as if that is the "normal" opinion. Is this something that has been increasing in time or has it already been like this and I was just sheltered by it and brought up to believe that the teaching profession is absurdly important? I mean seriously, our children ARE our future...

Message edited 8/3/2012 2:17:56 PM.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I have heard derogatory things to this effect in the past and I always stick up for teachers. It is one of the few careers where you HAVE to have an advanced degree, and teachers really do put in their time and $ into schooling. The day rarely starts a 8 and ends at 3, sometimes my husband doesn't get home until after me, and I work a regular 9-5 in the city. He's definitely not a teacher for the money, and he hasn't had a summer off ever. He works summer school, camps, coaches clinics, whatever he has to do to supplement his salary, which really isn't that great. Anyway this turned into a rave about my husband, but also teachers in general.



I think people are probably jealous of the summers off thing, the presumed short hours, and the salary benefits. It's not an easy time to be a teacher either. They face cuts and layoffs like the rest of us.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

It has always been like that.

Teaching used to be a little more cooshy. But not anymore.

These days teachers work before and after their hours. They work during the summer doing workshops, setting up their rooms, etc.

General education teachers now must be special education teachers unofficially. There are no delineations anymore.

Special education teachers now get a huge diverse group in their classrooms that make it virtually impossible to teach them all anymore. I know because it's my job to help them do just that.

Classes are overcrowded. Teachers work with minimal supplies.

Teaching is hard! And they just did away with my position because of budget cuts, so I will be teaching again in a class for the first time in 12 years!!!!!

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I think it's a different time. Parents expect much more of teachers these days. I was not thrilled w a teacher my ds had so my little guy may go elsewhere. Had it been a public school, I would have been more vocal about it. I feel like years ago teaching was a nice job, but there is a lot more pressure today. as for summers off, so many teachers work during the summer. I also think (soon) kids will be going to school year round. I respect teachers very much but I also expect a lot from them.I do hear comments from people about teachers, but I only care about personal experiences

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I think like in any field, there are going to be good and bad teachers.

You will have the ones who are home when the school bell rings each day, and then ones who stay until late at night, also doing extracurricular stuff with their students.

I used to get annoyed with some of my teacher friends to be honest (especially when I feel like I work in a similar field that's just as hard, with a lot less perks) until I had my son.

He's not in school YET, but being home with him some days for a couple of hours I am ready to jump off a cliff. I can't imagine having a classroom of them to be in charge of. I take him to a library "class" each week and see how much energy it goes into for the teacher to keep 10-15 kids focus for just 30 minutes.

And in this day and age, you are dealing with all kinds of problems. Everything from kids who don't speak English, are special needs to budget cuts and playing social worker.

My first major too in college was teaching and my mom talked me out of it and I would've graduated at a time where it would have been easy to find a job. I regretted this for SO LONG.

But now jobs are no longer guaranteed, even if you've been there for awhile, so I think it probably worked out for the best.

I also think anytime you work a job that people feel they are paying your salary directly, you are under a huge amount of scrutiny from morons.

I see it in my own profession.

Some clients and their families have this huge sense of entitlement, like they are signing my checks, so therefore I should bow down to them and do whatever they want.

That's not how the world works.

For some, this is their only sense of power though, so let them say what they want.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Teachers do not teach for the money. Believe me. When I was very young people always told me that I should be a teacher because I loved teaching little ones how to do this and that. I also loved sports, so became a PE teacher. I just cant stand how people make it like teachers do it for the money?! I have thousands in student loans, had to get my masters degree, even though I already had a job and pay a lot out of my own pocket for a lot of things. I married a fireman and its not the easiest to make it on Long Island. We sure dont make the same as Nassau or Suffolk police (not saying we should.) I will tell you for sure I will hope and pray my children dont want to be teachers. People just dont respect them enough.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I think it probably has a lot to do with the fact that test scores are so abyssmal (although I completely disagree with all this standarized testing) and the US is falling short when compared to other countries. My personal opinion of teachers has changed - years past I valued teachers much more. Some of it probably has to do with the fact that while you hear about great teachers, you hear about the horrible ones too. I also think the teacher's union and its seeming unwillingness to make changes that the general public sees as reasonable contributes. As for the hours, I'm sure that irks people too. There are a couple of teachers on my block. One puts in longer hours and is so passionate about her work. She goes with her "kids" to prestigious science competitions, etc. The other is usually home by 3:30 and takes days off all the time, it's crazy (for ticker tape parades, work done on the the house, baseball games, etc - and boasts about it) and doesn't work in the summer.

I think we need to value our teachers, and reward the really good ones, if we hope to help our kids be prepared to compete with people from other parts of the world. And right now are kids are not in a good position.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I reserve my opinion of teachers based on the individual.

I make the same (or slightly less) than a lot of the teachers who work less than 75% of what I do. Am I jealous of job security & working less than 10 months of the year, you bet I am! Do I begrudge them going into a profession that has more perks than me, nope.

But to hear/read about the teacher's salaries in my district coupled with the complaints regarding their contract, the picketing in front of our elementary school over the budget infuriate me. Picketing in front of kindergartners who are new to the school?!

