Let’s face it; the educational system we use is the mold for who will lead us tomorrow. Students are the hope for solving our problems of today: inflation, climate change, international relations. It makes sense, that with so much being placed on their shoulders, laws are being passed that require students to learn more, remember more, and analyze more. So wouldn’t it be important that students are taught well; important to understand that those who teach students are one of the most vital components of the whole process? Wouldn’t it make sense to insure, with all these new mandates, that these teachers are sufficiently provided for to teach students. Despite the seemingly simple logic here, educators are still getting the short end of the stick.
Many schools throughout the nation are falling on financial problems, and commonly its teachers who take the worst of it. Students benefit from going on field trips, working hands-on, and listening to speakers, the physical interaction broadening their scope of leaning. But all these things cost money, and funding has come up short. Teachers are pushed more and more to provide these things right from their pocket. Unfortunately, this gets expensive due to high inflation and economic recession. The cost of living has gone up, while salaries for teachers have not kept pace. A decade ago teachers received a pay raise of 6% every year, which dropped to 3%, and has moved to nothing in recent years. Teaching positions have never been considered exceptionally high paying jobs, but this was offset by good benefits (health care, retirement, ect.). But that has been attacked recently as well. Some teachers are paying four times as much for prescriptions, medical exams, treatments, and insurance premiums.
On top of the financial pressure teachers are often used as scapegoat, getting blamed for a child’s problems. They deal with students who have social and academic issues, and are often held responsible by parents. Some issues that cannot be treated, and some do come from inept teachers, but for the most part these parents need to look at themselves and ask what they can do for their child as well. Instead of blaming a teacher, who often has to worry about over a hundred kids simultaneously, they should assist and encourage their students in whatever way possible at home. Parents, administrators, and the media constantly attack teachers. Is it more often you hear the press present the story the few teachers who make mistakes, or the hundreds of thousands who really care about what they do and do it well? Everyone should take a step back and take a second to truly appreciate the difference educators make in our daily lives.
Most the information above was from an interview with a middle school teacher in a Michigan suburb who has thirty years experience in secondary education.
Other sources were taken from CNN’s Education feed and articles which can be found at http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080224/BUSINESS/802240531/0/FRONTPAGE http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080224/EDIT07/802240379
I think it is great you decided to take a teacher’s stand point on this topic and I think that overall your ideas make a lot of sense. I especially think that your view on how teachers are being made to pay for school supplies out of their own pockets is very well justified. Also, I agree with you on the fact that students are clear beneficiaries of class trips and hands-on experiences. I know I’d prefer to get out of the classroom every so often—it’s definitely a bit more enjoyable than being stuck in a classroom all day long. Great title, by the way—it got my attention.
I agree, teachers work very hard and they should get paid a good wage, one that will keep up with the economy. The schools themselves should find a way to make more money to pay for school activities and supplies. A teaher should never have to pay for these things themselves.I think that parents should consider the school budget, before they jugde the teachers.
The way you open the problem is great. Teachers are a very important aspect that show the quality of our educational system as well as student’s success. Also, I like the title of this article. You have many exact numbers to support your ideas.
I completely agree. we just built 2 completely new schools in our district and we can’t give teachers a cost of living raise? And teachers being blamed with messed up kids is so bogus. I know so many teachers that care so much about their jobs and that kids they teach. I think some think people need to remember the higher education standard aren’t just hard on the student, the teachers have to make the lesson plans and tests for these incredibly complex subject. It’s like the teachers say all the time: they dersevre so much more for putting up with us.
If teachers were paid more, they could provide more for their students and also have a better attitude while teaching. You don’t want a teacher who is worrying about paying her morgtage payment while she is supposed to be preparing students for a better future.
It’s kind of sad that we pay people millions of dollars to play a game or pretend to be someone else, but the people who are educating our country get paid in peanuts. Kind of shows our priorities, huh?
I agree that the teachers get blamed too often, and people never look at all the crap they have to deal with on a regular basis; faceless administrations, overprotective parents, unmotivated kids, etc.
” Is it more often you hear the press present the story the few teachers who make mistakes, or the hundreds of thousands who really care about what they do and do it well?” I think that’s pretty much a summary of our media in general. Just like you hear more about the serial killers themselves than their victims, and more about the celebrities who’s lives are falling apart than the ones who live like normal people. I guess the negative press is more exciting for people or something.
troof troof
teachers should be paid way more than what they’re getting.
and i totally hate parents who blame everyone for their kid’s problems except themselves.