There are amazing teachers out there. My kids have been lucky enough to have them. For the most part teachers work their butts off & really do try to inspire the kids. There are also teachers that go through the motions & are riding it out until retirement. Maybe I'll be burned after working at my job for 40 years & I'll be just as miserable as they are but if I am, I should be on a performance plan & worried for my job.

As for those that can, do. Those that can't teach, I disagree. I think teaching is a lot more difficult than people think. They don't just work until 2pm. There is plenty of prep work, etc after & before school. But hourwise, I suspect that on a daily basis, teachers still work less than the average worker for a lot more money.

It's disingenuous to say that a teacher who hasn't had a summer off because they work summer school as a comparison to the private sector. Their additional summer work is supplementing their annual salary (which is a lot more than private sectors pay). I don't care if it's $5/hour. It's their choice to work & the extra money they add to their base salary. From my perspective that kind of thought is what leads to ill-will & low opinions of teachers work.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Low Opinion of Teachers?

As a teacher myself ... Entering my 10th year as a teacher .... There are some good ones and there are bad ones ... Like in any office there are people you avoid talking to because they bring you down same with teachers .... There is one teacher I work with that complains none stop not only about her job but the kids the parents the staff etc ...then she goes on to praise her child's long island district .... For those people who give the rest of the teachers a bad name I say ... gET ANOTHER JOB ... Just like that postal worker or bank teller or etc that doesn't like their job

Sorry for the vent ... I hope it makes sense

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I think it is that a few bad apples spoil the bunch in this case.

I am a teacher and I have worked in several different schools. I have seen phenomenal teachers, great teachers, good teachers, and ineffective teachers. Ineffective ones always seem to be the most vocal when it comes to board issues, admin issues, etc. I do not let students talk badly about other teachers in my classroom, but I constantly overhear conversations between students. After hearing the 30th kid complain about how a teacher does not teach, it starts to make you wonder and I can see how that one ineffective teacher becomes the model for people who want to bring down the profession. I would like to hope the new APPR evaluations will do something about this, but I doubt it.

I also am very conflicted with the "last in, first out" policy and I think many people not in the profession have the same opinion. I see both pros and cons to the policy and I think it needs to be modified.

I also think Unions leave a sour taste in people's mouths. They see them as greedy and believe that all teachers have the same "ideals" as the union leaders. They also believe that unions are not willing to work with districts. My union changed our health coverage and will be receiving a 0% raise next year. To save jobs, they also voted to give back one days pay. I know my district puts information like this in the local paper and on the website, but then I read comments and people are still complaining that teachers are doing nothing to help with costs.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Message edited 8/3/2012 3:52:11 PM.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Posted by sfp0701

Posted by nrthshgrl

. But hourwise, I suspect that on a daily basis, teachers still work less than the average worker for a lot more money.

Just based on the fact that other people (non-teachers) post on this site and facebook DURING the work day, to me, makes this point invalid. I am an SLP (in a school) and I can tell you that my teacher friends and I don't even get a second to even think about Facebook or other web surfing during the day. When a big news story hits, I find out about it when I get home. There isn't a free second. Not one.
You are on your feet and putting on a show and dealing with behaviors every single second. (except for the 30 minutes you eat your lunch.. if you take it).

I do get home by 3:30 but, only because I have to pick my son up by 4. I work in a special ed district so there are no after school activities. I bring my work home and do it there. I don't apologize for it. I have so many students loans from my 60 credit (full-time) master's degree that I will be paying them back until after I retire (not kidding). I worked damn hard for my job, as did the people I work for and I am SO SO sick of people badmouthing it.

So maybe I work, in my building, less hours but, I don't think it makes the work load any less. I tell my DH that it is like concentrated OJ. I may work (again, in my building) less hours but, I bust my azz those hours.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Posted by fdnywife

Posted by sfp0701

Posted by nrthshgrl

. But hourwise, I suspect that on a daily basis, teachers still work less than the average worker for a lot more money.

Just based on the fact that other people (non-teachers) post on this site and facebook DURING the work day, to me, makes this point invalid. I am an SLP (in a school) and I can tell you that my teacher friends and I don't even get a second to even think about Facebook or other web surfing during the day. When a big news story hits, I find out about it when I get home. There isn't a free second. Not one.
You are on your feet and putting on a show and dealing with behaviors every single second. (except for the 30 minutes you eat your lunch.. if you take it).

I do get home by 3:30 but, only because I have to pick my son up by 4. I work in a special ed district so there are no after school activities. I bring my work home and do it there. I don't apologize for it. I have so many students loans from my 60 credit (full-time) master's degree that I will be paying them back until after I retire (not kidding). I worked damn hard for my job, as did the people I work for and I am SO SO sick of people badmouthing it.

So maybe I work, in my building, less hours but, I don't think it makes the work load any less. I tell my DH that it is like concentrated OJ. I may work (again, in my building) less hours but, I bust my azz those hours.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Posted by sfp0701

Posted by nrthshgrl

. But hourwise, I suspect that on a daily basis, teachers still work less than the average worker for a lot more money.

Just based on the fact that other people (non-teachers) post on this site and facebook DURING the work day, to me, makes this point invalid. I am an SLP (in a school) and I can tell you that my teacher friends and I don't even get a second to even think about Facebook or other web surfing during the day. When a big news story hits, I find out about it when I get home. There isn't a free second. Not one.
You are on your feet and putting on a show and dealing with behaviors every single second. (except for the 30 minutes you eat your lunch.. if you take it).

I do get home by 3:30 but, only because I have to pick my son up by 4. I work in a special ed district so there are no after school activities. I bring my work home and do it there. I don't apologize for it. I have so many students loans from my 60 credit (full-time) master's degree that I will be paying them back until after I retire (not kidding). I worked damn hard for my job, as did the people I work for and I am SO SO sick of people badmouthing it.

So maybe I work, in my building, less hours but, I don't think it makes the work load any less. I tell my DH that it is like concentrated OJ. I may work (again, in my building) less hours but, I bust my azz those hours. I think it all equals out.

As for the bad teachers, THEY SUCK. They should go. Just as the some of the IDIOTS my husband works with should go. They don't seem to get fired either though.

ETA: My DH makes A LOT more than me and he knows about every single news story and keeps up with social medial alllll day. All of his coworkers do too. I think that says something right there about the concentration of the workload.

Stepping off my soapbox now.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Posted by fdnywife

Posted by sfp0701

Posted by nrthshgrl

. But hourwise, I suspect that on a daily basis, teachers still work less than the average worker for a lot more money.

Just based on the fact that other people (non-teachers) post on this site and facebook DURING the work day, to me, makes this point invalid. I am an SLP (in a school) and I can tell you that my teacher friends and I don't even get a second to even think about Facebook or other web surfing during the day. When a big news story hits, I find out about it when I get home. There isn't a free second. Not one.
You are on your feet and putting on a show and dealing with behaviors every single second. (except for the 30 minutes you eat your lunch.. if you take it).

I do get home by 3:30 but, only because I have to pick my son up by 4. I work in a special ed district so there are no after school activities. I bring my work home and do it there. I don't apologize for it. I have so many students loans from my 60 credit (full-time) master's degree that I will be paying them back until after I retire (not kidding). I worked damn hard for my job, as did the people I work for and I am SO SO sick of people badmouthing it.

So maybe I work, in my building, less hours but, I don't think it makes the work load any less. I tell my DH that it is like concentrated OJ. I may work (again, in my building) less hours but, I bust my azz those hours.

Message edited 8/3/2012 4:12:58 PM.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Posted by sfp0701

Posted by nrthshgrl

. But hourwise, I suspect that on a daily basis, teachers still work less than the average worker for a lot more money.

Just based on the fact that other people (non-teachers) post on this site and facebook DURING the work day, to me, makes this point invalid. I am an SLP (in a school) and I can tell you that my teacher friends and I don't even get a second to even think about Facebook or other web surfing during the day. When a big news story hits, I find out about it when I get home. There isn't a free second. Not one.
You are on your feet and putting on a show and dealing with behaviors every single second. (except for the 30 minutes you eat your lunch.. if you take it).

I do get home by 3:30 but, only because I have to pick my son up by 4. I work in a special ed district so there are no after school activities. I bring my work home and do it there. I don't apologize for it. I have so many students loans from my 60 credit (full-time) master's degree that I will be paying them back until after I retire (not kidding). I worked damn hard for my job, as did the people I work for and I am SO SO sick of people badmouthing it.

So maybe I work, in my building, less hours but, I don't think it makes the work load any less. I tell my DH that it is like concentrated OJ. I may work (again, in my building) less hours but, I bust my azz those hours. I think it all equals out.

As for the bad teachers, THEY SUCK. They should go. Just as the some of the IDIOTS my husband works with should go. They don't seem to get fired either though.

ETA: My DH makes A LOT more than me and he knows about every single news story and keeps up with social medial alllll day. All of his coworkers do too. I think that says something right there about the concentration of the workload.

Stepping off my soapbox now.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

I think one difference is that as far as I know teachers don't HAVE to work in the summer (i.e. not a requirement of their job). I have plenty of friends who work at camps, tutor, etc, but the money they make there is on top of their annual salary.

Even with a JD I probably make less than many teachers with the same number of years of experience, but have to work until at least 5, and often work well into the evening, year round. I'm not saying that teachers don't bring work home, but as a poster above me said, she is able to leave work at 3:30 and then work from home (and to this poster, I am totally not picking on you or saying it's bad that you do this!). I leave at at least 5 and then work for a couple hours from home.

I definitely don't have a low opinion of teachers. I don't think it's necessarily an easy job and is often thankless. I do, however, agree with nthshgrl that, all told, the average teacher often works fewer hours than the average worker in many other professions, (especially when you account for the vacations they get because school is closed).

Message edited 8/3/2012 4:30:45 PM.

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Re: Low Opinion of Teachers?

Message edited 8/3/2012 4:29:52 PM.